SoMa
San Francisco, California | Film Feature
Biography, Drama
SoMa is the biopic of Rudy Corpuz Jr., a Filipino American Ex Gang Member, who became one of the most influential violence prevention leaders in the country.
SoMa
San Francisco, California | Film Feature
Biography, Drama
0 Campaigns | California, United States
SoMa is the biopic of Rudy Corpuz Jr., a Filipino American Ex Gang Member, who became one of the most influential violence prevention leaders in the country.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Story
Rudy Corpuz Jr. was a troubled youth who transformed from being a gangbanger to a prominent violence prevention leader and creator of the non profit organization United Playaz. Upon answering his calling, Rudy finds himself in a desperate fight to save his son Choppa, from venturing down a similar path of crime and violence. Besides violence prevention, United Playaz also offers employment for people re-entering society from prison. Luis, a newly released ex gangbanger has a similar fight as Rudy, but with his nephew Pancho, who is trying to follow in Luis' footsteps.
Choppa and Pancho's street life will collide and Rudy and Luis will be tested on if they have truly changed from the men they once were. SoMa will give an immersive look into Rudy Corpuz Jr.'s personal life and the work United Playaz has been doing for 28 years.
The Vision
SoMa will be a cinematic narrative that connects the audience with the characters in an intimate fashion, showing images of what their community looks like when there's no hope. Much in the style of Ronald Bass’s “Dangerous Minds,” we will show the grittiness of Sunnydale projects and the poverty of SoMa.
By filming on location in SoMa, we aim to bring authenticity through the dialogue and the reality of these environments. When people think of San Francisco, they often think about the tech companies and the affluence these companies have brought to the city of San Francisco. With SoMa, we want to be able to show the influence one man and his organization has had on at-risk low income communities. Growing up in Sunnydale Projects, I didn't have a United Playaz or a Rudy Corpuz as a mentor, oftentimes making it hard for a young man such as myself to dream big. We would be able to shed light on these underrepresented communities while recognizing the impact Rudy Corpuz Jr. has had on them.
Rudy’s life was one that was full of difficulty and inequity. Despite all odds, Rudy has overcome challenge after challenge to become one of the most influential violence prevention leaders of our time. From his innovative gun buyback program, to hiring ex-cons to work at his non-profit as mentors to at-risk youth. Rudy’s story is a must tell. It is not only inspiring, but it can be life changing for so many in the Bay Area and beyond. We want to show people that it is possible to make a difference in one’s community despite not being born into wealth or privilege. All it takes is the audacity to dream of a better future and the will to never give up. Rudy was resilient in his goal of changing himself and his community.
SoMa will be a film that inspires youth and castaways that anything is possible when you lead with positivity, and the willingness to forgive.
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The Why
Words can’t begin to describe the impact Rudy Corpuz and United Playaz has had on my life. I was a troubled 13 year old boy at Balboa High School when I met Rudy. He talked like me, he dressed like me, and he understood why I was heading down the path of prison or death. But not once did he ever try to change who I was, only the decisions I was making. He led with positivity and mentorship even when I didn't follow. Then after 17 years, and going to prison for something I didn’t do, I finally realized that Rudy was trying to save my life and in the process, leading an organization that was saving young men and women like myself across San Francisco's most troubled communities. Through his actions, Rudy showed me that a former gangbanger can change his life around for the betterment of his life and the prosperity of his community. Rudy has been the voice of the voiceless in rooms full of lawmakers that spans from California all the way to the White House, and never once has he jeopardized his character. I aspire to follow in his footsteps by creating art that lifts up my community while staying true to myself. Rudy makes positivity look good in the face of negativity, which is why he is such a great agent of change.
This story is such an important story to tell right now for so many reasons. There are a lot of people that live with a poverty conscience, that leads to depression, addiction, violence and lack of self worth. SoMa aims to uplift, encourage and motivate people to see that through adversity and willingness to change, anyone can be a life saver.
Jamal Trulove (left), Rudy Corpuz Jr. (right)
The Funds
These funds will immediately be put toward the costs of preproduction including securing our lead talents, production team, legal fees, location scouting and grant writing. We are deeply grateful for any contributions we receive for this project!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Legal and Grant Writing
Costs $20,000
Help us through our first phase of preproduction including grant writing, and hiring our legal team.
Lead Talent
Costs $20,000
Help us secure our Rudy
Supporting Talent
Costs $20,000
Help us secure our Luis
San Francisco Locations
Costs $20,000
Help us secure our San Francisco locations
Crew
Costs $20,000
Help us secure our local crew
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Director/Writer - Jamal Trulove
Jamal Trulove is an independent filmmaker born and raised in San Francisco. Growing up, his goal was always to be an actor and storyteller, but coming from the poverty stricken community of Sunnydale Projects it was hard to know where to start. Filmmaking was a dream that seemed unreachable for Jamal until he got his first acting opportunity at 34 years old when he was cast in THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO. At this time he was working at a non-profit in San Francisco called United Playaz.
Since being cast in LAST BLACK MAN, Jamal has landed multiple roles on TV Series, Features, Animated and Shorts Films. Most notably acting alongside Bruce Willis in the action packed feature DEADLOCK. He has also Executive Produced the short film HALF DAY, which premiered at the 2022 San Francisco International Film Festival.
Jamal is self taught and has since acquired multiple film rights to "must tell" Bay Area stories. SoMa will be Jamal's directorial debut under his production company, Tru Narrativ.
Producing Consultant - Joe Talbot
Joe Talbot is an American filmmaker. His debut feature film, The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019), which he co-wrote and directed, won the Best Director prize at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Talbot's debut film was the 2017 short film American Paradise, which he wrote, produced, and edited. It premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival while nominated for the Short Film Grand Jury Prize and the Short Film Jury Award. American Paradise won the Best U.S. Short at the 2017 Nashville Film Festival. Talbot's debut film was the 2017 short film American Paradise, which he wrote, produced, and edited. It premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival while nominated for the Short Film Grand Jury Prize and the Short Film Jury Award. American Paradise won the Best U.S. Short at the 2017 Nashville Film Festival.
Director of Photography - Andy Chen
Andy Chen started in the Bay Area as a music video and short film director and eventually made his way down to Los Angeles where he owns several Cinepacks studios, one of which houses an industry standard video wall. Andy has produced a handful of viral horror shorts, one of which (Fiona) was featured on Rolling Stone. www.locustgarden.com
Producer - RomeDigs Reyes
RomeDigs Reyes is an Emmy award winning Director / Producer with over 2 decades of Media Broadcast experience in the entertainment industry. He is a veteran media professional and has worked in various facets of the industry ranging from Radio, TV, Film & Live Events. RomeDigs has launched multiple programs for digital platforms, TV and Livestream networks. Previous roles as Executive Producer, Technical Director and current role as Producer / Director at CBS / Paramount+, implementing and ensuring high standards in production. LA resident & SF Native who grew up in the SOMA district.
Producer - Laura Fries
Laura Fries is an award winning producer with over 15 years of experience in television and film.As a Korean adoptee, she loves producing stories that give underrepresented voices a platform to be heard. Through her career, she has had the privilege of working with Showtime Sports, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Julie Taymor, and Emmy award winning stunt coordinator Peewee Piemonte. Previously, she has worked as an actor and stunt performer. Laura is a proud graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and member of the Television Academy, SAG | AFTRA, AEA, alumni of the Stowe Producers Lab, and 2022 Sidewalk Narrative Lab Fellow.
Producer - Kealani Kitaura
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Kealani graduated from UC Davis, majoring in Studio Art with an emphasis in Experimental Video. She worked for the US Geological Survey as a documentary editor, lived in Japan for a couple years, then moved back to the Bay to pursue producing and acting. She currently manages Tiny Rabbit Productions, a collective of passionate filmmakers working to tell meaningful stories. She and Jamal finished their first feature film titled “Punk Kids” in late 2022. www.tinyrabbitproductions.com
Line Producer - Jerry Terhost
Jerry attended the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, double majoring in Political Science and Theater. Three days after his last college final, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. However, after voraciously reading literally every single article on Deadline, he realized that the business side was more interesting and officially made the jump to producing in 2015.
After making countless short films, digital series, commercials, and other short-form content, he began creating budgets and schedules for feature films, where he found his true calling. Since then, Jerry has line produced and production managed four feature films across California, North Dakota, and New Jersey. In 2021, he served as the LA Unit Production Manager for Oscar-winning director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu’s latest film, Bardo. Between films, he frequently works in commercial production as both a production manager and coordinator.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Story
Rudy Corpuz Jr. was a troubled youth who transformed from being a gangbanger to a prominent violence prevention leader and creator of the non profit organization United Playaz. Upon answering his calling, Rudy finds himself in a desperate fight to save his son Choppa, from venturing down a similar path of crime and violence. Besides violence prevention, United Playaz also offers employment for people re-entering society from prison. Luis, a newly released ex gangbanger has a similar fight as Rudy, but with his nephew Pancho, who is trying to follow in Luis' footsteps.
Choppa and Pancho's street life will collide and Rudy and Luis will be tested on if they have truly changed from the men they once were. SoMa will give an immersive look into Rudy Corpuz Jr.'s personal life and the work United Playaz has been doing for 28 years.
The Vision
SoMa will be a cinematic narrative that connects the audience with the characters in an intimate fashion, showing images of what their community looks like when there's no hope. Much in the style of Ronald Bass’s “Dangerous Minds,” we will show the grittiness of Sunnydale projects and the poverty of SoMa.
By filming on location in SoMa, we aim to bring authenticity through the dialogue and the reality of these environments. When people think of San Francisco, they often think about the tech companies and the affluence these companies have brought to the city of San Francisco. With SoMa, we want to be able to show the influence one man and his organization has had on at-risk low income communities. Growing up in Sunnydale Projects, I didn't have a United Playaz or a Rudy Corpuz as a mentor, oftentimes making it hard for a young man such as myself to dream big. We would be able to shed light on these underrepresented communities while recognizing the impact Rudy Corpuz Jr. has had on them.
Rudy’s life was one that was full of difficulty and inequity. Despite all odds, Rudy has overcome challenge after challenge to become one of the most influential violence prevention leaders of our time. From his innovative gun buyback program, to hiring ex-cons to work at his non-profit as mentors to at-risk youth. Rudy’s story is a must tell. It is not only inspiring, but it can be life changing for so many in the Bay Area and beyond. We want to show people that it is possible to make a difference in one’s community despite not being born into wealth or privilege. All it takes is the audacity to dream of a better future and the will to never give up. Rudy was resilient in his goal of changing himself and his community.
SoMa will be a film that inspires youth and castaways that anything is possible when you lead with positivity, and the willingness to forgive.
The Why
Words can’t begin to describe the impact Rudy Corpuz and United Playaz has had on my life. I was a troubled 13 year old boy at Balboa High School when I met Rudy. He talked like me, he dressed like me, and he understood why I was heading down the path of prison or death. But not once did he ever try to change who I was, only the decisions I was making. He led with positivity and mentorship even when I didn't follow. Then after 17 years, and going to prison for something I didn’t do, I finally realized that Rudy was trying to save my life and in the process, leading an organization that was saving young men and women like myself across San Francisco's most troubled communities. Through his actions, Rudy showed me that a former gangbanger can change his life around for the betterment of his life and the prosperity of his community. Rudy has been the voice of the voiceless in rooms full of lawmakers that spans from California all the way to the White House, and never once has he jeopardized his character. I aspire to follow in his footsteps by creating art that lifts up my community while staying true to myself. Rudy makes positivity look good in the face of negativity, which is why he is such a great agent of change.
This story is such an important story to tell right now for so many reasons. There are a lot of people that live with a poverty conscience, that leads to depression, addiction, violence and lack of self worth. SoMa aims to uplift, encourage and motivate people to see that through adversity and willingness to change, anyone can be a life saver.
Jamal Trulove (left), Rudy Corpuz Jr. (right)
The Funds
These funds will immediately be put toward the costs of preproduction including securing our lead talents, production team, legal fees, location scouting and grant writing. We are deeply grateful for any contributions we receive for this project!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Legal and Grant Writing
Costs $20,000
Help us through our first phase of preproduction including grant writing, and hiring our legal team.
Lead Talent
Costs $20,000
Help us secure our Rudy
Supporting Talent
Costs $20,000
Help us secure our Luis
San Francisco Locations
Costs $20,000
Help us secure our San Francisco locations
Crew
Costs $20,000
Help us secure our local crew
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Director/Writer - Jamal Trulove
Jamal Trulove is an independent filmmaker born and raised in San Francisco. Growing up, his goal was always to be an actor and storyteller, but coming from the poverty stricken community of Sunnydale Projects it was hard to know where to start. Filmmaking was a dream that seemed unreachable for Jamal until he got his first acting opportunity at 34 years old when he was cast in THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO. At this time he was working at a non-profit in San Francisco called United Playaz.
Since being cast in LAST BLACK MAN, Jamal has landed multiple roles on TV Series, Features, Animated and Shorts Films. Most notably acting alongside Bruce Willis in the action packed feature DEADLOCK. He has also Executive Produced the short film HALF DAY, which premiered at the 2022 San Francisco International Film Festival.
Jamal is self taught and has since acquired multiple film rights to "must tell" Bay Area stories. SoMa will be Jamal's directorial debut under his production company, Tru Narrativ.
Producing Consultant - Joe Talbot
Joe Talbot is an American filmmaker. His debut feature film, The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019), which he co-wrote and directed, won the Best Director prize at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Talbot's debut film was the 2017 short film American Paradise, which he wrote, produced, and edited. It premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival while nominated for the Short Film Grand Jury Prize and the Short Film Jury Award. American Paradise won the Best U.S. Short at the 2017 Nashville Film Festival. Talbot's debut film was the 2017 short film American Paradise, which he wrote, produced, and edited. It premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival while nominated for the Short Film Grand Jury Prize and the Short Film Jury Award. American Paradise won the Best U.S. Short at the 2017 Nashville Film Festival.
Director of Photography - Andy Chen
Andy Chen started in the Bay Area as a music video and short film director and eventually made his way down to Los Angeles where he owns several Cinepacks studios, one of which houses an industry standard video wall. Andy has produced a handful of viral horror shorts, one of which (Fiona) was featured on Rolling Stone. www.locustgarden.com
Producer - RomeDigs Reyes
RomeDigs Reyes is an Emmy award winning Director / Producer with over 2 decades of Media Broadcast experience in the entertainment industry. He is a veteran media professional and has worked in various facets of the industry ranging from Radio, TV, Film & Live Events. RomeDigs has launched multiple programs for digital platforms, TV and Livestream networks. Previous roles as Executive Producer, Technical Director and current role as Producer / Director at CBS / Paramount+, implementing and ensuring high standards in production. LA resident & SF Native who grew up in the SOMA district.
Producer - Laura Fries
Laura Fries is an award winning producer with over 15 years of experience in television and film.As a Korean adoptee, she loves producing stories that give underrepresented voices a platform to be heard. Through her career, she has had the privilege of working with Showtime Sports, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Julie Taymor, and Emmy award winning stunt coordinator Peewee Piemonte. Previously, she has worked as an actor and stunt performer. Laura is a proud graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and member of the Television Academy, SAG | AFTRA, AEA, alumni of the Stowe Producers Lab, and 2022 Sidewalk Narrative Lab Fellow.
Producer - Kealani Kitaura
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Kealani graduated from UC Davis, majoring in Studio Art with an emphasis in Experimental Video. She worked for the US Geological Survey as a documentary editor, lived in Japan for a couple years, then moved back to the Bay to pursue producing and acting. She currently manages Tiny Rabbit Productions, a collective of passionate filmmakers working to tell meaningful stories. She and Jamal finished their first feature film titled “Punk Kids” in late 2022. www.tinyrabbitproductions.com
Line Producer - Jerry Terhost
Jerry attended the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, double majoring in Political Science and Theater. Three days after his last college final, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. However, after voraciously reading literally every single article on Deadline, he realized that the business side was more interesting and officially made the jump to producing in 2015.
After making countless short films, digital series, commercials, and other short-form content, he began creating budgets and schedules for feature films, where he found his true calling. Since then, Jerry has line produced and production managed four feature films across California, North Dakota, and New Jersey. In 2021, he served as the LA Unit Production Manager for Oscar-winning director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu’s latest film, Bardo. Between films, he frequently works in commercial production as both a production manager and coordinator.