Michael MacDonald
You’re running through the woods screaming in terror as an axe wielding maniacal forest ranger is chasing you down. Panicking and out of breath, you turn your head around to see that this crazed man is…your communication professor?
By day, Michael G. MacDonald is a graduate of, and a professor at Cape Breton University in the Communication Department. But by night, he is the star of the Cape Breton film The Legend of the Psychotic Forest Ranger - or at least the nights that the film is playing. The Legend of the Psychotic Forest Ranger is a horror-comedy set in the 1980’s based on iconic slasher movies like Friday the 13th. Like any other classic horror movie, it involves partying teenagers in the woods. Inevitably, the Forest Ranger finds them and kills them off one by one.
Being a founding and current board member of the Cape Breton Filmmakers Association, Michael saw an audition posting for the movie on a Facebook website. Having acted in a few plays at CBU’s Boardmore Theatre, Michael decided to try out for a small role in the film in the early spring of 2008.
When Michael attended the audition, Brad Mills, the writer, director and producer, and his sister Jacky Mills, the producer and camera operator, had Michael read the part of the Forest Ranger, as well as the part he was auditioning for. Michael just assumed the pair wanted to see his acting range and skill. It came as a huge shock of course, that while on vacation in Egypt; Michael received an email from the director telling him that he was cast to play the part of the Forest Ranger.
Filming occurred during an unseasonably rainy August of 2008, with a completely Cape Breton cast, local production crews and a professional film crew of recent film graduates from Concordia University. The film was shot in 22 days, and Michael was present and acting for 19 of those days, shooting multiple or one shot scenes. To get the character just right director Brad Mills asked Michael to transform. “I had to shave my head, including my eyebrows,” says Michael. “Also, there were a lot of cool makeup special effects by Halifax native Courtney O’Hearn, and a lot of chocolate flavoured fake blood.”
A lot of Michael’s filming was done from sundown to sunrise, on the lower part of Boulardrie Island. It’s clear to see that Michael has a passion for acting. There are not many people who would take time out of their summer to work late into the night, but that shows the character of this CBU professor. Although he sacrificed to make this film a success, Michael says “as hard as all the actors worked, Brad, Jacky and the film crew worked harder.”
Michael is an excellent actor, but would never give teaching up. He loves CBU too much! Small class sizes aren’t just a plus for students, as is visible by his enthusiasm. “Teaching at CBU is a fantastic career! With the smaller class sizes and great atmosphere, I get to know students better than I would at a larger campus.” Michael is just one of many staff members at CBU with a story to tell. And the moral of his (and the Forest Ranger’s) story is to never party in the woods, and don’t upset your professors.
The Legend of the Psychotic Forest Ranger is set to premier at the Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax, N.S. on September 21 at 11:59 PM. You can also see the preview for the film here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz7QCquBWac . And to request a sequel, visit www.bringbacktheranger.com.
