The Chicago filmmaker behind Ladies of Steel on fear, firearm safety, and staying true to herself
For Jessica Scott, every documentary starts with a person worth knowing. The Emmy-nominated filmmaker and journalist has built her career in Chicago telling stories that center Black people and their communities with honesty and care. Her latest project, Ladies of Steel, takes her into territory that surprised even her.
From journalism to documentary filmmaking
Scott did not set out to make films. She came up as a multimedia journalist, drawn to visual storytelling before she ever thought about documentaries as a career. A master’s degree from Northwestern pushed her in that direction, and the two worlds merged naturally. “I like real stories,” she said. “I love talking to real people, interviewing them, learning about their lives and their stories.” That instinct is what led her to Javondlynn Dunagan.
The story behind Ladies of Steel
Dunagan is a retired probation officer who spent 25 years on the job before starting her own self-defense business aimed at helping women feel less afraid of firearms. Out of that work grew the Ladies of Steel Gun Club, and Scott saw a story that needed to be told. “I’m so happy I got the opportunity to work with her and help her tell her story,” Scott said, “because I think it’s one that people need to see, especially the women of Chicago.”
The documentary follows Dunagan’s classes and gives viewers a window into what it looks like when women, including older women, take ownership of their safety. Scott said one of the biggest surprises during filming was learning just how much there is to know. “In one of her classes, she speaks about different clothing that women could wear to hide their firearm,” she said. “I had no knowledge of that. You could wear a skirt, you could wear a dress, and still carry a firearm.”
Why women on the fence should watch
Scott herself is not a gun owner, and she was candid about that. “I’m also one of those women who is on the fence about carrying a firearm and even having one in my home,” she said. That honesty is part of what makes the film feel accessible. Her argument for watching is not about persuading women to arm themselves. It is about removing fear through knowledge. “If you learn the proper ways and techniques to carry a firearm, and then when to use it, I think that will help ease the fears,” she said.
The film has been submitted to festivals around the country, and Scott’s hope is simple. She wants more women, in Chicago and beyond, to find Javondlynn Dunagan’s club or something like it in their own cities. “There’s a lot to learn about firearm safety,” she said. “Definitely.”
Staying focused as an independent filmmaker
Making films independently as a Black woman in a male-dominated industry is not easy, and Scott does not pretend otherwise. Her way through it is deliberate. “I just focus on me and my story,” she said. “I try to have blinders on and not worry about what anyone else is doing.” Faith plays a big role. She prays, asks for guidance, and trusts that the right stories will find their way. “I want everyone to win,” she added. “I want that female to do well, and I’m gonna do well.”
Her next documentary, Renege, centers on the card game Spades. After that, who knows. But for now, her focus is exactly where it has always been, on real people with real stories, told the way only she can tell them. Find her at www.jscottfilms.com or on LinkedIn.