Will Achtmeyer ’26 has always been closely connected with film. In his early years, he would make short movies with Lego. He was so young at this point, however, that he had not experimented with stop motion animation, so he would film himself—in his own words—“basically just playing with the Legos.” Regardless of the production quality, Will was putting in time and effort into film at a young age and was only getting better. In short years, this hobby or pass-time quickly turned into a passion that became a large part of his life. His first more formally shot film took place during his time at Belmont Hill a few years ago.
“The Library,” his first real movie, which he described as “fine, though it was really fun to make,” was a short horror production that was shown in Chapel on Halloween. It followed a student who suspected a murderer was on the loose in the library, though in the end, he realized it was all a dream. It was a valuable first experience for him as he learned and grew in this field. Continuing the passion, he made another short film the following summer. The two summers following sophomore year, he began working on a low-budget set. Will spoke of this experience in his Woodbury speech last fall. To Will, the value of this experience was being able to work with real actors and real equipment, learning the ins and outs of the technical side of filmmaking, even if it was a “bad film”. Though it was a new and unfamiliar setting at first, working with real equipment and actors, he had friends and a crew that welcomed him. A major change in this environment was working with high-quality audio devices, because up to this point, Will had only recorded audio on his phone or hadn’t recorded at all.
When The Panel questioned Will on where he finds his passion for Film, and what keeps him coming back to the camera and set, he said that “it’s really the storytelling part of it.” His interest lies mainly in creating stories, and filmmaking is just the medium he uses to tell them. Movies combine many aspects of storytelling, incorporating most of the human senses, which is why he likes them so much and continues to use film to tell his stories. His favorite memory from working on set was that first summer when he was just starting to figure it all out. He was working with friends, having fun, and even though the movie itself was “of questionable quality”, it was a way to continue his passion in a new professional manner. He says that working with friends was especially valuable, as he had familiar faces to rely on in such a new environment.
Will has also been a long-time contributor to The Panel, writing numerous film reviews. He often focused his reviews on plot, production, and distribution, and gave readers insight into the complex nature of the film industry, including profit margins and strategy. As a movie lover, both behind the camera and in front of the big screen, Will left The Panel with his top four films: Good Will Hunting, No Country for Old Men, The Silence of the Lambs, and Baby Driver.
Looking ahead, Will hopes to work with JJ Pena ’26 on a new project this spring and possibly through the summer. In terms of college and beyond, he says he does not plan to study or major in film, which would lead him down the more technical path in the industry. Instead, hoping to become a director, he will continue producing short films and submit them to festivals. Additionally, by the end of his time at school, he hopes to have filmed one feature-length movie, breaking from his short-form work to that point. After graduating, he wants to pursue a career as a director immediately, in whatever form that may entail. As Will departs from Belmont Hill this spring, The Panel wishes him the best of luck and hopes to see his name behind a film of his own someday.
