SALISBURY ó When Will Merrick picked up a video camera at the age of 11 he had one goal in mind, creating his own version of the famed light saber fight.
“I’m ashamed to say it now, but I used to be in love with those special-effect laden Star Wars movies even though I know the older movies are better,” he said. “I love the sounds and visuals.”
Fast-foward seven years and Merrick still hasn’t filmed that light saber fight, but at this point it’s the last thing on his mind.
The 18-year-old Salisbury resident said while teaching himself the ins and outs of filmmaking he stumbled on different passions to pursue.
Not only is he the man behind the camera, he’s also the man behind the script, the editing and the directing.
And this fall he’s heading to the University of Southern California to attend film school, where he hopes to hone his skills.
Eventually he hopes to put down the pen and ditch the editing software to focus on directing.
“I know everybody says they want to be a director, but I think it fits my abilities well because I’m pretty social,” he said. “One reason I don’t want to be a writer is because I can’t sit at a desk by myself and just think of ideas, I like to be around people.”
Merrick was accepted to New York University, the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts but opted to attend USC because of the more than $20,000 scholarship he’ll receive each year.
Read the complete story in the Salisbury Post.