Overview
Company: Motion Path Productions / Missouri State Parks
Role: Production Coordinator / Costume Designer
Director: Brandt Hadfield
The Battle of Island Man Film
Commissioned by Missouri State Parks, The Battle of Island Mound tells the powerful true story of the First Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry—freed and escaped slaves who became the first African-American Union soldiers to fight in the Civil War. This pivotal moment in American history took place on Missouri soil, on October 29, 1862.
As Production Coordinator and Costume Designer, I helped bring this untold chapter of history to life - on screen and behind the scenes. My role spanned the logistical orchestration of cast, crew, and locations, as well as the full costume design of Civil War-era uniforms and garments, researched and constructed to reflect both accuracy and emotional weight. Each piece was created to honour the resilience and bravery of the men who stood for freedom at a time when the very idea was revolutionary.
This was more than a film, it was an act of remembrance, and I was honoured to help shape how that story is seen and remembered.
The Work
Production Coordination
As Production Coordinator, I orchestrated the complex logistics of bringing The Battle of Island Mound to life, handling everything from permits to period authenticity. I worked directly with the Mayor’s office and the State Department to close streets for filming, collaborated with fire brigades to safely set fields ablaze, and coordinated with a full Civil War reenactment camp complete with horses and military arms specialists to train our cast and student actors.
Casting was its own battlefield, filming in Springfield, MO, where less than 2% of the population was African American, I partnered with local high schools and their history departments to involve students, and collaborated with the local Lakota tribe to cast Native actors. I also worked with nearby businesses to source authentic period weapons like Enfield and Springfield rifles, as well as percussion caps, ensuring accuracy down to the smallest detail.
Historically Accurate Costume Design
As Costume Designer for The Battle of Island Mound, I was tasked with honouring a pivotal moment in American history through wardrobe. Every garment was designed to reflect the lived experience of the First Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry, escaped slaves turned soldiers, whose courage shifted the course of the Civil War.
I sourced and styled period-accurate uniforms, civilian clothing, and accessories that reflected the era’s harsh conditions while ensuring the cast’s functionality during action sequences. I worked closely with historians and Civil War reenactors to ensure authenticity, ageing each piece by hand to reflect the realities of 1862 battlefield life.
The work earned me the Best Costume Design Award at the 2014 Showcase Juried Awards, a testament to the detail, research, and soul that went into every stitch.
Awards
Regional Emmy Awards: 7 wins
Harlem International Film Festival: Win, Best short film Showcase Juried Awards: Best Costume Design
A DVD of the film was also selected for inclusion in a Missouri state time capsule, to be opened in 2115
the public could view the film as a part of an exhibit at Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Centre in Kansas City.
A showing that will include question and answer with the filmmaker is scheduled for 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 21 at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis.
