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Valentin Sandoval studied film at the University of Texas-El Paso, but his filmmaking skill and style is mostly self-taught, honed by hands-on work experience with writer/documentarian Jimmy Santiago Baca, cinematographer Lee Daniel and Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Paul Espinosa. From the start, Sandoval has not shied away from harsh subject matter or daunting imagery. At age 19, Sandoval produced a short film about a young heroin junkie entitled "Instrumento", which screened at the Mesilla Valley Film Festival and garnered Sandoval's first award-the first-ever award for best independent filmmaking bestowed by UTEP. Since then, Sandoval made the documentary "Clamor" about young inmates in Chino prison, scoring three additional awards, plus short films "Zeek" and "The Gray". His work has been screened at the Chicago Film Festival, Santa Fe Film Festival, South by Southwest Film Festival, and Dallas' Vistas Film Festival.
In addition to his original film work, Sandoval is acclaimed for the commercial work he has done in and around his native El Paso, where he co-founded his own production and design company, Blackbird Concepts. Working with major broadcasters Azteca America and Univision, Sandoval produced more than 400 commercial spots. He also produced notable election campaign spots for politicians in Texas, New Mexico and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, as well as memorable PSAs for local nonprofits, casting at-risk youth in a peer-advising message on the dangers of drinking and driving. Sandoval has been fully involved in all phases of production on a variety of film projects for Jimmy Santiago Baca's Cedar Tree organization in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a non-profit founded to empower impoverished and imprisoned people through literacy.
Well versed in digital video, 16mm and HD, Sandoval is also a skilled instructor in Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro while his post-production talents run the gamut on Media 100 844x, Avid Express, Premiere Pro, Vegas Video, and Adobe After Effects. He is accomplished in theater and improv, having collaborated with Latino Comedy Project, cofounding Chuco Town Raiz comedy troupe, and spearheading Teatro Bienestar, a theatrical initiative meant to educate the El Paso-Juarez border community about specific social and health issues.
