Filmmakers trip to Sundance next furry step in movie about popular mascot

By The Associated Press

Posted 12:35PM on Friday 23rd January 2004 ( 21 years ago )

Georgias beloved wrinkle-faced, furry bulldog mascot is taking his paw print from the sidelines to Sundance.Six generations of Ugas _ the white English bulldogs owned by Frank Sonny and Cecelia Seiler of Savannah _ have won the adoration of University of Georgia fans and others. Uga V hit stardom when he landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated as the nations top college mascot and had a cameo in the 1997 film, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.This time, the films all about Uga.Producer Erica McCarthy is attending the Sundance Film Festival _ the popular independent film festival in Utah that ends Sunday _ in hopes of seeking funds to complete and distribute Damn Good Dog.Armed with dog biscuits attached to a cartoon of Uga _ pronounced Uh-guh _ and trailers of the documentary, McCarthy spread the word about the film and pitched it to distribution companies.Its a story worth a lot more attention than in Athens, Georgia, she said. I want to share this with a larger audience than just the Bulldogs fans. Its an American story. its quirky, its cooky but its very serious. Theres a lot of loyalty and dedication.With longtime radio announcer Larry Munson as the voice of Uga and interviews with more than 60 people from athletic director Vince Dooley to the seamstress who makes Ugas jerseys, Damn Good Dog is best summed up in the trailer: The story of a family, their pet and 92,058 of their closest friends.The movie tells the history of the mascots, from Uga I in 1956 to Uga VI, who has been the mascot since 1999.McCarthy is an Athens-based Emmy winner who worked as a producer for NBC during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and with UGAs athletic department for 12 years, manning videoboards at Sanford Stadium and Stegeman Coliseum and working on coaches TV shows.Those relationships gained her inside access to Uga VI, his followers and UGA athletics officials, although the university is not funding the film.She first convinced Sonny Seiler in 1999 to put a camera on Uga V during the games so his canine-eyed view could be broadcast on Sanford Stadiums Jumbotron. McCarthy then told him her love for Uga and his story, and the Seilers let her crew follow Uga around on the sidelines, at appearances and in Savannah for three years.During that time, Damn Good Dogs!, by Sonny Seiler and Kent Hannon, was published, telling the story of the mascots. The book is now in its fourth printing.With similar names, the book and film will complement each other _ the film features many points of view while the book tells the Seilers personal story, McCarthy said.Although there have been videos about the mascots, this production will be first-class and will answer fans questions, Sonny Seiler said.Its a true life, detailed story of the dogs, of what it is like to be a Georgia mascot, what they go through, what they do behind the scenes that the general public and the students never know, he said.The documentary has footage of the mascots in their most well-known moments such as Uga Vs lunge at Auburn receiver Robert Baker on the sideline in 1996, and the tuxedoed Uga IVs trip to New York City with Herschel Walker to attend the Heisman Trophy banquet. The routine moments _ Uga eating Varsity hotdogs, rolling around in the grass, getting dressed for games and slobbering in the sun on the sidelines _ are also included.I talk to people that go to the games and just watch him, McCarthy said.She expects to finish the documentary by spring and show it on the festival circuit, hoping to obtain another round of financing. Her dream is for it to air on HBO when college football season kicks off next fall.He makes people feel good, he said.As for Uga VI, the demand continues. Turner South was in Savannah earlier this week shooting a piece on him for Blue Ribbon _ a show about the best of Southern icons.___On the Net:HASH(0x2863694)HASH(0x286373c)

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