Boy produces video of Ocala history
The next Clint Eastwood may come from a quiet residence on an oak-lined street in the historic section of town.
A video made by Grant Harriss, 11, which covers Ocala’s history, with more than 8,300 viewings, has become a bit of a YouTube sensation since being posted in July.
“History of Ocala,” at a length of seven minutes and 48 seconds, covers the town’s early roots and more current information. It contains images of landmarks such as the Brahma, Plantation Pancake Inn and Four “B’s” restaurants, Six Gun Territory and “then and now” pictures of the downtown square and Munroe Regional Medical Center.
Grant uses his mom’s video camera, his Mac computer and iMovie and Final Cut Express-Special Effects computer programs to make his videos, which include mood-setting music, titles and credits.
The “History of Ocala” includes banjo music and, according to Grant’s dad, Wally, has been incorporated into an area real estate promotion.
Grant’s mom, Kelley, said Scott Mitchell, director of the Silver River Museum, has expressed an interest in using the video as well.
The production was a family collaboration, combining Kelley’s recently acquired pursuit of collecting antique Ocala postcards with Grant’s interest in making videos.
The project earned Grant the Boy Scout’s Citizen of the Community merit badge, one of five he has garnered since starting scouting in February. He has a long-range goal of attaining Eagle Scout rank.
Although his upcoming productions likely will include action and horror genre videos because they involve Grant’s love of special effects, future creations may also include public service or mystery.
Kelley, a guidance counselor at Eighth Street Elementary, said her son’s filmmaking — in the spirit of fun and learning — is part of his “well-rounded” education.
Grant said he hopes to get a digital video camera soon. When asked what he would do with an unlimited movie budget, he replied: “I would like to make an action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.”
“Grant enjoys the ‘Terminator’ type movies because of the special effects,” said his father. “He would like to be the Clint Eastwood of his era — an actor and producer.”
Grant said he also likes the special effects work of Steven Spielberg.
The Osceola Middle School sixth-grader has been making videos for about a year, learning many aspects of computer-based film work by studying tutorials on YouTube.
“His friends Harris Cannon and Connor Feagle met every Monday last school year and studied,” Kelley said.
They learned the fundamentals of film, for example, storyboarding and other aspects of the art. The three produced a video titled “Four Knights,” a Claymation short where chess pieces move by themselves and melt and stretch.
The chess pieces were moved “a little at a time,” Grant said, as filming was stopped and restarted time after time in a painstaking process. The production won the trio the first-place award in the Marion County Student Media Festival in May, according to Kelley.
The three friends also were involved in a three-minute, 42-second “Bike Safety” public service announcement, which includes equipment safety reminders, proper fitting and wearing of helmets, and rules of the road advice. It took third place in the media competition.
Grant has recently produced a video based upon poetry by Robert Frost. Impressive special effects in some of his other productions include making his brother Reid, 8, appear and disappear, fire breathing, simulated gunfire and “magic” blood. He said his yet-to-be-released “Camp Moonlight” is a mystery about kids at camp that gets pretty grisly.
“Grant’s videos include rough and tumble play, which is typical of 11-year-olds, but it’s all in good fun,” Kelley said.
Grant’s parents encourage him, but he pursued filmmaking on his own.
Although his endeavors earn him the title of producer, director and actor, he still must take occasional direction himself inside the 1940s split-level brick home that has housed three generations of the Harriss family.
“My mom says I watch too much TV,” he said.
By Andy Fillmore
Star Banner Correspondent
