Kris Dowling Skid Row. It’s not a place most people want to visit at night.

But Santa Susana graduate Kris Dowling did just that, journeying deep into the darkness of downtown Los Angeles this year with one goal in mind: to give the row’s homeless a voice.

And in the process, he discovered his own passion for telling stories that send a message.

For his senior project, Kris decided to create a documentary that explores Central City East—a neighborhood some have referred to as a third world country—and the people who call its sidewalks home.

He titled his film, “Skid Row: An Open Secret.”

“ Talking to the natives right outside Skid Row, they act like it doesn’t exist,” said Kris, the son of Sithy Dowling.

“It’s almost like relaxed anarchy,” the 17-year-old added. “It’s very chaotic but everyone’s so used to it.”

Although he was a dancer throughout high school—an artistic outlet he got into as a freshman to help him “loosen up” and adjust to the switch from private to public school—Kris decided to try out another creative endeavor senior year: video production. He soon fell in love with the idea of filmmaking and was inspired to create a documentary for his senior project.

Unlike other Simi high schools, Santa Su asks its seniors as part of their English class to undertake a project that includes writing a research paper, completing 20 hours of fieldwork and giving a 10-minute presentation.

After hearing from a friend about the horrible conditions on Skid Row, Kris decided it would make a good topic—and that he needed to see it for himself.

“If you really want to experience what’s actually going down around there you have to get in the heart of it,” he said.

So he joined a group of people that regularly makes trips to Skid Row on Sunday nights to pass out food and, most importantly Kris said, talk to the homeless.

His first trip was the day before Christmas Eve 2009. In the five months that followed, Kris visited several more times, filming mostly at night. He worked with a fellow student adept at editing to put together his final cut.

The 15-minute documentary shows footage of people sleeping along the dirty, crowded sidewalks as well as interviews with the homeless, many of whom Kris developed relationships with.

Weaved into the film are stats about Skid Row, such as the fact that more than 15,000 people live in the five-block area, which boasts the nation’s largest concentration of homeless people.

While the homeless tend to be wary of cameras, Kris said each time he went it became easier to get people to open up about what brought them to Skid Row—relationship problems, drugs, losing their job or home, and Hurricane Katrina.

While there are those who live up to the homeless stereotype, Kris said he also met educated, compassionate, hard working people on Skid Row.

The final product impressed and surprised Kris’ project mentor, John Kohlmeier. Although the teen always offered insightful commentary on social issues in class, Kohlmeier wasn’t sure how far the documentary would go since Kris wasn’t necessarily an A-plus student.

But he said first-time filmmaker “took it to the nth degree.”

“I think it really woke a young man up to the possibilities that are out there,” said Kohlmeier, who had Kris in his English and broadcast journalism classes. “I saw a change in Kris in doing this documentary. . . . I think this was a real defining moment in Kris’ life.”

Kris said his time spent on Skid Row does make him appreciate the things that are often taken for granted, like having clothes on his back.

“If you just walk the streets of Skid Row it makes you feel like your problems, any of your obstacles in life, are so marginalized compared to how much a lack of hope that they have,” he said.

Kris said he never would have imagined he’d become so passionate about Skid Row, but that the project changed his whole view on the homeless and reaffirmed his resolve to help.

Though it’s just a school project, Kris has big plans for his documentary. He already had it screened at Santa Su’s film fest and in classrooms at Royal and Simi High. He’s passed out copies, telling people to spread the message.

But the person he really wants to get a copy to is L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, in hopes that he’ll put more government aid and attention on Skid Row.

Looking to the future, Kris would like to get into acting and keep making documentaries that hit on social justice issues. He is already enrolled in summer and fall classes at Moorpark and hopes to transfer to UCLA.

Kohlmeier said he hopes Kris will pursue his newfound passion, saying his former student has the creative vision and eye of a director. “I told him after the fact, you really found not only your passion but also a talent that you have,” he said, adding, “Anyone can make a video but true filmmaking is an art form.”