Monday, January 26, 2009

OUT 542--UP IN THE AIR CASTING CALL at CRESTWOOD COURT Jan 24, 2008

Photos by Ma'atology
A Missouri Film Commission worker helped attendees before going to get "auditioned." The MFC set up shop earlier this month at Crestwood Court to hold actor and crew auditions for the film. The sign leading people to where the casting call (not audition) for the upcoming George Clooney film, Up In the Air." at Crestwood Court in Webster Groves.






The holding room where the casting call interviews were done. The process was basically, folk giving the assistants a pic (if one didnt have a pic, one was snapped right there) and the downloadable application from the Missouri Film Commission's (MFC) website. Then those with tickets for entry were asked by the assistants what there availablity was and that they would be contacted if they were chosen next month to be an extra in the film. The competition was for 2,100 available parts.


The time for audition were from 10 a.m to 4 p.m (Some showed up much earlier for front of the line access) . Saturday and Sunday.







There were serious actors and everyday folk vying for a part as an extra in the upcoming big budget film.





About 8,000 or so attended Saturdays casting call (and if you look real closely, one guy in the background thought he was gettin disocvered by OUTCAM. LOL) .








The line wrapped around the side of the mall like a valley curve where Chevy's is located.








To entertain the attendees, a dance studio (on the right of the people) showcased some dancers at a dance studio that was occupying one of the many empty spaces at the Mall. Also, the Royal Dumpe Theater workers passed out candy and literature about their dinner theater company on the Landing.









Even elderly and folk in wheelchairs came!














Security was tight making sure people didn't "jip" the line or try anything crazy to get to the holding room before their time.






The longest part of the line.













Some folk got chairs from the Food Court and waited if OR when they were going to be seen.












When OUTTOWN arrived, we got a celly text from an OUTTOWNER that at 2 p.m., the MFC were turning away people cuz it was too many to see. Well, we opted just to take pics and see the frenzy of folk in line. We also talked with a lady manager who worked at the mall who said she had receievd a stalker call on the office phone who called several times asking when George Clooney was going to be there (HE was not showing up)until the caller said they were going over her head to speak to someone about meeting Clooney! TMP! Teh manager said she was glad folk came cuz it was good biz for the Mall. She also said that people were goin to spend the nite in their cars and wait in line the following Sunday to be interviewed!


We aslo saw several STL actors in line inclduing Myah Medell and Alicia Booker and wanna be actors (we cant say names cuz we swore we wouldnt out their names on here cuz they were playin hookie from their cubicles.). One wanna be actor was turned away before they could even walk to the line!



Plus, there were several announcements from assistants that told folk, if they were not seen on the day of their arrival , they could snail mail or email their application in and still be considered.



YOURS TRULY opted for the snail mail cuz you know us, we dont do no lines!



But one thing for sure, STL had stars in their eyes. We are sure that most folk there were disolussioned of the whole extra process. It's a lot of standing, sitting and waiting for scenes to be shot for hours and hours and hours and there is no guarantee that the stars of the film will be in the scene. Accoridng to stltoday.com, Missouri Film Commission Director Jerry Jones said while some participants in last weekend's audition at the Crestwood Court mall were after the extra pay of $56.40 a day, others simply wanted to be captured on film.




Overall, it was reported that a total of over 15,000 people came to the casting call on both Saturday and Sundays auditions at Crestwood Court. Filming in St. Louis begins March 3 and continues through April. Men and women age 18 and up are invited but men and all ethnicities were especially encouraged to attend. Hmmm.




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