Marking a decade of making “Content that Doesn’t Suck”

Big Slate Media is celebrating its 10th anniversary by doing what it does best: breaking new ground. The company recently expanded to its new downtown north facility after renovating a historic building on Broadway, and announced the launch of its VFX division, making it one of the only Knoxville-based production companies to offer full-service, in-house visual effects capabilities, positioning East Tennessee as a serious player in the national production scene.

Founded in 2015 with “a drone and a dream,” Big Slate began as a small aerial film and photography operation. Since then, it has transformed into a full-service production company and agency producing video, photography and digital content, as well as campaigns for social media, graphic design and web development.

“This milestone celebrates what creative people can achieve when they are committed to doing the best for each other, their clients and the community as a whole,” said Jonathan Halley, founder and executive producer of Big Slate. “It’s been really cool to watch this team transform with the changing landscape of the industry, be incredibly agile in their response and deliver content that is not only visually beautiful but strategically sound. Knoxville has been going through a lot of positive change, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

Since its founding, Big Slate has:

• Pioneered the first live drone stream to ESPN as part of the Bassmaster Classic hosted in Knoxville in 2019
• Provided drone operations for Netflix’s “Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives” documentary from the Executive Producer of “Tiger King” and Director of “Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened,” Chris Smith
• Introduced one of the first short-form content subscription services in the region
• Won the Pinnacle Small Business Excellence Award in 2020
• Won the Best of Blount Tourism Impact Award in 2024
• Nominated for an Emmy Award in the Best Cultural Documentary category for “Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change” in partnership with the Black Opry and the Tennessee Theatre
• Expanded from six full-time employees in 2020 to a team of 30+ creatives today
• Jonathan Halley has received widespread recognition in the community with Knoxville News Sentinel’s 40 Under 40 in 2020, VIP Knoxville’s 50 Under 50 in 2025, winner of the Knoxville Entrepreneurship Center’s “What’s the Big Idea?” pitch competition in 2023 and Crowd Favorite of Innov865 Alliance’s Startup Day 2023 pitch competition.

Beyond its creative work, Big Slate has become an anchor in Knoxville’s growing creative district. This year’s anniversary celebrations will include a 10th Anniversary Block Party on Thursday, Aug. 28, from 4–8 p.m. The event will feature a ribbon cutting for Big Slate’s new office building, food, drinks, live music and hard hat tours from neighboring businesses McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects (MHM) and Sauna House, who are also breathing life into an area that has sat vacant for years.

“Our story has always been about people, with the clients who trust us, the talented team that brings projects to life and the Knoxville community that has supported us from the very beginning,” Halley added. “As proud as I am of what we’ve accomplished, I’m even more excited about what’s next.”

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ABOUT BIG SLATE MEDIA

Big Slate Media is a leading Knoxville-based video production company and creative agency, helping brands create consistent, relevant content that actually makes an impact. With a team of more than 30 talented professionals, full-scale production capabilities, and an in-house agency arm, Big Slate makes content that doesn’t suck and ensures it reaches the right audiences through smart, effective marketing strategies. From national network campaigns to small business stories, the award-winning team has partnered with brands like Red Bull, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Raising Cane’s, the University of Tennessee, Clayton Homes, and HGTV to bring bold, creative visions to life.