The Team
Sandra Salas - Director, Writer, Producer
Sandy Salas, a Chicano filmmaker of Mexican American descent with ancestral ties to the Tarahumara/Yaqui peoples of the Southwest (US) and Northern Mexico, brings a rich cultural perspective to her work. Her ongoing passion project, the feature documentary "Into the Storm," has garnered widespread acclaim and support from esteemed entities such as the Sundance DFP Fund, the Kendeda Fund, Firelight Media, and more.
With a diverse repertoire, Sandy writes both shorts and features. Her talents extend to producing and directing promos and a docu-style television pilot. Behind the scenes, her expertise shines across various mediums, including network and streaming shows, digital content, commercials, and print ads.
In 2001, Sandy earned her Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting from the prestigious American Film Institute (AFI), where she garnered numerous honors and accolades for her exceptional work. Currently residing in Long Beach, Sandy is the Head of Post Production at Tastemade.
When she's not immersed in filmmaking, Sandy finds serenity in cycling along the coast on her road bike or practicing yoga on the bluffs, often accompanied by her beloved Schnoodle, Frankie Lou.
Richard Venezian - Producer
Richard is a bicoastal producer with a background in post production that spans over a dozen years. He has served as a DI producer for both Netflix and YouTube Red projects. Originally from Queens NY, Richard moved to Los Angeles in the early 2000's in pursuit of a career in film. His journey began as a warehouse clerk for a post house rental vendor, where he worked his way up the ladder to learn all aspects of post production on his way to a senior management level with various Hollywood-based post houses. He is passionate about mental health advocacy as well as the art of storytelling, which drew especially close to this particular project. When he's not behind a computer his primary focus is being a loving husband and father.
Francesca DeLutis :: Line Producer
Francesca DeLutis is a creative and dedicated line producer passionate about people and storytelling. With extensive experience managing content from inception to launch, she excels in building exceptional teams and delivering projects on time and within budget. Since January 2018, she has been a freelance producer, creating content across various mediums and locations, including the US, Japan, Colombia, England, Germany, Spain, and Italy. Notable credits include producing the short film "Let It Stay Here," the documentary "Coding The Car," and managing production for Discovery+'s "Top Gear America" Season 2. Her commercial and branded content work features high-profile campaigns for brands like Espolon, Marshalls, Gucci, Click Up, Lenovo, Victoria's Secret PINK, P&G, and Subaru. Francesca's previous roles include senior producer at BuzzFeed, Inc., where she line-produced over 70 pieces of branded content, and assistant to Kate Beckinsale and Benny Medina, where she gained valuable industry insights. She holds a B.F.A. in Theatre Performance with a minor in Italian from Virginia Commonwealth University and has completed Level II Intensive Italian at L'Università per Stranieri in Perugia, Italy. Francesca's skills encompass efficient and diplomatic communication, anticipating needs, prioritizing heavy workloads, creating resourceful solutions, motivating teams, and streamlining systems to enhance productivity.
Francesca is also the co-founder of Coconutgrove Pictures, a production company that takes a collaborative, efficient, and quality-driven approach to filmmaking. They specialize in creative, production, and post-production services for video.
Gilbert Salas :: Director of Photography
Gilbert Salas, a native of El Paso, Texas, and a descendant of Mexican American roots with ancestral ties to the Tarahumara/Yaqui peoples of the Southwest (US) and Northern Mexico, discovered his passion in Los Angeles. Starting in the art department, he progressed through sound, grip, and electric, ultimately finding his calling as a director of photography and director.
His work spans documentaries like "Trudell" and "Sailing The Master Home," showcased at Sundance, and narratives like "The Hunted" and "Hogstooth," featured at Cannes and ScreamFest. Gilbert's creative vision extends to commercials for brands like Facebook, BMW, and Mastercard, as well as music videos and immersive experiences. With decades of experience, Gilbert continues to redefine visual storytelling, leaving a legacy of inspiration and excellence.
David Waldman - Director of Photography
David’s work in HD on the films, “Embryo” and “June and Orlando,” earned him the Emerging Cinematographer Award in 2005 and 2006 from the International Cinematographers Guild. “Embryo” also earned him a Best Cinematography award at the 2005 HDFest. David worked with Director John Landis on the Emmy Award-winning, “Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project” and shot “Yoo-hoo, Mrs. Goldberg!” for Peabody Award-winning Director Aviva Kempner. He shot the feature film, “Beach Kings” for MGM and was the DP on the Starz Network series, “Head Case.” He has also shot numerous commercials and music videos throughout the US and Japan. David received his MFA in Cinematography from the American Film Institute in 2001.
Jaki Covington :: Editor
Jaki is a freelance LA-based documentary editor and filmmaker. She spent her early career working with producer/director Heather Rae. In 2010, Jaki helped shoot and produce the Showtime documentary “First Circle”, an intimate look at the foster care system in Idaho. She was on the editorial staff for Akicita, The Battle of Standing Rock, which premiered at the 2018 Sundance FIlm Festival.
Most recently Jaki edited a 4 part documentary series "Let Us Prey” that premiered on HBO Max in November 2023. In 2022 She Co-edited the award-winning documentary "Being Michelle" about a deaf and disabled woman who survived incarceration under unimaginable circumstances.
Jaki is currently finishing her first feature film "Still LIfe" a personal documentary that follows her 6 year old son through the pandemic. Jaki is a Karen Schmeer Editing Fellow as well as an alumni of the Sundance Documentary Edit Lab.
Randy Redroad :: Story Editor
Randy Redroad is an Indigenous writer/director/editor based in Los Angeles.
His debut feature, THE DOE BOY, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, winning the prestigious Sundance/NHK Award. The film went on to win 14 other festival awards and an IFP/Gotham nomination for outstanding directorial debut. Randy was editor on the feature documentary THE INFILTRATORS (2019
Sundance Film Festival – Audience Award and Innovator Award), about a group of undocumented youth infiltrating a for-profit detention center. He served as Story Editor on the 2023 Sundance Award Winning documentary BAD PRESS, about the struggle for a free press in Indian Country. Other work as editor includes the Showtime documentary, FIRST CIRCLE, directed by Heather Rae. Randy is a founding member of the award-winning StyleHorse Collective, a group of indigenous artists working with tribal organizations to create inspiring and educational film and video projects. He has been awarded the Concordia Fellowship, and the Rockefeller Fellowship and is an alumnus of the Sundance Director’s Lab. Randy joined the writing room for season two of the Amazon series OUTER RANGE, starring Josh Brolin.