about us

At Grounded Theory, storytelling is at the heart of everything we do. Founded by husband-and-wife filmmaking team Elaine McMillion Sheldon and Curren Sheldon, we are a creative company rooted in place, relationships, and the untidy truths of human experience. Together, we bring decades of experience in filmmaking, photography, and writing to explore stories that provoke thought, spark connection, and uncover the beauty in complexity.

Elaine McMillion Sheldon is an Academy Award-nominated, Peabody-winning, and two-time Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker whose work has been praised for its depth and humanity. Her films include King Coal, a cinematic meditation on the legacy and future of Appalachia’s coalfields; Heroin(e) and Recovery Boys, two powerful explorations of America’s opioid crisis; and Tutwiler, an intimate portrait of incarcerated pregnant women. Her work has been recognized by Sundance, Telluride, and PBS POV, and she is a John Simon Guggenheim Fellow, USA Fellow, and Creative Capital Awardee. Elaine grew up in Southern West Virginia, and her stories are often shaped by her Appalachian roots and deep connections to rural communities. 

Curren Sheldon is an Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker whose expertise lies in cinematography and visual storytelling. As the director of photography and producer of Netflix Original Documentaries Heroin(e) and Recovery Boys, Curren brings a distinct eye for capturing the human experience. His cinematography work spans platforms like HBO (Phoenix Rising) and Freeform (Keep This Between Us), and he has collaborated with brands and publications including The New York Times, Patagonia, and The Bitter Southerner. Raised in West Virginia, Curren’s creative perspective is deeply informed by the culture and resilience of Appalachia. 

Together, Elaine and Curren have collaborated on films that have garnered critical acclaim and sparked meaningful conversations about pressing social, cultural, and environmental issues. Their shared belief in the power of storytelling—whether through film, photography, or writing—is the foundation of Grounded Theory. Based in a small mountain town in the Alleghenies, their work is deeply rooted in place, relationships, and the messiness of real life. At Grounded Theory, they continue to explore bold, innovative ways of unraveling meaning and building connections through creativity.