Los Alamitos High School Students' Film to Premiere at Bay Theatre
More than 100 LAHS students have worked on the short film titled "Free Trial" which will be shown alongside films from other students and alumni.
The Los Alamitos High School film department is premiering its fifth annual student short film titled "Free Trial" on the big screen. This student-made comedy will debut June 7 at the Bay Theatre in Seal Beach.
"Free Trial" will be part of a one-day community film festival featuring films from students and alumni from the Los Alamitos Unified School District. McAuliffe Middle School student Jack Standlea will also showcase some of his work, which includes the zombie horror comedy, "World Undead."
The show times will be disclosed at a later date. Spotlight Schools will update the story as soon as we get the information.
The high school's film team is excited to premiere at an official theater with a red carpet and fancy attire. In previous years, the premiere has been hosted on campus at the LAHS Performing Arts Center.
The short film was written by Joey Ito and directed by Abigail Zidonis. They are dedicating immeasurable time to creating the short film and guiding others in the process. The film stars freshman Dutch Stephens, sophomore Jayden Villa, junior Evan Pagan and junior Mason Potter.
Since December, around 100 students have been working on the short film, writing and revising the script. The production is a long process, including working on the script, auditioning and choosing actors, filming and editing. The process is challenging, pushing the students and giving them a unique professional experience.
Conner Brown, the film teacher at LAHS, has guided the students and assisted in the short film’s production. He is proud of what the class has accomplished and the dedication they have put into the film.
“To do a project of this size is very tough and very impressive, especially at the level at which they do it. We’re super excited to see the end product come June,” Brown said. Brown is the instructor in the school's Film and Television Production program, a Career Technical Education pathway that offers students hands-on experience in the industry.
Kyan Whiten, a senior at LAHS, is the director of photography of the short film. He sets up the camera shots, creating the vision of the film.
“It’s a lot of fun. Everyone knows what they need to do workwise, but we’re also having fun while doing it, making jokes and having a great time,” Whiten said.
While the short film requires a lot of work from everyone involved, the team enjoys each other’s company on set and working together.
“Becoming friends with these people and being able to create something that you’re all able to say you’re proud of at the end of the day is really special,” Whiten said.
Free Trial is still in production and participants were tight-lipped about the film's plot. The team was scheduled to film scenes at the Bay Theatre on Main Street in Seal Beach on May 20.
See past LAHS student films here:
Editor's Note: This story was submitted and written by a Los Alamitos High School student and originally appeared in the campus newspaper, the Griffin Gazette. Jeannette Andruss contributed reporting.