Strategy. Story. Impact.

WE BELIEVE STORIES CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.

Cinereach is a not-for-profit story incubator pioneering new ways of developing and producing compelling, popular entertainment designed to shift culture and build momentum for change.

We believe in the power of stories — in film, television, podcasts, video games, graphic novels, social platforms and across all media — to shift perspectives and open hearts.
Maze photograph with rainbow tint. Photo by Mitchell Luo on Unsplash
Photo by Mitchell Luo on Unsplash

THE CHALLENGE


At a moment when our society feels divided and we can’t seem to find common ground, story can help connect us. When it feels as though we are all seeing the world through different lenses, story can speak to us in ways data and logic can’t.

Too many stories today that strive for social impact struggle to connect with and move broader audiences. We want to better understand why and reimagine storytelling—how stories are developed, produced, distributed, and consumed — to create things people love.
Film still from Marcel The Shell With Shoes on featuring Marcel sitting on a laptop keyboard.
Marcel The Shell With Shoes On (Cinereach production, 2021)

THE OPPORTUNITY


At Cinereach, we believe great storytelling shouldn’t compromise.
It can be both wildly entertaining AND shift hearts and minds.
It can be both beautifully artistic AND have broad reach and appeal…kind of like our friend Marcel.
LEARN MORE ABOUT US

CURRENT PROJECTS

At our core, Cinereach is a story incubator. We perform research, conduct workshops, and apply social science to better understand the narrative space on complex topics ranging from justice to sustainability. Here’s a glimpse of some of our current projects.
Logo for Just Play: A Game Jam For Justice, presented by Cinereach and Anima.

A Cinereach project

JUST PLAY: A GAME JAM FOR JUSTICE

During our Justice research workshop, we uncovered that people have greater empathy and understanding when they experience injustice directly (rather than observing injustice passively). This led us to explore how we might investigate themes of justice via interactive games. Just Play challenged video game developers to consider creative ways to engage themes of justice via gameplay mechanics and story. Visit the official site to learn more about the winning submissions we honored at SXSW 2024.

In collaboration with Anima Interactive
OFFICIAL SITE LEARN MORE

A Cinereach project

JUST PLAY: A GAME JAM FOR CLIMATE FUTURES

Just Play: A Game Jam for Climate Futures is an online competition and showcase challenging video game developers to engage creatively with climate futures and themes through gameplay mechanics and story. Finalist prototypes will be celebrated at the Closing Night Party of the Hollywood Climate Summit (June 25 - 28, 2024) and will be eligible for the opportunity to participate in a Cinereach-run workshop to further develop their prototype.

In collaboration with Anima Interactive
OFFICIAL SITE

Logo for The Civic Leadership Stories Project.

A Cinereach project

THE CIVIC LEADERSHIP STORIES PROJECT

At a time when inspiring civic leadership is most urgently needed, our narrative research and exploration asked: “Why do so many stories in popular culture feature evil or incompetent government officials?” This project supports scriptwriters, showrunners, producers, talent, and other storytellers looking to develop new storylines about characters making a difference in places of power, in hopes these stories might inspire greater civic engagement—especially among audiences under 30. Visit the official site to learn more.

In collaboration with Partnership for Public Service
OFFICIAL SITE LEARN MORE

Cinereach's Climate Visibility Project.

A Cinereach project

THE CLIMATE VISIBILITY PROJECT

The depiction of climate change in popular culture too often lands at one of two extremes: absence (there’s nothing to see here, so nothing we should do) or disaster (the problem is too big to fix, so nothing we can do). We’re engaging in a deeper study of how story can move audiences toward greater understanding of climate change to develop more accurate climate narratives that give audiences greater agency.

In collaboration with Good Energy
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STRATEGY. STORY. IMPACT.


Our proprietary workshop and development process is unlike any other: broader than a typical brainstorm; deeper than a standard focus group; more extensive than traditional narrative or audience research. Here’s a peek at how we do it:

1. WE DO OUR HOMEWORK.

We start with a broad exploration of a topic then dive into the nitty-gritty through lived experiences and subject matter expert insights.

2. WE GET CREATIVE.

With a rich understanding of the problems and the systems at play, we explore surprising and unexpected creative directions.

3. WE DON’T ASSUME, WE CHECK.

Along the way, we use social science and analysis to check our ideas and assumptions so we avoid tropes and traps that might dilute our quest for entertainment and impact.

4. WE MAKE THINGS.

Then, we fund and produce pioneering pilots and prototypes to bring these stories into the world.

our history

WE KNOW STORY.


Founded in 2006 as a film foundation and production company, Cinereach has produced award-winning films including Academy Award™-nominees Beasts of the Southern Wild and Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. We continue to fund and produce entertainment pilots, prototypes, and products that span multiple media formats. Here’s a look at some of the outstanding stories we’ve had the privilege to support.

Marcel The Shell With Shoes On (2021), Sorry To Bother You (2018), Beasts Of The Southern Wild (2012), Reality (2023), After Yang (2021)
OUR WORK

200+

Films Supported

7

Academy Award nominations

25+

Independent Spirit Award nominations

20+

Sundance wins

what people are saying

"Cinereach's process of research-intense sessions…has been transformative to the storytelling blueprint of our collaboration…The insights we learned are leading to greater truths. Cinereach's process embeds a duty of care, at the very beginning, that is crucial for values-driven storytelling."
Headshot of producer Karin Chien.
—Karin Chien
Producer
“Cinereach is at the cutting edge of the narrative and culture change game. They are thinking critically about how entertainment can drive change to make this country more just, inclusive, and equitable.”
Logo for Frameworks Institute.
—Nat Kendall-Taylor, PhD
CEO, FrameWorks Institute
“With its new strategy, focused on social impact through storytelling, Cinereach will build on its extraordinary track record to make media that makes a difference.”
—Liz Manne
Co-founder & Principal, Story Strategy Group
“It is a blessing when an organization puts into practice their deep values around developing the containers for creatives to not only thrive as art makers but also as human beings.”
Logo for SoulCenter.
—Erin Washington
Founder, SoulCenter
"Cinereach has been an incredible partner —their team's readiness to share advice, make introductions, and help us navigate the evolving industry landscape was essential as we launched the Civic Leadership Stories Project."
—Will Jenkins
Civic Leadership Stories Project
Rainbow gradient featuring the text: Building A Better Future, One Story At A Time.

WHY PARTNER WITH CINEREACH?


✦ A track record of success.

✦ We fund ideas.

✦ Exploring all media platforms.

✦ Cool projects.

Whether you’re a creator, researcher, change-maker, or investor—if you are curious about the root causes of what is keeping some of our most pressing problems from being solved and narratives from shifting, join us.

CONNECT WITH US.

Get in touch

Reach us. Anytime.

If you are inquiring about support for your project, please note that we are not currently accepting unsolicited applications.