Sandra Salas(IV)
- Writer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Director
Sandra is a Southern California native who grew up in Downey,
California and is one of five children. She is the daughter of Irma
Emma Salas and Rodolfo Salas, Jr. She received her B.A. in Research
Psychology with a minor in Women's Studies from the California State
University at Long Beach where she gained great satisfaction in her
work counseling at-risk youth. After completion of her undergraduate
degree she took a break from academia and bicycled with twelve women,
3,600 miles from Portland, Oregon to Washington, D.C. to raise
awareness for HIV and the AIDS epidemic. Upon her arrival in
Washington, D.C., she lobbied on Capital Hill in support of the
Universal Health Care Measure of 1994 and met with Senator Dianne
Feinstein to deliver the messages of persons living with HIV and AIDS
from across the nation.
Sandra has collaborated with Public Artist, Robin Brailsford on "Las
Memorias: The Wall" in Los Angeles, "Street Park Parable" in Long
Beach, and "Stream of Consciousness, Body of Water" for the Miramar
Water Treatment Facility in San Diego. On June 3, 1995, Sandra received
a Certificate of Honor from the City of Los Angeles and a United States
of America Congressional Award for her work and service on the
"Gabriellino Nation: Spirit of the Sage," with artists Roberto Salas
and Johanna Poething.
She began her filmmaking career working in production on commercials.
She quickly began rough-cut editing on location as Digital Video Assist
Operator on commercials, films and television. Sandra received her MFA
in Screenwriting at the American Film Institute (AFI) in 2001. She
earned honors and awards for her script; "Thrust of Power" and was a
Chesterfield Writer's Film Project Finalist in 2001. She received the
Anonymous Screenwriters Award, the Hathaway Award, was honored as a
Multi-Cultural Motion Picture Diversity Scholar and received the Stan
Kamen Endowment Award. She studied under the tutelage of Alan Swyer and
her work as writer on the short film "Death Mother" was lauded by Frank
Pierson, former Artistic Director of AFI and former President of The
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Other short films written
by Sandra include, "Wrapped in Winter" directed by Gerrardo Naranjo.
Sandra's filmmaking career has taken her across the United States and
abroad. She has traveled to Bangkok, Malaysia and lived and worked in
Singapore as a Visiting Lecturer at the Ngee Ann Polytechnic Film and
Media Studies Department. There she held the position of Film
Production Advisor and Screenwriting Department Supervisor. While there
she taught screenwriting, served as a script reader/script consultant
to the Singapore Film Commission and intends to return to Singapore to
produce and direct her feature film working title, "The Trouble with
Love." She is currently in-development with her producing partner Jean
Rhea for a feature-length documentary working title, "Hearts of
Conviction: 25 minutes to 25 years."
At present, Sandra has wrapped post-production on the made for TV
Documentary Pilot "Inside Cinema." She is Co-Creator, Writer, Director
and Producer of the documentary style, hosted entertainment show which
takes a look into the creative journey of the collaborative process
between filmmakers. The show focuses on the "unsung heroes" of the
filmmaking process and examines the creative collaboration that makes
filmmaking a reality. The pilot, featuring film composer Aaron Zigman
"The Notebook" and "John Q" journeys through his early training,
personal experience and creative collaboration with talented
professionals like Nick Cassavetes, Peter Max, Gary Grant, Brian
Dembow, Jerry Hey, and Erin Scully. The pilot also features Susan
Saldivar-Forman as the host and was co-created, co-written and
co-produced by Sandra Salas, Brian G. Brosnan and Susan
Saldivar-Forman.
Sandra is currently developing a multi-media original content web
venture with her producing partner, Kyle Looney scheduled to launch in
early 2007. She's a member of the International Documentary Film
Association (IDA), Film Independent (FIND) and the American Film
Institute (AFI). She also plans on surfing as much as she possibly can
this summer.
California and is one of five children. She is the daughter of Irma
Emma Salas and Rodolfo Salas, Jr. She received her B.A. in Research
Psychology with a minor in Women's Studies from the California State
University at Long Beach where she gained great satisfaction in her
work counseling at-risk youth. After completion of her undergraduate
degree she took a break from academia and bicycled with twelve women,
3,600 miles from Portland, Oregon to Washington, D.C. to raise
awareness for HIV and the AIDS epidemic. Upon her arrival in
Washington, D.C., she lobbied on Capital Hill in support of the
Universal Health Care Measure of 1994 and met with Senator Dianne
Feinstein to deliver the messages of persons living with HIV and AIDS
from across the nation.
Sandra has collaborated with Public Artist, Robin Brailsford on "Las
Memorias: The Wall" in Los Angeles, "Street Park Parable" in Long
Beach, and "Stream of Consciousness, Body of Water" for the Miramar
Water Treatment Facility in San Diego. On June 3, 1995, Sandra received
a Certificate of Honor from the City of Los Angeles and a United States
of America Congressional Award for her work and service on the
"Gabriellino Nation: Spirit of the Sage," with artists Roberto Salas
and Johanna Poething.
She began her filmmaking career working in production on commercials.
She quickly began rough-cut editing on location as Digital Video Assist
Operator on commercials, films and television. Sandra received her MFA
in Screenwriting at the American Film Institute (AFI) in 2001. She
earned honors and awards for her script; "Thrust of Power" and was a
Chesterfield Writer's Film Project Finalist in 2001. She received the
Anonymous Screenwriters Award, the Hathaway Award, was honored as a
Multi-Cultural Motion Picture Diversity Scholar and received the Stan
Kamen Endowment Award. She studied under the tutelage of Alan Swyer and
her work as writer on the short film "Death Mother" was lauded by Frank
Pierson, former Artistic Director of AFI and former President of The
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Other short films written
by Sandra include, "Wrapped in Winter" directed by Gerrardo Naranjo.
Sandra's filmmaking career has taken her across the United States and
abroad. She has traveled to Bangkok, Malaysia and lived and worked in
Singapore as a Visiting Lecturer at the Ngee Ann Polytechnic Film and
Media Studies Department. There she held the position of Film
Production Advisor and Screenwriting Department Supervisor. While there
she taught screenwriting, served as a script reader/script consultant
to the Singapore Film Commission and intends to return to Singapore to
produce and direct her feature film working title, "The Trouble with
Love." She is currently in-development with her producing partner Jean
Rhea for a feature-length documentary working title, "Hearts of
Conviction: 25 minutes to 25 years."
At present, Sandra has wrapped post-production on the made for TV
Documentary Pilot "Inside Cinema." She is Co-Creator, Writer, Director
and Producer of the documentary style, hosted entertainment show which
takes a look into the creative journey of the collaborative process
between filmmakers. The show focuses on the "unsung heroes" of the
filmmaking process and examines the creative collaboration that makes
filmmaking a reality. The pilot, featuring film composer Aaron Zigman
"The Notebook" and "John Q" journeys through his early training,
personal experience and creative collaboration with talented
professionals like Nick Cassavetes, Peter Max, Gary Grant, Brian
Dembow, Jerry Hey, and Erin Scully. The pilot also features Susan
Saldivar-Forman as the host and was co-created, co-written and
co-produced by Sandra Salas, Brian G. Brosnan and Susan
Saldivar-Forman.
Sandra is currently developing a multi-media original content web
venture with her producing partner, Kyle Looney scheduled to launch in
early 2007. She's a member of the International Documentary Film
Association (IDA), Film Independent (FIND) and the American Film
Institute (AFI). She also plans on surfing as much as she possibly can
this summer.