Extras being hired for Barrymore's film locally

Well film fans, now is your chance to be in a movie. Even if it's only for a few seconds as a part of a raging crowd!

The casting company of Real Style in Birmingham has the task of hiring around 300 extras to be in the film directed by Drew Barrymore, "Whip It." Barrymore's production company, Flower Films, has set up shop here in Saline and crew are living around town, enjoying small-town living. One crew member told me he loved the "commute," driving five minutes from his rented apt to the offices where Flower Films is temporarily based for production. "It beats L.A.'s traffic, and everyone is so nice." Good to hear!

I talked to Kathy at the casting company and here's what you need to do if you want to be considered as an extra:

- 18-35 years old or so (the location will be wild and raucous, she said, there might be beer so people need to be at least 18. She double checked because she thought it might be 21, but no)

- email a small digital photo of yourself, your e-mail, phone numbers, date of birth to: info@realstyleonline.com

-they will most likely start shooting around July 30. Be available for a few days or up to 12 straight days for shooting.

- they are looking for unique and expressive individuals. Color your hair funky. Think 80's punk.

I am reading "Derby Girls," by Shauna Cross, the book from which the screenplay for "Whip It" was adapated. Here's what's going on so far:

Bliss Cavendar is a high school student in a small town in Texas where you need to be, "a football-throwing, truck-worshipping, country-music listening hick." Bliss is an "indie-rock-loving, tghrift-store-prowling, homemade t-shirt-wearing, blue-hair-dying misfit girl who thinks life is a 60's movie."

She and her best friend, Pash, work at the Oink Joint, a bbq place famous for the two-story pig sculpture that sits in the parking lot. Anyone who eats the Squaler Sandwich (10 pounds of pulled pork) in ten minutes gets a free t-shirt and their picture placed on the "Squeal of Fame."

Her over-coiffed mother thinks Bliss has a future in beauty pageants. As a former Miss Bluebonnet, her pushy and hopeful (and might I say dopey and clueless) mother buys Bliss a pink suit to wear to a mother/daughter brunch which she quickly trades for a "micro minidress made from a vintage t-shirt and held together with nothing but a million strategicalloy placed safety pins," worn over tights to "undercut the would-be slut factor."

Bliss tries out for a roller derby league in the nearby big city of Austin, makes it and discovers her kin. Her peeps.

"Look at them with their casual bada**ness, decked out in shredded band t-shirs and cut-off Dickies...

That's you, extra wannabe. Add a temp tattoo, toss in some pink or blue hair dye and go for it! Email your photo and details today. Good luck and let us know if you make it!