Singlereel’s mission is to create independent short films that give a voice to subjects that inspire conversations.
Production Team
Eleva Singleton: Producer and Director of singlereel.
Eleva was born to a multi ethnic family in 1961 on the South Side of Chicago. For many years she worked in the film and television industry as a production assistant, actress, director, and producer. Eleva worked for major studios in Hollywood including Disney, Universal Studios, Warner Bros., and Sony Pictures. Eleva directed and produced “Conversations” a comedy short which followed a day in the life of a struggling actress by her phone conversations. Starring Meta Golding, James Earl Jones, Eric Roberts, and Harvey Fierstein. In 2000 she moved from Hollywood to Chicago to care for my mother.
In 2015 Eleva was chosen to be a Kartemquin (DVID) Diverse Voices In Documentary Fellow.
Through that fellowship Eleva directed and produced a short documentary “SHINEMEN” which focuses on Chicago treasure Bill Williams, a shoe shine man who owns three businesses, worked for the Chicago tourism bureau, and is worth billions of dollars in revenue to the city of Chicago. “SHINEMEN” presents shinning shoes not just as a job, but as
an art form with testimonies from Bill Duke, Dr. Randall Jelks, Dr. George Bailey, and Senator Emil Jones.
“SHINEMEN “was nominated for a Chicago Emmy award in 2017 and frequently airs on WTTW .
In 2017 Eleva was awarded by AARP and Crains Chicago Business, “Illinois 50@ 50”.
In recognition of people 50 and over making an impact in Illinois while disrupting attitudes about aging.
Eleva just completed her third short film “The New Mother” which explores the paradigm shift between an elderly mother in declining health and her relationship with her adult daughter who is now her caregiver.
Eleva is also a member of The Arts Club of Chicago for contributions in the Literary, and Visual Arts.
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