Former Student J.R. Shaw Premieres New Movie Highlighting Local Harbor Pilot Association
Shaw's film highlights the 180-year-old Galveston-Texas City Pilots Association. Former student J.R. Shaw ’15 has made it to the big screen. As the host of the popular podcast and video series “Galveston Unscripted,” he has embarked on a new adventure with the release of his feature-length film “Sentinels of the Port: The Galveston-Texas City Pilots,” highlighting the work of local harbor pilots, set to premiere January 11 at The Grand 1894 Opera House.
The self-described “history nerd” started the podcast in 2021 to share his love of history with anyone willing to listen. Shaw, who grew up between Texas City and Galveston, prides himself on making local history accessible for everyone.
“Galveston Unscripted” has covered everything from architecture to ghost wolves, and what started as a podcast quickly grew. Shaw created self-guided tours of the island and a list of free museums, all available on the “Galveston Unscripted” website.
“Galveston history is so embedded in the history of Texas, the Gulf Coast region and the nation as a whole,” Shaw said. “Galveston has something so special, but I feel like oftentimes there’s this huge contrast between what I know Galveston to be and what the general public thinks it is. There’s a bit of a stigma about the island, but that’s not the Galveston I know.”
Shaw is a conscientious steward of history and ensures he features experts across his platforms, including historians, authors and locals, each with different experiences and perspectives. He has a particular interest in subjects that are easily and often overlooked. He jokes that, as a podcast host, he just loves to talk, but it’s clear that he’s passionate about what he does.
“Although our understanding of history should always evolve as we uncover new information, it is so important to learn and to have as context,” Shaw said. “History is everything that brought us to today; it informs our future, and it tends to repeat itself — almost like an echo.”
He continued, “Every one of us has a deep, deep history through our lineage that wasn’t necessarily recorded or passed down. There is always something to explore and discover and relate to.”
Shaw received his Bachelor of Science in Maritime Administration from Texas A&M University at Galveston while working part-time in the maritime industry. In 2022, after nearly a decade in the field, Shaw made a significant pivot in his career to work full-time on his business ventures, including “Galveston Unscripted.”
“Getting into media was a complete leap of faith,” Shaw said. “While I might not be the best storyteller or audio video editor, nobody else was doing what I was doing, and I felt both pulled and driven to do what I’m doing now. Who knows where it’s going to end up, but it’s taken me on this great path so far.”
About a year and a half ago, Shaw started to lean into shorter-form videos, ideal for TikTok or Instagram reels, but found a niche in YouTube, where he publishes weekly 10-minute videos. While working on one of these videos about the Galveston-Texas City Pilots Association, Shaw realized he wanted to tell that story on a larger stage.
Shaw’s biggest project yet, “Sentinels of the Port: The Galveston-Texas City Pilots,” will premiere on Saturday at The Grand 1894 Opera House. Created thanks to a year-long partnership with the Galveston-Texas City Pilots Association, the film focuses on both the association’s history and modern operations. The film is a very capable one-man-band effort of video production for Shaw, who was the camera operator, producer, animator, voice actor and more.
“Piloting is a very old profession with a rich history,” said Shaw. “The Galveston-Texas City Pilots Association has been around since the Republic of Texas, and they’re still dedicated to the same mission: guiding ships safely into port. It’s unbelievable how valuable their work has been for 180 years.”
Though Shaw doesn’t describe himself as such, he is, by all accounts, a documentarian. And while it’s evident he has a great love for the history of the island, he keeps circling back to the people who call the island home.
“The people that live here appreciate Galveston Island for what it is – past, present and future,” Shaw said. “I really honor and respect their resilience throughout history and the understanding that nothing is permanent. I’m lucky to get to study people and be witness to their willingness to move forward and build upwards when you wouldn’t think that they could.”
Update: On Monday after the premiere, Shaw released the movie on his YouTube channel. It’s now available for anyone to watch for free.