Moderators

AL SOTTO has been a film, TV and commercial actor for over 20 years, and has been a member of SAG-AFTRA since 2007. During that time he has had a myriad of acting roles, from principal roles in Investigation Discovery’s “Who The Bleep Did I Marry” as well as feature films “What Death Leaves Behind”, the upcoming “Step Back Doors Closing” and the upcoming “First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story.” Al has also had supporting roles in TBS “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee”, Amazon’s “Thespian”, “Turf Valley” on YouTube, and featured in Netflix House of Cards, Apple TV’s Servant and Hulu’s Dopesick. Al has also worked on commercials for Little

Caesars, Prudential Insurance, Guiness, Armstrong Ceiling Systems, UPS, Maryland Lottery and many regional commercials, corporate industrials and PSAs. Recently, Al has collaborated with fellow Filipino American artists with Barkada DMV whose short films have won awards and been nominated for the 48 Hour Film Project. In addition, Al is a seasoned podcaster of his own entertainment and acting industry podcast “Below The Belt Show” on www.belowthebeltshow.com and a core host for “Click On This”. Through those media outlets, Al has covered film festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW and the Maryland Film Festival interviewing actors, celebrities and filmmakers across the country. Al also enjoys the casting process of the industry, assisting with casting independent films (The Realtor/What Death Leaves Behind), music videos (The Perfects “Many Nights”) and reality television (Elimidate). Al’s hobbies include photography, traveling, museums, seeing live music and theater, guitar/bass guitar and singing.

BONEZA VALDEZ HANCHOCK (she/her) is an actor and playwright. She has had the privilege of working with an array of theatres throughout the DC metro area including and most recently: the Bowie Center for the Performing Arts, Endangered Species Theatre Project, Prologue Theatre, St. Mark’s Players, Two Strikes Theatre Collective, Nu Sass Productions, Prince George’s Arts and Recreation, Prince George’s Shakespeare in the Parks. She has also lent her voice to several podcasts and radio plays including Pomegranate Room, Between Acts, and I Am Project and is currently working on several local independent film projects including Zion, a supernatural television pilot and the fantasy short film, Seasons Cycles.

CAMERON KIT is a feminist sci-fi filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. She has 4 years of experience in Wing-Chun Kung Fu and loves a good all girl fight scene. She has directed over 30 narrative short films including “Chlorine”, which won “Best Underwater Cinematography” at the New York Cinematography Awards and was featured in 9 festivals worldwide. Her films have been featured in 15 international festivals including the New York Cinematography Awards, Richmond International Film Fest, Dumbo Film Festival, Montreal Independent Film Festival, Tokyo International, Big Apple Film Festival, Seattle Film Festival and the Brooklyn SciFi Film Festival. She is the Co-Director and Producer of “African Woman’s Voice”, a feature documentary about a young Malian journalist fighting to make women’s voices heard on the radio. She is a Virginia Humanities Grant recipient for her documentary work.

CARLOS “The Los!” PADILLAis a freelance social media marketer from Northern Virginia. He currently handles the social media presence of the Baltimore, Maryland based art competition collective, Super Art Fight. From behind the scenes filming to show photography and even making memes from time to time, he has been behind the camera handling it all. Carlos is a big fan of comic books, professional wrestling, video essays and local sports (you’ll definitely will bump into him at any local wrestling show).

DEWEY TRON is a DC based photographer / video producer, art director and musician (keyboards / drums). He has performed with many bands as a drummer with styles ranging from Progressive Power metal, vgm metal to Peruvian Punk. He scores films and composes electronic music. From 2019-2021 he served as Director of Programming for the DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival.

JEREMY PONAFALA, successful freelancer, he has nearly six years of experience in the Set Lighting department, having worked on upwards of thirty short films, commercials, and corporate video shoots. Most people outside of the film industry probably aren’t familiar with the role of a Gaffer, but Jeremy has become an invaluable member of our team over the years, so we wanted to take this opportunity to highlight a position that truly is one of the unsung heroes on a film set. Lighting a scene is often the thing that takes the most time, but for Jeremy it’s second nature. He has an innate ability to visualize exactly which lights should be used and where they should go, crafting detailed floor plans for the lighting setups of each and every camera angle. Above all, he has a strong work ethic, which is how we know he will commit to delivering the atmospheric look this story demands.

MADELYN FARRIS (she/fae) is a Baltimore based actor, writer, and filmmaker. She graduated from Pace University with a BFA in acting, a passion for the craft of collaborative storytelling, and strong opinions about bagels. You can catch her in Just Desserts and Netfins & Chill on Amazon Prime or in Kira Vs Everyone here at DC Shorts Sunday at 4pm.

MISSY MERRY is a SAG-AFTRA actress from the DMV area. She has an AFA degree in theatre performance and has studied at NYU Tisch School or the Arts, Stella Adler Studios, and the Barrow Group. She has starred in numerous local commercials, indie film, and award winning short films. She also has worked as stand-in and background actor on many different local union productions. Her most recent project is a role in Satanic Hispanics, playing in theaters nationwide beginning September 14th.

REBECCA CHEN was born in New Jersey to Taiwanese immigrant parents. She was in ESL until second grade, is fluent in Mandarin, and tells people where she’s walking and how she likes her bagel (vegan, toasted, small schmear) and coffee (sweet, iced, soy milk). After graduating from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communication, she moved to Japan to teach English and subsequently acquired Japanese language ability. She moved back after Trump was elected because the future of immigration seemed to be teetering. When she’s not preparing green card applications during the day, Rebecca is either modeling, watching movies, or trying to adopt another cat. She’s been a resident of Northern Virginia for the last four years, the longest she’s lived anywhere since moving back from Japan.

TESS ROLLINS is the Chief Creative Cultivator of Simply Enhance, a graphic design and brand strategy firm in the Metro Washington DC area with a focus on staging to ensure that a brand’s presence is both recognizable and identifiable whether they are showcased via print, digital, or social media. Tess is also the creator and host of Herndon Community Television’s show, “Simply Enhance,” which showcases businesses and special events in Northern Virginia, as well as serves as the Executive Director of Old Town Fairfax Business Association which hosts the Asian Festival on Main, an annual marquee cultural event during Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

TROY-JEFFREY ALLEN is a producer, writer, and host. He is primarily known for his work in comic books and hosting PREVIEWSworld Weekly. He’s the writer of ‘MF DOOM: All Caps,’ Public Enemy’s ‘Apocalypse ’91: Revolution Never Sleeps,’ ‘Fight of the Century,’ the Harvey Award-nominated ‘District Comics: Unconventional History of Washington, DC,’ and the Ringo Awards-nominated ‘Magic Bullet.’

ULYSSES CAMPBELL is a producer, actor and voice talent. His TV and movie credits include We Own This City, Homeland, VEEP, House of Cards, Nightmare Next Door, Ghost Planet and Captain America The Winter Soldier. He produces and hosts The Fantastic Forum Radio Show on WERA 96.7 FM. Campbell also serves as a locally elected official in Washington DC, and as a volunteer at Martha’s Table Charitable Organization.