Student Filmmaker Shoots for the Stars

Trevor Campbell–sometime actor (The Middle, Everybody Hates Chris), full-time student–has been making movies since his high school days at Chaminade College Prepatory in West Hills.

Having assembled a film crew, mostly made up of fellow CSUN students as well as from his high school, he is shooting what he considers to be a student film with "high production value."

Face to Face is a script Campbell wrote a year ago and had intended to shoot over this summer. Using money from an investor at Pepperdine as well as funds he and a producer friend earned from acting gigs, the budget comes in at just under $5,000, he said.

"The hope is to take it to the [festivals] and see how we do," said the 19-year-old director. "The dream would be Sundance, but we'll see."

Billed as an 11-minute short, Face to Face is about a youth who returns home from juvenile hall to apologize to his former girlfriend to whom he physically harm.

"It's about forgiveness and getting over your anger," said Campbell.

But he also admits it's very dark, as both characters, Luke (played by Campbell's friend Steve Merillat, 21) and Christine (played by Sarah Fanella, 18), have been physically disfigured from their previous actions.

"I'm really excited about this movie," Campbell said. "Though I've made other short films, this one will stand out because we actually have the tools and the crew necessary to achieve a high production quality."

The movie was shot over a weekend at Campbell's Agoura Hills house, where he's resided since he was 8.

To see some of Campbell's previous work, click onto his Youtube page.