Our First Consider of 2025
Only a few weeks in to Get Repped Now, and we’ve already got our first “consider” of the season. Jason Sotolongo’s 1-hr pilot REDPOLL is a compelling spy yarn tinged with sci-fi. Sotolongo is an award-winning producer and director for commercials, docuseries, branded content, social media content, and promos for major networks and brands. We wanted to know a bit more about his writing and Redpoll.
CI: What was the inspiration behind REDPOLL?
JS: I’ve always loved authentic stories with an extraordinary element. So the idea of an unimaginable power that’s not alien but drawn from our world was the perfect playground.
The story was sparked by a real, unexplained event so massive it left scientists with more questions than answers. That grounded mystery led to a simple question: What if something was buried deep below the surface, a conduit to a force we thought we understood, and what if it revealed something science hadn’t yet explained?
That idea became the perfect launch point to explore bigger questions about trust, control, and the cost of power, all within a story that still delivers suspense, emotion, and momentum.
We live in a world where power, in all its forms, is fought over by governments, corporations, and ideologies. Redpoll asks: What happens if that power suddenly chooses a person instead? Do you destroy it? Or try to understand it before someone else weaponizes it? And who truly is qualified to hold great power? That tension drives everything.
At its heart, Redpoll is an espionage thriller with a human core, wrapped around a mystery that’s only beginning to unfold. If you like your sci-fi grounded, your spy games messy, and your heroes flawed but worth rooting for, I think you’ll want to read this one.
Sci-Fi Meets Espionage
CI: Sci-fi/espionage seems like a great mash-up, and yet I’m having a hard time thinking of a comp. Which is cool.
JS: Right?! That’s exactly what excited me. Having an idea that’s believable science fiction with high-stakes espionage is rare! Redpoll blends those two worlds in a way that that slowly peels back something much bigger – something that feels familiar, but new.
Tonally, I’d describe it as Jack Ryan meets Stranger Things, with the identity crisis of The Bourne Identity.
Like Jack Ryan, Neil (our protagonist) begins as an analyst – smart, capable, and completely unprepared for what’s coming. The world he’s been trained to navigate turns out to be built on lies. As he digs deeper, he’s not just uncovering a dangerous, unimaginable power. He’s unraveling everything he thought he knew about his father, his country, and himself.
The sci-fi is plausible, the stakes are personal, and the mystery isn’t just about what Redpoll is, it’s about why it chose him.
The Protagonist’s Identity Crisis
CI: We love that the protagonist is half-Russian. In the wake of all the anti-Russia propaganda of the last 50 years, are you trying to say something here?
S: Absolutely! I am trying to say something. But not in a way that preaches or takes sides. Making Neil half-Russian was never about defending a government. It was about exploring what it means to carry the weight of two identities, especially when those identities are in conflict.
Redpoll isn’t interested in painting the world in black and white. It’s about the gray. Power doesn’t care about borders or ideology. And neither does legacy, loyalty, or the uncomfortable space between right and wrong. Neil’s journey is shaped by that tension. He was raised to see the world one way, only to discover the truth is messier, more human, and far more personal than he ever imagined.
In a time when global narratives are shaped by fear, spin, and control, I wanted to tell a story that asks: What if the person caught in the middle isn’t a hero or a villain, but just someone trying to figure out who they really are?
Jason Sotolongo’s Journey into Filmmaking
CI: Talk a little bit about filmvideo.com and Affect Films. You seem to have your fingers in several pies.
JS: I do love pie. Blueberry is my favorite.
Career-wise, I’ve been a producer and director for years, creating documentaries and promos for networks, mainly focused in sports. Through my company, Affect Films, I’ve helped shape content that celebrates real people doing extraordinary things. I’m currently in development as a producer on a docuseries that will feature top athletes from around the world, which is something I’m really excited about.
But you remember that crossroad scene in Robert Zemeckis’ Cast Away? I’ve been there. And I chose the road to the left. Had I chosen the right, I probably would’ve been writing series and features years ago. But storytelling has always been in sight. I’ve never stopped writing in some form.
Redpoll is me helping me get to that road to the right.
Jason Sotolongo’s Next Steps
So let’s all pull for Jason as he steps into the consider circle. Who will join him? Stay tuned!
Faqs :
- What is REDPOLL about?
REDPOLL is a spy thriller story about a young woman who becomes involved in dangerous international conflicts. As she uncovers hidden secrets, she must deal with her identity and survive in a world full of spies, power struggles, and political tension.
- Who is Jason Sotolongo?
Jason is the creative force and screenwriter behind REDPOLL. A storyteller with a lifelong obsession with film, Jason has spent years honing his craft to move beyond traditional tropes. He built this script to offer the industry something fresh: a narrative that is as intellectually gripping as it is visually intense.
- Why is the protagonist in REDPOLL half-Russian?
The protagonist is half-Russian to make the story more complex and meaningful. This background helps connect her to the political world in the story and adds personal conflict, making her journey more emotional and interesting for the audience.
- What inspired REDPOLL?
The story was born from the friction of modern geopolitics. Jason wanted to explore how massive, global power struggles trickle down to affect the individual. It’s an exploration of how a young person finds their footing and their voice when caught in the gears of international conflict.
- How is REDPOLL different from other spy thrillers?
REDPOLL is different because it focuses more on personal identity and emotional struggles, not just action. It mixes strong character development with suspense, which makes the story deeper and more relatable compared to typical spy thrillers.