Lights, camera...
Young Moorpark filmmaker wins top award in Malibu
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

SYLVIE BELMOND/Acorn Newspapers THE REEL DEAL- Moorpark filmmaker Kellen Moore and his cast won a top award at the Malibu Celebration of Films Festival recently. Moore is pictured with Allie Woerner, 16, Rachel Hoadley, 17, Lisa Zeiper, 18, Maddy Burnette McGrath, 15 and Katie Woerner 15. All the girls, except for Zeiper, are students are Moorpark High School and they were in the film award winning short film created by Moore "Water Moore and Zeiper attend Moorpark College.

Moorpark High School graduate Kellen Moore always tries to put a slice of his life in each film that he makes. He builds on his experiences and works to keep viewers interested from the beginning to the end.

"I hate it when movies lose your attention, so I always try to make my films grab the audience's attention and keep them interested until the very end," he said.

When working on a film, Moore carefully draws each scene, develops his characters and spends much time preparing the actors before the camera is turned on.

These efforts have paid off as the 19-year-old filmmaker won the Best High School Film award in the Malibu Celebration of Films at the Smothers Theatre at Pepperdine University in Malibu on Sept. 30.

He competed in the festival's educational outreach program, Films'COOL', a high school and undergraduate college short film competition and mentoring program co-chaired by Ed Harris and Amy Madigan. The event was created to enrich, educate and empower local young filmmakers, according to organizers.

Moore's production "Water Damage" was among six high school and college student films that were screened that weekend.

The short film describes how popular kids can easily lose their edge when circumstances change. The lead role is portrayed by Allie Woerner, a 16-year-old Moorpark High student. Her character reluctantly discovers that she must rely on her own strength to prevail in adversity, but she also learns that true friendships can emerge from unanticipated places.

"Kellen's short is original and has a positive message about taking a stand for being who you are despite all the pressures from ones peers and society," said Kim Jackson, executive director of the Malibu Celebration of Film Festival. "It's a message about celebrating your individual voice," she said.

Moore also deserved recognition because his film had interesting sound and editing choices and it was well crafted technically, said Jackson.

His award includes a cash prize of $1,000 and a mentorship with a professional assistant director.

The young local filmmaker will be able to gain much insight and first-hand experience as he shadows an assistant director on a professional move set for a minimum of two weeks. "The assistant director is truly the pinnacle person on set that is in control of the entire production," Jackson said.

Moore has been making movies since the age of 11. He is largely a self-taught filmmaker, relying on his own experience, with little formal training.

"I had to save up money and learn to be resourceful," said Moore who has been working with local young actors, who also happen to be his friends.

Moore, who is proficient in several art mediums, draws on his talents to create his films. He also uses his experiences as child actor who appeared on ABC's "The Norm Show" with Norm McDonald and performed in several high school plays. Moore can relate to the actors who are cast in his motion pictures.

"Making movies has always been my calling," said Moore who graduated from Moorpark High School in June. Moore attends Moorpark College with plans to complete his basic credits and transfer to a fouryear university that has a film school.

He made "Water Damage" during his last semester as a senior and began to submit his work into film festivals after he graduated. So far, "Water Damage" has been in three festivals, and it won awards at each one, including the Conejo Valley Teen Video Festival where Allie Woerner was chosen for the Best Actress award.

The film was also selected as the Audience Favorite in the Valley Film Festival this summer and it will be featured at several other festivals from now until next spring.

Even though "Water Damage" is a comedy, it is based on a real story of the hardships that Moore and his best friend Lisa Zieper, who played a supporting role in the film, went through during their last year in high school. But the story is extremely exaggerated, Moore said.

"Water Damage" was shot at a home in Santa Rosa and at the Secret Garden Restaurant in Moorpark.

To date, Moore has made five festival-winning films, including a music video. He participated in the New York Film Academy, and was a national finalist in the Samsung Mobile's Fresh Film Competition.

He won a total of seven awards at the Conejo Valley Teen Video Festival and his film Masquerade went to the California state finals for the annual Parent Teacher Association Reflections competition.

The young local talent is already drawing out his next project.

"I finally came up with a new story line and I have pitched it to a couple of close friends, and the response has been surprisingly very positive. I think it will be a very good movie, but it will be a lot of work," he said.