From: Jennifer Hanson, thenorthbaybay.ca staff
Jerry O’Connell, North Bay’s own careless whisper, will star in an upcoming film entitled “Widdifield.”
“Widdifield,” just announced by Amaze Film + Television on Tuesday, will centre around the secondary school shut down by The Near North District School Board.
Founded in 1965, Widdifield Secondary School has been home to thousands of students, many of whom graduated. Notable alumni include mayor Al McDonald, Mike Yeo, and someone who played for the CFL.
Movie Magic
“Widdifield” will follow the story of Michael Trustworthy (O’Connell), a teacher who balances teaching duties while dealing with continuous board cuts, volatile student behaviour, public scorn, neglectful, angry, or absent parents, a lack of support in the classroom and the near constant threat of job loss.
“We had to go a little overboard” admitted writing consultant Marcia Dressgood, Head of the School Board’s Human Resources Department. “Obviously our teachers don’t have to deal with all that stuff. But we really wanted to make the movie exciting.”
The film is estimated to cost $20 million, most of which will go directly to the Near North District School Board for the use of King George Public School.
King George will stand in for Widdifield because using Widdifield would make sense.
“We’re only taking 60% of their budget” revealed Dressgood. “I wanted to be merciful because I know they’ll be spending a good million of that on the electricity they use to beam high powered lights into the windows of Copeland and Jane until 4 am or so.”
“Movies really are magic!”