What is Film to me

In my film, ROOM, a teenager grapples with depression and social anxiety, expressing his struggles by retreating into an imaginary room where his life unfolds. The film presents events from the boy’s perspective within his "room," illustrating how real-life occurrences impact him. Since the onset of the pandemic, many teenagers have faced feelings of isolation, with some, like this boy, continuing to battle their depression even as the world starts to recover. He remains trapped in his psychological lockdown. This film earned me several accolades, including the 2024 YoungArts Award with Distinction in Film and the 2023 Wavemaker Award Grand Jury Prize at the Seattle International Film Festival. • Running Time: 9:12 min • Genre: Narrative, Stop Motion Animation • Position: Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Animator, Editor, Production Designer • Camera: iPhone 13 Pro Max • Software: Stop Motion Studio Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator

My representative work, “ROOM,” is a stop-motion animated film that took nearly a year to complete. This process involved developing the storyline, designing the production, shooting the scenes, and editing the final film. I documented the making of the film in a behind-the-scenes video that captured my entire journey. • Running Time: 3:39 min • Position: Visual Artist, Production designer, Editor • Production Materials: Wood sheets, iron wire, clay, silicone putty, fabric, green screen, acrylic paint, wood stain, etc. • Software: Stop Motion Studio Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator

A girl recollects her deceased mother and the words she left behind; A Film for those who have lost their loved ones. After losing my grandfather, I often recalled the words and lessons he had shared with me. During that time, I spoke with friends who had also experienced the loss of family members. Inspired by our conversations, I conceived my film, "Real World." The film aims to create a unique visual experience by combining a live-action portrayal of a girl with pencil-sketched backgrounds, contrasting the way a girl who loves to draw perceives the world with the realities of the real world. • Gold Key in Portfolio Category (Art), Scholastic Art and Writing Awards (USA, 2025) • Running Time: 3:22 min • Genre: Experimental, Animation • Position: Writer, Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Animator, Editor • Camera: iPhone 13 Pro Max • Software: Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator

This short film blends elements of thriller and black comedy. It tells the story of a boy and his dog who unintentionally kill a neighbor's cat. Their accidental crime leads to a gripping interrogation at the police station. As the narrative unfolds, the sequence of events becomes jumbled, with the boy and the dog offering contrasting flashbacks of the incident. This storytelling technique engages the audience, inviting them to unravel the mystery and determine who is truly telling the truth. • Gold Key in Portfolio Category (Art), Scholastic Art and Writing Awards (USA, 2025) • Running Time: 3:48 min • Genre: Narrative • Position: Writer, Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Actor, Editor, Production designer • Camera: iPhone 14 Pro • Programs: Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop

After learning that my town’s 100-year-old theater was facing demolition, I decided to document its history. However, with few photos available, creating an artistic narrative seemed impossible. Aurora, a teaching assistant from UCLA whom I met through the YoungArts scholarship program, helped me reimagine my approach. She taught me to view AI as a creative collaborator and advised me to generate period-specific images using Photoshop before incorporating AI tools like Runway. Her guidance inspired me to earn Photoshop certification, and after months of trial and error, I produced hundreds of historical visuals. I utilized Photoshop and AI-based visual effects to recreate the missing pieces, successfully re-enacting over a century of chronology. Despite my initial reservations, this experience prompted me to reassess the positive role that Generative AI can play in benefiting art and society. • Gold Key in Portfolio Category (Art), Scholastic Art and Writing Awards (USA, 2025) • Awarded a scholarship from the YoungArts Foundation ($2,500) • Attended the UCLA Pre-College Social Software Summer Institute: “Art & AI” ( Instructor: Aurora Mititelu | MFA in Design Media Arts, UCLA | Fulbright Scholar ) • Obtained Adobe Photoshop Professional Certification in Visual Design • Recreated the 100-year history of my town's movie theater, which is slated for demolition • Inspired and united the town community by raising awareness about the theater’s story • Running Time: 2:39 min • Genre: Time-lapse Video Art • Position: Producer, Visual Artist, Editor • Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, RUNWAY

With the rise of large multiplex theaters and OTT platforms such as Netflix, the demise of local single-screen cinemas began some time ago. Unfortunately, my suburban town, Tenafly, has seen its sole movie theater face a similar fate. Established in the 1920s, this historic theater boasts over 100 years of history, but now it stands abandoned and neglected. While I cannot save the theater itself, I can work to preserve the memories of my “Beloved Community.” To that end, I launched the Save Tenafly Cinema Project, aiming to raise awareness about the theater’s story within our community. • Running Time: 12:20 min • Position: Producer, Director, Writer, Editor, Visual Artist • Genre: Documentary • Camera: iPhone 13 Pro Max • Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, RUNWAY

I have worked on films aimed at helping teenagers with psychological difficulties. This initiative was strengthened by my research, which resulted in a paper titled “ADHD and Film Watching: Unveiling the Impact on Attention, Confidence, and Cinematic Experience.” I chose this topic to develop a film structure that would enable individuals with ADHD to understand, perceive, and enjoy movies more easily. Based on this structure and my research findings, I created the film "Gotta Run," which aims to challenge and reduce the stigma faced by teenagers with ADHD. • Gold Key in Portfolio Category (Art), Scholastic Art and Writing Awards (USA, 2025) • Running Time: 2:17 min • Position: Director, Writer, Editor, Actor • Camera: iPhone 13 Pro Max • Software: Adobe Premiere Pro My research paper was published in Volume 13 Issue 2 (2024) of the Journal of Student Research - High School Edition. (ADHD and Film Watching: Unveiling the Impact on Attention, Confidence, and Cinematic Experience | Journal of Student Research) link: https://www.jsr.org/hs/index.php/path/article/view/6782

• A digital track originally produced for the “SORI Project” (Running Time: 03:19) • I conducted an experiment with volunteers to examine how different sounds and instruments influence their mental stability, and I created this original music based on the results. • About SORI SORI is a sound production club I launched to explore, experiment with, and create sounds that promote mental well-being. It provides a creative platform for teens to relieve stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other emotional challenges through music and sound design as a mental health initiative that incorporates music.