Q&A: Sonder Pictures’ Writer’s Incubator Program Breaks Into Hollywood With Passion and Community
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆BY Natalie D.C.☆
Photo By Mégan Babbitt
IN 2025, SONDER PICTURES WAS BORN — Co-founded by best friends and LA-based filmmakers Gracie Flores and Amy Nuñez, Sonder Pictures is an independent production company (and just recently approved nonprofit!) that strives to support young creatives looking to break into the film industry. Firmly anti-establishment, Sonder Pictures is volunteer-run and community-based, centering accessibility in their mission to break down barriers that often prevent young BIPOC, LGBTQ+ actors, writers, and filmmakers from making it in Hollywood.
Based out of both Los Angeles and New York City, the studio’s 10-week intensive program, the Writer’s Incubator, aims to support filmmakers from story development through post-production. With five distinct projects currently in the works—When Waipo Visits, The Virgin Agenda, La Mordida, Book Club, and Canciones Para Introvertides—Sonder Pictures is reaching for the stars alongside its fiercely talented and passionate team. Executive director Gracie Flores is a Mexican-American writer, director, cinematographer, and producer whose tenderly queer short films—Bloom, Eres Tú, and Cinema—have collectively amassed over 1.5 million views on YouTube. Deputy director Amy Nuñez is a Peruvian-American writer and cinematographer whose work at the National Association of Latino Independent Producers has allowed her to discover and nurture underrepresented voices within the film industry.
The Luna Collective chatted with the pair about their post-production experiences, inspirations, and hopes for this passion-project-turned-dream-come-true of a boundary-breaking film studio.
LUNA: Congratulations on recently wrapping production on your first short film, When Waipo Visits! How is the team feeling moving into post-production?
FLORES: Thank you! It was definitely a wild but rewarding journey to take on as my first real film to produce. Emily [Li] (the writer/director) and I are both feeling relieved to finally have a little breathing room, but mostly we’re so proud of the work it took to get here! The endless back-and-forth texts, late nights, and production calls were all worth it. During the shoot, I’d sneak over to our DIT [Digital Imaging Technician] table whenever I could, and every time I was blown away by how beautiful the footage looked. Post-production will be its own challenge, but we’re excited to dive into the edit and start conversations with some incredible composers who’ve reached out about scoring the film!
NUÑEZ: It’s been the most incredible journey. To see this film grow from just a logline, to a fully fleshed-out script, and now into post-production has been so surreal. When we were first workshopping the script within the cohort, it didn’t quite hit me that this story would actually come to life. But once we were on set — watching the characters bring those lines we’d re-read to life, seeing the club come alive, and capturing all those little moments that had only existed on the page — it truly felt like a full-circle moment. Now, as we move into post, I feel so much joy and excitement to see it all come together, and I can’t wait for the world to experience it with us.
LUNA: From Bloom (2021) to For One More Day (2022), neither of you are strangers to film production. Did working on this project feel any different than previous ones?
FLORES: VERY DIFFERENT. I made Bloom when I was still in high school and brand new to filmmaking. It was the first film I had ever written, directed, cast, edited, colored — it was my first venture into it all. My crew was very small, my two closest friends each juggling multiple roles on set. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I knew I had a story I wanted to tell and that I just had to make it — even if it turned out rough or no one ever saw it.
When Waipo Visits was on a completely different scale. We had around 30 crew members, plus anywhere from two to five main actors on set each day! It was also my debut as a producer, since most of my past experience had been on my own projects or smaller student sets in roles like directing, writing, editing, or cinematography. Producing this film felt like a whole new world. I had to learn how to coordinate such a large team, problem-solve in real time, and support someone else’s vision rather than my own. It was challenging in all the best ways, but at the end of each day, I just felt so grateful to be surrounded by such talented people who believed in this story as much as we did.
NUÑEZ: Absolutely. For One More Day was the very first short film I ever created during my undergrad, and with that project, I wore almost every hat: writer, director, DP [director of photography], editor, pretty much every role. But as I’ve stepped into the industry, I’ve come to realize the beauty of collaboration. Having someone dedicated solely as the DP or solely as the editor allows the project to grow into something so much bigger than what one person could achieve alone. At first, your films can feel like your child. You don’t want anyone else shaping how it’s shot, edited, or told because you think only you can bring it to life the way it’s meant to be. Being on the set of When Waipo Visits, I was in awe of everyone's work ethic and skill set. Each person came in with their own expertise, knew exactly what to do, and executed it with so much passion. It reminded me that filmmaking is at its best when it’s a collective effort, and I feel so grateful to have been surrounded by such a passionate team.
LUNA: What lessons are you bringing into production for Sonder Pictures’ other upcoming projects, The Virgin Agenda, La Mordida, Canciones Para Introvertides, and Book Club?
FLORES: Honestly, the biggest lesson I’m carrying into our upcoming projects is the importance of taking care of myself. I tend to get completely lost in work — partly out of necessity and partly because I have this intense drive to see a project through from beginning to end. But I’ve learned how important it is to step back, re-energize, and give myself the space to feel overwhelmed sometimes. The fear of failure is real! But I’ve come to see it as a sign that you’re moving in the right direction — that you’re doing something you truly care about. In the end, I’ve realized that supporting yourself is the first step to creating the kind of art that can truly support and inspire others!
NUÑEZ: Many lessons were learned from the first set. I've come away with the fact that I can't prepare for everything. I'm someone who always prepares for the worst, but some things are just out of our control, and they have to be handled and solved on the spot. But I learned that I don't have to do it alone, and so by confiding in friends and family, tapping into my network, and thinking creatively, I was able to do so.
I’ve also learned how vital community is in filmmaking. It’s not just about having resources; it’s about having people who believe in you and are willing to show up and support you. As I move forward into The Virgin Agenda, La Mordida, Canciones Para Introvertides, and Book Club, I want to carry that with me — to keep building a strong community and create that same sense of trust and support for our filmmakers. Because challenges will always come, but what gets us through is how we face them together.
LUNA: How does centering mutual aid and community make Sonder Pictures stand out from traditional production companies? What do you believe Sonder Pictures has that creative studios today are lacking?
FLORES: Mutual aid and community are at the heart of everything we do, because we know there’s no such thing as moving “up” without the support of others. In this industry, progress has always been tied to who you know and what’s on your résumé. Like any business, film has often been less about art and more about money — which strips away so much of the magic. Studios rarely take chances on “unknowns,” and they’re more focused on speed and guaranteed success than on nurturing new voices or creating a sustainable industry. That makes entry into the industry incredibly difficult for emerging artists.
Sonder was created to challenge that. We want to give people those first chances, to take a chance on them if they’re willing to take a chance on us. At Sonder, we’re all learning together, and I believe that’s where our strength lies: in community, in collaboration, and in the willingness to grow side by side. We aim to break down barriers of access, and through that, we hope to build a healthier, more sustainable ecosystem for creativity and film production.
NUÑEZ: As I’ve navigated the entertainment industry, I’ve seen how many barriers stand in the way of getting a story made. If you don’t have an A-list actor attached, or if your project doesn’t align with the studio’s needs, it’s often met with endless “no’s.” Hollywood no longer feels like a victory; it feels like having to give up a part of yourself, your story, to make it, and it shouldn't have to be that way. Therefore, Sonder Pictures was born from wanting to change that narrative. We young creatives are talented and skilled, and even without those big Hollywood names and stars backing us up, with our shared talent, drive, and passion, we can do it ourselves, together. At its core, Sonder is about reminding people that together, we have the power to create a new kind of Hollywood, one built on authenticity, passion, and community.
LUNA: How did the idea for The Writers’ Incubator Program come to fruition?
FLORES: Honestly, it started in a pretty simple way. Amy and I were on FaceTime one afternoon (I was still in college/NYC at the time) just venting about how creatively stuck we felt. There were no film internships on the horizon, we hadn’t made a short in years, and the feature scripts we’d been working on were stuck at about 20–30 pages in. We had started this little two-person “writers’ group” to hold each other accountable, but at 6 months into the process, we were completely blocked.
Somehow, in the middle of that conversation, the idea of starting a production company just… clicked. We realized that the key to any creative endeavor — whether it’s finishing a script or making a film — is accountability and inspiration. And we thought, “there must be other writers out there like us, with a million ideas in their notes app not knowing what to do with them or how to get them made.” That’s where the Writers’ Incubator was born.
For us, it became a way to create the kind of “writers’ room” we always dreamed of being part of. And for me personally, it was also a chance to step into producing for the first time — because who else was going to take a chance on me with no credits, except other artists who were also just starting out?
LUNA: Have there been any hurdles as you support five up-and-coming filmmakers and, if so, how have you overcome them?
FLORES: It’s definitely been a challenge to juggle five projects at once — we really didn’t think that part through when we first came up with the idea for the Incubator, haha. The biggest hurdle has been time. Amy and I had to learn quickly how to divide our attention so that each project and filmmaker gets the care they deserve, because it’s a lot to manage. Even though we staggered the projects by a month or so, every one of them still goes through casting, script drafts, social media strategy, crowdfunding, and pre-production pretty much at overlapping times. Let’s just say Google Calendar has become my lifeline — I don’t think I’ve ever used an app more.
NUÑEZ: Many, many hurdles have come with supporting up-and-coming filmmakers. Sonder Pictures was built purely out of passion — no money, no resources, no backers, just a drive to create. Everything we’re doing, we’re doing for the first time. We simply jumped into this world, and thankfully, we’ve been blessed with overwhelming support from our community. The hurdles we face now feel less like setbacks and more like opportunities to grow. For me personally, the biggest challenge has been learning how to build and sustain an organization while also producing these five projects. We want each one to succeed, and that means giving everything we can to support our filmmakers — Emily, Grace [Fang], Aissata [Bah], Nicole [Klein], and Marian [Fragoso]. These five brilliant writers made every week of our 10-week Incubator feel special. The way they showed up for each other, with feedback, motivation, and support for one another. Watching them keep going, even when it was tough, reminded me of why I’m pushing through all the obstacles too. I’m not just doing this for them, but for every emerging filmmaker who has dreams like ours.
LUNA: If there is one piece of advice you could give to your younger self, what would it be?
FLORES: I would tell her to dream big and not let fear stand in the way of creating your own opportunities. There have been so many things I have almost held back from— applying to an Ivy League, moving far away from my parents, or even starting this production company— all because of doubt or fear.
But I’ve realized that the things that feel so far out of reach, so out of your league and expertise, the things you want so bad but are afraid to commit to because of a fear of failure, are often exactly what is meant for you.
NUÑEZ: To do it scared. My whole life, I’ve been driven by this need for perfection, but I’ve slowly come to terms with the fact that perfection doesn’t exist. Nothing will ever be “perfect” — it just has to get done. And no matter how many times I fail or mess up, it’s going to happen, and that doesn’t define my ability; it’s simply part of the process.
Once I let go of the fear and the belief that everything had to be perfect, I finally allowed myself to start. And starting has led to failures, but it’s also led to so much more. It led to this: Sonder Pictures. Before this, I had never run my own company. I always imagined I’d work for one, but never thought I’d create my own. That dream just felt too far away. But now it’s here and it can be anything I want it to be, because I finally left fear behind. In fact, I almost welcome fear now, because it means I’m learning and growing.
LUNA: As we head towards the end of the year, what are some goals that you have for Sonder Pictures?
FLORES: In the immediate future, my biggest goal is for our projects to secure post-production grants and make their way into festivals — the world needs to see these films!
But looking at Sonder as a whole, I hope we continue to grow our team and expand the resources we can offer our community. I have lots of ideas floating around in my head and in my Notion workspace, but I would love to have things like monthly skills workshops (i.e. on everything from directing actors to building an indie budget), screenings to highlight the filmmakers in our network, and to have more in-person programming! Eventually, I’d love for Sonder to be able to support filmmakers in bringing their visions to life even beyond our Incubator cohort!
NUÑEZ: I still can’t believe Sonder Pictures has only been running for eight months. This year has been insane, watching it grow, meeting so many incredibly talented filmmakers and creatives, and producing films I never thought I could. When I think about the goals for Sonder, I get excited because I can see it so vividly. I picture Sonder hosting events at cool venues (hopefully around the world), with screenings of diverse filmmakers’ projects, panels where people can learn from each other, fun intentional networking sessions, and just a space where creatives can come together, connect, and support one another. On the project side, I’m really looking forward to seeing our films head into their festival runs. I can’t wait for our filmmakers to step on stage and talk about their work, especially since, for many of them, these are the first short films they’ve ever directed or crowdfunded. That’s what makes me the most excited, showing that with enough support, anyone can make it happen!
LUNA: Finally, what are some films and/or TV shows you’ve been drawing inspiration from recently?
FLORES: Honestly, I’ve really been loving the show PEN15. I think it captures parts of our lives that many of us block out, and does so in such an absurd yet painfully honest way. I’ve been appreciating how enlightening satire can be when it tackles real, relatable experiences — and in such a funny way! I find myself analyzing it constantly. It’s such a great show, and I only wish I had discovered it sooner.
I also recently watched Perfect Days by Wim Wenders — such a beautifully simple portrait of everyday life and the beauty in the mundane. I’ve always wanted to do a film like this, a “nothing happens” type of film as I call them, and maybe after all of our Incubator projects wrap, I’ll finally get back to writing something like that.
NUÑEZ: I’ve always been drawn to films that are introspective and reflective on life. For me, storytelling is an outlet for feelings and emotions that almost haunt us, and there is no way of letting them out until they’re on the page or on the screen. That’s what makes film and TV such a beautiful art form. Films like Past Lives, Before Sunrise, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty have always spoken to my soul, and I’ll always want to write and produce films that give other people that same feeling, like they’re finally being seen and understood. I also gather inspiration from my life, the conversations I have, the strangers I notice, the little moments in between — I see them all like movie scenes. And that inspires me to live a little more, to feel a little deeper, because that’s the human experience: to feel it all.
