How the "Invincible" Casting Call Went.

[Admiral Ackbar]

Just got back from the casting call. I ended up waiting for three hours and that doesn't count the two hour commute. It was neat. I wasn't what they were looking for. They're looking for Professional Football Players. Arena Leaguers, CFL Players. There were a few former NFL Players there. No one I recognized. I also didn't see anyone who owned up to being in the XFL

Actually, after hearing the speech of what they were looking for, I'm glad I wasn't asked to come to the tryout. I didn't expect to when I saw the competition. But I knew if I was picked up there would probably be a three or four week training camp. But it dawned on me that they weren't looking for football players as extras. They were looking for football players they could film. In other words, I just wanted a stand in role or something. Like, something on the sidelines or in a bar. They were looking specifically for people on the field for plays. So, like, if I actually had made it, I'd spend about two months getting the shit beat out of me for something completely nondescript anyway. And that's not what I was looking for. It would be just like being an extra, except it would require two months of drilling for twelve hours straight six days a week. I might as well just be an extra.

But the good news is I have a good shot at being an extra. Nothing special, they were giving away the paperwork like kool-aid. But it would be neat to be an extra. I'll probably just be one of hundred non-descript faces in the crowd. But I might luck out and get in a bar scene or a walk by or even something on the field or in the locker room. But I'll have to wait for the call in a couple months. Again, that might not pan out, but it would be nice if it did.

In other news, I hope to finish up and post my first short script on Monday for critiquing. I think it'll be something that would work well for a short and test both a director and an actor.

 

[Zensteve]

That sounds pretty neat

You should have gone for the football player parts! You'd end up being in great shape after all those training camps, even if you didn't get a lot of screen-time.

Probably sounds like they'd get paid more, too. This was a "big" production, yes?

 

[Admiral Ackbar]

That sounds pretty neat

You should have gone for the football player parts! You'd end up being in great shape after all those training camps, even if you didn't get a lot of screen-time.

Probably sounds like they'd get paid more, too. This was a "big" production, yes?

Oh I did try. I did the sit down and got two or three minutes. Before that we got to hear two speeches. One from the Producer I guess and One from Vince Papale who gave a three minute pep talk. It was funny, the Producer and coach were talking like they were big famous people. But the only person I recognized was Vince from TV. And he was the most humble, affable guy in the room. The movie is based on his life story.

But I digress. I waited in line and had a sit down just to introduce myself. And I was like, "Look, it's just as you said. I don't have the skill, the physicality, the time, or the experience." (That was the whole speech given by the producer. He spoke twenty minutes on that.) "But I wanted to introduce myself, and who knows, maybe you might see something." They were actually pretty cool because I was honest and open and realistic I think. And they pointed out that they were looking for extras constantly while we were waiting there. In my group there must have been about a hundred guys. And I was the second group even though I got there early. I got there at ten and didn't leave until 2.

But they wanted people who were absolute physical specimens with years of experience. On their last movie every single person who was casted was either a current Pro or an ex Pro. Ex-NFL, CFL, Arena League, etc. He said that if you were a four year starter at a division 1 school that was in the top 25 he might look at you. And I'm no pushover. I'm 6'4" and 230. I have a resting heart rate of 50 and I plan to jog five miles after the sun goes down. I usually lift for an hour and do cardio for an hour six days a week. I'm not a hardbody. I still have too much fat on my core and body but I hope that'll be gone in another year and a half. I'm stronger than I look but I'm not at that level. I'm not that strong and I'm big but slow.

As for the pay, it was $150 a day during training camp (I make more than that at my current job) which would last for three weeks. Then it would be $300 a day for shooting which would last for maybe another three weeks through August. A normal shooting day would last twelve hours, and you would constantly be playing and hitting throughout the day. Even when they weren't shooting, just to get more practice time in. Personally, I was just looking to get on the set as an extra anyway.

One funny thing was a joke I made. Mark Walhburg is starring as Papale. The story is based on him joining the Eagles at age 30. And I just asked as an aside, "By the way, would Mark Walhburg be at the training camp too?" And the guy was like, "Some of it." And then I go, "At the training camp, will the players get to hit him." and the coach just smiled and said, "I like the way you think."