“Lights, camera, action!” For me, these are three magical words. I want to tell stories, stories that matter, that make you think, make you laugh, make you shuffle in your seat. The dialogues would resonate, sets and cinematography would stay with you long after you leave the theater or turn off your device. Every film I make will be an experience for all the senses. It is not Hollywood glamour and fame I am after, but opportunities to share vision and hopefully entertain the masses in a meaningful way. Is this too lofty of an ambition for a 20-year-old? I would rather ask, 'Shouldn't all 20-year-olds have such ambitions?' When all the 21st century technologies and possibilities are before us, I believe we all need to take every opportunity available to create a better future and culture for ourselves, and if at all feasible, know and work in where our passions lie. This in-the-making filmmaker will make this scholarship count, just as I will make every shot count! Imagine it as an investment towards a bright and exciting future in the cinema landscape. I thank you for your consideration.

Beyond Hollywood “Lights, camera, action!” For me, these are three magical words. I want to tell stories, stories that matter, stories that make you think, make you laugh, make you shuffle in your seat. The dialogues would resonate and would inspire dialogues of your own. The sets and cinematography would stay with you long after you leave the theater or turn off your device. Every film I make will be an experience for all the senses, perhaps even prompt you to take action or make changes in and around you. It is not Hollywood glamour and fame I am after, but opportunities to share a vision, call attention, stir the mind and senses, and hopefully at the same time, entertain the masses in a meaningful way. Is this too lofty an ambition for a 19-year-old? I would rather ask, 'Shouldn't all 19-year-olds have such ambitions?' When all the 21st-century technologies and possibilities are before us, and the tremendous means to travel to virtually anywhere in the world at any time, I believe we all need to take every opportunity available to create a better and perhaps more meaningful and sustainable future for ourselves and for the generations to come, and if at all feasible, know and work in where our passions lie. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world, perhaps forever. But it has taught me to stop doubting myself and my own ambitions and plans. It is creativity, thinking outside the box, that makes us thrive in crisis and overcome. It is patience, with ourselves and others, that keeps us focused on the big picture. It is being alert, to the right information and voices that shape us to be credible and empathetic human beings. I endeavor to be a creative, patient, and alert artist and person, pandemic and beyond. This in-the-making filmmaker navigating life as a freshman at ASU will make this scholarship count, just as I will make every shot count! Imagine it as an investment towards a bright and exciting future in the cinema landscape. I thank you for your consideration. **************************** This is the YouTube link for my channel, DecentEye Productions. Currently I have 3 short, internationally awarded films, and I am working on a 4th short, a horror-thriller: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPl7ueGUlfr8ptmDUHsTXw

Beyond Hollywood by Mark Lakatos “Lights, camera, action!” For me, these are three magical words. I want to tell stories, stories that matter, stories that make you think, make you laugh, make you shuffle in your seat. The dialogues would resonate and would inspire dialogues of your own. The sets and cinematography would stay with you long after you leave the theater or turn off your device. Every film I make will be an experience for all the senses, perhaps even prompt you to take action or make changes in and around you. It is not Hollywood glamour and fame I am after, but opportunities to share a vision, call attention, stir the mind and senses, and hopefully at the same time, entertain the masses in a meaningful way. Is this too lofty an ambition for a 19-year-old? I would rather ask, 'Shouldn't all 19-year-olds have such ambitions?' When all the 21st-century technologies and possibilities are before us, and the tremendous means to travel to virtually anywhere in the world at any time, I believe we all need to take every opportunity available to create a better and perhaps more meaningful and sustainable future for ourselves and for the generations to come, and if at all feasible, know and work in where our passions lie. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world, perhaps forever. But it has taught me to stop doubting myself and my own ambitions and plans. It is creativity, thinking outside the box, that makes us thrive in crisis and overcome. It is patience, with ourselves and others, that keeps us focused on the big picture. It is being alert, to the right information and voices that shape us to be credible and empathetic human beings. I endeavor to be a creative, patient, and alert artist and person, pandemic and beyond. I already count myself privileged in the area of traveling and seeing and experiencing different cultures and languages because of my own diverse family background: my mother is Chinese-American, my father is of Hungarian, Slovakian, Jewish descent. I grew up and lived in Hungary most of my life, and visiting relatives in the US every summer has absolutely enriched my personal life and I believe have given me a broader perspective as a filmmaker/artist, with the added benefit of knowing several languages. Our home was bilingual, English-Hungarian, but I was also taught some Chinese (Mandarin and a little Cantonese) and I am currently studying Spanish. I have also traveled some throughout Europe but look forward to many more travels as I pursue a career in film directing and writing, as I search for the perfect locale, actors-actresses, and collaborators to tell just the right stories! This in-the-making filmmaker navigating life as a freshman at ASU will make this scholarship count, just as I will make every shot count! Imagine it as an investment towards a bright and exciting future in the cinema landscape. I thank you for your consideration.

Beyond Hollywood by Mark Lakatos “Lights, camera, action!” For me, these are three magical words. I want to tell stories, stories that matter, stories that make you think, make you laugh, make you shuffle in your seat. The dialogues would resonate and would inspire dialogues of your own. The sets and cinematography would stay with you long after you leave the theater or turn off your device. Every film I make will be an experience for all the senses, perhaps even prompt you to take action or make changes in and around you. It is not Hollywood glamour and fame I am after, but opportunities to share a vision, call attention, stir the mind and senses, and hopefully at the same time, entertain the masses in a meaningful way. Is this too lofty an ambition for a 19-year-old? I would rather ask, 'Shouldn't all 19-year-olds have such ambitions?' When all the 21st-century technologies and possibilities are before us, I believe we all need to take every opportunity available to create a better and perhaps more meaningful and sustainable future for ourselves and for the generations to come, and if at all feasible, know and work in where our passions lie. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world, perhaps forever. But it has taught me to stop doubting myself and my own ambitions and plans. It is creativity, thinking outside the box, that makes us thrive in crisis and overcome. It is patience, with ourselves and others, that keeps us focused on the big picture. It is being alert, to the right information and voices that shape us to be credible and empathetic human beings. I endeavor to be a creative, patient, and alert artist and person, pandemic and beyond. This in-the-making filmmaker navigating life as a freshman at ASU will make this scholarship count, just as I will make every shot count! Imagine it as an investment towards a bright and exciting future in the cinema landscape. I thank you for your consideration.

Beyond Hollywood by Mark Lakatos “Lights, camera, action!” For me, these are three magical words. I want to tell stories, stories that matter, stories that make you think, make you laugh, make you shuffle in your seat. The dialogues would resonate and would inspire dialogues of your own. The sets and cinematography would stay with you long after you leave the theater or turn off your device. Every film I make will be an experience for all the senses, perhaps even prompt you to take action or make changes in and around you. It is not Hollywood glamour and fame I am after, but opportunities to share a vision, call attention, stir the mind and senses, and hopefully at the same time, entertain the masses in a meaningful way. Is this too lofty an ambition for a 19-year-old? I would rather ask, 'Shouldn't all 19-year-olds have such ambitions?' When all the 21st-century technologies and possibilities are before us, I believe we all need to take every opportunity available to create a better and perhaps more meaningful and sustainable future for ourselves and for the generations to come, and if at all feasible, know and work in where our passions lie. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world, perhaps forever. But it has taught me to stop doubting myself and my own ambitions and plans. It is creativity, thinking outside the box, that makes us thrive in crisis and overcome. It is patience, with ourselves and others, that keeps us focused on the big picture. It is being alert, to the right information and voices that shape us to be credible and empathetic human beings. I endeavor to be a creative, patient, and alert artist and person, pandemic and beyond. This in-the-making filmmaker navigating life as a freshman at ASU will make this scholarship count, just as I will make every shot count! Imagine it as an investment towards a bright and exciting future in the cinema landscape. I thank you for your consideration.