The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
'Whip It' extra hopefuls pour in
Younger-looking teens still needed for movie
By Sue G. Collins, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: July 17, 2008
More than 2,500 Hollywood hopefuls have e-mailed their photos for consideration as extras in the Drew Barrymore movie, "Whip It," being filmed in and around Saline this summer.
Advertisement
Kathy Remski is a partner at Real Style, the Birmingham production company handling local extra casting.
"The outreach and support from the local community has been incredible. We have received responses from people from all walks of life wanting to work for one day, or a few weeks," said Remski, who credited the "power of the press" for circulating the call for extras quickly and accurately. "It's really reflective of the enthusiasm throughout the state for promoting the film industry."
A group of friends who meets regularly at Two Twelve Arts Center in Saline sent in their photos and have been chosen to join the cast.
They will decide which days they will work during filming, set July 28 through Aug. 11, said Two Twelve Director Margie Bovee.
"We're excited to join the buzz of a film right here in our hometown," she said.
An e-mail sent to confirmed extras from Real Style stated the pay rate would be $7.40 an hour up to eight hours and time and a half thereafter. Further information on locations, call times and wardrobe will follow.
Remski said they were still looking for older people to work during the scenes set on a bus bound for a bingo game.
In "Derby Girl," the book by Shauna Cross on which the film is based, a small-town Texan teen finds her kindred spirits when she flees her beauty pageant-bound family and joins a raucous roller derby league in the nearby big city.
The main teen character, Bliss Cavender — played in the film by "Juno" star Ellen Page — befriends the seniors who offer her transportation.
For the scenes shot in Cavender's high school, younger-looking teens, at least 19 years old are still needed and encouraged to e-mail their mug shot, name, date of birth and phone number to info@realstyleonline.com.
The cast of the film also includes Juliette Lewis, Zoe Bell and Kristen Wiig as roller derby team members, and Marcia Gay Harden as the overbearing, beauty-obsessed mother. "Whip It" is actress and philanthropist Barrymore's directorial debut.
Her production company, Flower Films, has set up an office in Saline for the summer during on-location filming.
Not all stories are guaranteed to appear
online. The Web edition contains a reasonable
sampling of the print edition stories.
For the most complete news coverage, we invite you to
subscribe
to the print edition of the paper.
Expanded
Web
Coverage
TOP JOBS
