Writer/director Matthew Perkins wanted footage from both day and night games in Tiger Stadium for The Mascot, his film that would prominently feature LSU’s football program.
His crew shot during a day game against Tennessee, which didn’t go well for Tiger fans. But on Saturday in the LSU-Alabama game, Perkins captured the iconic “Saturday night in Tiger Stadium” experience along with a bonus: thousands of fans streaming onto the field after the dramatic win, which wasn’t exactly in the script.
“It would be kind of going back to the drawing board to see if we could fit it in there,” Perkins says with a laugh, when asked if the crowd storming the field might make it into the finished product. “I almost feel like it has to go in there, but I have to figure out how to make it work, story-wise.”
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The family-friendly sports comedy will tell the story of a blue-chip high school quarterback who loses his LSU football scholarship and seeks redemption by becoming the mascot. Casey Cott, best known for his role in The CW Network’s Riverdale, is set to star.
Perkins and his small crew shadowed Mike the Tiger, collecting footage to pair with the scripted work he plans to shoot next year, in hopes of a late-2023 release. He says he’ll review what they’ve got so far before deciding whether additional in-game filming is needed.
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While LSU is often a shooting location for movies, The Mascot would be the first film in which the university would play itself. Perkins says LSU’s involvement is a selling point as he seeks distribution.
“We’re super-thankful to have the [LSU] brand be featured in the movie,” he says.
This story originally appeared in a Nov. 9 issue of Daily Report. To keep up with Baton Rouge business and politics, subscribe to the free Daily Report e-newsletter here.