I'm not so sure I think age has anything to do with how well a person makes a film. I mean, if you are new to film at 80, are you going to be better than someone new to film at 14?
I watched the film and I think it is on par with many other first films I have seen outside of the fact that the camera used was not as good as some people with bigger bucks but that isnt a technical flaw on your part. That is a monetary constraint.
ThomS, I think you were honest from your perspective but I dont think you really give much room for encouragement. I highly doubt that your first film was all that great either but the process he went through making this film is much more of a teacher than all your storyboarding ideas, book reading, and criticisms combined. Filmmaking really is a hands on thing.
As far as storyboarding goes, I know a lot of, IMO, great filmmakers who dont storyboard at all. Some people like to go with the flow and see what will work best at the time. All the planning in the world will not prepare you for what's going to happen on the set, especially if something unprecedented happens.
For the one who made this film, you are not any worse of a beginning filmmaker than anyone else. Consider the points that everyone has made but ultimately learn by DOING. If everyone did what someone else told them, there would never be innovation.