Mark Hackel making screen debut in independent film

Roseville makeup artist Jamie Gaspar
 prepares Mark Hackel for one of his scenes
 in the independent film “Urban Myths.”
Photo courtesy of Mirror Dog Productions

UPDATE: A video clip focusing on Hackel's performance, which is not bad, is available here.






Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel is known far and wide as a politician who loves to get his face in front of a camera. Now, he's putting that urge to work while off-duty.

Hackel has a supporting role in a horror movie, "Urban Myths," in which the former county sheriff plays a detective investigating paranormal activities.

This is an independent film that still needs to raise $50,000 through crowdfunding to make its way onto the screen. The writer/director is a former Macomb Township resident and the film was made in Michigan.

Here's the story:

By Mitch Hotts

The Macomb Daily

He’s been a sheriff’s deputy and an elected head of county government.

Now Mark Hackel can add acting to his resume.

The Macomb County executive has a role in “Urban Myths,” an independent film being produced by a former Macomb Township resident and made in Michigan.

“A young lady who used to work in our department contacted me to say she was making a movie and asked if I had any interest in a role as a police officer,” Hackel said. “I read the script and it seemed interesting, so I decided to do it.”

Filmed mostly near Gladwin this past summer, “Urban Myths” is the story of a group of high school seniors who head out on a spring break camping trip to check out a series of myths the had heard about. They stumble on a haunted Indian burial ground when scary paranormal activities begin to happen.

The film stars a number of B-list actors and celebrities including Courtney Gains, who was in “Memphis Belle” and “Back to the Future,” Sophie Simmons, daughter of Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, and Gregg Wayans, nephew of Keenen and Damon Wayans.

Hackel, who served as a deputy and the Macomb County sheriff before becoming the county’s first-ever executive, plays the role of Deputy Matthews in the film. It was a comfortable role for him -- he even wore his old uniform as a costume.

He received no pay.

Long known as a media-friendly government official, Hackel believes his time in front of television news cameras helped him relax when it was time to film his scenes.

“The hardest part for me was to work in front of all of the other actors who do this for a living, knowing they’d be critiquing me,” he said. “But once I got that out of my head, I knew my lines and recited them. It was pretty interesting.”

“Urban Myths” was written and directed by Kim Marie for Mirror Dog Productions. A Chippewa Valley High School graduate who studied theater at Macomb Community College before moving to Los Angeles for several years, she met Hackel while working with the Explorers program and as an area volunteer firefighter.

They kept in touch over the years and after she entered the movie industry, offered him a role in the movie. She gave his performance a passing grade.

“I wanted to go into law enforcement initially to protect and serve,” Marie said. “There are some similarities in the two fields. Like a detective, a director has to think fast on their feet. I think Mark was able to catch on.”

Marie, who now resides in Rochester, said the film is almost wrapped up, but producers are turning to crowdfunding to come up with the $50,000 needed to complete the special effects. Once the financing is complete, the film may be released by the end of 2015 or early 2016.

She also has room for product placement from local businesses if any are interested.

“We have some interest from distributors,” she said. “It would be nice to have a red-carpet premier in Macomb County.”

For information on crowdfunding, visit indiegogo.com/projects/urban-myths–2.

For more on the movie, check out urbanmythsmovie.com or youtube.com/watch?v=mt_j1o0UBp4 for a short clip.