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D6 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday,May30,2001 Lawnmower Service BASIC <5p^ (5 Stop lights East of Southdown Road) s6 9 * g O f c f c BlT f c I I CURRENT POWER MACHINERY INC. 1661 Lakeshore Rd. W . Mississauga *00 0 AOii Aits & Errtertahnent Oakville BeamA&E Editor: Carol Baldwin 845-3824 (Ext. 254): Fax: 337-5567: E-mail: baldwin@haltonsearch.com Local boy plays Harrison Ford' s aide in new film By C arol B aldw in ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR The p lo t m ay be a nightm are, but the gig is a dream -com e-true f o r Oakville actor Joshua Close. The 19-year-old is currently filming his first ever feature film, in which he plays a junior offi cer and aide to the captain of a Russian subma rine, played by Harrison Ford. Not only 4s the venerable Ford in this movie, titled K 19-The Widowmaker, but Liam Neeson's name is also among the credits. And Close's name is in that list as well. The young actor has only been acting for the past two years, and he's already up there with the big guns. And he's quite aware of his good for tune. "I just feel blessed to be working with him (Ford) at such a starting point in my career. It's out of the ordinary," he says with humility. Close describes his role in the film as small. Yet it is a principal role and, for a novice, is large enough, especially since he and the rest of the ensemble cast double as background personnel when they aren't up front and centre. "We got to do some really cool stuff. We got to do some navy training. I felt they kind of went easy on us because we weren't there full-time. But it was an experience. And when we did get into it (filming), you really felt like you were in the moment - fighting fire and flood. It was great," he says with obvious enthusiasm. "We got to board some real submarines, which was an experience in itself. It was amazing." K19-The Widowmaker is based on a true story in which the crew of a Russian submarine races against time to prevent a nuclear explosion. Not only is the life of the submarine and its crew an issue for the captain during this cold-war inci dent, but so is the possibility of triggering a nuclear war. Although filming has taken place in Halifax, Toronto, Winnipeg and Russia, Close only got to travel to the first two. So, even though he plays a Russian officer, he never did set foot on Russian soil. However, he does say that his character works closely with the sub's captain - serving him tea and changing his sheets as well as shar ing his secrets. "It's an extremely interesting part. It differs somewhat from the other characters because I am like...I really started out nervous, because I'd so close to the captain," says Close, adding that never done it before. Yo (Mustafa, artistic direc working with Ford is "unimaginable. He's very tor at W.E.S.T.) was completely generous with generous, from an acting perspective, extremely me and understood it was my first time acting." Consequently, Close blossomed on the professional. And you're just inspired when he's on the set. And Liam Neeson, too. These guys Oakville stage and was ultimately introduced to deserve everything that they get. They're so tal an agent. And, as with many young actors, his professional career began with television com ented, so good at what they do." In fact, he adds, the two stars and director mercials and music videos. But then he landed a Kathryn Bigalow even "went out" with the cast supporting role in an independent film, destined on a few occasions, mingling and telling "good for the film festival circuit. His next job was his current one - on the set of K19. stories - life experiences and things like that." Close is off to Halifax for the final filming on As for Close - his life experiences were, until now, pretty normal for a teenager. The Iroquois K19 before he moves on to New York's Circle in Ridge High School graduate was more interested the Square, where he will hone his acting skills in in sports than theatre until a couple of years ago its summer theatre program. But when K19 opens in theatres across the when he decided to enroll in a film acting course country - estimated to be early next year - the at West End Studio Theatre (W.E.S.T.). "It really sparked an interest. So, I decided to "young Oakville actor will be watching for his take it more seriously after high school," he says, name among the credits. "It going to be as surreal as this experience. explaining that jumping to theatre from sports isn't that big a leap - both involve performing in To be working with these elite people - Harrison front of an audience. "I 've always had an interest Ford, Liam Neeson and Kathryn Bigalow (Blue (in acting) and wondered where movie stars Steel, Point Break)., .it just makes you want to be came from. I just wanted to see what it was part o f what they're part of," he says. Renownedfilmmaker accepts assignment at Sheridan By C arol B aldw in ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Leiterman. He does, and he teaches as well - at Sheridan College. What he does is direct. What he teaches, he says, is "how to use light; how to paint with light; how to con Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. Not so with Richard trol light; how to create an atmos phere out of something that is com pletely artificial; how to use a cam era; how to manipulate an audi ence..." California Oct. 18/2001, Feb. 7, Mar. 14/2002 25 days $3395 B E R T IN S T A B L E S 3 indoor riding arenas. Classes available for children, teenagers and adults all year round. 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Expires Jure 201 (90S) 469-4532 B U R L IN G T O N 4 1 5 0 South Service Rd. Burlington QEW -5 South Service Rd (905) 637-6019 ^ g n M o n t ta ^ r id a y ^ A ^ a t u r J a y ^ 632-0029 5- image met .attir oncepts w w w . E u reka 4 yo u . co m / u niquecabine ts His film career, says the veteran cinematographer, began by accident, but his success is a different story. One thing he doesn't share with his students, though, is the academic apa thy he felt when he was a student, which is actually what led to his trip to Europe and his introduction to the movie industry. "I thought that the best way to increase my knowledge was to travel. So, I went to Europe at about 19 or 20 for a couple of months and man aged to stay a couple of years," he says, explaining that he did odd, menial jobs as he traveled around. These jobs, he soon discovered, offered no challenge and had no artis tic merit; and he wanted both. "I met a documentary film crew in Spain.. .and got to talking to them and asked, `Can I carry your boxes and stuff?" ' But even carrying gear required experience, so the crew suggested that if the enthusiastic volunteer was serious, he should gain that experi ence, then give them a call. And that's exactly what Leiterman did, returning to Canada for the experience then contacting the British film company for a job. "The opportunity did come up and I did go and shoot a documentary with them, with the understanding that if I did prove useful that maybe I could stay and shoot more," he says, adding that he ended up working with the renowned Allan King, who ulti mately became his partner. "We formed a company in Lon don, England and went on to make many more documentaries. Then I returned to Canada to do documen taries and feature films." Leiterman has filmed many a memorable documentary in a variety of exotic locations, including one in New Guinea with Margaret Mead, which garnered him an Emmy nomi nation. The award-winning cinematogra pher also traveled to East Germany and Romania with one of the first North American crews to film there. He documented the horrors of the Vietnam war and lived in igloos in the Arctic, filming dog sledding. He has also filmed in Africa, South America, New Guinea, south-east Asia and Singapore...the list is end less. One o f his most memorable film ing experiences took him on a sixhour mule ride up a narrow path through the Andes to a small Bolivian town where the townspeople were less than welcoming. "The people were not terribly hos pitable. They were afraid for them selves. I was basically the first white person they had seen," he says, explaining that he was on assignment with the BBC for a documentary on Che Guevara. "Doors and windows were being closed, and children were being swept off the streets. But I got the footage, and for me it was very, very exciting." The only time that Leiterman ever turned down an assignment was when CBS asked him to go to China in the early 1970s. And the decision was (See `Filmmaker' on page D3)