Dakota Laden, 17, born and raised in Minnesota! hopes to one day be a professional in the Television/Filmmaking industry. With his goal in mind he and his friends create and continue to create an enormous library of youtube videos. Dakota uses Dark Humor to entertain his following and in return has received a ton of support from Shortflimzz123 fans. His hard work and dedication behind filmmaking and directing has landed him numerous contest awards and featured his videos on many big TV shows and entertainment platforms. We were fortunate to sit down with Dakota to discuss his career in Television/Filmmaking. His interview can be found below.
Q. Who is Dakota Laden?
I am a self-taught filmmaker. I make comedy short films for my youtube account “Shortfilmzz123”. My youtube channel is currently at 56,000+ subscribers. I have been filmmaking since age 8. I’ve made over 300 videos. I’m currently making at least one new film a week.
Q. Describe the ambition behind your work as Filmmaker, Actor, Director, Editor, Writer, and founder for/of Shortflimz?
I love doing what I do. The more films I make the better I feel. Being able to produce a short film for thousands of people to view is the coolest feeling in the world. I enjoy the entire filmmaking process and how I get to create my own original stories to tell. I personally love creating a story with dark comedy and edgy filmmaking. Most of the time a typical “Dakota Laden Film” will include guns/blood/ and interesting characters.
Q. When did you first discover your desire to create funny videos and more? What is it about motion picture that fascinated you?
I first discovered my love for filmmaking when I was eight years old. My sister had a big bulky silver camera that she hardly ever used. One day I asked her if she would give it to me… But instead of just giving it to me she made me buy it from her for 40 bucks. About an hour after I purchased the camera I was already making my first film with my neighbor Anthony and I haven’t stopped filmmaking since. What fascinates me about motion picture is how creative and different you get to be. Each director has his or her own style. I like being different so this gives me a way to tell a story how I want to tell it.
Q. When developing a story or creating a funny comedy what are you always trying to provide for your viewers?
I always try to provide some sort of dark/twisted humor in each of my short films. My brain is pretty weird so I like to show that in my films. I also want to entertain my viewers throughout the entire short film so I keep that a goal of mine for each film.
Q. What are some of your greatest accomplishments?
My greatest filmmaking accomplishments are that I’ve won several national video contests for big brand companies such as “Quiznos”. When I was 12 years old I took 1st place in a national video contest for a company that makes iPhone applications and I won 5,000 dollars. When I was 14 I took 3rd place in a music video contest for Alice cooper and he actually called me to tell me I had taken third. When I was 15 I won a national video contest for travel channel resulting in me guest starring in an episode of their hit T.V. show “Ghost Adventures”. One of my biggest accomplishments that doesn’t have to do with filmmaking is that I played hockey for 7 years and in my freshman year of high school I was captain of the “A” team.
Q. What is something unique/interesting that most people wouldn’t know about Dakota Laden?
something unique/interesting that most people wouldn’t know about me is that I come up with my best ideas when I’m either in the shower or when its very late at night. That’s probably where 90% of my video ideas come from.
Q. Tell us about Shortflimz’s teamwork and how collectively the team get things done to achieve small/large goals together as a whole when working on a project?
Since I put out a new film every Tuesday I usually don’t get to much breaks. Wednesdays and Thursdays is when I mostly write the scripts. Then on Fridays and Saturdays is when I get my crew/friends together and we film the script I have prepared. On Sundays and Mondays is when I’m editing and finally on Tuesday I upload the video to youtube and then the cycle repeats itself. 80% of the scripts are done by me, and the other 20% I collaborate with my friends to write. My friends and I all have a similar sense of humor so it makes things much easier.
Q. Has there ever been a time in your life where you doubted your dreams as a Film Director? How did you overcome these doubts?
Making it big in an industry such as filmmaking is so rare so I doubt myself all the time. To get over these doubts I just forget about it and keep practicing my filmmaking.
Q. What are some of your most recent achievements with film directing?
My most recent accomplishment was winning the national video contest for travel channel. And I also just had one of my videos featured on MTV’S “Pranked”.
Q. What motivates you to wake up and do what you do everyday?
What motivates me is that I can learn something new everyday and only improve as each new day goes by. I get very inspired by the idea of someday producing films for millions of people to see.
Q. What are your plans for the future? where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I hope to one day take my kids and family to a movie theatre to be seeing MY film. I want to create films and entertain people for as long as my body will let me. In five years I see myself still making films but at a much higher level and for many more people.
Q. Do you have any advice for aspiring Filmmakers, Actors, Directors, Editors, Writers and others from around the world?
My advice for aspiring Filmmakers, Actors, Directors, Editors, Writers is to keep practicing. Try to put at least 20 hours a week into practicing what you love to do. And don’t let lack of money or equipment stop you because you can still create amazing things with a low budget.
Q. Would you like to make any shout outs or is there anyone that you would like to thank?
I would love to thank my parents for being so supportive. Not once have they doubted me, not even when I was an eight years old making horrible movies. They see that I love doing this, so they support me in every way possible.
We want to thank Dakota Laden for taking the time to talk with us. We look forward to Dakota’s future success in Television/Filmmaking. Be sure to follow Dakota on his social media channels. You can find him on Youtube, Instagram, @DakotaLaden, and Facebook
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