It’s amazing what one can accomplish with a strong and dedicated team behind an already fierce one-man movement. That’s exactly what Daniel “Dred” Marques has experienced this side of the last 2 years. A budding independent film director since the age of 16, the Brazilian/New Yorker kid known around the world as “Dred” (he’s never had dreads and the reason for the moniker is something of great lore haha) starting making music videos for local rappers in the early 2000′s. Honing an exceptional style and hand-skill with various cameras, Dred continued working and building an impressive resume of clients and artists including Wyclef Jean, Joell Ortiz, Nina Sky, MTV, Vibe Magazine, Theophilus London, etc. Mentored in the art of Film at the High School of Art & Design in New York and then on to Brooklyn College, Dred learned first hand the importance of moving as a unit working on over 100+ sets in 4 years. It was no surprise when it came time to assemble his own crew, the support was there. In 2008 with under a $15,000 loan, 20-pages of script written by and based on himself, 40+ cast and crew and a little over 2 weeks, the young director made his first short film aptly titled, I_NY. In 2009, a brand Dred had been building upon for 10 years finally had a trusted team. Along with Jasmine (Producer), Ronin (Director, Editor), and Nahgee (Shooter, Editor), Hot Mop Films plowed through a busy year with bigger projects then they’ve ever produced. 2010 was no different with a huge push to establish an eager audience including a 15-videos over 15 days Holiday Promo Campaign introducing the different personalities of the company, a 6-music video campaign with Jersey rapper The ILLZ, 20+ artist interviews with Homebase NYC, a weekly video series with Nina Sky, and more. One thing’s for sure, Dred’s never been afraid to get his hands dirty, and the hard work does pay off. With new offices in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a new Holiday Campaign in the works and a handful of new projects on the table, it’s an exciting time as ever for Dred and his team.