Wide Open Films

Overview

Wide Open Films is a Scottsdale, Arizona-based production company founded in 1995 by Dan Smith and John Wagoner. The company employs 2 people and operates from 14300 North Northsight Boulevard, Suite 126, Scottsdale, AZ 85260. Wide Open Films is not a film distributor in the traditional sense. It is a digital filmmaking production company with over 20 years of experience creating TV commercials, web videos, fundraising and event videos, documentaries, and feature film development.

The company began as an advertising agency called Mediacraft, founded in 1994 by Smith and Wagoner in the Phoenix metro area. After winning top TV commercial awards at the 1997 ADDY Awards for the Phoenix market, the partners rebranded as Wide Open Films and shifted focus from advertising to producing TV commercials and episodic content. The company is currently focused on producing episodic content, with projects listed under the "In Development" section of their website.

For filmmakers in the Phoenix metro area, Wide Open Films is a local production resource for commercial work, branded content, and digital storytelling. The company does not acquire finished films for distribution, does not operate a theatrical distribution arm, and does not handle sales representation at film markets.

Services and Business Model

Wide Open Films operates as a full-service production company offering:

• TV commercials: Award-winning commercial production for Phoenix-area clients, including the 1997 ADDY Award winners for Best of Show TV Commercial and Best of Show TV Campaign
• Web videos: Digital content production for online distribution
• Fundraising and event videos: Video production for nonprofit and corporate events
• Documentaries: Documentary production as part of their project development slate
• Feature film development: The company lists feature film projects in development on their website
• Episodic content: The company's current primary focus, with episodic projects in development
• eMotive Digital Storytelling: A branded product that curates personal photos, home movies, and media into personalized digital stories for family and personal use

The company does not offer distribution services. Filmmakers looking for distribution of completed films should look elsewhere. Wide Open Films is a production shop, not a distributor.

History

Dan Smith and John Wagoner, both Arizona natives, founded Mediacraft in 1994 as an advertising agency in the Phoenix metro area. They honed their storytelling skills writing and producing ad campaigns for consumer products in the Phoenix market. After visiting several of New York City's largest ad agencies, Smith and Wagoner sharpened their vision from advertising to producing TV commercials.

In 1997, they won the top two TV commercial awards in the Phoenix market at the ADDY Awards. Following this recognition, Mediacraft became Wide Open Films, a boutique creative production shop. The company has since evolved from commercial production into episodic content development.

Smith has been the owner of Wide Open Films since January 1995, giving the company over 30 years of continuous operation. Wagoner served as writer and director at the company from February 1997 to February 1999 before moving on to other ventures.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Wide Open Films is not a film distributor and does not acquire completed films. Filmmakers seeking distribution for finished projects should not approach this company for distribution deals. The company is a local production shop focused on commercial work, branded content, and episodic development in the Phoenix metro area.

For filmmakers in Arizona looking for a local production partner for commercials, web content, or event videography, Wide Open Films offers decades of experience in the Phoenix market. The company's ADDY Award history and 30-year track record demonstrate competence in commercial production.

For filmmakers seeking traditional film distribution, this directory contains numerous actual distributors. In the Arizona region, filmmakers should look to national distributors or regional film organizations rather than local production companies like Wide Open Films.

See Also

For actual film distributors in this directory, see A24 and Neon for US theatrical distributors, or Yellow Veil Pictures for genre-focused distribution. For understanding the difference between production companies and distributors, see Distribution Deals Explained.