Ryan Ochoa, star of the hit Disney XD comedy series Pair of Kings, and Emmy winner and Golden Globe nominee Hal Linden, star of the long running classic American sitcom Barney Miller have joined the cast of the indie film The Samuel Project that begin principal photography in San Diego on March 2017.

The indie drama feature film, directed by Marc Fusco, the former Steven Spielberg assistant who helmed the comedy My Uncle Rafael and the tense heist film Stealing Time, tells the story of a teen, played by Ryan Ochoa, who gets to know his grandfather Samuel, played by Hal Linden, when he makes him the subject of an animated film project for school. The young teen discovers that his grandpa, a Jewish dry cleaner, was saved from Nazi capture in Germany by a young woman during World War II.

Penned by Fusco and co-writer Chris Neighbors, the indie film was shot entirely in San Diego County.  Scenes were filmed on the streets of Hillcrest, Balboa Park, a pawn shop on University Avenue, the Chuck Jones Gallery in the Gaslamp, a La Jolla estate staged as a Newport Beach mansion, a farm in Ramona, and Shelter Island Cleaners.

 

Rounding out the cast is Ken Davitian, Mateo Arias, Michael B. Silver, Liza Lapira, Malina Moye, Catherine Siggins, and Philippe Bowgen.

The Samuel Project is being produced by Steve Weinberger, Rebecca Reyes, co-producer Gary Cohen of Garmar Ventures and executive producer Jeff Deverett of Deverett Media.

Ryan Ochoa with his dad, Robert Ochoa, reviewing new footage shot for the Samuel Project while getting photobombed by Casey Nicholas-Price, the 1st AD (First Assistant Director)!

Though there’s a good little bit of wit that comes fundamentally with all the generation gap between grandsons and grandfathers. I believe telling the story of someone, who hardly escaped Nazi Germany as a lad, through the lens of his grandson’s art project will give a distinctive glimpse of exactly what the legacy of a lot of survivors might look like now, with all the nice and also the bad.

– Marc Fusco, Director

The Samuel Project (2017)

About the Author: Jim Stroesser, “The Brand Master”

With nearly four decades of experience, Jim Stroesser is a driving force in the world of global consumer branding across the sports, fashion, and entertainment industries. His journey from tech rep to CEO of iconic brands showcases his unparalleled ability to transform and elevate businesses.

As Co-Founder and CEO of CALI Strong, a direct-to-consumer sports brand based in San Diego, CA, Jim leads the charge in creating premium sports apparel, footwear, and equipment that embody the California lifestyle.

His legacy as an industry turnaround expert was cemented at Converse, where he spearheaded the brand's resurgence from bankruptcy, elevating its sales from $120 million to $285 million and finally a $305 million acquisition by Nike – a landmark deal that reshaped the industry.

Jim's expertise extends to leadership roles at Nike, Quiksilver, Oakley, LA Gear, Roxy, RL, Pony, Bob Marley and Adio. He currently serves on several boards, including SDSI, where he mentors emerging companies alongside Chairman Bill Walton.