By Adam Kramer
“Quiet please. We are rolling,” said another as a hush came over the more than 200 people who watched as TV's “Law and Order” filmed a January episode on the Bayside campus. “Background and action.”
Standing in the middle of the quad were Jesse Martin and Jerry Orbach – who play detectives in the NBC hit – interrogating another actress as the students, teachers and administration members looked on with amazement.
“I don't watch the show and I did not know they were filming out here today,” said Javier Araque of Astoria, who was watching the shoot with a couple of friends. “I thought they would shoot something like this at Columbia or NYU, but not Queensborough. I have no idea why they picked this place.”
Even though he was confused about why “Law and Order's” producers would want to shoot out in Queens he thought having the show on his campus was good for the school and would put it “on the map.”
Martin, who plays Detective Edward Green, said during the episode the cops find a female student at Queensborough is having an affair with a man who releases several HIV-infected monkeys into the city.
“We shot at the [Queens County] Farm Museum before coming to Queensborough,” he said. “There were lots of kids and it was really cool with the goats and what-nots.”
Surrounded by students asking for autographs, Martin said he did not mind coming to Queens to film and all the people were “mad friendly.”
Pauline Pierce, who celebrated her birthday Monday, said she enjoyed checking out the show and getting an up-close view of the two actors who play the detectives.
Queensborough President Eduardo Marti said he was thrilled that the episode was being shot at his school. The college's campus setting probably played a role in the producers' decision to haul the cast and crew out to Queens, he said.
“I am very happy because it publicizes the school,” he said. “We need to do more because Queensborough Community College is a jewel in the city university system – just polish it and it will sparkle.”
Even though the majority of those watching the filming seemed to be enjoying themselves, there were some students who expressed concern that the scene was not realistic and did not accurately portray them.
“I am made because they made me move from the steps over there while I was reading my paper,” said Joseph Hellman of Woodside as he pointed to the steps next to the library. “They did not use Queensborough students. They hired 30-year-olds who look and act nothing like the students who go here.”
Kareem Patterson of South Jamaica agreed with Hellman. He said there were not enough black and Puerto Rican extras to make the scene realistic.
“They should have used real students because these students don't know how to react,” he said. “Real students would have been better.”
