A love for film: Jake Youngman’s passion

Talia Sankari

Optimistic for his creative abilities, Jake Youngman, junior, gives consistent smiles and waves. He is set to release a short film that he produced called “Tunnel Vision”.

As he looks at some Lego pieces on the carpet in his room full of action figures and other miscellaneous toys, he begins to create a story about these Legos. The story, panning out in his 4-year-old head, come together quickly, and suddenly he feels the urge to document this moment. He remembers his father’s Canon point-and-shoot, and with that, Jake Youngman, Hinsdale Central junior, would find his niche for filmmaking.

“When Christmas came, [my parents] bought me my own flip video camera, and I began to make movies every chance I had, and that’s how it’s been since,” Youngman said.

Davis Palo, junior, has known Youngman since they were in first grade, and he admires Youngman’s talent for filmmaking.

“He always puts his best foot forward,” Palo said.

A young Jack Youngman flaunts his new equipment. Courtesy of Youngman's Facebook.
A young Jack Youngman flaunts his new equipment. His love for filming began when he was only four years old with a point and shoot camera. Courtesy of Youngman’s Facebook.

This passion led to his involvement in school plays, musicals and many other theatre opportunities that have given him the chance to direct.

“It’s great to see Jake taking a serious interest in this,” said Frankie Barreda, junior and friend of Youngman. “He’s always been passionate about it, but he’s really taking initiative.” 

Ultimately, it would take him to his next venture: producing his own short film entitled Tunnel Vision, which he hopes to enter into film festivals. 

“[The movie] follows a man who is one of the few left living after a global outbreak of an airborne virus,” Youngman said.

Youngman primarily uses movies as a medium to tell stories.

“Having the ability to take someone into a different world is just a really meaningful thing to me,” he said.

After high school, Youngman plans on going to school for film production, hopefully pursuing a career in filmmaking.

”Film is something that is as much a part of me as my personality,” Youngman said. “I honestly can’t picture myself doing anything else in life.”

The trailer is currently live on his video page. The movie will be released on his Vimeo page, and he is organizing a public screening of the finished product. For more information on Youngman’s creations and a full list of his films, check out his Vimeo page here.