Under the title “Wonder Project,” the company responsible for creating faith-based films and TV series, including the Biblical “House of David,” has teamed up with Stand Together Trust to establish a screenwriting fellowship. This initiative offers writers an opportunity to craft stories inspired by real-life events, similar to movies like “The Blind Side” or “Erin Brockovich.
Stand Together, a philanthropic organization with connections to numerous charities, is sponsoring this program. It aims to match up-and-coming screenwriters with diverse perspectives and extraordinary life backgrounds with Stand Together’s extensive national network of nonprofit organizations. This collaboration will result in the creation of heartfelt feature film scripts that embody a profound optimism about humanity and instill a sense of resilience in audiences worldwide, as expressed by the two entities in their statement.
Jeremy Latcham, a former Marvel executive who now produces films and serves as a senior advisor to Wonder, points out that each of these charities seems like they could be turned into movies, focusing on either the founder’s story or a specific case.
The fellowships offer financial remuneration, welcome applications from writers at all skill levels, and commences once the successful candidates have been informed.
As a passionate admirer, I’m thrilled to share that my favorite fellowship has formed an alliance with the Austin Film Festival’s screenplay contest this year. Contestants for this year’s competition had the opportunity to include their work in the fellowship application, a process that wrapped up recently. The fortunate screenwriter chosen will be extending their invitation to the 2025 Austin Film Festival, happening October 23-30. This lucky winner will become a part of the inaugural Fellowship class, an honor I can only dream of!
According to Nick Dunn, Stand Together’s senior vice president of media investments, the Stand Together community is dedicated to supporting individuals who significantly impact their local communities. The Fellowship embodies this spirit on-screen, enabling storytellers to convey captivating tales that embody our conviction in people and our belief that those directly involved with society’s most complex issues are often best suited to address them. It’s a tribute to human capability, and as we draw near to our nation’s 250th birthday, it underscores the enduring strength of the American dream.
Latcham played a significant role in initiating the Marvel Writer’s Workshop, where screenwriters had an opportunity to work with Marvel’s intellectual properties while simultaneously honing their skills. Notably, one of the program’s alumni, Nicole Perlman, penned the script for Guardians of the Galaxy, which later became the critically acclaimed film directed by James Gunn.
Latcham asserts that the grant-making organization’s network possesses a unique form of intellectual property, brimming with tales demonstrating the unyielding resilience of the human spirit. These narratives are grounded in real-life events, focusing on “remarkable educators, medical charities, and urban initiatives,” as he explained. He envisions that the films eventually produced by this program could resemble movies like “The Blind Side” (2009), a hit starring Sandra Bullock, and “Erin Brockovich” (2000), an Oscar-winning film, both of which were based on true events and brimming with emotion.
As a passionate advocate, I’m thrilled about the program’s mission to discover fresh, unconventional storytellers, such as myself, which is why their collaboration with the Austin Film Festival resonates deeply. Reflecting on the industry, I see it shrinking, and opportunities for new writers are scarce. It seems like everyone in the business has emerged from the same film schools. However, this program assures us that regardless of our origins, we can all become established screenwriters.
At present, Wonder and Latcham are working on the film The Breadwinner, a comedy from TriStar Pictures featuring comedian Nate Bargatze. Additionally, they’re set to release the true-life story Sarah’s Oil, starring Zachary Levi, through Amazon MGM later in the year. The stories produced by their writing program tend to fit within the same genre as these movies.
Latcham predicts that within the next year or two, we will discover several talented authors and unearth some fantastic tales,” he notes.
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2025-06-10 00:26