If it sounds like Errol Lazare has just completed a marathon, he has.
His marathon of achievements finished last month when he won seven out of 27 possible awards at the B.C. Student Film Competition.
The grade 12 student of Mark Isfeld Secondary set three records at the competition including one for the most films entered, entering a film in each category of the festival, and most number of placings.
His seven awards won his school, Timberline Secondary in Campbell River $10,000 for media equipment.
He also takes home $1,000 in post production for the best editing of his music video, and $25,650 for an 18 month scholarship to the Art Institute of Vancouver's digital film and video program, giving him the opportunity to attend the specialized school rather than a community college with a film program.
"That's expensive for 18 months," said Lazare."it's a lot of money but it's really cool."
The achievement is well earned.
It's been a year since Lazare set himself a goal of entering a film in each of the categories of the B.C Film Festival.
"I always get inspired after the festival," he said. "I decided to enter a film in every category-it took so much time.
Next time he sets himself the goal he says he'll remember the mad rush to the finish he endured after sessions of procrastination.
"I'm never going to do that again," he said.
But after 11 months of on-again off again work (plus school!), Lazare has finished 21 films- enough to enter several categories twice.
In the middle of that process he put together a demo reel as part of his application to the institute and the scholarship.
"I fee like I just ran a marathon," said Lazare, who is also working on a film for graduation, plus trying to get organized for his own graduation ceremony.
"It was so much work to make 19 unique films," he says. "next time I'll pace myself."
He even created a white 'project' board to track the progress of each film to completion.
He credits his mother who encouraged him when the workload seemed insurmountable.
"I don't know if I could have done it without her,"he said.
The skilled filmmaker is no stranger to wining awards.
In the past year he has also won a $2500 scholarship for a public service announcement at Metropolis at Metrotown, 10 days at the Gulf Islands Film school to make videos on global warming, and $900 for making three of 7 wining entries for another public service announcement contest called, "Behind the Smoke Screen."
Lazare became interested in film in grade 8 for a school project. He continued shooting with the help of a borrowed camera and gradually started shooting until his Mom bought him his own camera after a trip to New York.
"For a while it seemed like everyone had a camcorder but us," said Lazare. "I was always the guy that wanted to play with the camcorder."
In grade 11, he transferred to Timberline to be closer to teacher mentor Kevin Harrison, but after two semesters of driving to Campbell River and back every morning, Lazare is back in Courtenay to graduate with his friends.
After film school, Lazare wants to become a cinematographer or director, but knows he'll have to start at the bottom of the film industry ladder, hopefully at Lions Gate Films in Vancouver.
"I just need to get my foot in the door," he said.
He's already working in the industry with his own video production company ( see www.redeclipse.ca) and putting together seven hours of film on a car meet in Las Vegas for a client in Calgary.
It sounds like he may be gearing up for a second marathon.