“Hmm, that's a tough one. I suppose when I acted in high school and college

and I just knew that I had the instincts of a director. And movies? I love

movies. I made piles of home movies when I was a kid. I am the kind of

person who can be deeply affected by a movie, like it changes my life in

someway or another. I still want to be Jimmy Stewart in IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE."

Actually, it’s Andrew Mudge in a wonderful life. He’s the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival’s big winner based on the strength of his pitch for his script the P.T. Johansen Field Guide to North American Monsters. “Monsters” is scheduled for immediate development and slated for production in the spring of 2004 with a secured budget of $1 million and a distribution deal from Chrysler, Hypnotic, and Universal Pictures.

Andrew came to Boston in 1999 having just completed CHICKEN POX PAL, an official selection of Sundance 2000. He counts Judy Laster and David Kleiler amongst his most devoted fans, although I have to say there are plenty of Mudge Fans in the State. He says his best Boston film buddy is Ellie Lee.

“I met Ellie at Robert Patton-Spruill's FILMSHACK when I was editing THE PERFECT GOOSEYS (his second award winning short). Ellie has helped me so much along the way and introduced me to a terrific music composer. She has recommended my work to film festivals. I'm telling you, that girl has got all the hook ups! I also hope to continue working with producer Stephen Fromkin who, unfortunately for Boston, has moved to L.A. I am also a significant fan of Mr. Beecher Cotton (Filmshack also). He works best with a Russian accent.”

A couple of months ago when Andrew made the five finalists, Imagine tried to pull together a cover story for the August issue without actually having enough time to do so. Kat Thomas agreed to write the story, Carl Hansen took the photos on the back lot of Universal. On the day Imagine was going to press, story and photos were still not in. Crushed at the loss, we had to make the shift and upgraded another story. Lamenting later to Andrew about the predicament, he consoled assuredly, “Carol, don’t you want to wait until I win the thing?”

After he won the competition, I asked him where did that confidence come from? First, “it was a big hunch,” he said. He also knew he would appeal to Universal (key to the selection process, Chrysler having more of a sponsor role) because he always thought Universal liked to make fun movies and that’s what Andrew likes, clever, quirky fun stories. And then he said modestly, “I felt strongly that I was the most promising filmmaker.”

The piles of movies that Andrew made when he was a kid were about farmer’s children who were struck by comets, swamp monsters that metamorphose into house pets, and malicious lawnmowers, therefore, I wasn’t too surprised about a title like P.T. Johansen Field Guide to North American Monsters. But, I’ve learned the story is not about monsters. It’s about people, people who believe in Big Foot! I’m already laughing. Andrew is off on a research trip to Texas next week to attend a convention of folks who believe in Big Foot.

Although Mudge doesn’t consider himself an LA filmmaker, this story takes place in California and that’s most likely where the production will be, in and around LA, San Francisco, and Sacramento. The Sherborn, MA native would love to shoot it in Massachusetts, but that’s not in the cards; he does say his next project will be bigger and that could well come to Massachusetts.

Andrew has just returned to Massachusetts where he chooses to work and write for the next 3 - 4 months, postponing the move to LA as long as possible. While Toronto was exhilarating for him, he quickly scooted off to Vermont for a 2-week hiking vacation and spirit renewal. He is also editing a 30-minute documentary that he directed On the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

The film details the first conference of indigenous persons within the United Nations System. I guess this is a good place to say Andrew studied anthropology and is a graduate of Colorado College.

Once Andrew asked, “What's a guy gotta do around here to make the front cover of IMAGINE, naked, painted gold, wrapped in film, like Christy Scott-Cashman?”

Okay Andrew, now you’ve done it, you’ll be on the cover of Imagine right after Christy.

How does he feel now? “I feel like now the pressure is on. It’s only the beginning, the real challenge is to step up and make this movie. It’s going to be a crazy journey and I think it is going to be fun,” he said.