Thousands vie to be extras in Clooney film

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CRESTWOOD, Mo., Jan. 25 (UPI) -- Thousands of people arrived at an open casting call in Crestwood, Mo., with hopes of appearing as an extra in the next George Clooney film, an official says.

Missouri Film Commission Director Jerry Jones said while some participants in this 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, the St. Louis (Mo.) Post-Dispatch said Sunday.

"There are some people here because they want to be in a movie," Jones said of Saturday's open audition. "There are some people who need the work."

The competition for 2,100 available parts included as many as 15,000 would-be extras.

The casting call was for extras in the film "Up in the Air," which stars Clooney and is scheduled to begin filming in Crestwood this spring.

Casting director Joni Tackette gave the Post-Dispatch an insight into what type of extra was being sought to share screen time with the "Ocean's Eleven" star.

"We'd love to have people who look like they know what they're doing," Tackette told the newspaper. "We'd love to have people with that experience."