Expand / Collapse search
☰

High 5 standout makes short film about college commitment journey

By
Published  October 21, 2020 9:10am EDT
High 5 Sports
FOX 5 Atlanta

High 5 standout makes short film about college commitment journey

Khristian Zachary from Carrollton High School is keeping fans waiting on where he will play in college

CARROLLTON - Usually, high school football recruits make their college decisions based on things like the coaching staff, opportunities for playing time or the chance to make it into the NFL. One High 5 Sports standout might be considering those options; plus which college has the best filmmaking program.

Carrollton High School defensive lineman Khristian Zachary released a short film as his "commitment video" last week, and it was not what many have come to expect. The four minute mini-movie was part fantasy, part kung fu -- Zachary pointed to "Lord of the Rings" and "Mortal Kombat" as movies he had in mind. His brother and friends helped produce the movie, which involved an intricate storyline, technical editing and special effects. The cameo appearances included his parents, who appearaed as spiritual guide-like figures.

"[My parents] know me," said Zachary. "They know I'm different. I'm not like everybody else. They knew that, if God gives me a vision, they're going to ride with it. They were all in."

Zachary says the movie is meant to represent the journey of deciding on a college, and ignoring outside influences as he makes his decision. He knew some people "wouldn't get it," but since Rivals posted the video, he's been overall happy with the reaction. While some on social media may have not been fans, many applauded his choice to step outside the box and express himself.

"With that video, I want people to know that they can fulfill their purpose, too," said Zachary. "They can go out, be different, be unique, and they can have their purpose fulfilled. I just wanted people to grab that, take that and go with it."

One thing the mini-movie did not have, however: a college commitment. At the end of it, Zachary said he was "committed to the 7." Zachary uses the nickname "Reverend 7," which references his religious beliefs and feeling that 7 is a powerful number. Over the weekend, Zachary released a song saying his final college commitment would be revealed next week.