Los Banos High senior makes filmmaking debut

"The Fight" is a film about a young woman who must weigh the value of the life of her only son against the lives of many.

By the way, it's made by a 17-year-old high school senior.

"I like to have a point to what I do, rather than just make movies for the fun of it," said Nicholas Moreno. "I hope it affects someone."

The Los Banos high-schooler worked on his feature film for about 18 months. It features nearly two dozen actors, mostly classmates, and Moreno wrote, directed, edited and did everything else except write the score.

He even did some stunts.

"I broke my foot filming this movie," he said. "I was showing the actress (how) to do a stunt and I accidentally fell the wrong way."

Moreno worked a summer job to pay for much of his equipment, such as the steadicam, and built whatever else he could, such as a track for his camera dolly.

In "The Fight," a domestic terrorist demands plutonium within 48 hours from an FBI agent. If she doesn't deliver, the terrorist threatens to kill her son, whom he has kidnapped.

Moreno, who made the movie like a guerrilla filmmaker, said his favorite directors are studio filmmakers such as Christopher Nolan, James Cameron and Michael Bay.

Before the movie's debut earlier this month, Moreno said he was excited about the première, but anxious.

"I'll probably go there, introduce myself, but I'm not going to stay in the theater," he said. "I'm kind of scared of people not liking it."

The film had two showings at Premiere Cinemas at 245 Mercey Springs Road in Los Banos.

His father, Trino, said his son has been making movies since he was 6 or 7 and is too hard on himself.

"He's his own worst critic," Trino Moreno said.

The elder Moreno assisted with the do-it-yourself equipment, such as the dolly and a rain machine.

To rally his classmates for future projects, the budding filmmaker started the Film and Movie Entertainment club, or FAME, at Los Banos High.

After high school, Moreno has his sights set on the same school that rejected one of his favorite directors, Steven Spielberg — the University of Southern California's film school.

To take a look at the trailer, go to www. losbanosenterprise.com.

Enterprise reporter Thaddeus Miller can be reached at (209) 388-6562 or tmiller@losbanosenterprise.com.