VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A Virginia Beach native is taking the film industry by storm — and doing it with a Western twist.
Kellam High School graduate Will Harwell, a senior at the Savannah College of Art and Design, recently premiered his short film Downtown Disarray, a story of a brotherly showdown, in the same neighborhood where he grew up making movies on his iPhone.
What started as a school project turned into a more than $20,000 production, complete with rented sets and live horses. Friends and neighbors helped make it possible, hosting fundraisers at local spots such as Flip Flops VB Grill. The money raised allowed Harwell to rent an old bar as a filming location and bring his vision to life.
The premiere was held Saturday night in Harwell’s childhood neighborhood, surrounded by the same friends he grew up creating short films with. He has already submitted Downtown Disarray to several national festivals, including Sundance.
Harwell said he drew motivation from other Virginia Beach natives who found success in the arts, and hopes his own work will inspire the next generation of local filmmakers.
A public release date for Downtown Disarray is in the works.
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