Name: Ian VanderLugt
School: Cedar Springs High School
Passion: Storytelling through film
Cedar Springs — “Ratatouille,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Knives Out” — for Ian VanderLugt, these films achieve something magical, inspiring a very real empathy and affection for fictional characters.
The fledgling filmmaker, a senior at Cedar Springs High School, is hoping his own work will do the same for others.
He’s made progress toward his goal, with plenty of experience making short films and video podcasts that have resonated with viewers. Now he’s in the process of creating his first feature film, set to premiere in May at Kent Theatre.
Ian has spent the bulk of the school year so far writing the project — working title “Screw Your Neighbor” — which revolves around a family dispute over the inheritance of a deceased patriarch.
Ian sat down with School News Network to talk about how his passion was ignited, what the journey’s been like so far, and what the future holds.
‘You’ve got to find something that makes you feel full of life.’
— Cedar Springs senior Ian VanderLugt
How old were you when filmmaking became something you wanted to pursue, and what’s the story there? Ian was first exposed to visual storytelling as a freshman in Justin Harnden’s Intro to TV and Production class, where he learned the basics of composition and editing. He described completing an editing assignment that manipulated footage to make it seem as though a subject was taking a fall.
“In real life, this person never fell or got hit, but by cutting together a few clips of someone sort of falling, it made a moment happen that never existed in the first place,” Ian said. “It feels magical in a way. And that’s when I first started to fall in love with this kind of thing.”
Though he said he was “far from the perfect student” at the time, finding something he was passionate about motivated him to keep his grades up so he could advance to other media classes.
“I was like, ‘This is actually something I’m pretty serious about. It’s not just a class I like, but it’s something I’d like to do for a living,’” Ian said. “I started realizing, this is more than just a special interest or a hobby — this is a passion.”
A few related accomplishments: In the fall, a short film titled “Meet the Normans,” led by Ian with help from a few classmates, won first place in the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association’s Film Challenge.
“Red Hawk Rivals,” a podcast he co-produced in the 2023-24 school year, featuring Superintendent Scott Smith interacting with students over various games, won the Michigan School Public Relations Association’s Merit Award in 2024.
Also, Ian produced a segment for WOODTV, which he presented on live TV. He also co-hosts and co-produces the high school’s “Hawk’s Nest” podcast.
What he’s most proud of, though, is working as stage manager on the high school production of “One Stoplight Town.”
“That was a huge game-changer, and I also built a lot of skills that I had in mind for hopefully, someday, being on movie sets and working with actors and things like that.”
Is there a teacher or teachers who have had a big impact? Harnden, who pushed Ian to try making a feature film, comes to mind immediately.
“He’s out of this world,” Ian said of Harnden. “I’ve never seen anyone cultivate work ethic in students or people to the degree that he has.”
Others who’ve helped Ian along include Evan Sturgeon and Abby Teunissen, directors of “One Stoplight Town,” and AP World History teacher Dave Stuart.
Do you plan to pursue this professionally? “Yeah. Storytelling through film is my dream in life.”
If so, envision yourself 10, 20 years from now: “In 10 years I hope to see myself working with people who are passionate about storytelling like me. Whether actors or people behind the camera, I’m hoping to collaborate with people who are bringing new things to the film industry. …
“In 20 years I hope I’m at a point where I’ve had a solid career and I’m still going, but I hope I’m one of those directors that people my age can look up to and be like, ‘That’s my inspiration.’ I want to make people fall in love with movies like I have.”
Outside of filmmaking, what are your other hobbies/interests/little-known talents: “Theater and music. I hope to, someday, maybe write and direct a play. I like the live aspect of it, where you see them right in front of you. It’s a whole different ball game,” Ian said, adding that he’d also love to create his own musical score.
The biggest lesson you have learned from your involvement in filmmaking is … “You’ve got to find something that makes you feel full of life. … Something that gives you that magic that you can’t stop thinking about. You go home and it’s still in the back of your mind — it’s not weighing down on you, but it’s pushing you and making you go forward.”
Harnden said Ian has the talent and the drive to succeed.
“I think what makes Ian special as a student is the fact that he’s just committed to the process,” Harnden said. “He’s just incredibly passionate about what he does.
“This is what he wants to do for a living. He wants to make films, he wants to entertain people, he wants to do that stuff and he’s willing to do what it takes to chase it.”
Read more from Cedar Springs:
• Method offers trauma-informed approach to managing students in crisis
• High-schoolers use TikTok to inform, entertain
