Q&A with Aspiring Stillwater Filmmaker Tristan Jensen

Tristan Jensen, a Stillwater Area High School student who lives at Terra Springs, is working on producing a narrative feature film in Stillwater.
Stillwater Patch recently caught up with Tristan and asked him a few questions about the project.
Here's a few snippets from the Q&A:
Stillwater Patch: I understand you’re working on a film in Stillwater. Could you tell me a bit about it? Where are you at in the process? Who is working with you? Why Stillwater?
Tristan Jensen: This film is a drama with a bit of adventure and a bit of horror. It features some real Stillwater historical figures and spans many familiar locations around the town. Told from the perspective of a trio of tweens, I'm attempting to draw a line from old to young.
I'm the writer/director/producer so I do a lot on my own, and with my long-running trusted friend Lauren Friedrich, who doubles as my makeup/costume artist.
I chose Stillwater because I love this town. I've been a community member here since I was 6 years old. Out of everything from helpful and happy residents to great food and design, the history is what really draws me in. My mother made sure to instill the importance and interest of history in me. Stillwater is so old, one of my favorite things to do with buddies is hike out and find paths, "ruins," etc.
In other movies filmed in Stillwater, the town is just a pretty background. I’ve spent hours and hours to make sure the geography is correct and the town can be represented in the best way.
Patch: How did you get into shooting films? How long have you been doing it? How many films have you done? What style of films do you like to shoot?
Jensen: I love to put on a show and influence how people feel. Movies to me are one of the great arts; music, acting, images, stories, everything can come out in them. I started making (not finishing) crappy stuff in 2nd grade. Six years later I decided to get up and create something real and see it to the end.
I made my first short film, 4:02, when I was 13. I submitted it to film festivals around the nation and made it into most of them. People were shocked to find out that a mere teenager created something with as high of a production value as I did.
I just got done with my second short film, Incite, and that was just over a year of non-stop commitment, I learned many valuable lessons, who to trust and how to get things done right. I'm ready to take a step and try to make a movie to the best of my possible ability, actually further than the best of my ability.
I like to make films with a feeling of togetherness with characters. I'll go for crazy twists like killing off a central character or giving a huge mind screw-over at the end. My next film isn't so violent, but I enjoy pitting likable characters in insane physical-action peril. I guess what I'm saying is my aim is to give an audience a buzz off of many different emotions.
Patch: Could you tell me about your experience at the Film Festival in Wyoming?
Jensen: The Hyart Film Festival is Wyoming was probably a highlight of last year. My short 4:02 was the show ender. I met a bunch of cool people and made contacts with other producers. Those contacts led to more contacts. I ended up being able to get some of my favorite bands to let me use their music: CoMMoVe, Bionic Jive, SKARLETT and The Last Semester.
Patch: What is special about this film?
Jensen: This movie is special because it's about Stillwater. I really hope I can lead my crew and direct my talent right in order to make this the right way.  
Patch: Tell me a bit about yourself. Who are some of your heroes? Why do you connect with filmmaking? What’s your favorite film? What sets you apart from other filmmakers?
Jensen: I'm 16 years old and a 10th grade sophomore at Stillwater High School. I have many favorite movies. I enjoy Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings at least once a year. I also like to watch energetic, crazy horror/action movies like Resident Evil.
I really appreciate filmmakers that put values into movies like Clint Eastwood, Christopher Nolan or Mel Gibson (before he went crazy). There are many more filmmakers I would love to get advice from.
I'm so early in my career that I don't know what sets me apart from the other filmmakers yet. When it comes to my generation, what sets me apart from the others, especially the young film crowd, is that I will stay with my project all the way to its end. Even if I feel sick, haven't slept in two days, am stressed to the highest degree and don't even like what I'm doing, I'll never stop. Many people, and especially those my age, aren't willing to do this. We all dream big, but to get there you've got to actually do something.