About Our Story
From wedding cinematography
to Netflix distribution
—our path wasn't planned, but it is purposeful.
Early 2010s: Wedding Cinematography Foundation
Our founder launched Shaina Koren Cinematography, creating cinematic wedding films. These weren't traditional wedding videos—they were 20-minute short films that wove together the story of the couple with the same attention to character development we'd later bring to documentaries. This work taught our team the art of run-and-gun shooting while maintaining excellent energy for clients and guests, developing the efficiency and interpersonal skills that would become hallmarks of our documentary approach. The business earned multiple awards and a 5/5 rating across 25+ client reviews, but ultimately made a decision to pursue documentary film-making full-time.
Mid-2010s: The Spark That Changed Everything
During the wedding cinematography years, a pivotal moment occurred when a client asked us to film her husband's Air Force retirement ceremony "with the same cinematic style as the weddings." This request sparked a revelation—the most meaningful stories aren't always at the beginning of new chapters, but often as chapters are closing. Retirements, milestone birthdays from the 50s to 90s, moments when people reflect on their life's work and wisdom. It would take another decade for this vision to be fully realized with the heirloom legacy films, but the seed was planted in that moment.
2016-2020: "The Rebound" Festival Success and Global Impact
"The Rebound"—a project that began in 2012 through pure passion, crowd-funding, and countless hours—began its remarkable journey through the film festival circuit. This 73-minute documentary follows three Miami Heat Wheels players as they rally their team through a season where passion and drive are abundant, but a dwindling checkbook threatens to cut short their attempt to win their first national championship. After years of dedicated work preparing the final film for its premiere, it ultimately won eight prestigious awards including the Kaiser Permanente Thrive Award at Cinequest Film Festival, Audience Award at Brooklyn Film Festival and sweeping four categories at Gallup Film Festival (Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing). The feature documentary premiered at Miami International Film Festival and screened at over 20 festivals worldwide.
2016-Present: Educational Legacy and Continued Impact
"The Rebound" has played in over 150 screenings across the world and continues to serve as a powerful educational tool today. Universities use the film to teach future leaders in sports management, kinesiology, physical therapy, and disability studies. The documentary has been featured in academic research at James Madison University and piloted by the U.S. Department of State, demonstrating its lasting impact beyond entertainment. Its continued use in educational settings proves the power of authentic storytelling to create meaningful change.
Our founder stepped away from wedding cinematography to launch Evergrain Studios, a documentary film company focused on social impact storytelling. Our team began production on several compelling stories: a mental performance coach who works with NBA athletes, a Paralympic gold medalist's journey to motherhood, and a local photographer documenting a town at the center of political controversy. We collaborated with brands to create short documentaries and Evergrain's documentary work with wheelchair softball was used to inspire a new generation of athletes and supporters, as well as licensed by Google and MLB.
2018: Launching Evergrain Studios
Our work began reaching larger audiences through partnerships with major networks and streaming platforms. "The Rebound" found its way onto Netflix and Delta Airlines in-flight entertainment, bringing these important stories to millions of viewers worldwide. "Para," our documentary about Rose Hollermann - a world-renowned Paralympian and wheelchair basketball player, premiered on NBC Sports.
2019: Major Platform Recognition
Our founder officially launched our new vision under the Shaina Koren brand, applying the Netflix-quality production expertise to preserving family legacies. Understanding that irreplaceable wisdom disappears when elders pass away, we developed our signature approach to legacy documentary film-making. We recognized that many families neglect their most precious inheritance—the stories, values, and experiences that truly define a legacy. Our films capture not just what someone accomplished, but the essence of who they are, preserving the wisdom that might otherwise be lost forever.
2022: Birth of the Legacy Vision
2024: Expanding to Founders and Thought Leaders
Our team has expanded the documentary services to include purpose-driven entrepreneurs and thought leaders. Recognizing the growing need for authentic content that cuts through the noise of social media, our team began creating documentaries for founders and community leaders. This expansion allows our team to apply the same cinematic storytelling principles that make the family films so powerful to amplifying the missions and impact of visionary leaders building meaningful change in their communities.
2025: Current Practice and Future Vision
Today, we take on several carefully selected projects each year across both legacy films and thought-leader documentaries, maintaining the quality and personal attention that has become our trademark. We have developed Story Mapping sessions for clients in the beginning stages of their storytelling journey—a discovery process that helps clarify whether documentary film-making is the right path and what that vision could look like. Beyond our current work, we're dreaming of our next big project, continuing to push the boundaries of how documentary storytelling can preserve what matters most and amplify the voices that deserve to be heard.
Let's create something that doesn't just capture attention, but captures hearts and minds for generations to come.
Founder
Shaina Koren Allen is an award-winning documentary filmmaker who brings cinematic expertise to every project. Her acclaimed debut feature "The Rebound" followed the Miami Heat Wheels wheelchair basketball team and was distributed on Netflix and Delta Airlines, while being used as an educational tool in universities across the country.
As the co-founder of Evergrain Studios, Shaina’s work was featured on NBCSports and licensed to major organizations including Google, Major League Baseball, and Toyota. She graduated cum laude from James Madison University with a degree in Media Arts & Design and has been recognized as one of CREATIV magazine's "15 Women Who Wow."
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I understand that commissioning a documentary is not a small thing - it requires investment of both time and resources. That's why I've developed a process called story mapping that helps us get clear on whether this is the right next step. Through story mapping, we explore your core values and the key stories that could bring your message to life. This gives you clarity on whether now is the time, and if so, what that path forward looks like.
Even if you don't move forward with a documentary, the story mapping process provides valuable clarity about your story and message that can be applied to other aspects of your business and communication.
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There are a million different ways to tell a story. My process, refined over years of documentary filmmaking, starts with story mapping to get clear on who you are and what you care about. From there, we develop a customized timeline that respects both the creative process and your goals. The story map provides you with a clear storyboard, ideal timeline, and budget for bringing your vision to life.
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Documentary has a unique power to capture who you truly are in a way that other media can't match. When people can feel your presence and understand your mission through authentic storytelling, it creates deeper connections and lasting impact. My clients have used their documentaries to:
* Build deeper trust with their audience
* Create evergreen content that continues to impact people for years
* Leave a meaningful legacy for future generations
* Open new doors and opportunities
* Reach and inspire new audiences
You can't really feel who somebody is in an interview. You can't really feel who somebody is in a promotional video. But when people show you who they are in a documentary scene, you can truly feel them.
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Absolutely. I believe in putting humans first - from my production team to the people whose stories we're telling. Your voice and vision are essential to the process. The story mapping phase ensures we're aligned on the core message and approach before we begin production. Throughout filming and editing, we maintain open communication and collaboration to create something that truly represents your vision.