Black Film Space is proud to serve as the fiscal sponsor for the short film PLAYBOOK.

Black Film Space's fiscal sponsorship program allows for members to use its 501(c)(3) non-profit tax-exempt status to receive tax-deductible donations on the film's behalf and solicit charitable contributions throughout the production process.

PLAYBOOK has been chosen after careful evaluation from our board, and we believe it supports our mission to provide career advancing opportunities for Black filmmakers.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

PROJECT TYPE: Short
GENRE: Sports Drama
PROJECT STATUS: Pre-Production
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/ WRITER: Randy J. Perry
CONSULTING PRODUCER: Ben Cory Jones
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Justin Phillip
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Justin Doyle
ASSISTANT WRITER/ SCRIPT SUPERVISOR: Karmelina Moore

LOGLINE:

PLAYBOOK is a sports drama set in South Central L.A. It follows Devlin, a star high-school receiver with a D-I scholarship on the line. He wrestles with image, desire, and pressure when a new transfer Quarterback joins the team, and a jealous teammate threatens to blow everything up.

SYNOPSIS:

Devlin, a beloved wide receiver in South Central L.A., seems untouchable, wins on the field, girls fawning, Oregon knocking, yet he can’t breathe inside the version of himself everyone expects. Sean, a transfer quarterback with steady swagger and quiet wounds, slots into the team and Devlin’s life fast. As trust builds, Ben, Devlin’s brittle teammate, bristles. A campus debate, a shocking news segment about an NFL player, and Devlin’s scholarship letter grind against his fear. The boys’ chemistry finally erupts, just as Ben lurks. The story steers toward a reckoning where Devlin must choose: the mask or the truth.

THEMES + WHY NOW

Identity – Exploring masculinity, identity, and acceptance. Not through a stereotypical lens.

Community & Family – The weight of expectations to family, friends and their future.

Representation – A diverse centered sports story rarely told in cinema.

Relevance – In a time when inclusion and diversity is demanded, not only in film but across the world, PLAYBOOK delivers both cultural weight and universal relatability.

COMPARABLE FILMS & TV SHOWS

Love Simon - A personal struggle wrapped in the intensity of a high school setting.

Moonlight - Deep, coming-of-age storytelling.

Euphoria - Teen LGBTQ+ drama exploring sexuality.

All American - A high school football drama with real emotional depth

Playbook is more than just a sports film; it’s a story about identity, self-worth, and the spaces where young boys are told to be tough, but never taught how to be vulnerable. Through Devlin’s journey, we’re shedding light on the unspoken pressure many young men face when they’re expected to perform, on the field and in life, while silently carrying the weight of expectations. Our film explores the intersectionality of masculinity, race, and sports.

This short film will allow us to show industry partners the emotional power and cinematic potential of this story. We’re not making another generic football movie; we’re breaking stereotypes. If you’ve ever felt unseen, or if you want to help a generation of young people feel heard, this is your chance to be part of something bigger. Your support will help us bring this vision to life by funding a cinematic proof of concept that shows the power, emotion, and scale of what Playbook can become. You’re not just helping make a film, you’re helping shift the conversation.

We’re tired of the film industry creating the same films over and over, so we’re making a fresh one. Experiences of isolation, resilience, and triumph fuel the emotional core of PLAYBOOK. At its heart, this film is about more than football; it’s about identity, representation, and allowing boys to exist in spaces where they can be vulnerable and express themselves without judgment or ridicule. Beyond the screen, this project is committed to serving as a vital launchpad for local talent and a champion for industry-wide inclusion. Our production is dedicated to being a force for positive economic and social change within the communities where we film. This film rejects the stereotypical, negative, and tragic framing. Our story will focus on themes of support, joy, acceptance, and the universal experience of belonging.

Intersectionality in Casting & Story: We are committed to portraying all races, backgrounds, and ethnicities, showing that these identities are not monolithic and ensuring diverse on-screen representation.

We believe this film will be a powerful catalyst for necessary conversations within families and communities. The film serves as a bridge of understanding between different perspectives. Our mission extends beyond the theatrical release. We plan to utilize the film as a vehicle to support youth directly. The film and its surrounding outreach efforts will consistently deliver a message of self-acceptance, resilience, and hope.

The Safe Space Initiative: We will partner with community organizations to establish or support safe spaces where youth can have vital conversations about:

● Youth in Sports and Furthering their career

● Mental health and finding support.

● Building a supportive community free from judgment.

"9 to 5 was never my thing; I'd rather clock in on set than in a cubicle. "

Randy is a screenwriter, actor, and director with a passion for pushing boundaries and bringing the unheard to life. Armed with a degree in Sociology, he brings a sharp understanding of human behavior, social dynamics, and cultural structures to every script, infusing his work with rich, thought-provoking themes and complex characters. He's developed a bold and imaginative storytelling style that challenges societal norms and dives deep into the stories others are afraid to tell. Whether it's emotionally charged dramas or genre-bending horrors, he writes from a place of fearless creativity and deep purpose.

Credits: ID Channel, AT&T, Chevy, Overall Talent Winner (Talent Inc.)

Ben Cory Jones is a writer, producer, showrunner and director, currently developing a slate of projects, including television, film, documentaries and podcasts, while also most recently serving as Consulting Producer on Season One of BET’s Kingdom Business. Additionally, Jones co-created and executive produced the BET comedy series, BOOMERANG, loosely based on the iconic 90’s-era film, starring Eddie Murphy and Halle Berry. Lena Waithe and Halle Berry also served as executive producers. Prior to Boomerang, Jones served as writer and producer on the acclaimed HBO comedy series, INSECURE, starring Issa Rae and executive produced by Larry Wilmore. Additionally, Jones wrote for WGN’s groundbreaking slave rebellion epic, UNDERGROUND, produced by John Legend and run by Misha Green (Lovecraft Country) and Joe Pokaski. After graduating cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Morehouse College, with a degree in English Literature and a minor in Finance, Jones began his professional career as an Investment Banker in the Sports, Entertainment and Media sector and later an Executive Communications Director for a major Wall Street investment bank. With a wealth of stories to tell, Jones left the financial sector amidst the 2007-08 mortgage crisis, and sought out a career in TV and film writing. In 2013, Jones was selected to participate in the prestigious ABC/Disney Television Writing Fellowship and was a Staff Writer on the ABC Family drama series, CHASING LIFE. He also served as a writer on the Amazon drama series, HAND OF GOD, executive produced by Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball). Recently, Ben Cory produced the Netflix feature film, STEP SISTERS. Additionally, Jones created and wrote a drama series, CANDYLAND, about a young, African American female mayor, set in his hometown of Memphis, which is currently in development. Naturi Naughton-Lewis (Power) is attached to star. Ben Cory also wrote the film adaptation of, THE COLOR OF COLA, based on Stephanie Capparell’s nonfiction book The Real Pepsi Challenge, an account of how Pepsi broke racial barriers in 1940s America, for HBO and Viola Davis’ production company, JuVee Productions. In May 2020, Ben Cory launched @BenTheWritersRoom, an intimate 4-month, virtual TV pilot writing workshop for underrepresented writers of color and LGBTQ+ storytellers, receiving over 1,300 applications.

Most recently, Ben Cory made his feature film directorial debut with BLACK SPARTANS the unheralded story of the first black men to integrate college football at Michigan State in 1966, starring Neal McDonough and P. Valley's J. Alphonse Nicholson, coming soon to theaters.

Justin has been working in the entertainment business since 2002. He is certified for both ARRI & RED operation as well as certified in Davinci Resolve for color grading. He is an alum of LA College’s Film & Cinematography Program as well as a member of The Film Academy. He has been working full-time in the film industry since 2010, and has been a member of the Screen Actors Guild since 2011. In 2009, he received a Certificate in Stanislavski Training from the Moscow Art Theatre School. His company, DogTimes Productions, LLC, was founded in Los Angeles in 2016, and he has been a working Director, Producer & Cinematographer for eight years. He has shot for Julia Fox, Gary Senise, & Sundance Award Winners! His work has aired on HBO Max, Hulu, & broadcast commercials. In 2017, he was awarded Most Notable Director; Winner of Best Short Film 2019; Best New Filmmaker 2021; Gold Winner of Indie Film Awards 2021; & Winner of Best Drama Short at Hollywood Reel Independent Film Fest 2025. Through his presence in the professional filmmaking community, he has fostered relationships with some of the industry's biggest brands.

Credits: Warner Bros., Sony, BET, Hulu, A&E, Netflix, and Discovery.

Born as a fan of this industry, I couldn't imagine not being a part of it. Moved to LA to be an actor, and after producing and starring in web series and short films, I fell into the role of an AD and have been doing that professionally for the last 5 years. Making films is the best job in the world, and we are so lucky to be a part of it.

Credits: Paramount, CBS, MTV, ABC, A&E, and Nickelodeon.

Karmelina is a ten-year writer who began her career in high school, working on ghostwriting projects and student films. After years of writing over twenty screenplays, ten television pilots, and one dozen short films. Today, she continues to work on projects that explore a vast array of historical eras, for she believes that screenwriting is the only true time machine.

To produce a truly cinematic short that will attract feature film investors, we need to reach our full funding target of $25,000.

Every dollar between the two goals ensures we don't have to cut corners: it pays for professional equipment, allows us to compensate our talented crew fairly for their hard work, and funds the crucial post-production polish that separates an amateur film from a professional film.

Reaching $25,000 allows us to:

● Rent Feature-Grade Equipment: Giving the film the visual language of a professional movie.

● Secure Top-Tier Post-Production: Ensuring the film looks and sounds flawless on the festival circuit.

● Maximize Our Budget's Value: Showing future investors that we can deliver high production value efficiently.

Here’s exactly how your support will be used.

● Production Crew (Director of Photography, Sound, Lighting, AD, PA's, etc.):$11,000

● Locations & Permits: $4,000 ● Cast (including lead actors + extras): $1,500

● Equipment Rentals (camera, lenses, lighting): $3,000

● Wardrobe & Props: $750

● Food & Craft Services: $800

● Insurance & Misc. Production Costs: $1,000

● Post-Production (editing, sound mixing, color): $2,000

● Campaign Fees/Miscellaneous: $950

PLAYBOOK

Team Leaderboard

Team Members