Kaleb Alexander Roberts stars in “Invincible Boy,” a short film shot primarily in Downey.

DOWNEY — Julian Park’s new short film, “Invincible Boy,” premiered at the InFocus Short Film Festival in Van Nuys last Saturday. The movie is now available on YouTube for viewing by the public.

Park, a graduate of Downey High (2003), continues an exploration of the themes that run throughout his work – hope, kindness, and following one’s passion. The story’s two young protagonists, Vincent and Barney, played by Kaleb Alexander Robert and Nathan Kim, learn lessons about life through their obsession with comic book super heroes.

Vincent, who tries to be a super hero to people in need, gets discouraged. “Nobody cares about being good,” he says, “Why do they write this stuff in comic books? What’s the point?” The engaging young actors bring to life a modern-day story with a lesson for all ages at the end.

There is an additional reason why people who live and/or work in Downey will have fun watching this movie. It was shot on location in Downey, with permits and encouragement from the city. The sidewalks of Firestone Boulevard are integral to the story.

Park, who wrote, directed, and edited the film, said the ideas in his initial script were too expansive and the city told him that he couldn’t block off the streets. His rework of the plot confirms his talent as a storyteller. The dynamic action in Downtown Downey is implied, and did not require stopping any traffic.

Growing up in Downey was an advantage, Park explained. “I know it [the city] so well, that at least when I wrote the sequences, I knew where it would take place in my mind.” Park said the cost of city permits was minimal, and most of his $1,000 deposit was refunded when the project ended.

Cost is important to Park because his passion for making films is financed by his day job as a web developer. His earlier documentaries were made with a lot of sweat equity – he did most of the work himself. For Invincible Boy, which is fiction, Park decided to hire a professional crew – producer, sound mixer, cinematographer, costume designer, gaffers, etc.

“I shot that film over five days and we strategically planned it over President’s Day weekend so I only had to take two days off work,” explained Park.

Except for two, all of the actors are professionals who were found through casting agencies. Park said that he and his producer Dan Marcus were approaching panic when they couldn’t find the right boy to play Vincent.

“We almost couldn’t make the movie,” explains Park. “We were a week away from shooting and we hadn’t found the kid yet. I was so scared. We had a whole day of auditions and nobody came in that was even remotely close. They were really just kids, you know, they couldn’t act.”

Everything fell into place when they discovered Kaleb through a casting site. He and his mother drove down from San Jose for filming. Park said they also had difficulty casting the character Barney, Vincent’s friend in the movie. Nathan Kim, who was finally selected for the role, is the son of a friend.

The complete cast of characters reflects the multi-national demographic of southeast Los Angeles County. Downey viewers reading the credits might recognize the name of some friends and neighbors who filled in as Extras.

Park had considered several candidates for the role of producer before selecting Marcus, whom he had worked with before on a film by another local artist Polaris Castillo. Indie film-making of this sort requires a shared vision.

“He’s a little like me,” says Park about Marcus, “he’s a little naïve. He mainly just believed in the project so much. He loves stories about super heroes, and hope, and that was what pulled him in.”

Park said he met his minimal goals this year of finishing the film, entering it in one film festival, and getting it on line for the public to see. His next step is to find other suitable film festivals for the work.

Earlier Work

Park, who studied creative writing in college, says that he began making films as a “hobby.” Themes of optimism and kindness are apparent throughout his own post-college work as he veered away from a traditional career path.

In 2009 he left home with a backpack and Handycam, only telling his mother that he was going on a road trip. The result was a 53-minute personal and compelling documentary entitled “Only Kindness Matters” (hitchhiking across the USA).

“I wanted to find adventure,” he says in the film. “I wanted to see America. I wanted to witness kindness.” This film is also available on YouTube.

Guided by his continuing desire to work on meaningful projects, Park traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, in 2010 to film the educational challenges faced by elementary school children in the slum of Lenana. His friend Eddo Kim (Warren High 2002) had started an educational non-profit, The Supply, to maintain a public school for these children.

On the last day of filming, Park and his associate were robbed at gunpoint of all their equipment. The story spread immediately over the internet and $8,000 was quickly raised to replace the equipment. Park returned to film the school for another week.

Park’s 30-minute documentary was completed by March 2011 and made available for screening at various universities to raise funds for the Nairobi school. The film title “Standard 8” comes from the test that all children must pass in Nairobi. This film can be viewed on YouTube.

Back home in Downey, Park was captivated by sensitive paintings of children that would appear mysteriously on unused walls and buildings around the city. The gentle images had an ephemeral nature in that they would only last until someone painted over them. They were too lovely to be called graffiti.

Park tracked down the elusive artist who worked secretly at night and called himself Bumblebee. The two young men had never met before, even as Downey students. But they discovered they shared a community of values when it came to art and creative energy.

The resulting 10-minute documentary, “Bumblebee Loves You,” was screened at the Epic Lounge in 2012.

Public response was so positive that Bumblebee received permission from the owner of the Epic Lounge building on Second Street to paint the 16-foot mural of a young girl trying to cut her own hair. Entitled “Slices” and covered with sealer, this mural will enjoy a long life

The city of Downey may have lost the film production company Downey Studios to economic forces, but indie film-making in the digital age continues to capture the imagination and efforts of people who want to tell a story. Park’s film “Invincible Boy” is a gift to the community of Downey.

Everyone should take 20 minutes to enjoy it.

Downey featured prominently in new indie film, 'Invincible Boy'