Extras are in the background during filming of the miniseries Angel Dust in Echo Dale Regional Park on Aug. 9, 2021. (Photo Courtesy Ross Lavigne)

By Chris Brown

Ready for their closeups

Locals seize their chance to be part of Angel Dust miniseries

Aug 10, 2021 | 3:31 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – When Shannon Oldenborger heard a miniseries was going to be filming in Medicine Hat, she knew she could realize a life-long dream and impress her kids at the same time.

“This is going to be on TV and my kids will go ‘oh hey, look at that, that’s my mom,’” she said.

The cast and crew of Angel Dust were filming in Medicine Hat for two weeks.

Angel Dust stars Daniel Baldwin and is co-produced and co-created by Medicine Hat’s Chrystal Snow, who also acts in the show.

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Snow, owner of local company Break the Chain Films, says Angel Dust is a supernatural drama in which a guardian angel, in order to get back into Heaven, must help an aspiring actress cut the bad influences out of her life and find the path she is destined to travel.

READ MORE: Lights, camera, action: Medicine Hat positioned for screen success, growth

Oldenborger was a background extra in a bar scene last week. She must have made a good impression, getting bumped to a bigger part with lines for a family festival scene, shot on Monday in Echo Dale Regional Park.

It’s a role she already has some familiarity with.

“I’m pretty nervous about it but I think I’ll do OK. It’s just an angry mom and I can do that if somebody hits my kids or something you know,” she said with a laugh.

She said when the show airs they’ll watch it as a family and will make good use of the pause button to pick her out.

Crew members on the set. (Photo Courtesy Ross Lavigne)

Matheu Harper was a security guard in the family festival scene.

Born and raised in Medicine Hat, Harper has looked forward to this day for years.

“It was always my dream to be on television so this seemed like the best opportunity to fulfill that need and that dream,” he said.

They weren’t the only two with stars in their eyes when the call for extras went out.

Co-producer Devon Burdeyney says they were flooded with emails.

“We got a lot of interest in the community, it overloaded our servers getting emails,” said the co-producer, co-creator and actor.

He says the community has been supportive from the start, not only as extras but also providing classic vehicles and motorcycles for a photoshoot scene

Burdeyney says there’s great potential and scenery in Medicine Hat. If the miniseries is picked up as a show they’ll be back to film the first full season next year.