Marco Santiago
310-270-3886 . msantiago@volarefilms.com . www.volarefilms.com
Representation
Legal: Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, Lon Sorensen, Robert Darwell, Attorney, 1901 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1600, Los Angeles, 90067-6017 United States, 310.228.3717 . LSorensen@sheppardmullin.com;
Talent: Endeavor Agency, 9601 Wilshire Blvd. 3rd Floor, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, USA
Films
El Trafico Writer - Director - Producer Volarefilms, LLC
Once Upon a Time in the Desert Writer - Director - Producer Volarefilms, LLC
Diablita Writer - Director - co-producer Volarefilms, LLC
The Bear - Director of Photography Mercurial PicturesInto the Border Director - Producer Volarefilms, LLC
Music Videos
Broken Poets - "Built Upon the Present Regardless", Director Volarefilms, LLC - VuWest
Love Me Nots - "Move in Tight" Producer, Eternal Entertainment
Stellar Kart - "Student Driver" Camera Operator VuWest, Warner Bros.
Education
• Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, Applied Mathematics & History
• Western International Univesity, Phoenix, Arizona, Business
• Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale, Arizona, Certificate in Motion Picture & Television
• UCLA Film and Television, Professional Writing Program
• Hunter College (City University of New York), New York, New York, Studied Engineering and Business before transfering to Arizona State University
Training
Directing Fellow, Latino Producers Academy, 2007 - National Association of Latino Independent Producers, Directing, Project: "86". Modeled after the Sundance Filmmaker Labs, Directing fellows are provided SAG casts and professional crews, in addition to mentors like Luis Mandoki ("Message in a Bottle, "When am Man Loves a Woman", "Angle Eyes", "Amazing Grace", "White Palace", "Born Yesterday", "Trapped"), Ligiah Villalobos ("La Misma Luna", "Go Diego Go", "Diego Ascending"), and Alfredo DeVilla ("Washington Heights", "Adrift in Manhattan"), in order to rehearse, shoot, edit and score select scenes from their feature projects. The Lab is sponsorred by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Walt Disney Studios, Nielson Media, UCLA, The Academy Foundation, FOX, Cox Communication, HBO, MTV Latino, Time Warner, Universal Pictures.
Writing Fellow, Latino Writers Lab, 2007 - National Association of Latino Indepdent Producers, Writing, Project: "How to Cope with Suburban Stress" The Latino Writers Lab is a competative and comprehensive 10 day lab designed to assist up-andcoming writers who aspire to create independent feature scripts, or work in the film and television industry, but who need skills development and mentoring in order to advance. In partnership with Time Warner and the WGA-East, the Writers Lab is a unique format to help develop strong, viable screenplays for production or sale. 12-16 writers are selected and participate in this intensive workshop which runs 10 days between New York City and Los Angeles. Participants are chosen after submitting either a first draft developed from a treatment, or a polished script based on a rough draft for work during the program. The Lab provides in-depth skills work on storytelling, scene writing and rewrite techniques each morning, and develop skills that align reader reactions with a writer's intention. Working lunch sessions include professional information on guilds and unions, legal rights and clearances, adapting stories and plays for the screen, and the work producer/writer relationship. Each afternoon includes intensive mentoring on each writer's specific draft screenplay with professional advisors and peers. The Lab is sponsorred by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Walt Disney Studios, Nielson Media, UCLA, The Academy Foundation, FOX, Cox Communication, HBO, MTV Latino, Time Warner, Universal Pictures.
Producing Fellow, Latino Producers Academy, 2006 - National Association of Latino Independent Producers, Producing, Project: "86" Ten-day intensive lab that covers a range of production and producing skills and draws on the expertise of independent film and television producers and executives who are available to mentor and support the fellows. Sponsored by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Walt Disney Studios, Nielson Media, UCLA, The Academy Foundation, FOX, Cox Communication, HBO, MTV Latino, Time Warner, Universal Pictures.
Writing Fellow, Latino Writers Lab, 2006 - National Association of Latino Indepdent Producers, Writing, Project: "86" The Latino Writers Lab is a competative ten day lab designed to assist up-and-coming writers who aspire to create independent feature scripts, or work in the film and television industry, but who need skills development and mentoring in order to advance. In partnership with Time Warner and the WGAEast, the Writers Lab created a unique format to help develop strong, viable screenplays for production or sale. 12-16 writers participate in this intensive workshop which runs 10 days. Participants are chosen after submitting either a first draft developed from a treatment, or a polished script based on a rough draft for work during the program. The Lab provides in-depth skills work on storytelling, scene writing and rewrite techniques each morning, and develop skills that align reader reactions with a writer's intention. Working lunch sessions include professional information on guilds and unions, legal rights and clearances, adapting stories and plays for the screen, and the work producer/writer relationship. Each afternoon includes intensive mentoring on each writer's specific draft screenplay with professional advisors and peers. The Lab is sponsorred by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Walt Disney Studios, Nielson Media, UCLA, The Academy Foundation, FOX, Cox Communication, HBO, MTV Latino, Time Warner, Universal Pictures.
IFP Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, Independent Film Business Plan, 2008 Stu Pollard, In-depth presentation focuses on the key elements of an independent film business plan, including structure, layout, and research. Also discussed are insights on the ethics and psychology of selling high risk investments, tools for making your deal more attractive, tips for identifying the best financing prospects, and suggestions for maintaining successful relationships with investors.
Advanced Budgeting and Schedulling, 2008, Terrance Donnaly Techniques of breaking down, scheduling and budgeting a script. Emphasis on scheduling principles incorporating location, studio, artists and union agreements.
Acting, Scene Study I, Romona Richards, Phoenix, Arizona
Commercial Acting, Elayne Stein Phoenix, Arizona,
Awards
• MPTV, Best of Show, "El Trafico", 2004
• MPTV, Best Dramatic Short, "El Trafico", 2004
• MPTV, Best Director, "El Trafico", 2004
• MPTV, Best Cinematography, "El Trafico", 2004
• MPTV, 2nd Place Editing and Sound Design, "El Trafico", 2004
• MPTV, Best Music Video, Broken Poets - "Built Upon the Present Regardless", 2006
• Scholarship Recipient, UCLA Professional Writing Program, NALIP 2006
References
• Diana Lesmez, Producer for "86" feature project and writing Mentor at 2006 NALIP Writers Lab, Former President of Production, Arenas Entertainment, Contact provided upon request
• Kathryn F. Galan, Mentor; Executive Director, National Association of Latino Independent Producers; Producer, "French Kiss", Contact provided upon request
• Harrison Reiner, Writing Mentor, Story Analyst CBS Independent Films, Former ProductionExecutive at Sovereign Pictures (Academy Award winning movies "My Left Foot" and "Cinema Paradiso"), Contact provided upon request
• Marilyn R. Atlas, Writing Mentor, Producer, 2002 Sundance Award-winning, "Real Woman Have Curves", Contact provided upon request
• Luis Mandoki, Directing Mentor; Director ("Message in a Bottle", "When a Man Loves aWoman", "Angel Eyes", "Trapped", "Amazing Grace", "White Palace", "Born Yesterday"), Contact provided upon request
• Alexis Garcia, Mentor; Independent Packaging Group Endeavor Talent Agency, Contact provided upon request
• Rosalinda Morales, Mentor; Casting Agent, C.S.A., Far More Casting; projects include Sundance film, "La Misma Luna", Contact provided upon request
• Daniel Humuy, Mentor; Feature Film Composer, Key Sound Productions, Contact provided upon request
• Miguel Tejada-Flores, Writing Mentor, Indipendent Producer - writer, ("Revenge of the Nerds", "Screamers", "The Lion King"), Contact provided upon request
• Ben Odell, Producing Mentor; Executive at Panamax Films, Producer of 2007 Sundance Grand Jury Winning "Padre Nuestro", Contact provided upon request
• Ligiah Villalobos, Writing Mentor; ("Go Diego Go", Sundance movie "La Misma Luna"), Former mStudio Executive at Buena Vista Productions, Contact provided upon request
• Alfredo De Villa, Directing Mentor; Writer-Director (Sundance premier films "Adrift in Manhattan" and "Washington Heights"), Contact provided upon request
• Alex Ferrari, Directing Fellow, Mentor, Contact provided upon request
• Kyle Bartlett, Co-producer, Diablita, Contact provided upon request
• Cary Cook, Cinematography Instructor, Co-producer and DP, Diablita, Contact provided upon request
• Kate Herbert, Writing Instructor, Film and Television Program, Scottsdale Comm. College, Contact provided upon request
• Dr. Penelope Price, Instructor, Film and Television Program, Scottsdale Comm. College, Contact provided upon request
• Terence A. Donnelly, Producing and Financing Instuctor, Scottsdale Community College, AD or Unit Production Manager ("The French Connection", "Midnight Cowboy", "The Exorcist", "Revenge of the Nerds"), Contact provided upon request
• Johny Dust, Directing Instructor, Scottsdale Community College, Contact provided upon request
Finalist, Sundance Writers Lab, 2007 Finalist for consideration as writing fellow to the Sundance Writers Lab for 2007. "86" feature project selected top 10% out of 2300 National and International submissions.
Finalist, Sundance Writers Lab, 2008 Finalist for consideration as writing fellow to the Sundance Writers Lab for 2008. "How to Cope with Suburban Stress" feature project selected top 10% out of 1900 National and International submissions.
Organizational and Leadership Experience
Student Representative (Student Government), Hunter College (City University of New York), 1987; Student Leader – 3700 Technical Training Wing, Shepard Air Force Base, Texas, 1984; Vice President – Arizona State University Precision Flight Team, 1991; Officer – Arizona State University Aeronautical Student Advisory Committee (SAC), 1992
Organizations and Memberships
Member of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers; Member of Phoenix Chapter of IFP (Indepedent Film Project); Member of Film Independent; American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Student Chapter (Arizona State University) Promotes research in aerospace systems and related technologies; American Society of Automotive Engineers, Student Chapter (Arizona State University) Promotes research in ground and air transportation systems; Astronomy and History Book Clubs