Mia Tate has been a professional actress for over 15 year, working on both independent and major studio films with such talents as the Coen brothers, Antonio Banderas, George Clooney and Trent Harris to name a few. She moved into production two years ago, producing the film Boys at the Bar, starring Bo Hopkins. This year she founded the production company Big Hat Productions that has a documentary and a narrative film in pre-production. One photographer’s Cuba is her first documentary and directorial debut, she is thrilled to be able to share this story.
Roberto Chile – DP
Widely regarded as one of Cuba’s finest cinematographers, Chile’s images have traveled the world. He has worked as Director of Photography on hundreds of documentaries including productions for ABC, CBS, NBC, Discovery Channel and the Halogroup in the United States; NHK and TV Asahi of Japan; Canal Arte of France; and O Globo y Manchete of Brazil. Chile creates frames of great depth and stunning visual beauty, perfect to capture the raucous, sensuous, color-saturated vitality of Cuba. Among his important documentaries are: “When I think of Che,” “Lennon in Havana,” “Fidel,” “Cuban Art Series,” “Ghost Town to Havana,” the documentary series, “Spiked Wings” and his most recent “Havana Curveball.” He has received dozens of awards in national and international competitions. In addition to his filmmaking, Chile was Fidel Castro’s personal photographer.
Ben Derico – Camera
Ben Derico is a Chicago-Based Director and Cinematographer specializing in Documentary-Style Production. He has worked to create commercial pieces for clients like Kraft, MasterCard, and McDonald’s as well as tech startups, small businesses, and non-profits. He is currently in production with a Documentary Short following the Social Life of a Moroccan rug, shot in June, 2014 as well as a project about a bike shop in the outskirts of Accra, Ghana. Ben is a Spanish speaker and endless wanderer, fascinated by learning new things in new places.
Steven Aguilar – Sound
After graduating from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in Audio Arts and Acoustics, Steven Aguilar spent three years working at Towers Productions with a team that mixed programs for National Geographic, The History Channel, Animal Planet, and other networks. Following his work at Towers, Steven freelanced as an audio engineer in music, location and post-audio design throughout the Chicago area, including a collaboration with Vagabond Audio on the Emmy-winning documentary, “The Interrupters.” Recently, he teamed up once again with director Brad Besser on the documentary “The Beaver Trilogy Part IV” screening at both the Sundance Film Festival, as well as the Hot Docs Film Festival. Much of Steve’s life has been spent traveling between the United States and his parents’ birthplace of Costa Rica, which has led to a successful commercial career in the hispanic market. In addition to his documentary, commercial and post-audio experience, Steven has been a singer and songwriter for over a decade.
