So I was an extra in a movie back in 2007

My parents had attend Marshall University in 1970. The football team Thundering Heard was on a plane on the night of November 14th with coaches, parents, and the entire team. That night the plane went down and 77 people died. It was devastating and a story my parents had always told me about growing up.

Switch to 2006 when my parents receive an alumni newsletter about the director McG filming a movie based on this event. My parents also received word that they would be filming in Atlanta in two of the stadiums. The immediately told me to go down to the open casting call. whether it was my story about what my parents went through so many years ago or just amazing luck, they casted me as an extra.

This would be my first taste of stardom. Getting paid $60 to stand out in the audience cheering for a fake game that didn’t really exist, meeting all the other hopefuls of getting discovered, I loved it! I attended two days of filming and while I didn’t make it into the final film, my dad and sister were in a shot of the final game in the movie.

This is me, extra “584″. Bell bottom jeans, converse all star shoes (which were THE most comfy shoes of all of them), a poly shirt and a light blue jacket over it.

Karenlie had been the one who won the singing contest during our lunch break. She was videotaping between the shots so I asked if she could take a picture of me as I would probably never see myself as an extra in the stadium. She actually does small acting bits here and there.

There he is, the 5 ft tall

Matthew McConaughey

So to kill the movie allusion, the stadium isn’t completely full. It isn’t even HALF full, not with humans that is. What you see here are inflatable, unpaid extras. They blur them out and you don’t even notice unless you’re really looking for it. Don’t believe me?

Checking out this official promo shot at first glance you don’t see anything wrong, Once you compare it to the shot above then you know for sure you’re looking at the inflatable extras.

People met: mark, anne-athens, eve, todd, jk, heather

So this is how it went down:
Arrive 2pm, talk to this other guy Justin who’s an extra with wife/kids
Get in extra signing line. Justin branches off to “volunteer” group.
Counter girl tells me since i wasn’t wardrobed to get in volunteer line too. I talk to Ingram and he says I’m still good, I just need wardrobed.
Makeup- not needed.
Older lady in makeup graduated in 70 doesn’t remember meeting my mom in college.
Hair- spritz and then to wardrobe

Tried talking to girl about the water being hot. Fake Pepsi, fake popcorn.
Back in-out, dummys, funny guy, another dude who was in a lot of extras. Fat cop kid also an extra at Krystals in the movie ATL. Mark told to go in grass.
LUNCH
Chik-fil-a
Chicken smamich, chips, brownie. No meat lady split with pocket knife
To pass time at lunch we had Trivia and a singing contest (Nov 17 1970)
Night game, sit with Eve go smoke, tell her shes really hot. This girl is a bartender at a place called Cherry.

Relocated to red haired guy, side girl , and blonde (Anne). Southern accent girl, local. Next to her 20, married, Anne boyfriend went to NCU, now Athens, 22 boyfriend. They call me Scotty Harrison (ice skater?)
Get to stand two rows from David Strathairn. Next to dark haired girl shes really fine. During one of the takes they asked us to appear very concerned, her line “Oh…my god” almost cracked me up with how legit she sounded.
More jokes;
” I’m not a doctor, but i DID stay at holiday inn express”
“Sitting next to a bubble man, priceless”
“Fly to victory” Ironic?
“HOV lane with dummys”"Is he dead?” (referring to the dummies).
Turn in clothes, smell like onion. want to go its 2 exits away? just get my #, nah. mark, valdosta.

Went to Steak N Shake at the end of the night and returned to normal life the next day.
$60 each day for two days paid about a month later. Had a great time as an extra and would easily take tiem to do it again.