Through Soren's Lenses

Alisa Sekine• October 28, 2025

Whether it is the hottest summer blockbusters or an indie classic, most teenagers can agree that they love movies. But for senior Soren Kim, they are more than just a fun two hours spent at the theater. Instead, they are his biggest passion. Kim is an aspiring filmmaker who is deeply dedicated to his work. Despite being a high schooler, he has recently written, directed and edited a 10-minute short film entitled “Curtain Call.”

Since his father owns a creative production company, Kim grew up surrounded by videography. However, it was not until middle school that his passion for filmmaking truly began to grow. He and his brother had started to get invested in their father’s work and soon grew enamored with making films. Despite being inspired by his father, however, Kim does not intend to follow his footsteps exactly. Instead of working in the commercial creative industry like his father, Kim (and his brother) hope to make movies and TV shows.

Kim has already gotten a head start on this dream with the creation of his short film, “Curtain Call.” The story follows a playwright who uses his work to escape the grief of losing his wife to a heart attack. The playwright, named Elliot, struggles to come to terms with the suddenness of his wife’s passing. He obsessively works with his actors to perfect the play, staying up late and rarely pausing to rest. But in the end, Elliot’s play becomes a success. Because of this, despite still missing his wife, he is able to finally move on from her passing. “Curtain Call” takes inspiration from Kim’s own experiences with grief and struggle, conveying themes of perseverance, acceptance and love. Kim reflected on how his own experiences with love and loss shaped the message behind his play.

“I have felt the loss of people whether through death or through changing feelings both platonic [and] romantic, but at the same time I have felt the immense joy and happiness that comes from having a bond, and ‘Curtain Call’ is my homage to those feelings,” Kim said. “Because, in my time on earth, I’ve come to realize the best emotions and the worst emotions are all cut from the same cloth.”

These intense feelings are reflected well through Kim’s creative choices, from the script’s dialogue to the film’s lighting and pacing. The film’s attention to visual and emotional detail allow viewers to connect with the characters’ experiences on a deeper level. Sophomore Jaden Rosales explained how each of these choices impact the storytelling of the film.

“[The] subtle details such as [the] atmosphere can change the mood and direction of a scene,” Rosales said. “In ‘Curtain Call’ the darkness of the setting when Elliot speaks reflects his emotional state. Some shots show Elliot typing without showing his face [which] shows what kind of depressed state he’s in.”

The details of “Curtain Call”’s narrative are particularly difficult to achieve, as producing a short film, especially one so well thought out, is no easy feat. This was especially true for the film’s crew, made up entirely of busy high schoolers. Because of this, the short film was completed in August 2025 despite production beginning in March 2024. During its production, Kim often had to schedule his days and schoolwork around filming. Further adding to the complications of production, many of the scenes needed were hyper specific and required multiple reshoots.

In addition to “Curtain Call,” Kim has also pursued other projects in the realm of videography. He has worked with Digital Photography, Video Production and Broadcast Journalism teacher James Stiles to strengthen Peninsula’s video department, helping develop new curriculum ideas for the Video Production class over the past two years. Kim also began the production of “Curtain Call” while in Stiles’ class, giving Stiles a firsthand look at the film’s growth and challenges throughout its creation. Stiles noted the obstacles that came from the collaborative nature of filmmaking.

“A lot of the challenges [came] from relying on a crew of people,” Stiles said. “There’s a lot of people behind the scenes. I know [Kim] had to delay some shoots because [someone] couldn’t make it.”

Throughout the process of creating “Curtain Call,” Kim was unsure if he would be able to finish the project. He feared he had lost the original ideas that inspired the film in the first place, as production was slow due to scheduling conflicts. But in spite of his doubts, every time Kim reread the script and rewatched the films that initially inspired him, he regained his motivation.

Looking to the future, Kim’s ultimate goal is to become a film director. He hopes to attend film school, and plans on being a part of the many different facets of filmmaking, such as directing and producing. Kim views filmmaking as the purest form of his creativity and emotions, and pursuing it brings him fulfillment. Looking back on his journey so far, Kim expressed how filmmaking has become inseparable from his everyday life.

“Filmmaking is such an integral part of my life. I can’t see my life without those late nights writing or editing, the hours spent just thinking of ideas [and] looking at life as if my eye were a camera,” Kim said. “I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else and I’m grateful every day that I’m able to pursue that dream.”