Writer/Director/Producer - Holly M. Kaplan (she/her)
Holly M. Kaplan is a Chinese-American filmmaker, born and raised in New York City. Inspired and driven by ties to her mixed Cantonese heritage, Holly is invested in bringing narratives about the Asian diaspora and diversity to the forefront. She earned her BA in Film & Media Arts at American University and completed a filmmaking program at FAMU International Prague, where she filmed her first short, "THE LESSON." A former apprentice to the late Independent Director/Producer Ben Barenholtz, Holly served as Director's Assistant to Executive Producer/Director Lisa Soper and Director Alex Pillai on “PRETTY LITTLE LIARS: ORIGINAL SIN" (HBO Max). In 2022, Holly was selected for NALIP's Latino Lens: Narrative Short Film Incubator for Women of Color sponsored by Netflix to write, direct, and produce "SUNFLOWER GIRL."
Producer - Seika Paradeis (she/her)
Born in Japan but raised in New York City and formerly trained as a ballet dancer with the American Ballet Theater, Seika Paradeis worked as an Associate Producer at 1stAveMachine, a film production company producing award-winning branded content after graduating as a Studio Arts Media major from City University of New York, Hunter College. In 2020, she furthered her film producing skills in programs with New York University and New York Film Academy producing a slate of short films and music videos. Since 2021, Seika has been working as a Producer’s Assistant and Associate Producer at production company and creative agency, Ummah Chroma Creative Partners formed by filmmaking collective, The Ummah Chroma.
Cinematographer - Michael Cong (he/him)
Born in Xinyu and raised in Weihai, China, Michael Cong is a filmmaker based in New York City. With a mixed background of Chinese and American culture, Michael focuses on the common ground where differences converge. His work is often centered around the passengers who are on the verge of leaving or staying somewhere, or with someone. He thinks of cinema as a form of expression that goes beyond language, and he makes films for people all around the world. Since he graduated from Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on cinematography, Michael has worked on numerous commercials and music videos. His narrative works are screened at multiple international film festivals. Michael enjoys experimenting with images and sound. His patience behind the camera makes the magic happen and curiosity drives him deeper. He is currently an MFA student at Columbia University where he keeps experimenting with cinema with friends.
Production Designer - Mischelle Moy (she/her)
Mischelle Moy is a Brooklyn-based digital artist and photographer, with a focus on vibrant sets and post-production. As a lifelong fine arts major, she chose to graduate from the School of Visual Arts with a BFA in Photography, and has been freelancing and producing since. Her digital artwork has been featured by BOOOOOOOM!, Featureshoot, Fubiz, and Instagram, with commissions by Apple and Adobe. Her commercial photography clients are majority Asian-American brands within the local community including Wing on Wo & Co., Omsom, Cirque Colors, Umamicart, and Junzi. Mischelle’s visual style is now branching into film, having most recently done production design for "Ronnie Chieng Takes Chinatown” Netflix comedy special.
@lilmisch | @studiomisch | website
Editor - Hailey Choi (she/her)
Hailey Choi began her career as an art director in film and tv before shifting her focus to video editing in 2017. Since then she has done projects for TIME, P&G, eBay, and BuzzFeed. Most recently she has been the editor of The Complex Sneakers Podcast for the last five seasons and counting. Being a storyteller at heart, she has edited a handful of short films, most notably “Thistle Creek” and “Children of the Dust,” both of which she received Faculty Commendations for Editing at New York University’s First Run Film Festival in 2021.
Composer - Kristine Bernabe (she/her)
Kristine is a second-generation Vietnamese-American composer for film, television, and other forms of visual media based in New York City. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Music in Music Theory and Composition: Screen Scoring at New York University (’23) where she studies with composers Ariel Marx and John Kaefer. Previously, she was a participant in NYU/BMI’s Television Scoring Workshop and studied music composition for film at Juilliard Evening. Kristine’s mission as a film composer is to work on stories that push boundaries and explore untold perspectives.
Sound Designer - Delu Duan (he/they)
Delu Duan is a composer and sound designer based in NYC. Through his extensive experience mixing and composing, Delu has become particularly attuned to the balance
of sound and music in his work, letting these two key elements of the aural world support and complement one another. Delu loves to craft his music and sound creations for different projects and has vast experience working within various media, including Short Films, Animations, Games, Podcasts, AR comics, Commercials, Pop Songs, and more. Delu graduated with a Master's Degree in Music Theory and Composition at NYU, with a concentration in Screen Scoring. He studied with Greg Pliska, Mark Suozzo, and Rich Shemaria. Delu holds a BA in Sound Director from the Communication University of China.
of sound and music in his work, letting these two key elements of the aural world support and complement one another. Delu loves to craft his music and sound creations for different projects and has vast experience working within various media, including Short Films, Animations, Games, Podcasts, AR comics, Commercials, Pop Songs, and more. Delu graduated with a Master's Degree in Music Theory and Composition at NYU, with a concentration in Screen Scoring. He studied with Greg Pliska, Mark Suozzo, and Rich Shemaria. Delu holds a BA in Sound Director from the Communication University of China.
Costume Designer - Dan Wang (she/her)
Dan Wang is an international costume designer for film and stage. A fearless artist originally from China. She is currently working in New York City. Dan is a storyteller at heart, blending drawing, collage and digital art in her process. She creates beauty from the time torn ordinary using layers and texture. She is never without a cup of coffee and will always find a way to bring the wind into her stories.
Casting/Associate Producer - Sunny Chen (they/she)
Sunny Shanni Chen 陈珊妮 (they/she) was born in Nanjing, China, in the 90s, with ancestors from Sichuan and Hubei. They immigrated to Canada at the age of six, and completed school on unceded Katzie, Kwantlen, Matsqui, and Semiahmoo lands, colonially-known as "Langley, BC". Sunny began writing music and fiction at eight years old, and hasn't stopped since. They obtained a student loan and moved to Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh lands ("Vancouver, BC") at 17 to earn their BA in psychology, with a minor in English literature, at the University of British Columbia. The creator of award-winning STORYHIVE-funded pilot Open Ethnicity, Sunny writes, directs, and/or produces music videos and shorts. They make and perform 2000s-inspired art pop as "Sad China" (Exclaim!), and prioritize intergenerational healing, inclusion, and nurturing healthy community.