Lionsgate Taps Tongal and Wattpad to Develop Short Films Inspired by its Highly-Anticipated Film "Wonder"
WONDER Author R.J. Palacio and Film Director Stephen Chbosky Selected Winning Stories of When Kindness Prevailed for the #ChooseKind Campaign
Los Angeles, CA—November 10, 2017— In anticipation of its upcoming film WONDER, global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE:LGF.A, LGF.B) tapped creative network Tongal and Wattpad, the global multiplatform entertainment company for original stories, to connect with fans worldwide and source stories about moments when kindness prevailed. Today, Tongal unveils the three short films developed out of the partnership: The Fuzzy Spark, Roadside Assistance and Please Recycle, released across brand channels on Facebook, leading up to WONDER’s release on November 17 and encouraging viewers to #ChooseKind.
“Working directly with the talented members of Tongal and Wattpad allowed us to authentically bring the heartfelt themes of WONDER to the forefront of the creative conversation,” said Lionsgate Executive Vice President of Worldwide Digital Marketing Danielle DePalma. “The resulting short films from these storytelling communities are proof that branded content can inspire and engage fans in meaningful ways, and kindness can transcend through any medium.”
To kick off the campaign, Lionsgate enlisted emerging writers on Wattpad to share 500-word stories about choosing kindness. Out of the thousands of stories that were submitted, three Wattpad authors, Charly Manlove (@CharlyManlove), Graham Christian Ganahl (@GrahamChristian) and Char (@musicalchar), were selected as winners by WONDER author R.J. Palacio and film director Stephen Chbosky (Beauty and the Beast, The Perks of Being a Wallflower). Lionsgate then turned to Tongal to bring these stories to life through its community of professional filmmakers.
“The collaboration between the Tongal and Wattpad communities is truly an example of next-gen, open sourced storytelling,” said Tongal Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, James DeJulio. “By partnering with Lionsgate, we are able to expand the theme of WONDER – which is to choose kindness in all that you do – and bring new voices and perspectives to inspire new audiences.”
“Stories, community and engagement are the hallmarks of Wattpad and what we offer brand partners,” said Chris Stefanyk, Head of Brand Partnerships at Wattpad. “These are the same qualities that made WONDER such a great fit for our audience. Working with Lionsgate and Tongal on this campaign has allowed us to bring WONDER’s positive message of acceptance and kindness to the over 60 million readers and writers on Wattpad, while also bringing these stories to life on new mediums.”
Based on the New York Times bestseller and starring Academy Award® winner Julia Roberts, Oscar® nominee Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay, WONDER tells the story of August Pullman, who was born with facial differences that, up until now, have prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Auggie becomes the most unlikely of heroes when he enters the local fifth grade. As his family, his new classmates, and the larger community all struggle to discover their compassion and acceptance, Auggie’s extraordinary journey will unite them all and prove you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.
Go here http://lions.gt/wondershorts to check out the short films.
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About Tongal
Tongal has pioneered a new model for creating content, powered by a global network of 120,000 professional creatives and a proprietary development platform. Tongal develops content strategies and produces video people want to see across every platform, including TV commercials, social and digital campaigns, and original entertainment for innovative brands like LEGO, Nestle, Mattel, NASA, Unilever, General Motors and more. The private company is headquartered in Santa Monica and is backed by Insight Venture Partners. More information can be found at www.tongal.com/business.
About Wattpad
Wattpad’s vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories. The global multiplatform entertainment company uses the power of community and technology to enable the creation and distribution of content across a variety of formats. Its flagship app, Wattpad, is home to a community of more than 60 million people who spend over 15 billion minutes a month engaged in original stories. Tap by Wattpad, the company’s second storytelling product, offers short, chat-based stories in over a dozen languages. Widely recognized as the leader in social storytelling, the company established Wattpad Labs, an innovation lab for those passionate about the future of entertainment to develop the next breakthrough storytelling product alongside Wattpad. Wattpad Studios co-produces stories for film, television, digital and print, together with industry partners. Wattpad Brand Solutions offers a full suite of advertising products to help brands build deep engagement with Millennial and Gen Z consumers. The company is proudly based in Toronto, Canada. Learn more at: www.wattpad.com/about
About Lionsgate
The first major new studio in decades, Lionsgate is a global content platform whose films, television series, digital products and linear and over-the-top platforms reach next generation audiences around the world. In addition to its filmed entertainment leadership, Lionsgate content drives a growing presence in interactive and location-based entertainment, gaming, virtual reality and other new entertainment technologies. Lionsgate’s content initiatives are backed by a 16,000-title film and television library and delivered through a global licensing infrastructure. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring and ground-breaking content created with special emphasis on the evolving patterns and diverse composition of the Company’s worldwide consumer base.