Dominic Paolo Testa

Dominic Paolo Testa was born in Youngstown Ohio to deaf-mute parents, Dominic and Angeline Testa. He is an Italian/American Actor, Singer, Screenwriter, Director, Producer, and owner of award-winning, Steely Dom Films. Beginning at the age of eleven, he was a drummer, singer, and percussionist in various nightclub bands. He performed on stage and in recording studios with artists, Denise LaSalle, Natale Cole, Kenny Rogers, George Duke, Billy Cobham, Grover Washington Jr., Freddie King, Dr. Hook, Dr. John, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Rush, Eric Carmen, Joe Vitale, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Streetwalkers, Dave Loggins, Lee Greenwood, .38 Special, Blue Oyster Cult, Bobby Goldsboro, Bob Welch, Bob Babbitt, and numerous others. He also performed on the world-famous Grand Ole Opry stage several times and was on the very first nationally televised show. He also toured as a backup singer for the Grammy Award-winning Dottie West and was a freelance Recording Session Singer in Nashville and Chicago, singing songwriter demos and commercial jingles, with a long list of commercial jingles to his credit. He served on the Nashville and Chicago AFTRA Board Of Directors and is an ASCAP and SAG-AFTRA member. Dominic is working on making his comedy feature film, "The Don Of West Hollywood". The short film/demo of the original short screenplay was shot in a 10'X20' storage unit with his Canon 35mm camera, using a remote control and playing all 7-characters. So far, he and his short film have won the Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival "Best Music Video", Gold Award, for his vocal performance of the song, "Here Where I Belong", the Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival Grand Jury Prize "Best Music Video" Gold Award, for his vocal performance of the song, "I'd Be A Fool", the Los Angeles Motion Picture Grand Jury Prize "Best Advertisement" Gold Award, the Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival "Best Sizzle Reel" Gold Award, the Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival "Best Trailer" Bronze Award, the Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival Grand Jury Prize "Best Poster Art" Silver Award, the Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival Grand Jury Prize "Best Actor Award", the Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival Grand Jury Prize "Best Script" Silver Award, the Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival Grand Jury Prize "Best Music Track" Gold Award for the song that he wrote, "I'll Be There", the West Coast Film Festival "Best Comedy" Silver Award, and was "Semi-Finalist" in the $2 Film Festival. He likes to remind everyone not to laugh about the $2 Film Festival win. It's run by NYC college students and proves one thing, they get it, which is an excellent sign for the future success of the movie. His other awards include the So You Think You Can Act Competition Grand Jury Prize "Best Actor Award", the Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival Grand Jury Prize "Best Music Video" Silver Award for his vocal performance of the song, "When Love Takes Hold", the Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival Grand Jury Prize "Best Music Video" for his vocal performance on the song "I Can Let Go Now", the 1st Giff/Genesis International Film festival "Best Actor Award", the Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival "Best Actor Honorable Mention Award", the Big Fridge International Film Festival "Best Actor Award", Hollywood's Monthly Film Festival "Best Short Film" for The Don Of West Hollywood", the Best Film Awards "Best Actor in Comedy", and the Gothamite Monthly Film Awards, "Best Movie Poster" March 2024.