PCHS teen leads team to win film fest honor

PORT CLINTON – A group of Port Clinton teens won second place in the Tree City Film Festival's 50-hour Challenge.

The group, led by Port Clinton High School senior Jordan Kleinhans, participated in the event in Sylvania in March and was honored at an awards ceremony April 18.

For the event, teams were required to write, shoot, edit and publish a short film in just 50 hours. Jordan served as videographer and editor for the film, and senior David Saunders helped with filming. Actors for the film were juniors Ebony Kleinhans and Jacob Johnson, senior Marcus Hogan, and graduate Christopher Kleinhans.

All six of the teens worked together on the script, which was required to have a 1950s science fiction theme. The script also had to incorporate maple syrup as a prop.

"We had to draw our topic out of a hat. It was all random," Jordan said. "We all wrote as a collaborative effort, and my dad (Jamie Kleinhans) helped. He loves helping with my film stuff and pushing me to be a better video producer."

Jordan is a self-taught videographer who has been making movies for about seven years. He is saving money to attend film school after graduation, he said.

"I'm looking at Full Sail University in Florida or Cleveland State University to major in video production," he said. "I've been interested in film ever since I was in fifth grade. I'd look at videos and try to mimic the effects they do. I tried to broaden myself. As a self-taught (videographer), I had to learn everything about film."

Jordan is employed in the industry filming real estate videos for Bolte Real Estate in Port Clinton. He hopes to expand the business to include wedding and special event filming.

"He does a great job," Bolte Real Estate co-owner Phillip Bolte said. "I can look at Jordan and say, 'Get creative,' and he does. I like to do the videos as more of a movie trailer style, and he does that. Jordan does a really nice job coming up with different ideas. I'm glad he and I have gotten to work together."

For the film festival movie, the teens created a dream sequence.

"We made a guy go about his regular day, and he buys a 1950s sci-fi movie and gets sucked into it. Then he wakes from a dream," Jordan said.

The film incorporated a breakfast scene to include the maple syrup, and because limited time did not allow for elaborate outfits, the team got creative with items they had on hand.

"We went with a 'Men in Black' feel and had him wear a suit," Jordan said. "We had an alien, and we covered it in foil."

The second-place win garnered the team a plaque and a $150 cash prize.

"I'm putting the money back into the business for more equipment," Jordan said. "I'm trying to build a freelance video business. I'd like to do commercials and short films. I plan to eventually make short films and submit them to festivals like Sundance."

Jordan's Tree City Film Festival short film can be viewed at youtu.be/aGlG1wbFMio.

For information on hiring Jordan for video work, call him at 419-635-6170.