Last Updated on November 5, 2023
We sat down with Laura Albritton, producer and writer of a the Florida Keys film, Adventures in History, which was shot on location in Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, and Key West.
We wanted to learn more about this passion project, a documentary created by a fifth-generation Floridian – about a fourth-generation Floridian (Jerry Wilkinson).
What can you tell us about the subject of your documentary?
Adventures in History is about a rather unusual and wonderful Florida Historian named Jerry Wilkinson. He was born in 1928!
He wasn’t a historian by training: he served in the Air Force for many years. Then he and his wife, Mary Lou, taught windsurfing and led river rafting trips – always energetic, adventurous people.
They eventually settled down on the island of Key Largo.
After he befriended an elderly local history buff, Jerry saw the urgent need to find and rescue local history before it could be forgotten.
He started tracking down clues and documents all over Florida and interviewing people. He even revived the local historical preservation society.
And then, because of Jerry’s generous and enthusiastic personality, he spent decades sharing this history in hundreds of presentations and historical reenactments. Plus, he created a website, www.keyshistory.org/.
And, of course, he worked on newspaper articles and books. His passion genuinely moved people, got them interested and involved. More than a researcher, he’s beloved.
What inspired you to undertake writing and producing this documentary?
Jerry himself inspired me. In fact, we have written four books about Keys’ history together.
The four books they co-authored on the Keys are:
- Hidden History of the Florida Keys
- Key West’s Duval Street (Images of America)
- Marathon: The Middle Keys (Images of America)
- Historic Lighthouses of the Florida Keys (Images of America)
I realized over time that the man is a local legend. People show up at book signings and lectures we give and are clearly big fans of his.
People will drive an hour or two to hear him talk – in our busy world, that says something about a person.
I just thought he was the natural subject for a film – and even though I’m a writer and love writing, I realized that film can do things that words on a page cannot.
Film can capture charisma, the sound of a person’s voice, their body language. Jerry contributed to documentaries about Florida Keys history; I just thought it was time that someone made a documentary about him.
Did you have any experience working in film before? Was it difficult?
Let me say, it would have been impossible without our director and videographer, J. Brian King of Sun King Studio.
Brian is extremely talented and a true professional. He really guided us through the process of shooting on location and thankfully, has high standards. We learned a lot from him.
I had worked for a well-regarded documentary film producer when I was in my twenties, but that was researching and developing films, not actually filming. I like to say, this wasn’t a steep learning curve – it was a learning cliff!
Fortunately, my husband, Zickie Allgrove, is a photography nut and a talented drone pilot. That was hugely helpful. I think the aerial footage gives the audience a sense of the beauty of the Keys.
Zickie also helped me learn an editing package, Davinci Resolve, although I am not naturally a technical person. The three of us really put our hearts into telling this Florida story.
Brian was an ideal director for a Florida Keys film: he’s lived in the Keys and has a feel for the place, and the way of life there. He put our interview subjects at ease and filmed them beautifully. Plus, it’s great that Brian is also a Florida native.
What should a viewer expect? Who is in the film besides Jerry?
First of all, it’s a documentary short, under 20 minutes, so it moves fairly quickly. There are a number of people we interviewed.
Besides Jerry, one of the stars is his wife, Mary Lou. She has a fantastic sense of humor and has been at his side, working hard on all of Jerry’s history projects, for years. She is a delight.
And then there are Jerry’s colleagues and friends, like Dr. Sally Bauer, who founded the History of Diving Museum, Tom Hambright, the Monroe County historian and archivist, Jill Miranda Baker of the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center, and 6th generation Conch (Florida Keys native) Erin Muir.
And of course, Loralea Carrera, Jerry’s “right-hand woman” at the Historical Preservation Society of the Upper Keys.
I’m briefly in it, too. I realized that although the film’s about a man, there are a lot of women in the movie! Strong, interesting women.
Besides the interviews, what else do audiences enjoy about this Florida Keys film?
As I mentioned before, there are also gorgeous aerial shots of the islands, and Jerry and Mary Lou’s fabulously colorful house on the water.
I’m especially proud of the opening sequence, which captures what it feels like to drive down from mainland Florida.
This isn’t a film about Florida Keys’ history, but there are a lot of historic photographs and a brief synopsis of a couple of major Keys events.
To give context. I think people come away with a sense of why history actually matters. It’s a portrait of a person who’d lived life on his own terms. And a bit of a love story, too!
How can people see the film?
The film premiered on South Florida PBS (WPBT & WXEL) on January 23, 2023.
It may be viewed in its entirety on Magic Kumquat Productions YouTube Channel.
Upper Keys Center Screening Recap
The College of the Florida Keys had its premiere screening at the Upper Keys Center, Mile Marker 106.4 (106040 Overseas Highway) in Key Largo on December 3, 2021.
Dr. Frank Wood at the college arranged the special evening, which was followed by a signing of the book, Historic Lighthouses of the Florida Keys.
It was important to have a Keys audience celebrate a Florida Keys film! Jerry and Mary Lou Wilkinson were there, too.
Learn about Magic Kumquat Productions on their website.
For more information, contact [email protected].
Jerry Wilkinson Research Library
The Jerry Wilkinson Research Library, located within the Keys History & Discovery Center, is a valuable resource for knowledge seekers.
As a non-circulating library and reading room, it offers a wide range of archives and special collections. These valuable assets are owned and curated by the esteemed Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, Inc.
The official opening and ribbon-cutting of the Research Library was held September 10, 2018.
TIPS:
- The Research Library is currently open for use on an appointment-only basis.
- The Keys History & Discovery Center is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
- It’s located on the property of the Islander Resort.
- General Admission: $15; Seniors: $12.50; Students: $6; Children under 6: free; Active Duty Military and Veterans: free; Museums for All rate: $3
The Keys History & Discovery Center Address: 82100 Overseas Highway, MM 82
Learn more about the Jerry Wilkinson Research Library.
Rest in Paradise, Jerry Wilkinson
It’s with a heavy heart that we share this news: Jerry S. Wilkinson, age 94, of Tavernier, FL, passed away, Friday, March 17, 2023.
2023 Emmy Nomination
On October 23, 2023, another film Laura Albritton worked on called “The Florida Keys: 200 Years of Paradise,” was nominated for an EMMY® Award.
The 60-minute television program explores the history of the continental United States’ southernmost island chain from the early 1800s to the present.
A huge congratulations to the nominees: Laura Albritton, Kyla Ryan, Nicole Malanga, Melissa Harmon, and Evan Flores.
Winners will be announced at the 47th Annual Suncoast Regional EMMY® Awards Gala on Saturday, December 2, 2023, at the Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, FL.
Check out these Florida Keys articles:
- An Authentic Florida Upper Keys Road Trip (Key Largo)
- Enjoy a Fun-Filled Weekend In Authentic Key West
- The 14 Best Key Lime Pies in the Florida Keys
- The Islands of Marathon in the Heart of the Florida Keys
- Visiting Islamorada – Small Town Island Charmer
- Bahia Honda State Park + Nearby Places to Eat, Stay, & Shop
- Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park + Nearby Places to Eat, Stay, & Shop
- Jimmy Buffett and Florida: A Love Story for the Ages
- Best Places to Swim with Dolphins in the Florida Keys
What an honor! Love Authentic Florida!