A column I penned Aug. 7 triggered an avalanche of e-mails and voice mails, the likes of which I've not seen before.
It seems many of our readers -- certainly a lot more than I would have predicted -- harbor dreams of show-biz moonlighting. (Don't worry, I won't tell your bosses.)
I wrote about Cattle Call Productions Inc., a local casting company with contracts to recruit hundreds of extras for film and TV shoots this month. Among the productions is an episode of "The X-Files."
Due to the phenomenal response, I have decided to write a sequel. But unlike a Hollywood producer, I'm not hoping for a similar flood of responses the second time around. I'm actually hoping to cull the number of responses to the first article, which are still rolling in as I write this two weeks later.
Many of those who have contacted me -- I've heard from everyone, it seems, from the ubiquitous mailroom clerk to company presidents -- seem irked that I didn't provide a phone number or other contact information for Cattle Call.
The company isn't listed in the phone book, but its Web site is found at members.aol.com/cuinmovies. Those interested in being movie extras need to print out an application from the Web site, mail it in with some photos and pay a $20 one-time registration fee, according to the instructions on the site.
If you're one of the folks interested in seeing your kid on the big screen (standing behind some other, better-paid kid, that is), you'll also have to fill out some parental waiver paperwork. You should also raise your right hand and swear not to have a coronary if the entertainment media someday refer to the apple of your eye as "the next Dana Plato."
When I wrote the Aug. 7 column, I focused on job numbers and Cattle Call's contracts, the type of business angles we commonly cover. But on rereading the column, I realized anyone perusing it out of context probably thought it was a casting call --run by me.
Whoops.
A lot of people read it in exactly that context after one of our readers posted the column on an "X-Files" electronic mailing list. Resulting e-mails were loaded with heights, weights, ages and other vitals.
Some women said their kids were excited over the prospect of meeting David Duchovny. Other women were excited over the prospect of having kids with David Duchovny.
I couldn't help them much. (I don't look like David, not even a little bit.)
I also couldn't help Universal Studios, which asked me to find 1,000 extras between the ages of 16 and 26 for a film called "Redline." The story's about a cop who infiltrates a racing subculture while investigating a series of truckjackings. Featuring Vin Diesel of "Boiler Room" and Paul Walker of "The Skulls," the film is slated to shoot for 11 days in September at the former Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino and in Hemet, according to publicist Michael Singer -- whom I called for comment after the Universal staffers inadvertently tipped me off about the film.
I referred Universal to Cattle Call, but so far it looks like the producers are trying to get hordes of people -- and hot cars -- on their own.
(I know, I know. Some of you own really hot cars. Call Spence at 909-884-9714.)
In addition to informing me about "Redline," the wave of responses gave me a chance to learn about Casablanca Studios, a full-service sound stage and production facility being planned in Desert Hot Springs. The 5,600-square-foot production facility is slated to open in several weeks, and will cater to commercial shoots, feature films and still photographers, according to studio manager Leanna Bonamici.
I also learned we have a lot of readers who care -- for one reason or another -- about the film industry.
Gray Scott can be reached at (909) 980-7330, ext. 26, or by e-mail at grays@pe.net. But if you're looking for a Hollywood break, don't call me; I'll call you.
Originally published in The Business Press 08/21/00