SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — It didn’t take Wittenberg University 2003 graduate
Chris Heiliger long to figure out how to be at the right place at the right
time to market his company, Media Monster, successfully. At the same time, Pat
Killoran, also a 2003 Wittenberg graduate and aspiring actor, didn’t hesitate
to market his talent with help from Heiliger, who happens to be one of his
roommates in Los Angeles.
In December 2003, just seven months after leaving Wittenberg, Heiliger and Killoran were shooting a scene for the CBS hit series “CSI: Miami” and hanging out with series stars David Caruso and Emily Procter.
The episode in which Heiliger and Killoran will appear is scheduled to air at 10 p.m. ET/PT Feb. 9 on CBS. While working as an extra in the drama, Heiliger was making contacts for his company, which boasts "The Area's Largest Inflatable Portable Movie Screen!" Killoran was adding to his list of acting credits. They were also doing a bit of marketing for their alma mater.
“I love Wittenberg, and I enjoyed every second of being there, so when the producers wanted to use my jeep in one of the scenes, I was excited because the Wittenberg University decal is proudly displayed on the rear window,” Heiliger said.
Spoken like a member of the first graduating class of communication majors.
Heiliger explained that his brush with fame began after he received a
phone call from Brad Webb in Springfield, Ohio, who founded Media Monster. The
production office for the show discovered Media Monster through a Web search
and wanted to use the inflatable movie screen for three pages of script in an
upcoming show. In exchange, the producers agreed to display the company logo
and Web address, www.MediaMonster.tv, in a scene. That’s where Heiliger,
Killoran and Webb had a chance to showcase their acting talent.
In the morning scene, which lasts about 25 seconds, Heiliger and Killoran are on the right side of the screen wrapping wires and eventually deflating the screen. The jeep with the Wittenberg logo should be seen in the back left corner of the shot.
“I learned a lot about television production because the scene took us about 20 takes, but I definitely look forward to any opportunity to be an extra again,” Heiliger said. “After doing our scene, we broke for lunch, and we were able to hang out with actor Emily Procter, who hopes to use my company’s services for a party sometime later this year.”
When not acting as an extra in television productions, Heiliger runs Media Monster West out of the apartment he shares with Killoran and another Wittenberg alumnus, John Brooks, class of 2002. Brooks works in advertising for Jan Co Jean Company.
Media Monster is a division of All Occasion Entertainment Services based
in Springfield, Ohio. Providing a variety of audio and video projection
entertainment or display related services, including the Blimpscreen which is
featured in this episode of “CSI:Miami.” There is a photo of “Witt Fest” on
the Media Monster Web site because Heiliger’s company has serviced that and
many other Wittenberg events.
As a Wittenberg student, Heiliger was active on campus. In addition to serving as an orientation assistant for incoming students, he participated in the rugby club and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. He also worked as an assistant in the Office of Advancement, where he helped with many alumni events.
Heiliger’s experience working with alumni events and his ability to set
up large inflatable movie screens can’t hurt if he chooses to host an
impromptu Los Angeles chapter party for Wittenberg alumni the evening “CSI:
Miami” airs this episode in February.
“On the night of the show, I hope to relax with my friends across the
hall,” Heiliger said, “and I’m sure Pat and I will retell the scene to them
and how we saw it through our own eyes.”
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