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Timon Emch is a bright young filmmaker who has been making films with his family for many years and is an active student of Film School 4 Teens. Timon has shown immense talent not only with the camera, but with writing, directing, and dazzling audiences with his short films. My sister Haylie and I got the chance to sit down with Timon via zoom and ask him some questions about his experiences and aspirations as a young filmmaker.
To view the video of our Interview with Timon click HERE!
Sophie:
All right. We're so excited to have you today! I'm looking forward to this. Timon is a very amazing filmmaker at his young age, and we're gonna ask him some questions!
Haylie:
So we sent you questions ahead but we might rabbit trail just a little bit, um you know, if we hear something interesting.
Timon:
Yeah!
Haylie:
Awesome we'll just start off then! So for someone your age you've created a lot of short films already, and you're obviously taking our course, but why do you do it?
Timon:
Well, honestly, just probably because it’s really fun. Like I just really, really enjoy making the films. I love the experience of going through the process of making a video from start to finish and just feeling like I've accomplished something. So, yeah.
Sophie:
That's awesome! Do you have like specific like moment when you realized like, I really love films or something like that?
Timon:
Um not really that I can think of. I mean, I've always enjoyed watching films and then I've been making videos, like, just with my family for many years. And so, I think it's always just come naturally and just been really fun for me to make videos and films. So I don't think there really was a specific moment when I like realized how much I loved it, but I think I just always have.
Sophie:
So cool!
Haylie:
That's amazing. Yeah. I definitely agree with that. Especially what you said like, just having something completed, like a project that you've worked on and you can just say like, this is mine and its done! So, What is something that inspires you in your filmmaking?
Timon:
Um something that inspires me is probably just watching films, like, and being able to
observe like, ‘Oh, that was a cool unique camera angle’ or like ‘that was cool how they delivered that line of dialogue’ and then thinking, how can I apply that to a film of my own? That's probably one of the biggest inspirations for me.
Sophie:
I think that's so fun to be watching movies altogether and recognize like what that shot means, because other people watching won't always understand like the art behind it, you
know, but it's cool.
Haylie:
What part of filmmaking do you find the most challenging or frustrates you sometimes?
Timon:
Maybe like just needing to accept that, like, it's not really possible to go from the like
beautiful masterpiece in my head. Cause it's always not as good as you imagine.
So it's like a challenge to accept the fact that it can't always be perfect. And, I'm kind of a perfectionist. So I had to like learn how to accept things that don't go as planned. So that's probably one of the most challenging things.
Sophie:
Totally, I feel that. Anytime I've been making a movie, you always expect it to be like this Hollywood production. And in the end, It’s so good, but it's not, you know, red carpet haha.
Haylie:
So I have a followup question if you don't mind..
Timon:
Yeah!
Haylie:
So you make videos with your family a lot. So how is it for you trying to communicate with your family the vision you have in your head? Because that's probably one of the harder parts.
Timon:
I feel like it's, it is challenging with your family. Cause you're too comfortable around them. It's hard not to like get into fights and stuff, but I just, I think it I've managed to make it work. So, I mean, yeah. I guess that's an accomplishment on its own, at least. So it can be hard, but it's, it's definitely possible.
Haylie:
For sure. And that's so cool that you guys all do that together.
Sophie:
Mhm, and in all of your films, your siblings and your parents just are very naturally good actors! So thats definitely a plus haha.
Timon:
It's definitely, it's definitely nice. Yeah.
Sophie:
Describe how you feel when you've completed a project?
Timon:
Well, it's a great feeling. Like, especially when I'm proud of what I completed. Sometimes with the finished product, I think, well, it could have been better. But it is a good feeling of accomplishment, especially when I'm proud of it.
Haylie:
Nice! When you finish a project, do you like to like show it off a little?
Timon:
Yeah. Well, I do like to show people my films, which is one of the reasons that I’ve created a YouTube channel so I can post a lot of the stuff that I make on there. So yeah, I do enjoy sharing, sharing my work with people.
Haylie:
Always good to flaunt a little hard work am i right?
Sophie:
It's not really done if you haven't shown someone!
Timon:
Heh, Yeah.
Sophie:
Alright. What are some of your goals as a filmmaker?
Timon:
Um so like, I'm hoping that once, when I get older, my love of filmmaking doesn't diminish. Cause that'd be kind of sad heh and I hope to incorporate it into my career someday! I hope it sticks with me, while I grow up. And so then I can maybe even do it for a living or at least just keep doing it for fun when I'm older. So I think my goal is to just keep on doing it and if it works out, do it for a career. Yeah!
Haylie:
Definitely!
Sophie:
I have a follow up question. Has making films, shown you any specific role in the filmmaking world that sticks out to you more? Like writer, like actual camera man, which one do you think?
Timon:
So I feel like I don't see myself as a very good director, but I love the cinematography and
the camera work part of it! I think that's fascinating to me the most, it's like the most fun for
me to do, so rather than be a writer and director, more of like the camera man, and I enjoy editing. Like that's also a fun part. So probably more I'd lean towards cameraman or editor rather than like director and writer.
Sophie:
Thats great because I do feel like a lot of people lean more towards director and writer cause they like the more storyline part of it and they get to call the shots haha. But I think that the camera angles and the editing can change the movie.
Haylie:
Yeah!
Timon:
Yeah. It's really fun.
Sophie:
Have you seen those YouTube videos where it's like different movies trailers edited in different genres?
Timon:
Yes! I have seen those, those are hilarious.
Haylie:
I love that, like, you can put different music to something and it can be totally changed. Just the mood is totally affected by like the editing.
Sophie:
So, we're curious… how FS4T has helped you grow in your skills?
Timon:
I think Film School 4 Teens taught me so much of the basis of filmmaking, but also the details. And so it really just teaches so many things that are so helpful. I've learned so much about film analysis that now I recognize details I never would've noticed before when watching films. And it's also cool how Film School 4 Teens teaches that it's very possible to create awesome films using like very minimal equipment. And so I think that's super cool.
Haylie:
So true. Because so many people don't have like that fancy stuff, you know, lying around.. Heh I know I dont.
Timon:
Yeah.
Haylie:
And did you find that when you're going through the course when you watched the movies, you start looking at them differently or even watching different movies.
Timon:
I, yeah, it definitely opened my eyes to like a bunch of different movies that I had never heard of that I've learned to love. And so like, like I really enjoyed Secret Life of Walter Mitty, cause like it’s one of my favorites now.
Haylie:
So good!
Timon:
And like signs, I'd never heard of that before. Um so it definitely has opened my eyes to like different movies that I probably never would have watched and I'm so glad I have.
Sophie:
Yeah. And just from like talking to you and like from doing Film School myself I think that it's awesome that there are so many more young people who are realizing that they can create an analysis of a film. Like you don't have to be some film critic. You know so much but you're so young, so that's really cool.
Haylie:
Yeah. Actually, how old are you?
Timon:
Well, so I'm 14 as of May 15th. So just turned 14.
Haylie:
Happy belated heh.
Timon:
Haha thanks.
Sophie:
Are you going into high school then, this year?
Timon:
Um so technically I did high school math this year, but then everything else is. Being homeschooled is just like, "what grade am I in again?" So yeah.
Haylie:
Okay. I have a question for you. That's just random. What was it like having a dog on set for your last film "Puppy Love"?
Timon:
Um so it was, it was challenging, but it was actually like, not quite as hard as we were expecting. Like I feel like I was thinking about it like kind of negatively like, Oh, there's no way he's going to do what we want him to do. And our dog's name is Max and he's like this fat little, like corgi shepherd mix. He just like showed up at our house like five years ago. He's the sweetest dog. But my sister, Anna is 16 and she's worked with him for a while and like trained him and stuff. So he knew some basic commands. So that definitely helped. But it actually wasn't as bad as I thought, like it was challenging at times, but it was, it was really fun.
Sophie:
Which was harder... Working with the dog or working with your younger siblings?
Timon:
Heh heh well, sometimes it was, but my youngest siblings, they're great.
Haylie:
How many siblings do you have, actually?
Timon:
I have seven siblings. I'm the second oldest.
Haylie:
Oh wow!
Sophie:
All right, there's just one question left, so while we're wrapping up here let’s finish off by asking what advice do you have for other teens who are wanting to start learning about how to make movies?
Timon:
Um I would say just like go for it.
Sophie:
Mhm.
Timon:
Like don't just sit around thinking, Oh, I really want to make movies. Practice makes perfect and, like, years of experience has to start somewhere. And so figure out ideas, figure out what you're going to do. And I'd say just like try it. And then when you have any questions, there's always the internet. It's full of so many helpful tips. Like there's so many YouTubers sharing helpful filmmaking tips and tricks. It's, it's not hard to find the information you need and the equipment is just right there with your smartphone. And so like, I'd say just go for it and then you'll find out if it's the right thing for you. And just it's, it's a good experience just to have done it and just getting more and more films under your belt gives you more and more experience and more and more memories. So, yeah.
Haylie:
That was great!
Sophie:
Really well said. I loved what you said about how experience has to start somewhere because I think people are always like wanting to cut to the part down the road when they know what they're doing, but you have to start at the beginning and I mean, look at you, like you already have years of experience and it's, doesn't take that much to get going.
Haylie:
Well, this has been so fun! Thanks so much for chatting with us!
Timon:
Oh, it was no problem, thank you for having me!
Sophie:
See you later Timon!
We loved chatting with Timon and we are so excited to see what Timon does in the coming years!
To view the video of our Interview with Timon click HERE!
If you want to see some of Timon’s work, check out his Youtube channel HERE!
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