About PPI – Video Production
We are a bilingual, bicultural video production and visual storytelling company based in San Diego, California. We specialize in high quality video and multimedia, corporate, and non-profit content.
History
The video production arm of Press Pass International was founded by Laura Castañeda in 2000. She began producing content for clients in San Diego, using her experience as a writer and broadcaster. Laura combined her talents and skills with other media professionals including Producers, Writers, Hosts, Videographers, Graphic Artists, and Editors to produce high quality content for a variety of client
Graficos / Editor
LAlex Miller Pastore
Laura Castañeda — Executive Producer, Owner Laura Castañeda is an Emmy-award-winning professional writer, producer, documentary filmmaker and media professor with 30 years of experience working in three diverse news markets and various multimedia platforms. She has served as host, moderator and consultant to numerous media projects in English and Spanish. Her first documentary, “The Devil’s Breath,” about seven border crossers who perished during the 2007 San Diego wildfires, was screened at several film festivals and universities to sold-out crowds. It also aired on the University of California TV cable and satellite network and on various PBS affiliates in the U.S. She is the creator of the Emmy-award-winning magazine program “Stories de la Frontera.” It aired for several seasons on various PBS affiliates including Chicago, San Diego, Riverside, California, and Tucson, Arizona. Laura has also served as press coordinator for the San Diego Latino Film Festival helping to boost the festival’s attendance on both sides of the international border. Laura also mentors young writers and journalists as a professor in the Radio, Television and Film program at San Diego City College. On the print side, Laura has contributed to several publications such as the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, El Sol and SHPE Magazine, a publication of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. Aside from her work in media, Laura serves on numerous boards of directors including the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, UNITY Journalists of Color, Latino Journalists of California, and the Commission on the Status of Women for the County of San Diego. Laura is a proud native of Chicago and an alumna of the University of Illinois, Urbana, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in Sociology.
A one stop shop for all your video productions & visual story telling
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Television
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Executive presentations
Emceeing / Hosting
Hosting
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Hosting
Still Photographers
Media Coaching
Public Speaking
Contact Us?
To send inquiries, including feedback, requests for information or questions, you may use our Feedback and Inquiries form below.
2644 Adams Avenue San Diego CA 92116
2021 © Press Pass International, LLC.
Laura Castañeda
Laura Castañeda — Executive Producer, Owner Laura Castañeda is an Emmy-award-winning professional writer, producer, documentary filmmaker and media professor with 30 years of experience working in three diverse news markets and various multimedia platforms. She has served as host, moderator and consultant to numerous media projects in English and Spanish. Her first documentary, “The Devil’s Breath,” about seven border crossers who perished during the 2007 San Diego wildfires, was screened at several film festivals and universities to sold-out crowds. It also aired on the University of California TV cable and satellite network and on various PBS affiliates in the U.S. She is the creator of the Emmy-award-winning magazine program “Stories de la Frontera.” It aired for several seasons on various PBS affiliates including Chicago, San Diego, Riverside, California, and Tucson, Arizona. Laura has also served as press coordinator for the San Diego Latino Film Festival helping to boost the festival’s attendance on both sides of the international border. Laura also mentors young writers and journalists as a professor in the Radio, Television and Film program at San Diego City College. On the print side, Laura has contributed to several publications such as the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, El Sol and SHPE Magazine, a publication of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. Aside from her work in media, Laura serves on numerous boards of directors including the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, UNITY Journalists of Color, Latino Journalists of California, and the Commission on the Status of Women for the County of San Diego. Laura is a proud native of Chicago and an alumna of the University of Illinois, Urbana, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in Sociology.
Alex Miller Pastore
Alex is a graduate of San Francisco State University film school. After relocating back to San Diego, Alex continued his studies this time in the Radio TV Broadcast News side at San Diego City College. He most recently worked as a news editor at XETV San Diego CW6. In addition, he edits independent projects. Alex he has won National, State and local student awards (including Emmys) for his work on feature and investigative news packages.
James L. Smith II
James Smith is an award winning producer, writer, editor and videographer. James began his career in Los Angeles. He has freelanced for major networks (CBS, ABC, NBC and FOX) and cable channels E! Television, Showtime, HBO and BET. He also covered the Los Angeles riots with former news anchor Bree Walker. In 2004, James relocated to San Diego and decided to get formal training at San Diego City College. While at City College, James sharpened his skills in writing and editing, and went on to garner three consecutive student Emmy nominations producing content for the department's weekly news show "Newscene", and a magazine show called "Stories de la Frontera: Student Edition". James currently freelances in the San Diego area, but is open to travel. He continues to mentor and tutor students in video production at different schools around the San Diego area
David Pradel
David Pradel is a professional sports and event photographer. Born and raised in San Diego, CA, David enjoys to shoot outdoors and loves to capture the best moments with one-click at a time. David earned his Associates Degree in Journalism in 2015, and is currently finishing up his second Associates Degree in Broadcast News at San Diego City College. David is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Television, Film and New Media Production. Aside from his passion for still photography, David also enjoys videography, and enjoys editing and producing television news packages, and short documentaries and films. In 2014, David worked as an assistant video editor for the PlayOn! Sports Network, a high school live streaming sports media company. In 2013, David also worked as a sports reporter, and video editor for The Beast Brief, where he got the opportunity to interview star athletes and celebrities at the 2013 & 2014 ESPYS awards.
Lisa Lake
Lisa Lake is a notable personality, Emcee, Host, and accomplished broadcaster in San Diego. She has over two decades of experience as a television news reporter and co-anchor at the local ABC news affiliate Channel 10. Lisa covered many big news stories in her career as well live coverage from the red carpet at the Academy Awards. She has interviewed numerous Hollywood Celebrities, athletes and politicians. Lisa knows what it takes to be in front of the camera. She is a graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She is also a proud alumna of the San Diego City College RTVF department where she got her start in television news. Lisa is now training other young journalists and performers at as an adjunct professor at San Diego City College. She teaches Performance for television since 2010.
Roman Koening
Roman Koenig is an award-winning industry professional since the early 1990s, serving as an assistant news editor at The San Diego Union-Tribune and as an editor and designer at the daily North County Times. Koenig currently publishes the North Coast Current, an award-winning aonline news journal based in Encinitas. He is also an independent filmmaker and screenwriter. He has won nearly 50 awards, from 1992 to the present, from the Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego Press Club and Los Angeles Press Club.