Todd Senofonte, known most widely to martial arts film fans for his roles in Robert Tai's Iron Bodyguards: Fists Of Legends II and as one of Jean Claude Van Damme's best stunt doubles for the better part of a decade, has accrued a number of non-genre film roles over the years, both comedic and dramatic. He continues his exploration as a dramatic actor in The Deepest Dream from Bunker Hill Film Group, which will premiere at the Santa Ana Indie Film Festival on July 7, 2012.

Todd Senofonte plays a character named Sam, and the female lead, Maria Del Carmen plays Tori. Sam is a struggling writer, who also struggles within. Tori has a part to play in Sam's struggle.

Senofonte conveys a wealth of depth with his character, given the film's running time. His dramatic intensity is very calculated and nuanced, and is balanced by the believably forced levity of his character that he also makes apparent to the audience. The audience knows that Sam's smile is desperately 'painted on' but we aren't hit over the head with it either.

Said Bunker Hill Film Group Partner, Jude Cavillo, "Honestly, when he submitted his materials to us, we didn't know much about his action background. We just knew that he could convey a very intense look and performance, as the Director was calling for. After he actually did so for this film, we were pleasantly surprised to find out just how much of a following Todd apparently has."

Actress and model, Maria Del Carmen, has appeared as a vampire on the series Being Human (the BBC one!), has had roles in the Michael Baumgarten films Pretty Obsession and The Guest House, and was among the ensemble cast of Video Game Highschool. The Deepest Dream appears to be her first lead film role, but that is not obvious from her performance. Del Carmen brings a convincing reversal to audience assumption of what her character is really about late in the film that provides a 'twist in the tale' reveal.

Greg Srisavasdi, after reviewing films for many years, has seen his own film script brought to reality. Whitney Bratton co-wrote. Bratton previously wrote the 2009 animated short, The Visionary (for which Daniel Vendt provided the music). Srisavasdi also directed from his own script.

The strengths of having a writer also direct are apparent in The Deepest Dream.

Nothing can beat a director like a director that is also creatively and emotionally involved in the story being visualized because they also wrote it.

The film was produced by Jude Calvillo and Daniel Vendt. The original score was by Vendt, with the theme by Rick Michael. Vendt has scored many shorts (some while still a student), as well as the music (including sound mixing and sound editing) for the feature length 2011 film, Dark Before Dawn.

Cinematography was by Jared Isham. Isham has worked on many short film productions in many capacities. He wrote, directed, and produced, the 2009 short, Million Dollar Trash. He has also written and directed the 2009 feature length B-movie western, Bounty.

Chris Thompson and Vendt, again, handled the film editing. This makes for a good "again" however. The strengths of having the film's music composer also involved in the editing, are apparent in this production. Vendt's music is not brash and loud as seems the trend these days. There is a nice, subtle, bottom end to the music that rises occasionally and most effectively for the scene's requirements. Clearly, the musician who is involved in the film edits may know best what needs to go where.

For those able to view this short film at The Santa Ana Indie Film Festival on July, 2012, Second and Broadway, Santa Ana (films show from 8-12), I strongly suggest for the best experience that you go in without being much more aware of the plot of the film. It is one of those films that benefits greatly from the audience not knowing the end until they have seen the end. Having viewed the film myself, through an early access privilege extended me by the Bunker Hill Film Group as an appreciated courtesy to media, I cannot stress enough how much any 'spoilers' really could spoil the fine work of Senofonte, Del Carmen, and The Bunker Hill Film Group.

Deepest Dream: Still 3

Senofonte and Del Carmen in a pivotal scene from The Deepest Dream. Used with the kind permission of Bunker Hill Film Group (bunkerhillfilms.com).