Bellevue filmmaker, 12, gets his work on the big screen
By LEYNA KROW

Staff Writer

Bellevue resident and amateur filmmaker Ben Kadie was thrilled when he learned that his short film, “Perilous Skies,” was going to be a part of the Seattle International Film Festival.

“It was really exciting to see it up on the big screen,” said Kadie, whose film was selected as a winner of the Seattle Times Three Minute Masterpiece contest and shown at the SIFF Cinema on Saturday, May 26.

Kadie, who produced “Perilous Skies” with the help of his friend Noah Hirsch, said he learned how to make films from his dad and through his own process of trial and error.

“I haven’t gone to film school or anything,” Kadie explained.

Not that anyone would have expected as much. After all, he’s only 12 years old.

According to Kadie’s father, Carl, who acted as camera man for “Perilous Skies,” Kadie and Hirsch have been working together to make short, humorous films for a couple of years.

“We've been making films as a family since Ben was little, but in the last two years he and Noah started taking over creative control of the projects,” said the elder Kadie. “For ‘Perilous Skies,’ they wrote the script all by themselves.”

Hirsch, Kadie’s best friend and fellow filmmaker, estimates that the duo have completed half a dozen films together. They take turns acting and directing.

“All of our movies have just been us two,” Hirsch said.

Both Hirsch and Kadie are in sixth grade at Seattle Country Day School.

For “Perilous Skies,” Hirsch said they wanted make a war movie, but have it be a comedy.

Filmed in black and white, the three-minute short tells the story of British flying ace Lt. Pickering who is on a mission to bomb a whoopee cushion factory behind German lines.

“It was a lot fun to film,” Hirsch said. “Ben did the editing and he said doing all blue screening and sound was quite complicated. But it turned out pretty well, I think.”

The Seattle Times received more than 100 submissions for its Three Minute Masterpiece contest. “Perilous Skies,” was one of 11 winners shown at the SIFF Cinema.

Following the screening, several films were singled out as top prize winners, including “Perilous Skies,” which earned first place in the Youth Division.

For their efforts, the Hirsch and Kadie were awarded tuition for a two-week summer class at the Seattle Film Institute. However, the boys will have to wait until next summer to make use of their prize as the Institute requires students to be at least 13 years old.

In the meantime, Kadie and Hirsch will continue to pursue film projects on their own.

Carl admits that although his son and Hirsch are still enjoying the success of “Perilous Skies,” their next movie is already in production. As for the plot, he was reluctant to reveal details aside from the possibility of pizza being used as a weapon.

“I don’t know if I’m allowed to say what it’s about,” Carl said. “But I can tell you, it’s going to be funny.”

Leyna Krow can be reached at leyna.krow@reporternewspapers.com or (425) 453-4602.