Ailene
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama
In 1949, a young Black couple’s future is upended when Tiny Irving is offered the chance to play Major League Baseball, just as his pregnant wife, Ailene, prepares to build the family life she’s always dreamed of. Ailene asks what happens when loving someone means putting your own dreams aside.
72 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$9,595
Goal: $20,000 for pre-production
In 1949, a young Black couple’s future is upended when Tiny Irving is offered the chance to play Major League Baseball, just as his pregnant wife, Ailene, prepares to build the family life she’s always dreamed of. Ailene asks what happens when loving someone means putting your own dreams aside.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The year is 1949. Our story follows Ailene, a young black woman in the third trimester of her pregnancy, and her husband, Tiny Irving, an elite negro league baseball player who has just been offered the opportunity to play for an MLB franchise and follow in the footsteps of Jackie Robinson. Ailene must decide whether to support her husband and his dream to leave their home for the MLB or fight for the family life she’s always wanted.
I played baseball from the age of 4 to 18, and to this day it’s still my favorite sport. I will forever be grateful to my dad for putting a baseball in my hands at such a young age because the game has taught me so much over the years. Growing up I more often than not was the only black player on my travel baseball teams and we spent every weekend playing in rural towns across the state of Michigan, it opened my eyes to the harsh realities of the world I was living in at such a young age, and it made me think about the inhumane things black baseball players experienced just so they could play the game that I loved. I watched my parents sacrifice so much for me to play baseball growing up, and as I got older and went through things on my own, I was granted a new perspective on things. My parents had things they wanted to achieve, but they put their own personal goals and dreams on hold so I could pursue mine. It’s a selfless act that I will forever be indebted to them for. But this goes further than just my parents; there are countless siblings, spouses, friends, and family members who sacrifice their own dreams so that someone they love and care for can achieve theirs. This film is for anyone who has put their personal goals to the side to help someone they care about chase their dreams.
Ailene is a Romantic Sports Drama. Although this isn’t necessarily a baseball movie, it lives and breathes in that world. We want to bring that feeling of the South in the late 1940’s to the screen with as much authenticity as possible. The film has tender moments of intimacy, love, and triumph alongside the racial tension of the Deep South in the late 1940s. Our story is a love letter to those who’ve made a sacrifice for someone they care about. We see you, and you deserve to have your story told too.
I am blessed to have come from an extremely supportive family that has always pushed me to chase my dreams. So with Ailene, I was truly inspired by the idea of telling a story about a woman who has constantly made sacrifices so her husband, Tiny, could achieve his goals. There are so many ways we could tell this story, but we truly believe that it starts and ends with Ailene and her choices at the center of it. The relationship between Ailene and Tiny is challenged in a way it’s never been before at the time we meet them in the film. The writer, Susan Jones, and I found the idea of a nearly perfect couple facing their hurdle at a time when they should be the happiest they’ve ever been very compelling. The film holds up a mirror to their relationship and places them in very uncomfortable situations.
Additionally, here's a breakdown of where your contributions will be helping us out! Every dollar counts!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Director
Wallace Hill V is a filmmaker born and raised in Flint, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University, where he earned his B.A in Fiction Filmmaking. He now resides in Los Angeles, California, where he attends the University of Southern California in pursuit of his M.F.A. in Film & Television Production. He’s written and directed multiple films, often centering around moral ambiguity and the choices people are often faced with in life.
Writer 
Susan Allena Jones is a writer/director from Garner, North Carolina, and a current graduate MFA student at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. She fell in love with filmmaking during her last semester of undergrad and hasn’t looked back! Her writing background includes a USC capstone short, “Bury Me in Color,” and other female-driven stories of family, love, grief, and survival. She loves comedy, thrillers, and emotionally devastating dramas, but most of all she loves watching films where they were meant to be seen: in the theater.
Producers
Jade Hunter is a New Jersey-born producer, director, and writer currently pursuing her MFA in Film & Television Production at the University of Southern California. With experience across narrative, scripted, unscripted, and live entertainment, she continues to build a career across all aspects of filmmaking. Jade is passionate about creating meaningful work and bringing a thoughtful, collaborative approach to every project. She is a recipient of the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation Endowed Student Support Fund for Diversity Scholarship and was recently selected as a filmmaker for the NAACP Cinematic Shorts Competition.
Kendyl Powell is currently in her third semester of the Film & Television Production MFA program at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where she focuses on producing, Directing, and Writing, with a growing interest in cinematography and sound as she continues to expand her creative toolkit. Originally from Hollywood, Florida, she moved to Los Angeles at age 10 to pursue acting and dance, experiences that continue to inform her approach to performance and storytelling. Kendyl’s work is rooted in character-driven narratives that explore human connection across mediums, including film & performance. Through her work, Kendyl seeks to challenge perspectives and contribute to meaningful cultural conversations, with the goal of creating lasting impact through her storytelling, one film at a time.
Jay Pendavis Jr. is a writer/director from Annandale, Virginia, currently based in Los Angeles. A graduate of the University of Virginia and current student at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, his work explores grief, family, and human connection through emotionally grounded, character-driven storytelling. His short film See You Soon serves as a proof of concept for the feature, exploring themes of loss, brotherhood, and the enduring bonds that shape our lives.
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The year is 1949. Our story follows Ailene, a young black woman in the third trimester of her pregnancy, and her husband, Tiny Irving, an elite negro league baseball player who has just been offered the opportunity to play for an MLB franchise and follow in the footsteps of Jackie Robinson. Ailene must decide whether to support her husband and his dream to leave their home for the MLB or fight for the family life she’s always wanted.
I played baseball from the age of 4 to 18, and to this day it’s still my favorite sport. I will forever be grateful to my dad for putting a baseball in my hands at such a young age because the game has taught me so much over the years. Growing up I more often than not was the only black player on my travel baseball teams and we spent every weekend playing in rural towns across the state of Michigan, it opened my eyes to the harsh realities of the world I was living in at such a young age, and it made me think about the inhumane things black baseball players experienced just so they could play the game that I loved. I watched my parents sacrifice so much for me to play baseball growing up, and as I got older and went through things on my own, I was granted a new perspective on things. My parents had things they wanted to achieve, but they put their own personal goals and dreams on hold so I could pursue mine. It’s a selfless act that I will forever be indebted to them for. But this goes further than just my parents; there are countless siblings, spouses, friends, and family members who sacrifice their own dreams so that someone they love and care for can achieve theirs. This film is for anyone who has put their personal goals to the side to help someone they care about chase their dreams.
Ailene is a Romantic Sports Drama. Although this isn’t necessarily a baseball movie, it lives and breathes in that world. We want to bring that feeling of the South in the late 1940’s to the screen with as much authenticity as possible. The film has tender moments of intimacy, love, and triumph alongside the racial tension of the Deep South in the late 1940s. Our story is a love letter to those who’ve made a sacrifice for someone they care about. We see you, and you deserve to have your story told too.
I am blessed to have come from an extremely supportive family that has always pushed me to chase my dreams. So with Ailene, I was truly inspired by the idea of telling a story about a woman who has constantly made sacrifices so her husband, Tiny, could achieve his goals. There are so many ways we could tell this story, but we truly believe that it starts and ends with Ailene and her choices at the center of it. The relationship between Ailene and Tiny is challenged in a way it’s never been before at the time we meet them in the film. The writer, Susan Jones, and I found the idea of a nearly perfect couple facing their hurdle at a time when they should be the happiest they’ve ever been very compelling. The film holds up a mirror to their relationship and places them in very uncomfortable situations.
Additionally, here's a breakdown of where your contributions will be helping us out! Every dollar counts!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Director
Wallace Hill V is a filmmaker born and raised in Flint, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University, where he earned his B.A in Fiction Filmmaking. He now resides in Los Angeles, California, where he attends the University of Southern California in pursuit of his M.F.A. in Film & Television Production. He’s written and directed multiple films, often centering around moral ambiguity and the choices people are often faced with in life.
Writer Susan Allena Jones is a writer/director from Garner, North Carolina, and a current graduate MFA student at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. She fell in love with filmmaking during her last semester of undergrad and hasn’t looked back! Her writing background includes a USC capstone short, “Bury Me in Color,” and other female-driven stories of family, love, grief, and survival. She loves comedy, thrillers, and emotionally devastating dramas, but most of all she loves watching films where they were meant to be seen: in the theater.
Producers
Jade Hunter is a New Jersey-born producer, director, and writer currently pursuing her MFA in Film & Television Production at the University of Southern California. With experience across narrative, scripted, unscripted, and live entertainment, she continues to build a career across all aspects of filmmaking. Jade is passionate about creating meaningful work and bringing a thoughtful, collaborative approach to every project. She is a recipient of the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation Endowed Student Support Fund for Diversity Scholarship and was recently selected as a filmmaker for the NAACP Cinematic Shorts Competition.
Kendyl Powell is currently in her third semester of the Film & Television Production MFA program at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where she focuses on producing, Directing, and Writing, with a growing interest in cinematography and sound as she continues to expand her creative toolkit. Originally from Hollywood, Florida, she moved to Los Angeles at age 10 to pursue acting and dance, experiences that continue to inform her approach to performance and storytelling. Kendyl’s work is rooted in character-driven narratives that explore human connection across mediums, including film & performance. Through her work, Kendyl seeks to challenge perspectives and contribute to meaningful cultural conversations, with the goal of creating lasting impact through her storytelling, one film at a time.
Jay Pendavis Jr. is a writer/director from Annandale, Virginia, currently based in Los Angeles. A graduate of the University of Virginia and current student at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, his work explores grief, family, and human connection through emotionally grounded, character-driven storytelling. His short film See You Soon serves as a proof of concept for the feature, exploring themes of loss, brotherhood, and the enduring bonds that shape our lives.