Justin Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios has announced a roster of industry talent to act as judges and mentors for its film competition, “The Six Feet Apart Experiment”. 

The social distancing-inspired competition, which recently expanded its deadline to July 6, takes its name from Baldoni’s successful teen drama Five Feet Apart. Submissions can be from individuals or teams for scripted and experiential narrative films, with winning filmmakers set to receive $50,000 to produce innovative and socially impactful films that will be made with social distancing guidelines in mind.

“Last month when we first launched the Experiment, we did so to provide filmmakers with the opportunity to make their art during a time when most people were at home quarantined. Now, the world is again a very different place — in addition to being plagued by the pandemic, we continue to be plagued by systemic inequities as highlighted by the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery,” said Wayfarer Entertainment ceo D’Angela Proctor. “We extended the deadline to be sensitive to what is going on in the world and to make sure the raw and undiscovered talent, who the Experiment is intended to support, has the opportunity to process, regroup and create socially impactful projects.”

Warner Bros Entertainment’s Cate Adams, Amblin Partner’s Andrew Calof and 21 Laps’ Dan Cohen will act as judges, along with Jeff Friday, founder of the American Black Film Festival; Kathleen Grace, former CEO of New Form Digital; The CW’s Rick Haskins; producer Andrew Lazar; and Big Beach Film’s Dani Melia. Gil Robertson, creator of the African American Black Critics Association; Berlanti Productions’ Sarah Schechter; Cathy Schulman, board president emerita Women in Film; and Scooter Braun’s SB Projects’ James Shin will also judge.

The judges will review the top 10 projects and choose the final five winners, which will be announced on Aug. 3.

Directors Adil and Bilall (Bad Boys For Life), Susan Johnson (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before), Brad Silberling (Jane The Virgin), Nzingha Stewart (Little Fires Everywhere) and Cathy Yan (Birds of Prey) will serve as mentors, with each winner will be assigned a mentor throughout the entire production process.

Executive producer Manu Gargi (Peanut Butter Falcon, 99 Homes) will guide all of the winners through production, while post-production supervisor Lisa Rodgers (Baldoni’s Clouds, The Big Short) will shepherd the filmmakers through post-production. 

Company 3 will be the official post-production partner, with its president, Stefan Sonnenfeld, serving as an executive producer to all films. Sean McCormack and Kami Asgar founders of 424 Post (Pitch Perfect) will helm sound editorial, design and mixing., with composer Brian Tyler, whose credits include Avengers: Age of Ultron and Crazy Rich Asians, overseeing a team of composers that will provide music for the winning films.

Said Proctor, “We are thrilled to have the support of an array of seasoned creatives and creative executives to serve as judges and mentors, plus the addition of Company 3 and Smashcut, who will all contribute their respective expertise to set the five winning filmmakers up for success.”