Awesome.
That's how Dave Ferguson describes filming in Humboldt in February.
Ferguson is the producer of the short film, "Ogilthorpe," which was filmed at two locations in Humboldt between February 17-19 - the Humboldt Provincial Courthouse, and the Uniplex.
They were long days of filming - they were up working until 4 a.m. most nights - but they got some great shots, and the film so far looks great, Ferguson told the Journal last week.
"Everything went extremely well," he said. "When you see it, it's going to be pretty impressive."
"Ogilthorpe" is a movie based on the real-life experiences of legendary hockey enforcer Bill "Goldie" Goldthorpe. A character in the movie "Slapshot" named Ogie Ogilthorpe was based on Goldthorpe, which is where the name for the film comes from.
The main focus of this short film was one of the fantastic experiences in Goldthorpe's hockey career - when he was taken out of jail to play with the Syracuse Blazers, and attacked a player on the opposing team during the warm-up.
Actors were hired to play certain characters in the film, but hockey players with Humboldt ties were among the stars. Kelly Riou, a former Humboldt Bronco, played Ogie, and Craig Olynick, another former Bronco, played the opposing team member that Ogilthorpe attacked.
Other locals with an ability to skate well and fight hard played the rest of the home and away teams in the fight scenes, filmed before, during and after a Humboldt Broncos game.
The footage they got from the game was fantastic, Ferguson indicated. Everyone got into the chanting - they even got a shot of one senior citizen cheering for Ogie and banging on the glass.
"Wait 'til you see the footage," he smiled.
A kid in the crowd went up to the real Ogie Ogilthorpe, Bill Goldthorpe, who was in the arena that night, and gave him a line out of "Slapshot": "I'll buy you a soda after the game, Ogie," and he came back with a pop for Goldthorpe, as promised.
"It was cool for a little kid to do that," Ferguson said.
Goldthorpe is looking for the name of that kid, so he can send him a T-shirt, he added.
The point of this short film is to generate interest in a major motion picture. And it's already doing that, though the film is not yet completed, Ferguson indicated.
Parties in Toronto, Vancouver and Los Angeles have showed interest, and once the short film is complete, it will be shown to them.
Interviews with agents for actors will also be set up.
Ferguson is hoping for some big names, like Kurt Russell, for example, to attach themselves to the film, which will encourage investment in making the movie.
Though making "Ogilthorpe" a motion picture is still in the dream stage, Ferguson is hopeful about its changes. "We'll see where it takes us.
"Hollywood is starving for material," he said, and actors with big names often are willing to star in movies with a good story for less money than they normally would.
Humboldt will hopefully be a part of the filming of the movie.
The city's hospitality, which included packing the Elgar Petersen Arena with over 1,800 fans for the filming of the fight scenes, seems to have impressed the crew.
"Humboldt was just awesome. The support there was just phenomenal," Ferguson said.
He feels loyal to Humboldt now.
"When we do the motion picture, Humboldt will be home, if all goes the way we want," he stated. "I can't see Humboldt not being involved. The rink is just perfect."
His only complaint about the city was that it was hard to find food after 10 p.m.
"We'll be better prepared for that next time," he laughed.
Ferguson is looking at holding a screening of the film in Humboldt when it is complete.
Should the motion picture move ahead, filming could start in studios as early as next year.
