“Seven Bullets,” a film by Shaker Heights High School freshman Arman Taheri, is a finalist for the People’s Choice Award in this year’s fourth annual Kids Film It Festival, which takes place February 21 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Arman has been making films since he was in the fifth grade, and has worked steadily to hone his craft ever since. Read more about Arman Taheri and watch his film below: 

How did you get interested in film?
I was in the fifth grade and I just decided to make a movie with some school friends. We were just having fun. I entered the Kids FilmIt contest and won the top prize that year. So then I became more interested in learning how to make better films. 

What kinds of equipment were you using?
In the beginning, I was shooting with iPads on iMovie, and then I started looking up tutorials on YouTube. I also went to a few summer camps and took courses on Adobe Premiere Pro. The camps teach you a lot of the basics, which is good, but there’s also a lot on YouTube even to help you with some of the more advanced stuff. Now, I shoot on a Sony NEX-6 and I have a Fuji X-T2. I also have a boom mic and an external audio recorder. I get my equipment on eBay because it’s a lot cheaper. 

Who are your favorite directors?
My favorite director is Christopher Nolan because he really uses the camera to tell a story. I also like David Fincher, Steven Spielberg, Guy Ritchie, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino. 

Do you have a favorite genre of film?
I used to do action movies. I did a series called School Wars that was based on Star Wars. But then I got more interested in telling a story, so I shifted to thrillers because they’re gripping to watch and because you can add so much to the story just in the way you shoot it. Plus, it’s the kind of film that your brain has to work to watch. 

How long did it take you to write Seven Bullets?
I took a road trip to New York with my family and we talked it out in the car. We wrote it in one day. And it took about a month and a half to make. 

Do you think you want to make filmmaking your career?
Now, I’m thinking of doing more editing because I really like putting things together. But being a producer might be fun, too. 

What have you learned about yourself through filmmaking?
I’ve learned a lot about interacting with people. So, for example, I’ve learned that if you want people to do things for you, then sometimes, you need to do something for them. In the beginning, I was like, “I’m the director, you should listen to me and do this, this and this,” and since they were all fifth-graders, it didn’t go over very well. But these newer films, I try to encourage everyone to have more fun, to have a few laughs. So when your environment is more casual, then people are more willing to work together. 

Any advice to other aspiring young filmmakers?
Just stay with it. There are so many things that can go wrong and your vision may not exactly match the end product, but it’s still great. And you can never be too good. It’s important to understand the basics first and to know that certain parts of the film are more important. For example, I used to focus on visuals, but then I realized that I need to focus on story and audio and get good actors and write good dialogue. It’s kind of like anytime you want to perfect your craft: you’re not going to be that good when you start off, but after a few years, you will be that good.