Capturing Stories.
Preserving Legacies.
Their stories are irreplaceable. Their time isn’t unlimited. We help families capture both – beautifully.
Their voice is what you’ll miss the most.
One day, you’d give anything to hear their voice again.
We make sure you never have to imagine it.
Before memories fade, Wonderwide Productions captures and preserves the unique life stories, humor, and timeless wisdom of your most beloved family legacies.
We produce cinematic, heirloom-quality films that allow the family to “meet” their ancestors in their own words.
What Families Are Saying
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“My father was a man of few words, a private person. But now I can repeatedly laugh and listen to his stories, his passions, his hopes and dreams in his own voice. There has been no greater gift to me than this video. I only wish I had done the same with my mother.”
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“The editing, with period music and addition of historical photos brought my grandpa’s stories to life in a magical way. I can’t recommend this service enough to anyone who wants to keep their loved one’s voice and legacy alive for generations to come!”
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“Until you have a Living Legacy film, it’s hard to understand the value. There’s no amount of money that can provide the comfort I have knowing that I am gifting memories to future generations that may otherwise be lost forever.”
Packages & Pricing
The Essential Archive
The Essentials of Preservation
Perfect for families who want to ensure the stories are “on the record” without the need for a full documentary production.
Format: A simple, polished full interview
Experience: A comfortable, relaxed session focusing on raw storytelling
Delivery: High-definition digital master files,personal & private YouTube video channel
Investment begins at $1500 for half day filming / $2500 for full day filming.
+ $500 per additional interviewed subject
The Keepsake
Film
The Storyteller’s Highlight Reel
A beautiful, cinematic “greatest hits” of a life well-lived. We edit the interview into a moving narrative perfect for sharing.
Format: A 10–15 minute cinematic short film in addition to the Essential Archive.
Features: Inclusion of up to 20 family photos and licensed background music
Experience: One-on-one filming in a location of your choice
Delivery: Essential Archive PLUS keepsake documentary film
Investment begins at $4,500 (includes a 5-minute film). Add $3,000 per additional 5 minutes of finished documentary.
Most families choose this package
Custom Feature Biography
Our Premium Service
We weave together interviews, family archives, and “day-in-the-life” footage to create a broadcast-quality documentary.
Format: A 30–60 minute film
Features: Professional color grading, sound design, and unlimited archival photos/videos
Experience: Multiple days of filming with optional multiple locations
Contact for pricing. We will develop the budget based on the information session matching the needs of the film with number of production days and edit length.
✦ AN EXCLUSIVE EVENT EXPERIENCE ✦
The Legacy Premiere
The film is the gift. The Premiere is the moment they’ll never forget.
Imagine your mother watching her own life story unfold on the big screen, surrounded by all of her friends and family. The laughter when she describes how she met your father. The tears when she talks about what she hopes for her grandchildren. The standing ovation at the end.
That is The Legacy Premiere.
For milestone birthdays, anniversaries, and family reunions, we transform your Living Legacy film into a full cinematic event. We coordinate a private screening at a local theater, complete with a curated reception before the film and a celebration after, a night that honors everything your loved one has meant to the people in that room.
It is, quite simply, the most extraordinary gift one family has ever given another.
The Legacy Premiere includes:
Private theater rental coordinated by our team
Pre-screening reception with custom welcome materials
Big-screen premiere of your Living Legacy film
Post-screening celebration to honor your guest of honor
A keepsake program for every attendee
Inquire for availability and custom pricing.
The most meaningful gift you’ve ever given
A Living Legacy film is the perfect gift or tribute for a milestone birthday, retirement, anniversary, or simply the moment you realize there’s no better time than now. This will be the most meaningful gift you’ve ever given.
Our Process
STEP 1
Planning & Research
Discovery call with the family, custom question development, location scouting, scheduling, and archival photo/video collection.
STEP 2
Filming & Production
A relaxed, professionally directed filming day at a location of your choice, designed to feel like a meaningful conversation, not an interview.
STEP 3
Post-Production
Cinematic editing, color grading, licensed music, and motion graphics bring your story to life. Your finished film is delivered via private digital link and a custom family YouTube channel, beautifully organized and accessible to every family member, anywhere in the world.
Sample Videos
Ernest Perlmuter
This video is an example of The Keepsake Film package. We filmed the subject for a half-day in a single location answering standardized questions as well as select custom questions provided by family members. Final product is a ten minute edited film, incorporating family photos and historical research.
Shirley Perlmuter Braff
This video is an example of The Keepsake Film package. We filmed the featured subject in her home over a half-day session. We were provided with custom questions by family members and edited the final film to include archival footage and still photos edited with an animated motion graphics, licensed music, and additional B-Roll footage from throughout the day. The final result is a treasured keepsake with a narrative feel for all to enjoy.
History of Rodfei Zedek Synogogue
We also preserve the legacies of institutions and communities. Since 1874, Congregation Rodfei Zedek has served the Jewish community on Chicago's South Side. With the construction of a new campus 18 years ago, the congregation has flourished. This cinematic video explores the storied past, present and future of Congregation Rodfei Zednek on the 18th anniversary of rebirth and renewal. In addition to preserving the legacy of individuals, Wonderwide Productions provides organizations and businesses with emotional films honoring their impact on history and the community. This is an example of a Living Legacy Feature filmed over multiple days, best for telling complex stories of true legends.
About Us
Ryan Grundtisch is a Chicago-based filmmaker and the founder of Wonderwide Productions with over 15 years of professional production experience and membership in the Producers Guild of America.
His passion for preserving family stories is deeply personal. Like many people, Ryan grew up surrounded by grandparents with extraordinary lives full of humor, hardship, love, and hard-won wisdom. And like most families, his didn’t think to capture those stories until it was too late. No camera was rolling when his grandfather shared stories passed down through generations of family history. No recording of his grandmother’s laugh or her love. Just memories, growing hazier with time.
That absence never left him, and became the reason Living Legacy exists.
Ryan brings exceptional craft to what is ultimately a deeply human mission: making sure the people you love get to tell their story in their own voice, on film, forever. So that your grandchildren can “meet” someone they never knew. So that the way she told a joke, or the way he paused before saying something important, is never lost.
Every family has a story worth telling. We’re here to make sure yours gets told beautifully.
