Monroe teen‘s 8-minute film has prestigious spot in festival

Published 11:29 am Friday, April 23, 2010

Todd Kaumans was a filmmaker without a camera.

The 16-year-old Monroe High School junior had a little camcorder. That’s what inspired him to get into film in the first place.

But for his latest project, Todd knew he needed a professional camera.

So he did what any good Hollywood director would do: He used his connections.

He borrowed a camera — and some expertise — from Jesse Stipek, a 2007 Monroe grad who runs his own local film company, Trico Films of Snohomish.

It was a good move.

Todd was selected to show his film, an 8-minute short titled “The Trump Card,” at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, better known as NFFTY.

Todd can’t wait to see his work on the big screen at the SIFF Cinema in Seattle on May 2 as part of the four-day festival.

“It’s a milestone to get my name out there in the industry,” he said, sitting in his rural Snohomish home, where he lives with his parents, Troy and Debbie Kaumans. “I’m hoping I’ll be able to learn a lot.”

NFFTY, known as the largest festival of its kind, features a juried selection of youth films from around the world, including categories for feature films (more than 30 minutes) short films (less than 30 minutes), documentaries, animation, music videos, experimental films and action sports films.

Todd will get to schmooze with industry insiders, listen to lectures by film experts and see screenings of more than 100 films by filmmakers age 22 and younger.

He entered a short film last year that was not accepted. This year he reshaped his narrative and added characters for complexity.

“They like films that tell stories,” Todd said of the NFFTY judges.

Todd’s synopsis for “The Trump Card” goes like this: “Desperation controls the scene as two men vie for dominance in a high-stakes card game, playing for an ultimate prize of cold hard cash. Only one will walk away in triumph, but it may take a little more than nerves of steel and simple card tricks to weave the threads of victory.”

Those “two men” are a couple of Todd’s classmates, Cody Melnrick, who plays a tuxedoed Mr. Cooley, and Trevor Wood, who plays Mr. Smith, an on-edge grifter.

Two other friends donated their time as actors, including Drew Johnson, who plays Mr. Cooley’s somber butler, and Erik Larsen, who plays Mr. Smith’s money-grubbing sidekick.

Todd, who wrote, directed, edited, cast and produced the film, said Melnrick helped him fine-tune the dialog in the screenplay. Stipek, the guy who loaned him the camera, did most of the filming and cinematography.

“You have to know people who can help you along the way,” Todd said. “That’s what filmmaking is all about, having connections and having the money.”

Todd and his crew shot the film on the stately grounds of Lord Hill Farms, a popular wedding venue in rural Snohomish, where he works part-time in the catering department.

Keeping his fellow teenagers on task for an entire workday of filming wasn’t easy for Todd.

“It’s very stressful, but it’s also very fun seeing what I’ve written come alive,” he said. “I like the whole feel of directing. I like being the boss.”

Todd also enjoys editing, which includes choosing the right shots for a professional look and continuity, plus adjusting sound and lighting.

“Editing is a big part of what tells the story,” Todd said. “It’s very tedious work.”

He spent about a month editing “The Trump Card,” which included drafting Stipek to create an original score.

Todd said he was inspired by the success of Stipek and his brothers, whose Trico Films productions have been featured at NFFTY every year since the festival started in 2007.

Todd’s interest in film started when he took a trip to Israel with his church group. He saved up $250 for a camcorder beforehand and spent much of his travel time filming.

When he returned home, he started messing around with his friends, doing plots and scenes for short films.

“It was just for fun,” said Todd, who hopes his hobby will become a paying career.

He’s set to graduate in 2011, but he’s not interested in film school. He’d rather learn through real-life experience, he said.

Instead, he hopes to attend community college and, later, the University of Washington for some type of bachelor’s degree.

“I’m going to need to get a job to make money and make a film,” Todd said.

Todd hopes this year’s NFFTY audiences will get the jokes in his otherwise dark story of “The Trump Card,” a black comedy and his attempt at merging two different genres in one 8-minute piece.

“I didn’t want it to be too serious and depress people,” he said. “I hope they laugh at the parts they’re supposed to laugh at.”

No matter what happens, Todd will incorporate the lessons he learns into his next project.

“The more movies I make, the more experience I get,” he said. “I really want to turn it into a career because of that.”

Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037, sjackson@heraldnet.com.

See the films

What and who: The National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY) will feature films by local teen filmmakers, including Todd Kaumans, and NFFTY veterans Jesse, Dylan and Miles Stipek, 2007 graduates of Monroe High School.

When, where, cost: Events run Thursday through Sunday at various venues in Seattle. The “Best of NFFTY” series at 8 p.m. Friday, featuring “Two Brothers” by the Stipek brothers, is free.

“Closing Night: Washington Scene,” a short film series at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, which includes Todd Kaumans’ “The Trump Card,” costs $10.

Information: See www.nffty.org for tickets and venue details or call 206-905-8400. Search vimeo.com for more films and production footage by Todd Kaumans and Trico Films.