TOWAMENCIN- Aaron Menzo, usually behind the camera, steps out into the spotlight to finally get his face on the big screen: your computer. As a quiet person, many people might not know a lot about him. However, he is extremely busy and involved in activities in and out of school.

A senior at North Penn, Menzo is heavily involved in the choral program. He is apart of the chorus, Men’s Choir, and the Chamber Singers.

“North Penn’s music and art departments are some of the best ones in the state. There’s such a wide range of mediums available for students to look into, and if they don’t like one, they can always go for another without too much of an issue. Being in the select choir is demanding and requires a commitment, but really it’s just a good break. Being a part of music, especially being part of something where you’re not the central focus, is a super humbling and thought-inducing experience. Under the direction of Matt Klenk—who provides a ton of different choral pieces for us from around the world to perform—there’s never been a point where I was bored or felt devoid of meaning in the group, and for that I give mad props to him and everyone else involved in the program,” Menzo said.

What most people wouldn’t know right away is that Menzo’s main passion is film and screenwriting. This has been his love since he was little, ever since he could sit up and look at the TV, anything from animal documentaries to professional hockey. He wants it to be in the future as well.

“I think as a kid, the idea that a story could be told to its full visual extent for all the world to see was captivating,” Menzo stated.

This is obviously not just a hobby of his. Menzo is dedicated to creating and telling a story through film. His inspiration comes from the big picture, not necessarily a genre of movies or a specific filmmaker.

“As I’ve matured, what’s really kept me going is the basis on which it runs. Film is such a massive network of ideas; it’s never truly one person’s project. A big inspiration for me is the idea that one day I could see my own vision put to form through the hands and minds of hundreds of others,” Menzo explained.

Menzo plans to pursue this as a career and is majoring in film in college. As the college application journey started for him this year, one of his applications required a short film of his own creation. He had limited time and resources, so he had to scratch some early ideas and work with what he had. The inspiration behind the short film was from real life experiences, making it all the more interesting and real.

“At the time of writing, I was in the stages of finally realizing and mentally accepting that film was something that I would want to pursue beyond college; it was this revelation that became the inspiration for the film. Earlier in the year, one of my close friends in the music program had gone through the transition of female into male. Watching their journey was something I had always admired but never had a personal connection to. Observing this path of struggle and beauty is what ended up becoming what I would use for the base plot structure of my film. With the help of insight from that friend, I wrote a story of a lonely boy who saw someone else when he looked in the mirror. I emphasized the path he took from an outspoken guy to a confident girl, and furthermore, how he showed the people in his life who he truly was. While the story wasn’t my own, the theme was something I connected with deeply. Showing my peers the final product was my way of telling them that filmmaking was who I am and who I was always meant to be.”

Although the short film has a very serious tone, it is a beautiful representation of the story being told. You can watch the short film right here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ufNGEC0gtLo

This is unfortunately unavailable on the Google Chromebooks, but you can check it out on any other device!

As decision time is coming to a close, Menzo is still deciding where he will be in the fall.

“I’m currently still waiting to hear back from two of my top schools, but right now I’ve been accepted into Chapman University in Los Angeles and Emerson in Boston, both of which have highly esteemed film programs.”

No matter where he goes to college, Menzo plans on landing in Los Angeles in the future. The connections for film are definitely the strongest in Hollywood, so that is where he plans to go. Although film will be his main focus in college, he wants to stay involved in music as much as possible.

“Music is such a big part of my life that I never hope I’ll stop being a part of, even if not at the scale as I am in high school. As a kid, piano was my main focus, and one of my biggest regrets is that I stopped practicing and let the skill slip from my mind. Being able to play bass would be pretty cool too,” said Menzo.

Menzo definitely keeps himself busy with his interests. He is currently deciding on what script he wants to write next. He has many ideas, it’s just a matter of picking one and getting to work. Make sure to look for his name in the credits of movies in the future, but for now he will be finishing out his senior year and deciding where his next chapter in life will begin.