Our Story
Thunderfeather started with a desire to share new kinds of stories that have never been told.
We decided to make a movie. That was where it all began. Upon writing the script we discovered the main character was autistic. With so many neurodivergent characters portrayed by neurotypicals, we wondered if it had to be that way. Before even finalizing the writing process we decided to hold auditions, and it took us all of about ten seconds to decide that not only would our protagonist be portrayed by an autistic actor, but as many characters as possible would be.
It kicked off something entirely new. Autistic individuals have been historically underrepresented in the film industry. Representations that do occur are often filled with stereotypes and other less-informed portrayals. We wanted to change that. Our film didn’t seek to portray autism, it sought to allow the individuals themselves to portray their own experiences through the lens of our narrative. Every actor who joined our filmmaking process added elements from their own lives, and this collaborative process would go on to define everything we do.
After our first film The Thunderbird went on to international acclaim, we got started on our next project. Creating short film after short film allowed us to perfect our process. Together we developed not just a method, but a culture around a new kind of creative constructive collaboration. After our sixth project, we decided it was time to make a feature film.
Neurodivergent is an umbrella term for autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, OCD, and according to some definitions, bipolar, BPD, PTSD, depression, and others. Individuals from these communities often struggle for accessibility to creative industries. Thunderfeather has started working with all types of neurodivergent creatives in order to change that forever. Since our beginning in film, we've branched out to social media channels, online courses, and other exciting developments soon to come. Many of our creators doubted they would have the opportunity to create because of their conditions. We work every day to change that and strongly feel that everyone has a story to tell.
We're not going to stop until we've told as many as we can.
We had a nerve-wracking crowdfunding campaign and when we hit our goal, it became apparent that we were far from finished. As we worked on our magnum opus Stories From Anotherworld, we discovered it wasn't just a film, it was an opportunity to create an organization centered on the magic we had created together. Thunderfeather was born, and as we moved forward in both the filmmaking and non-profit worlds, it allowed us to extend out reach even further.
Please consider becoming a donor to join us in advocating for those who need it most.
