Mahwah Teen Shows Anyone Can Make An ‘Awesome’ Film

MAHWAH, NJ — Inspired by his science teacher, 11-year-old Mark Leschinsky produced and directed a short documentary film with him as the subject, titling the project, "The Lighthouse," because the teacher, symbolic of a lighthouse, provided light and guidance to his students.

Now, five years later, Leschinsky, of Mahwah, founded and is director of the Lighthouse Initiative, a nonprofit named after his first film that works to democratize filmmaking by making the process more accessible to creators, who might not have expensive production equipment.

"After making my first award-winning film at 11 years old with just my parents’ cell phone, I’ve learned that anyone can make an awesome movie, even kids," he said, adding that a creator does not need fancy equipment to make a meaningful film.

His mission to inspire others to express themselves through filmmaking has led him to write, illustrate and publish a children's book starring his pet bunny Beanie that guides readers through the process of making their own movie, including how to storyboard and shoot.

He invited local children to join Beanie on a "filmmaking adventure" on Tuesday at Mahwah Public Library, where he read through his book, "Beanie the Bunny Teaches Children About Filmmaking," and signed free copies at the end.

"It was, overall, heartwarming and exciting to see all the kids in the room excited to learn about filmmaking and interested in reading the book," Leschinsky said in the interview.

In an effort to increase his nonprofit's reach, Leschinsky also hosts a podcast and free filmmaking classes, and in the fall, he is organizing his own three-day film festival, which now has over 2,000 submissions from over 100 countries.

"It is amazing and inspiring that people from all over the world submitted to the festival," he said. "Filmmaking is an excellent way to express yourself and your creativity, and I am passionate about spreading the love of filmmaking to others."