Extras, extras! Read all about it
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Friday, February 29, 2008

Extra, extra! Director Michael Mann is seeking extras for "Public Enemies," the Universal film starring Johnny Depp as notorious Depression-era gangster John Dillinger.

The movie is being shot in Greater Chicago and in Wisconsin.

Wanted: Men no taller than 6-foot-1; women no taller than 5-foot-8; and thin children. Men should show up in a dark suit and tie and overcoat. Long hair is OK, just pull it back it in a ponytail.

Women should wear a dark to medium dress or skirt and sweater, overcoat, and pumps with medium heels. Set your hair in curlers the night before and come with it brushed out.

Report for duty (with a pen and recent color photo) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday at Lane Tech High School, 2501 W. Addison St., Chicago.

Well, that sounds more plausable for some fans to join in on.
No age, and fewer size restrictions. :crossfingers for someone to get in!

Thanks for posting this.. I can't believe it, but I'm going! Why not?

keep your fingers and toes crossed.

Holly woohoo

Good luck, Holly!
What a thrilling opportunity. Remember, anything's possible. "Just believe." :)
Rose

Have FUN Holly!!!! woohoo
Take your camera too!
Never know who or when you might meet or see someone famous strutting around those places ! ;)

My Mother, Sister, Friend Megan, and I will be travelling up to the casting call as well! Wish us luck!!

:crossfingers Good luck Holly! You know we'll want to hear all about it when you get back home. ;)

Good luck ReadinDeppth and fearandgonzo63!! woohoo
I'll be keeping my :crossfingers !!!

woohoo Best of luck ladies---can't wait to hear your reports! Keeping my :crossfingers for all of you! :)

-Donna

Best of luck to all of you, too!
Rose

Wow, so cool. I'd love to go just to see what the process is like. Lane Tech isn't that far from me either. I'd love to try out, but realistically if I were chosen as an extra (unlikely), it is my understanding that you have to be ready to work at a moment's notice and having a full time job, that would not be possible. Good luck to all those who do try out though! Please give us a full report.

Terry

WOO HOO!! woohoo

Way to go ladies. :thumbsup If you don't at least try for it, you will always regret it, so have a great time, and please tell us all about it.

Good luck to you all.

Anne x

Good luck for everyone who's going!!! :thumbsup So cool you can go!! :D
:thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

Well, I’m back from the extras casting call in Chicago this morning. It was interesting and rather quick once things got started. The day was sunny, no snow, sleet or rain; temperature about 30 degrees and no wind (seems odd this winter). After I found Lane Technical High School, not far from Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs baseball team, and favorite team of John Dillinger, by the way, I joined a line of approximately 30 people waiting patiently for the doors to open. I struck up a conversation with a woman who was around my age and had quite a bit of extra work under her belt. She was very nice and the time went by quickly. By the time they let us in, my toes were numb but they quickly thawed out as we made our way to yet another line inside. There were all sorts of people, some in costume, some not, men in striped zoot suits with two-toned wing tips and fedoras, to children in pink parkas. Quite a few women were in various period type dress and hats. Soon one of the helpers came by and handed out questionnaire cards which asked standard questions as well as some that made me laugh. One asked about hobbies and gave an example of “fire eating”. I had to chuckle. Another asked if you had pets. I saw that there is another call for Swing dancers that Karen posted on the board. They did ask if you danced and what sort of dancing you did and could you learn a two-step quickly? I am a dancer but I'm not sure about swing dancing. Guess we'll wait and see.

Once the cards were filled out and your head shot stapled onto the card, we waited awhile longer until we were asked to go upstairs into the school’s gym. Joan Philo, the head of the Joan Philo Casting agency was there along with her assistant (?) Claudia. Joan is quite young and very energetic, which she attributed to the 6 Red Bulls she had this morning. She explained about the period style of the movie, hairstyles, who was going to be in it, and that Michael Mann had final say as to who would be chosen amongst the extras. Then on to the photographers.

It went very quickly as there were 3 lines for each photographer. I handed my card and headshot to the assistant who in turn handed me a piece of paper with a number. I asked the photographer if he wanted me to remove my coat, to which he said I had a nice coat. So my picture is in my coat and hat. That was it. I don’t think anyone mentioned how long it took to be notified if you were in or not, so we’ll just have to wait.

One of the younger women near me obviously was a Johnny admirer and chatted on about him and his films with some other young women. Also, while waiting in line a father asked his teenage daughter if she said she was a “huge Johnny fan” on her card. Her reply was the typical, “No, dad.” I couldn’t help but smile.
So, we wait. No matter the outcome, it was a something I’ve never done before and I can say, “I remember when…” I’ll let you know if anything comes of it.

Holly

Thanks Holly for sharing that with us! I'm so thrilled that you were able to go and that the weather cooperated! It is a wait and see situation that turns into a hurry up and wait situation if you get called. LOL This is so exciting!!! woohoo

Thanks for the feedback Holly. You're right, no matter the outcome, at least you tried. If you didn't, you would probably kick yourself later. Keeping :crossfingers for you. Thanks for your great report about others in line----

-Donna

Holly, I'm so happy for you! Way to go! :thumbsup
:crossfingers for you! At least you know how to dance, that bypasses 80% of the population! LOL. Sounds like lots of dancing is going to be happening !

Well done for giving it a try Holly. woohoo

I so hope you get to be in the movie, but if not, you tried your best and got the kind of experience most of us will never have.

I have everything crossed for you. :crossfingers

Anne x

:snoopy What a fantastic experience you now have under your belt. Thank you :thanks so much for sharing it with us. I appreciate getting to hear the ins and outs of things. I shall keep my fingers crossed :crossfingers and good lucks coming your way for a call back.

I also found this report:



OK...went down to the casting office..

There were posters up everywhere with what looked like mugshots from the 20's and 30's. I met the casting director, who remembered me from TDK shoot(how, I don't know) but she did remember the scene I did. She thanked me for coming down, and I told her I enjoyed my last stint and would love to be included again. I also told her I know my role is to be breathing scenery and would have no problem with it. She seemed relieved and stated that alot of extras think it's about them. I responded that it's not every day you get to stand next to Heath Ledger dressed as the Joker. She smiled and thanked me for my courtesy.

They took two face pics, one each of the profile. Asked me if I would cut and/or die my hair, and grow a beard/5 o'clock shadow if needed (said yes to all). As I was standing for one of my profile pics, I looked into another room and saw a pic of Johnny Depp made up like Dillinger...and man, he looked good. Mind you, it was at a distance but got the feeling this movie might be something special.

I asked if they were looking for additional extras, and they stated that since they're still in pre-production, they're working off the lists from police/guards that they've used in the past, but they might post an open casting call later on.

They told me they'd know something no later than the end of the 1st week in March.

Read here.:

Holly, thank you for your very well-written and interesting report. Whether or not you get a call back, you've still done something that most of us will never have a chance to do. Thanks for letting us in on your experience! Hoping your phone will be ringing soon.....
Karen, thanks for the report you found, too!
Rose

OK, I know I posted yesterday that I wasn't going to try out, but the more I thought about it, the more I came to realize what Anne said...that I would regret it if I didn't even go to try out. Plus I talked to a friend of mine (also a huge Johnny Depp fan) and when I told her about the casting call and asked her if she wanted to go with me, she was really excited and said yes.

Saturday morning I met my friend at her house where we took pictures of each other and printed them out as neither one of us had any good recent photos. It was a little after 10:00 when we got to Lane Tech. I expected to see 1000 people in line, but it really wasn't that long. My friend and I were commenting on that when a guy in front of us said they usually come in spurts to these casting calls. It sounded like he had attended a few in the past. As Holly said, many people came dressed up in 30s style (especially the men). There seemed to be many there who had professional photos with them so they must have done this many times before.

Holly pretty much summed up the experience. When you got into the gym, Joan and her assistant told us a bit about what to expect if chosen as an extra. She really stressed about being willing to have your hair cut and colored. And also about the long hours you might endure.

I had to laugh about some of the questions on the card too. Especially the one about the fire eating! Two of the questions were if you would be able to devote 2 evenings in May to the movie (yes, I could do that! :) ) and if you would be available for the whole midwest film shoot in the Chicago area and Wisconsin to be a stand-in (no, wouldn't be able to do that :()

After Joan's talk we were sent to get our pictures taken. All in all, the whole thing took about 1-1/2 hours. I'm :crossfingers that I may get a phone call, but whether I do or not, I am glad that I went and can at least say I tried. It was a fun experience.

Terry

Thanks for finding that great report, too Karen! Oh I loved this part:

I'll be on pins and needles until we get some pics of Johnny as Dillinger now! :P

-Donna

How exciting! Good luck to all who went! :crossfingers

And yes Donna, I really can't wait to see a picture of Johnny as Dillinger!

Terry that's so exciting!!! Thanks so much for telling us all about it! I am so proud of you all for going down there!!! Fingers crossed for you both, that y'all get "THE" phone call. woohoo

Hey guys! I JUST got back from Chicago (I live in Louisville Kentucky by the way.lol. It took us quite a while to get there) and I had an amazing time! But as of right now I have to get off the computer and go to sleep. I have another early day tomorrow but I promise I will get all the full details, plus a few picture links, to you!!
I had soooooo much fun!

Thank you so much for telling us all about your wonderful casting call experience Holly and Terry! woohoo
If it were me, I'd be jumping every time the phone rang now! :lol:
I'll be :crossfingers for you!

We'll be right here waiting to hear all about it!

Terry I enjoyed your report---thanks so much for checking in with us. Keeping :crossfingers for you and the others geting a "call". You never know unless you try, so I'm glad you tried after all. :)

-Donna

Wow-you had a little drive there! Get some sleep and I look forward to your report. :)

-Donna

Hey, good luck to everyone who ventured to the casting call!

Super! A big thanks to all of you for sharing your stories. It looks like :teamdepp had a good turnout today!
Rose

I went to the Chicago casting call today too. I knew this would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I couldn’t pass it up! My parents attended the casting call with me, and we all wore 1930’s costumes. I don’t really have too much to add since other JDR members described it pretty well. I was impressed at how organized the casting call was, and everyone from the casting agency was very friendly. It was exciting just being there and seeing everyone all dressed up…I can’t even begin to imagine how exciting it would be to actually be in the movie! The way I see it, even if I don’t get chosen, at least I tried…and I still had a fun day in Chicago since we went shopping afterwards!

:snoopy WOO HOO! I am so happy that so many of your decided to go for it! They can't call you if you don't register and so many of you took a chance and went! woohoo Thanks for telling us all about it! :crossfingers



To quote the muscial AUNTIE MAME? "Life's a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!"


:party Go for it!! :D

WOW!! So many of you went and tried out, I am so happy to hear this, and very proud of you all for giving it a go. Your reports are brilliant. woohoo

Good luck to you all, and if you get that call, please let us know right away so we can celebrate with you. :crossfingers

Anne x

Oh my gosh!!! How exciting for all of you that went and tried out!!! What a wonderful experience & memory you'll always have to talk about.

I'll be keeping my :crossfingers for all of you!!!

~ Mary Kay

Thank you all for your reports who went to the casting call. This is very exciting. woohoo Im keeping fingers and toes crossed that you all get 'that' call. :crossfingers

Thank you Karen for that link. So looking forward to seeing what wonderful creation Johnny has brought to the look of Dillinger :D

Woo Hoo! Buy the ticket, take the ride!
Sounds like every one had a great experience! :thumbsup

:thanks to all! :crossfingers :crossfingers

So enjoyed reading your reports. Keeping fingers crossed for you all! :crossfingers