Marco Santiago - emerging filmmaker

Bio

I began my filmmaking journey in July 2003 with a feature length documentary currently in post-production titled “Into the Border”. Soon after I continued my exploration of the border theme with my very first narrative film, "El Trafico", an award winning short film, which premiered at the 2004 Filmstock International Film Festival in the UK and was exhibited at the 2005 Scottsdale International Film Festival and the 5th annual Phoenix International Film Festival. "El Trafico" won Best of Show, Best Dramatic Short, Best Directing, Best Cinematography, and 2nd place for Sound Design and Editing at the 24th annual SCC MP/TV Film Festival in Phoenix. I have since directed other shorts films such as "Pecan Run", and "OnceUpon a Time in the Desert", as well as an award winning music video for Tim McDonald’s Broken Poets, an up-and-coming alternative rock band based in Tempe, Arizona. At the moment I’m in the process of finishing up an action/comedy short (“Diablita”), which stars Jeff Fahey (“Grindhouse”, “Wyatt Earp”, “Lawnmower Man”, “Silverdo”, “Delta Force”, "Lost" ).

I’m a fellow of the 2006 writers lab of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP), where my first feature length screenplay, "86" , was selected for development. "86" was also selected into the prestigious NALIP Producers Academy for 2006 and again for 2007, where I shot scenes as a directing fellow in preparation for feature length production sometime in 2008/2009. The project was also selected for final consideration to the Sundance Writers Lab, 2007. 86 has since been optioned by Diana Lezmez, former President of Production at Arenas Entertainment (Empire, Nicotina, Imagining Argintina). Most recently Diana produced Culture Clash in AmeriCCa, directed by Emilio Estevez. 86 is currently the subject of a five page feature article in the April issue of Indie Slate Magazine, issue #53.

My second second feature film project, based on the recently acquired novel, “How to Cope with Suburban Stress”, was selected for support in the 2007 NALIP Writers Lab where I participated for ten days as a writing fellow under the mentorship of Harrison Reiner, former Production Executive at Sovereign Pictures (co-distributors of Academy Award-winning motion pictures MY LEFT FOOT and CINEMA PARADISO). I continue to recieve mentorship under Mr. Reiner and continue to do further development of "How to Cope with Suburban Stress" at the Professionals Writers program at UCLA. "How to Cope with Suburban Stress" has also been selected as a finalist for consideration to the Sundance Writers Lab for 2008. The novel was featured in an August 2006 article in the Hollywood Reporter as a must make movie.

Modeled after the Sundance writers and feature film labs, the NALIP writers lab and Producers Academy are important programs, sponsored and supported by HBO, Time Warner, MTV Networks, ABC/Walt Disney New Talent Development Program, FOX, Cox Communications, UCLA, ASU, UofA, the Academy Foundation, POV, HFPA Hollywood Foreign PressAssociation, the Ford Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the WGA East/West.

I am the former CEO of AviaBid.com, the Internet’s first Internet B2B aviation auction destination, where the Aviation Internet Directory: A guide to 500 Best Aviation Websites", published by McGraw-Hill Publishing, listed Aviabid.com among its sites in 2001. I attended Arizona State University where I majored in Aerospace Engineering, History, and Applied Mathematics. I also hold a B.A. in Business from Western International University, and I admit to being a life long student, having accumulated well over 500 college credits since 1982. I recently took on the study of human and cultural anthropology, believing that the best stories can be told from a combination of life experiences and a profound understanding of human nature.

Oh, and filMixer.com is my creation. ;-)


You can learn more about me at

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1642239/

IMDBPro: http://pro.imdb.com/name/nm1642239/

My most recent project - in post-production - Fallen Hero

Synopsis

Fallen Hero examines the relationship between Daniel, a father in the throws of a divorce and his seven year old son, Jerry, in the aftermath of a school parking lot altercation in which Jerry witnesses his father brutally beaten by another man (emasculated, if you will) in front of his classmates. The story deals with the disillusionment of the Jerry’s hero worship for his father and how he tragically deals with it when his classmates tease him. Fallen Hero also examines the delicate psychology involved in pre-adolescent males as it relates to their growing awareness of what it means to be a man.

Fallen Hero finished principal production on its four day shoot on May 4th. It was shot on Super 16mm.

Visit the project website at www.fallenheromovie.com

Stay informed on all of Volarefilms projects. Joing the Volarefilms Group here on filMixer at Volarefilms Group


My Music ;-)

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