Two Ballard High School Digital Filmmaking students won Best Drama at the All American High School Film Festival in New York City for their film “Stolen.”

Coleman Andersen and Leo Pfeifer were awarded on Sunday, October 11 at the 2015 Teen Indie Awards held at the historic Kings Theater in Manhattan.

Pfeifer is a senior student at BHS and is completing his fourth year in the Digital Filmmaking Program. He travelled to New York City to attend the festival.  Pfeifer plans to continue his film studies in college.

Anderson graduated from BHS last year and is now a freshman at New York University studying film. 

The two co-produced “Stolen,” last fall after they developed the concept and wrote the script over the summer.

The film depicts a man seeking revenge after his wife died from a heart attack when a conman tried to steal from her. Ethical and moral conflict is portrayed when it’s revealed that the conman was making his cons in order to support a family.

Pfeifer commented on the inspiration for the film and discussed the process of approaching the project.

“It (inspiration for the film) came from a lot of things in a thematic sense. We wanted to do something with loss and dealing with how people react to that, and make something that would make the audience question who the characters are,” said Pfeifer.” “I think what we really wanted to do was bring up questions of what’s right for the characters to do in the different situations they are in, and it brings up the question of how far can they go?”

“Coleman and I have a really great collaborative process. We spend days and hours working on the story and developing the concept and taking it in different directions. We try to build a really strong story. If that element is not working then basically everything else is being hinder by it.”

Pfeifer also said that “Stolen” is produced in a way that allows the audience to judge the story and characters actions for themselves’, and that that’s why the film stands out.
“I think the worst thing to do is tell the audience what to think. I want to leave it to them to make their own conclusions about the film, and that’s a lot stronger than telling the audience what to feel or what to see.”

The film was also a finalist for Best Screenplay and Best Overall Film.  In addition, two other films the two produced were recognized at the event. “Clipped Wings” – which was made with fellow student Duncan Gowdy – was a Finalist for Best Directing, Best Documentary and Best Overall Film.  Also, “Air Pressure,” produced by Andersen, Pfeifer and BHS filmmaker Josh Vredevoogd, was recognized at the festival.

“It was a really great moment to have that. I had never traveled there to so just having that experience was really fantastic.”

Matt Lawrence heads the BHS Digital Film programs and commented on his students being recognized at a national film festival.

“Of course I’m really proud of them. They are very talented filmmakers. Just look at the films, they are really good movies. That’s one of the exciting things about teaching this program. … Work by talented young people in indistinguishable to work done by adult filmmakers.”

To see the films, visit the Ballard High School Digital Filmmaking Program Vimeo site at www.vimeo.com/bhsfilmprogram and http://www.vimeo.com/bhsfilmprogram