Future Filmmaker

Xander Becker, a Polson High School student, is gaining attention for his debut film Skin. The film explores themes of personal growth, high school struggles, and the impact of making difficult choices. Originally, he wrote a script called Bailey, which had some similarities to Skin, but was less meaningful. The idea for Skin evolved when Becker met David Hart, a musician from The University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Hart shared a song called “Terrible, Awful, Horrible School,” which represented feelings of insecurity and fear that many students experience in school. Inspired by the song, Becker combined its themes with his original script, adding the concept of a mirror that gives a desired trait but takes away something of equal value, which led to Skin.

Becker explained that making a film is challenging, especially with a limited budget. He talked about the difficulties of scheduling, managing a cast, securing locations, and ordering props. He also emphasized the importance of staying true to his original vision for the story. “When you make a script, you have this image, and I want to go for what I imagined in the story,” he said. “I don’t settle for any less.” Actor Christian Hanna, who plays the lead character William, stated that he admires the way Xander handles how his image of the movie is portrayed. Despite the challenges, Becker and his team managed to keep the project on track, with a budget around $20,000. Funding came from a mix of grants and private donors.

The central theme of Skin focuses on the consequences of trading essential parts of yourself for what society deems as perfect. In the film, characters use a mirror to ask for a trait they desire, but they must give up something equally valuable in return. Becker explained an example from the film where a student, who is excelling academically, wishes to become popular. As a result, the student loses their ability to focus on their studies. The lesson, Becker said, is about not sacrificing important aspects of yourself in pursuit of external validation.

In addition to his work on Skin, Becker is a co-owner of Becker King Studios, a platform to produce his meaningful films. “William King is my partner, and we both manage the studio together,” Becker explained. “We believe that every film should teach a lesson and have something valuable to take away from it.” Although the studio started small, it has given Becker and King a foundation for future projects. The studio was created in 2020, during the pandemic, allowing them time to build their vision.

Becker’s passion for film constructed his long term goal, which is to work on kids’ shows. Becker stated, “I really want to work with Disney because the films we watch as children shape who we become. A75% of our personalities are made up from the films we watch as children.” He hopes to create films that teach important lessons to young audiences. In addition to Skin, Becker is working on an animated film called Seedling, aimed at children, and a film called A New Age, which addresses climate change and its effects on the planet. These films reflect his commitment to using film to inspire positive change and address important issues.

When asked what advice he would give to other students interested in filmmaking, Becker said, “If you want to make it happen, make it happen. I started from nothing. I literally wrote on a piece of paper ‘Becker King Studios,’ and look how far it’s come. Just do it. Don’t let obstacles stop you.”