From making short films during quarantine to getting featured in the world’s largest student film festival in New York City, juniors Ellie Nishino and Angelina Chen are starting a blaze in the world of cinema.
So what makes a good film? The duo’s initial ideas for future projects tend to start in an unusual place: the school cafeteria.
“We sit together every day at lunch, and then usually our ideas spark,” Chen said. “Either we’re just talking about something, or we feel the necessity to tell a story that means a lot to us.”
In the beginning phases of planning, Nishino said their projects can stem from a wide variety of topics.
“Everything starts with a spark. It can be a feeling, an image, or an issue that you want to talk about,” Nishino said.
After brainstorming ideas, their lengthy process of script writing, filming, and editing begins. Nishino and Chen begin with a few simple steps.
“You put all the ideas down, good or bad. And then from there, I take it into developing the characters, which is my absolute favorite part,” Nishino said. “I love figuring out their arcs, their backgrounds.”
Nishino and Chen had known each other since third grade, but only discovered their mutual love for filmmaking after the pandemic.
“When we found out that we had a common interest in film, we made a silly short film together which was the first thing we collaborated on. We found that our personalities are really different from each other in just the right ways,” Nishino said.
Through their shared passion, Nishino and Chen joined forces to create Candle Spark Cinema, where they combine their talents to create films under one name. As an additional layer to their filmmaking process, teamwork and collaboration play an important part in their creative journey.
“When we combine our ideas, it creates something really unique, because we’re very similar yet different at the same time,” Chen said.
“It’s a really cool dynamic. I think it works because our core values and visions are the same,” Nishino said. “But the ways in which we are different are our strengths.”
Their films are already making their way onto the global stage: the All American High School Film Festival is one of the top destinations for high school filmmakers to showcase their projects. Nishino and Chen’s short film, “Let the Light In,” made the cut to become an Official Selection.
“We made it for a Fahrenheit 451 project in Honors Lit,” Chen said. “We were very shocked, because looking back, we made this last year when we were still learning to become better filmmakers.”
“Let the Light In” was screened in New York City’s AMC Empire 25 in Times Square on October 19. The theater is regarded as the busiest movie theater in America.
With another one of their projects having gone viral on YouTube, and more in the works, Nishino and Chen have big plans for the future.
“I want to major in film at Chapman University, which is my dream school,” Nishino said. “Angelina and I both have plans of moving to California to pursue film.”
Chen noted that although she strives to make relatable content and capture memories, she also makes them for a part of herself.
“I always aim for vulnerability. I make films to understand parts of myself that I don’t yet understand,” Chen said.
