(May 24, 2013) — “It’s more than just about a job, it’s more like a passion,” Chase Baker said. Baker is one of the very few people who know exactly what career they would like to pursue in the future: create award-winning films. So far, he has experience in working on commercials and short films, but his main goal is to direct feature films.

Most of Baker’s experience and knowledge comes from the cinematography classes he’s taken here. He has been taking the class for the past three years and is currently in Cinematography 5-6. Typically, a Cinema 1-2 student starts off by learning the basics of filmmaking. Students like Baker who are in the third level are able to make professional productions.

Aram Gevorgyan, who has known Baker since freshman year, said that Baker is awesome to work with. “Chase is really good at making things look good,” Gevorgyan said. “If I were working on a project, I would tell him to do something and he’d do what I said and more. He knows what he’s doing more than anyone else.”

Baker began directing films before he came to Clark. When he found out that cinema classes were offered here, he grew more interested. “Through taking the classes I discovered that it’s what I want to do with my life but I’ve also always enjoyed it,” Baker said.

Baker has worked on professional commercials for companies such as DirecTV and Universal Studios and directed other commercials for Purina Dog Chow and Fidelity Investments. Besides working for companies, Baker also does freelance work. “I’ve done everything from weddings to actual commercials for companies and working for General Motors,” Baker said.

All of his determination and dedication paid off with Baker having won awards and recognition. “One of my films was accepted into the Los Angeles Film Media Festival as one of the 36 films that are accepted,” Baker said. “I’ve also won first place for the district and state level for the PTA Reflections Contest. At the national level, the short film won an award of merit.” Baker was also recently awarded the silver medal winner for the Los Angeles County Regional Occupational Program Career Technical Education’s Outstanding ROP Student competition.

“Murphy Meets His Match,” the production submitted to the film festival, is about a boy who wants to have a lemonade stand but needs to battle the weather and Murphy’s Law to have the stand. “My Magical Place,” which was submitted into the PTA Reflections contest, followed the theme of Magic of the Moment. “It was about my little brother who finds a way to make a moment magical through his imagination. When nobody wants to play with him, he makes his own fantasy world where he fights bad guys,” Baker said.

“I want to make good films and stuff that can be enjoyed by the whole family. If I could be successful while doing what I enjoy at the same time, that would be great,” Baker said.