In an era dominated by polished marketing campaigns and curated social feeds, one Maury County creator, Ross Jaynes, owner of Visual Media Co., is taking a different approach — opening doors, stepping onto factory floors, and documenting the people and processes that quietly power the local economy. What began as a personal passion has evolved into Making Maury, a video series offering viewers a rare behind-the-scenes look at local manufacturing businesses and makers throughout the community.

Maury County is home to a wide range of thriving industries — from advanced manufacturing and automotive to healthcare and logistics. Making Maury showcases this economic engine through compelling stories that promote regional pride, support workforce awareness, highlight innovation, and connect businesses with a wider audience.

The concept is simple but compelling: show how things are actually made, and introduce the people behind them.  “I want people to see what happens beyond the storefront,” Jaynes said. “There are incredible businesses here doing fascinating work, and most of us have no idea what goes on inside those buildings every day.”

“I want people to see what happens beyond the storefront,” Jaynes said. “There are incredible businesses here doing fascinating work, and most of us have no idea what goes on inside those buildings every day.”

— ROSS JAYNES, VISUAL MEDIA CO.

Unlike many digital series backed by sponsors or production teams, Making Maury is entirely independent. Every episode — from outreach and filming to editing and publishing — is handled solo by Jaynes. “So far, the entire series has been self-funded, except for one donation from a random person online, but otherwise it’s been me figuring it out as I go.”

The grassroots nature of the project is part of its allure. Viewers aren’t seeing scripted commercials; they’re seeing genuine curiosity unfold in real time. Cameras capture machinery in motion, hands at work, and conversations that reveal the pride behind local craftsmanship.

Surprisingly, despite positive feedback, securing new episodes has been harder than expected for Jaynes. “The reasons are all over the place — they’re too busy, unsure about cameras, or just hesitant,” Jaynes said. “Even when I send links to past episodes and other businesses say it was one of the best things they’ve done, people are still unsure.”

So far, the focus has remained local, spotlighting manufacturing and production-based businesses within Maury County. The first episode featured The King’s Daughters’ School (TKDS) and their Enrich Boxes, which are filled with locally sourced goods shipped around the world. The episode highlights not only the assembly process but also the broader story of community collaboration — local products reaching global destinations.

“The King’s Daughters’ School Enrich Box Program is the hands-on component of our job skills training program. In the fall, we go out to work with local community partners to procure as many local goods as we can. We worked with Early’s Honey Stand in Spring Hill on our Southern Charcuterie Box, which was very popular and sold out,” Megan Fralix, Enrich Director, explained. “The students spend 12 weeks in the classroom learning job skills, and then they spend four weeks in the workshop actually completing every step of the production process, from folding the boxes, which they helped design, to getting a finished product out the door, and the customer service that’s involved in that.”

TKDS offers two boxes each year and is currently working on the holiday boxes, which will go on sale in early November. Order online at tkds.org and buy early, as supplies are limited. Boxes typically cost $40-$45, plus shipping.

In the second episode, Jaynes beautifully captured the energy of a thriving manufacturing operation in Maury County. The spotlight was on Columbia Machine Works, a family-owned and operated business serving Columbia, Tennessee, since 1927. Home to one of the largest CNC machine shops in the Southeastern United States, the company also operates an extensive fabrication facility capable of handling large-scale structural metal projects and a dedicated repair and rebuild division.

Future episodes will continue to showcase the diversity of the local industry in Maury County, from small-scale makers to larger manufacturing operations. By documenting these workplaces now, Jaynes’s series is quietly creating an archive of local industry, preserving a snapshot of Maury County’s evolving businesses. However, Jaynes hinted that, if the opportunity presents itself, he would not be opposed to expanding the series to include more of Middle Tennessee.

What’s fascinating about the series is that much of the story happens behind the camera — scheduling shoots, coordinating access, and sometimes returning to locations to recreate moments for photography or storytelling purposes. Every episode represents hours of unseen effort, driven largely by Jaynes’s passion and belief in the community. At its heart, Making Maury is about connection and stories that might otherwise go untold.

“There’s so much happening here in Maury County,” Jaynes concluded. “People just don’t always get to see it.” And with each new episode, another door opens — revealing the craftsmanship, innovation, and human stories shaping Maury County from the inside out.

If you are interested in having your manufacturing company featured, contact Ross Jaynes at info@visualmediaco.com. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, or to view past episodes, visit  visualmediaco.com, and be sure to follow @VisualMediaCo on social media.