SCREENWRITER / DIRECTOR
San-San Onglatco
San-San Onglatco was born in California and raised in the Philippines. She graduated from Ateneo de Manila University with a B.A. in Literature in English. While in college, she was a member of the acclaimed Filipino theatre company, Tanghalang Ateneo. After graduation, she moved to Los Angeles and completed a Professional Program Certificate in Screenwriting from UCLA. San-San has been based in Los Angeles and worked in the film industry for over ten years, where she primarily worked as a producer and line producer. Her short films have premiered in film festivals like L.A. Shorts and New Filmmakers L.A. She is currently taking her MFA in Directing at the American Film Institute (AFI) Conservatory, where she is developing her thesis film. San-San is the first Filipina accepted into the AFI Conservatory’s Directing program. She is an advocate for diversity and the representation of underrepresented voices in film and media.
SAMANTHA
GAO
PRODUCER
Samantha Gao received her Bachelor of Arts in Film Sound Design from Beijing Film Academy. While at Beijing Film Academy, she worked as the Sound Designer for thirteen short films. While in China, she worked on the feature, “Railroad Tigers” with China Film and the Jackie Chan Group. She is finishing her MFA at the American Film Institute Conservatory as a Producing Fellow where she continues to produce short films and collaborate with talented filmmakers. She is currently working as the Manager’s Assistant in the Marketing Department for the Highland Film Group.
STORY EDITOR
yugo
nakamura
Nakamura's interest in screenwriting came after receiving his B.A. He has written various shorts and screenplays over the years. As part of the AFI curriculum, Nakamura has co-written two produced shorts and was the sole writer for another. He has also written spec TV episodes of Stranger Things and Black-ish, as well as a feature called Diamond Lake, about a family in search of their missing son in a National Park during a wildfire.
CINEMATOGRAPHER
PIP
WHITE
During her undergraduate studies at the world-renowned Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, Pip shifted her focus from studying fashion to film. Since graduating, she has traveled the world as a camera assistant, contributing to blockbuster franchises: Star Wars, Harry Potter, Mission Impossible, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Under the mentorship of esteemed directors and cinematographers, Pip has continued to develop her skills and hone her craft. Recently, she was selected as a 2019 Rising Star by BAFTA Los Angeles in their Newcomers Talent Program, where she will be supported over the next 4 years, as she continues to develop her career. She is currently completing her second year MFA as a Cinematography Fellow at the American Film Institute. Her first AFI Thesis Film "Zenaida" was awarded the post-production Fotokem Grant and her second AFI thesis film "Pepper" was awarded the Technicolor Grant. Pip splits her time between London and Los Angeles.
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
YIMING
ZHAO
Yiming Zhao is an L.A. based production designer, originally from Beijing, China. She recently graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a B.A. in Film and Television Production. She started working as a Production Designer in college. The narrative films she production- designed have been selected and screened at film festivals in the U.S. and internationally; including the DGA student awards, LA Shorts International Film Festival, AFMA Film Festival of Young Cinema, HISFF, New Filmmakers LA, etc. She has also worked on commercials and music videos. Yiming is currently a Production Design fellow of the AFI Conservatory class of 2020.
EDITOR
YORK
FU
Yu “York” Fu graduated from DePaul University with a B.F.A in Film and Television, with a concentration in Editing. He started his film education at the Beijing Film Academy Modern Creative Media College in China. With seven years of learning experience, he has edited a variety of different projects, which include narrative shorts, commercials, documentaries, and trailers. He has also gained experience in directing and cinematography. This year the film Running Between the Crack of Time, which he edited, won the Silver Remi Award in WorldFest-Houston International Film & Video Festival.