Open Circle Films Launches as New Independent Media Company

Image | Walla Walla University crew on set of Josie Henderson's Color of Threads - courtesy of Sonscreen Films

Open Circle Films has officially launched as a new independent media company focused on supporting larger, well-resourced film projects rooted in positive, people-centered storytelling. The company aims to create space within its filmmaking community for ambitious projects that benefit from collaboration, shared infrastructure, and thoughtful stewardship.

Founded by filmmakers and media professionals Zach Kast and Rynn Scribner, Open Circle was created in response to a recurring challenge faced by many independent filmmakers: strong ideas and capable teams, but limited access to funding, coordination, and long-term support. The founders see Open Circle as a way to help filmmakers move beyond what they can often accomplish alone.

Both founders have connections to the Sonscreen Film Festival. They describe Open Circle as a natural outgrowth of that ecosystem—broader in scope and more professional in execution—while remaining grounded in shared values of integrity, collaboration, and constructive storytelling.

Rather than operating as a traditional production company, Open Circle is designed to work alongside filmmakers throughout the production process, helping projects scale responsibly while protecting creative vision. The company is especially focused on films that audiences want to support both for how they are made and for the positive messages and representation they bring to the screen.

“Stories have power,” said Scribner. “So let’s use that power for good. Let’s tell stories that make people kinder, that help us understand what someone else is going through, and that remind us how precious every person is.”

Open Circle Films plans to announce its first project partnerships in the coming months.