BIG RHONDA
San Francisco, California | Film Short
Drama, Adventure
From Northern California’s forests, we’ve captured stunning footage for Big Rhonda. With your help in post-production, Vivian’s story — a laid-off worker pulled between a nomad and an influencer — will expose how gentrification reshapes even the dream of van life.
BIG RHONDA
San Francisco, California | Film Short
Drama, Adventure
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $4,241 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
47 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
From Northern California’s forests, we’ve captured stunning footage for Big Rhonda. With your help in post-production, Vivian’s story — a laid-off worker pulled between a nomad and an influencer — will expose how gentrification reshapes even the dream of van life.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Who We Are
We are a team of filmmakers committed to telling stories that cut through the noise of performance culture and reveal something real about our world. The seed of Big Rhonda grew out of lived experiences of tech burnout and an attempt to find freedom in van life. What we discovered was unsettling: even “off the grid” living had been packaged, monetized, and sold back to us. That irony became the foundation of our story. As artists who have lived through the pressures of tech culture, consumerism, and displacement, we bring those perspectives together in this film.
What the Film Is About
At the center of Big Rhonda is Vivian, a young woman burned out from tech who turns to van life in search of freedom. What begins as a hopeful escape quickly becomes tangled in the very culture she thought she left behind. Influencers like Willow make the lifestyle look effortless, but it is Maddie, a fellow van dweller surviving without sponsorships or filters, who shows Vivian the harder truths of life on the road.
Through their unlikely connection, Vivian starts to see how even “off-the-grid” living has been packaged, monetized, and sold back to her. Maddie represents the reality that gets erased when everything is branded as content.
At its heart the film asks:
What happens when our longing for freedom becomes another performance?
What We Achieved in Production
Earlier this year we wrapped production, and while the journey was challenging, it was also deeply successful. We received a grant from the San Francisco Arts Commission that carried us just under the finish line of production, allowing us to pay the majority of our artists. Our community rallied around us, our cast delivered powerful chemistry, and our crew tackled difficult but rewarding locations with grit and creativity. Together we captured performances and visuals that bring humor, urgency, and poignancy to the story we set out to tell.
Why This Matters Now
We live in a moment when independent voices are being minimized and our environments, both digital and physical, are constantly commodified. Big Rhonda pushes back. It is a reminder that culture belongs to people searching for connection and meaning, not to algorithms or corporations.
This story is ready. The production is complete. The urgency is now.
What We Need
We are seeking finishing funds to bring the film to life in post-production. Contributions will go directly toward:
- Editing
- Sound design
- Color correction
- Music
- Film festival submission fees
How You Can Help
Pledge: Every dollar makes an impact.
Share: Spread the word on social media. Here is an easy line to copy and paste:
“Help bring Big Rhonda to life, a sharp and funny short about van life, influencer culture, and gentrification. Support here: [link]”
Follow: Stay updated with behind-the-scenes stories and updates on Instagram @drivingbigrhonda
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Editor
Costs $1,500
This is where the story fully comes alive — shaping performances, pacing, and emotion.
Festival Submissions
Costs $900
This allow us to bring Big Rhonda to screens around the country, starting important conversations.
Coloring
Costs $1,200
This makes the forest and van life world shine with the richness and beauty our audience deserves to see.
Sound Design
Costs $1,000
This ensures every word and moment is clear and immersive, so audiences can connect without distraction.
PR & Marketing
Costs $400
This help us build a press kit and promotional materials so the film gets noticed, not just finished.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Meet the Team
Every journey takes a village, and Big Rhonda is no different. Our cast and crew is a tapestry of Bay Area talent, each bringing heart, skill, and a spirit of collaboration to the project. Here are just a few of the incredible people helping bring Big Rhonda to life:
Donna Mae Foronda – Writer/Director
A Chapman University graduate and former Screenwriting Program Manager at Cinequest, Donna has also worked with NBCUniversal. Her films have screened at CAAMFest, the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, the Dallas Asian Film Festival, and the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. Her screenplays have placed in competitions including Slamdance and Final Draft’s Big Break.
Erik C. Parker – Producer, Assistant Director, Editor
A filmmaker and video producer with credits at Discovery Digital and Springboard, Erik specializes in high-engagement storytelling. He has written, directed, and edited award-winning shorts, including Worst Lotto Ticket Ever (2016) and Snatching Love (2019).
Jennifer LeBeau – Producer, Continuity, Wardrobe
Writer, director, and community builder, Jennifer is a logistics powerhouse who organizes monthly writers’ groups for Bay Area Indies. She is currently preparing to direct her next short, Little Steps, which has already earned recognition for its clever writing.
Tony J. – Associate Producer, Crafty, DIT
A veteran producer, writer, and director, Tony’s work has been showcased at San Diego Comic-Con and numerous festivals. He produced Ghost in the Gun (2019) and The Ghosts of Highway 20 (2017), and his debut feature San Francisco Stories (2021) was distributed by Phase 4 Films.
These are just a few of the creative forces steering Big Rhonda. Behind them is a larger, equally talented team of actors, designers, and crew members who are all committed to making this story roll.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Who We Are
We are a team of filmmakers committed to telling stories that cut through the noise of performance culture and reveal something real about our world. The seed of Big Rhonda grew out of lived experiences of tech burnout and an attempt to find freedom in van life. What we discovered was unsettling: even “off the grid” living had been packaged, monetized, and sold back to us. That irony became the foundation of our story. As artists who have lived through the pressures of tech culture, consumerism, and displacement, we bring those perspectives together in this film.
What the Film Is About
At the center of Big Rhonda is Vivian, a young woman burned out from tech who turns to van life in search of freedom. What begins as a hopeful escape quickly becomes tangled in the very culture she thought she left behind. Influencers like Willow make the lifestyle look effortless, but it is Maddie, a fellow van dweller surviving without sponsorships or filters, who shows Vivian the harder truths of life on the road.
Through their unlikely connection, Vivian starts to see how even “off-the-grid” living has been packaged, monetized, and sold back to her. Maddie represents the reality that gets erased when everything is branded as content.
At its heart the film asks:
What happens when our longing for freedom becomes another performance?
What We Achieved in Production
Earlier this year we wrapped production, and while the journey was challenging, it was also deeply successful. We received a grant from the San Francisco Arts Commission that carried us just under the finish line of production, allowing us to pay the majority of our artists. Our community rallied around us, our cast delivered powerful chemistry, and our crew tackled difficult but rewarding locations with grit and creativity. Together we captured performances and visuals that bring humor, urgency, and poignancy to the story we set out to tell.
Why This Matters Now
We live in a moment when independent voices are being minimized and our environments, both digital and physical, are constantly commodified. Big Rhonda pushes back. It is a reminder that culture belongs to people searching for connection and meaning, not to algorithms or corporations.
This story is ready. The production is complete. The urgency is now.
What We Need
We are seeking finishing funds to bring the film to life in post-production. Contributions will go directly toward:
- Editing
- Sound design
- Color correction
- Music
- Film festival submission fees
How You Can Help
Pledge: Every dollar makes an impact.
Share: Spread the word on social media. Here is an easy line to copy and paste:
“Help bring Big Rhonda to life, a sharp and funny short about van life, influencer culture, and gentrification. Support here: [link]”
Follow: Stay updated with behind-the-scenes stories and updates on Instagram @drivingbigrhonda
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Editor
Costs $1,500
This is where the story fully comes alive — shaping performances, pacing, and emotion.
Festival Submissions
Costs $900
This allow us to bring Big Rhonda to screens around the country, starting important conversations.
Coloring
Costs $1,200
This makes the forest and van life world shine with the richness and beauty our audience deserves to see.
Sound Design
Costs $1,000
This ensures every word and moment is clear and immersive, so audiences can connect without distraction.
PR & Marketing
Costs $400
This help us build a press kit and promotional materials so the film gets noticed, not just finished.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Meet the Team
Every journey takes a village, and Big Rhonda is no different. Our cast and crew is a tapestry of Bay Area talent, each bringing heart, skill, and a spirit of collaboration to the project. Here are just a few of the incredible people helping bring Big Rhonda to life:
Donna Mae Foronda – Writer/Director
A Chapman University graduate and former Screenwriting Program Manager at Cinequest, Donna has also worked with NBCUniversal. Her films have screened at CAAMFest, the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, the Dallas Asian Film Festival, and the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. Her screenplays have placed in competitions including Slamdance and Final Draft’s Big Break.
Erik C. Parker – Producer, Assistant Director, Editor
A filmmaker and video producer with credits at Discovery Digital and Springboard, Erik specializes in high-engagement storytelling. He has written, directed, and edited award-winning shorts, including Worst Lotto Ticket Ever (2016) and Snatching Love (2019).
Jennifer LeBeau – Producer, Continuity, Wardrobe
Writer, director, and community builder, Jennifer is a logistics powerhouse who organizes monthly writers’ groups for Bay Area Indies. She is currently preparing to direct her next short, Little Steps, which has already earned recognition for its clever writing.
Tony J. – Associate Producer, Crafty, DIT
A veteran producer, writer, and director, Tony’s work has been showcased at San Diego Comic-Con and numerous festivals. He produced Ghost in the Gun (2019) and The Ghosts of Highway 20 (2017), and his debut feature San Francisco Stories (2021) was distributed by Phase 4 Films.
These are just a few of the creative forces steering Big Rhonda. Behind them is a larger, equally talented team of actors, designers, and crew members who are all committed to making this story roll.