Mr. Wonderful makes a movie

March 19, 2002

A couple of weeks ago Miriam Goodman emailed me about a possible role in a student movie. I got in touch with Tova Goodman, a student at Boston University, who let me know that they were looking for someone who could be “professorial”.

Hmmm, I thought, just the role for the Great Pontificator, Mr. Wonderful.

But, not wanting to lead the young’uns astray, I sent along my “head shots” .

If these didn’t scare them off……(take a look here).

One email later and the Director, Chris Zatta, signed me up to play the role of Professor Connel with a script called “Forensics”.)

The Saturday shooting began with the scenes in a park in Malden and abutting woods (good place for corpses).


Dir. of Photography Rachel Cushing and Sound Boom man, James Kolowich, get set up.
Dir. Chris Zatta (in gray coat center rear) watches as actors practice getting the body out of the rear seat.
Discussions between Dir. Chris Zatta (center) and actors Christian Chandler (left) and Michael Makowski.
Sound and camera at the ready.


What is the clacking of the board on the slate at the beginning of a scene all about?

I asked…

Since Professor Connel only appears in about a third of scenes in the movie, I only had to hold out in the raw weather for half the day. The indoor shooting for the “lab” scenes began in early evening on the eighteenth floor of a Boston University dormitory.

All around miracle worker and gaffer Hero Ngauv sets up for the lab scenes.


Director of Photography Rachel Cushing helps out.
Repairs are made.
Preparation for gore.


By the way, the stage blood here included peanut butter and chocolate syrup among its ingredients.
Tova Goodman loading film into cartridges for the camera.

Sunday brought more shooting indoors at several locations.

Other scenes took place in Prof. Connel’s classroom.


Four actors get ready to rehearse.

(from left, Christian Chandler, Michael Cuddire, Michael Makowski, Anastasia Barnes)
Sound boom operator, James Kolowich, holds for a sound check in the classroom.
A run through of action at the back of the class.
Prof. Connel (Mr. Wonderful in costume) in this office scene.


Director Chris Zatta (head at top left) making a point about the scene.
Director Chris Zatta begging Mr. Wonderful,


“Mark, this is Take 19!

Can’t you say your one line, “Oh”, without making it sound like a question!!”

Another thought….>>>
So, its in the can.


I can only hope that most of Mr. Wonderful’s gaffes end up on the cutting room floor….

See The Movie

Come to the screening of the movie (and a bunch of other student-made movies) on Friday, May 17, 2002 at 7pm at the BU Photonics Center, 8 St. Mary Street.
(St Mary Street is off Comm. Ave on BU’s campus. Directly across from St. Mary
Street on Comm. Ave is the Marsh Chapel. There is a Radio Shack store on the
corner.)

Seating is free and open to anyone, but it is limited so you’ll have to get
there early enough to make sure you can get in.

Each of the movies will be 10 – 15 minutes in length. Contact me for details.
<<<<<<Back to the Beginning End of Mr. Wonderful on the Movie Set

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