Protecting Providence
Historical Drama • Survival Drama
1696. A violent hurricane drives the Reformation onto the unfamiliar coast of Florida, leaving Jonathan Dickinson, his wife, their infant son, and a desperate band of survivors stranded hundreds of miles from safety.
Shipwrecked, injured, starving, and surrounded by people whose language they cannot understand, the castaways begin an extraordinary journey north toward Saint Augustine. Every mile brings another test—hunger, exposure, illness, captivity, and the constant possibility that some among them will not survive.
With almost everything taken from them, one possession remains beyond anyone’s reach:
Their faith.
Logline
After a hurricane shipwrecks his vessel on the Florida coast in 1696, Quaker merchant Jonathan Dickinson must lead his family and fellow castaways through captivity, starvation, disease, and a perilous journey toward Saint Augustine while struggling to hold onto the faith he believes will ultimately deliver them home.
About the Screenplay
Protecting Providence is a historical survival drama based on the true story of Jonathan Dickinson and the extraordinary ordeal that followed the wreck of the Reformation along the Florida coast in 1696.
Sailing from Jamaica toward Philadelphia with his wife Mary, their infant son, fellow Quakers, crewmen, and other passengers, Dickinson’s journey is shattered when a violent storm drives their vessel onto the Florida coast.
Surviving the wreck is only the beginning.
Stranded far from the Spanish settlement at Saint Augustine, the castaways face hunger, disease, exposure, and encounters with Native peoples whose intentions they struggle to understand. Stripped of possessions and dependent upon strangers for food and survival, Jonathan finds himself responsible for a frightened group while privately questioning the faith upon which he has built his life.
Their journey becomes an exhausting struggle along the unforgiving Florida coastline. Some provide shelter. Others threaten them. Spanish soldiers eventually become unlikely rescuers, helping the survivors reach Saint Augustine before they begin the long journey north toward Carolina and, ultimately, Philadelphia.
But every mile carries a price.
At its heart, Protecting Providence is more than a shipwreck story. It is an examination of faith under extraordinary circumstances—of people forced to reconcile their belief in divine protection with suffering, loss, fear, and the unexpected mercy of strangers.
Based on Jonathan Dickinson’s remarkable historical ordeal, the screenplay tells a survival story in which reaching home becomes as much a spiritual journey as a physical one.
Screenplay Details
Author: James Leach
Genre: Historical Drama • Survival Drama
Format: Feature Screenplay
Page Count: [Page Count]
Setting: Jamaica / Florida Coast / Saint Augustine / Carolina / Philadelphia
Time Period: 1696–1697
Based On: True Events
Status: Completed / Available for Option
Available Materials
Screenplay
Synopsis
Treatment
Character Sketches
Pitch materials / Storyboards
About the Screenwriter — James Leach
James “JC” Leach is a U.S. Air Force veteran, technical writer, and screenwriter who has been developing original screenplays since 2008. His work spans historical drama, military and geopolitical thrillers, science fiction, suspense, horror, and stories inspired by real events.
With a professional background in technical writing, instructional design, and simulation development, JC brings extensive research, technical authenticity, and a disciplined approach to storytelling. His military experience in electronic warfare and aviation provides an additional foundation for stories involving military operations, technology, and high-stakes environments.
JC has developed a diverse portfolio of feature-length screenplays. His work includes original material as well as two adaptations of public-domain literary works, giving him experience translating existing stories into cinematic narratives.
He is currently adapting his screenplay portfolio into novels, expanding his stories across both film and publishing. JC is interested in connecting with producers, representation, and creative collaborators seeking distinctive, character-driven material with strong cinematic potential.
JAMES LEACH Author • Screenwriter 