Daily Inspiration: Meet Rodolfo ‘Rudy’ Salas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rodolfo ‘Rudy’ Salas.

Hi Rodolfo ‘Rudy’, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My mission as a storyteller was to build bridges with audiences. The seed of that mission was planted back in Brownsville, Texas, in Mrs. Putegnat’s seventh-grade English class. The class assignment was to write a scary story for the upcoming Halloween season of 2003. After writing one story, I felt an urge to write another. Then another. Then another. Then another. These short stories weren’t Shakespeare, Steinbeck, or Bradbury, but they gave thirteen-year-old Rudy Salas a creative spark. That creative spark continued to burn for over twenty years. Over the course of those two decades, my writing and storytelling skills vastly improved with experience.

Today, I am bringing my award-winning story, Bark & Boo, to life through the world of animation. Its logline, as stated, follows: A dog longs for his recently deceased owner, who is bound to their old home as a specter. (Ghost meets Snoopy.)

Aforementioned, I build bridges with audiences through my storytelling. Someone in the audience has likely lost a pet, and we miss them. Bark & Boo poses the question: When a pet loses their owner, will they miss them? Bark & Boo is a story that invokes hope, friendship, and empathy.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Filmmaking, animation, and overall storytelling have never usually been smooth roads. There have always been obstacles and challenges that can sputter productions. However, those obstacles and challenges have always made the process that much more exciting. I have always found problem-solving a fulfilling procedure because it is a call to action, both mentally and physically. Observing, acting upon, and collaborating on solutions mold every stepping stone toward success.

Take, for instance, my current animated short, Bark & Boo, has posed many challenges. Finding the correct collaborators, creating effective pitch packets, and securing funding for the project.

My producer, Marissa Falsone, and I face the biggest challenge of funding this project. Our solution to that was establishing a crowdfunding campaign via Spotfund.

Below is the link to our campaign: http://spot.fund/49xvnlnsc

Challenges are always present, but so are their solutions.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My business company, Phantom Boom, specializes in independent films that I direct, write, and produce. I, along with my crew, weld story and aesthetic together to exhibit a feast for the eyes and intellect. We showcase the story in every aspect of our films.

I have recently been associated with and in collaboration with Reed Street Films from Austin, Texas. Together, my producer, Marissa Falsone, and I have dipped into the world of animation. This being our collaboration on the adaptation of my short screenplay, Bark & Boo.

What makes me proud is the process of collaboration that we establish based on the importance of the story and respect for each other’s efforts. We don’t bet against each other. We bet with each other.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was a very eclectic child when it came to art, entertainment, and sports. I credit this to the fact that I was raised by two Baby Boomers and two Gen Xers. My influences range from Zorro to Robocop, from John Lee Hooker to Alice in Chains, and from Warren Moon to Eli Manning. Ultimately, I became a sum of my influences.

My storytelling aspects are rooted in the 1970s and 1980s. All the while, my aesthetics are rooted in the 1990s. That all culminates in my unique voice that reverberates in my films and screenplays. All this was derived from my versatile upbringing, where I was taught to understand the past but also build a better future. I do that through my storytelling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.phantomboom.com/
• Instagram: @rudyharlans
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rs.jd.5
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudy-h-salas/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RudyHarlanPhantomBoom
• Other: http://spot.fund/49xvnlnsc

Image Credits
Lars Struck
Erick Solis
Carolina Iglesias
Patricia Chavez