This summer, ninth-graders Tenzin Smith and Evan Lemole started their own company called Zodiac Pictures, a small film company dedicated to producing entertaining videos and short movies.
Zodiac Pictures sprung from a love for film and enthusiasm for video production. “We used to make videos with some of our friends and we really enjoyed it … we realized that we could [start a company],” Smith said.
The two started out by making videos with their friends, solely for personal enjoyment to make each other laugh. Now, however, they are creating productions for all to see. Smith and Lemole make use of their current equipment, hoping to expand their production materials one day. “For now we just use our phones because we don’t have the money to get a good filming camera, but we are saving up for one,” Lemole said.
Lemole and Smith make their videos for the public’s enjoyment, but still take a personal interest in the fun of the film making process. “The main reason we make the videos and skits are for our [own] entertainment,” Smith said.
The two end results are very rewarding, considering all the hard work they put into their finished products. “My favorite part about this whole thing is when you finally finish a video and you get to look back at all of your hard work and see what you’ve made. It’s a feeling of accomplishment,” Smith said.
Of the videos posted on their YouTube page, the duo have already introduced a comedy film, a small skit, and several previews hinting at their next big production. Their upcoming piece, a short film titled “The Remake,” centers around an inept Hollywood director whose been given one last chance to make an epic blockbuster before being ousted from the business for good.
The pair not only have a strong base of support from their friends and Pine View staff, but also their parents. “Both of our parents really like what we do. They really enjoy our videos and they are a great help. We wouldn’t be able to do this without them,” says Lemole.
Zodiac Pictures’ films can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRAY7_-rxH9o1HH_0KJ_KzA
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By MELISSA SANTOYO, Assistant Features Editor