Glory -- open call for people to fill a crowd during the parade scene. All ages were needed, I was 12.
Something To Talk About -- being a looky-loo paid off. People invited to participate in crowd scences. My mother took a day off from work, to watch them film the ending dance/annual horse party at a local plantation. She was asked to be "in the crowd."
Forrest Gump -- my high school drama teacher worked for the local stagehand's union. It was his "summer job" between the schhol year. Our drama club, often volunteered time, ushering for a local community theatre. So one weekday, he calls us up individually, and asks if we are available to user for a special production the community theatre was putting on. He told us to meet him at the high school and he and his wife (who ran a costume shop and also did costuming for movies being filmed in town) drive intot he parking lot and have us load up in their vans. As we are driving to the theatre, he tells us that we are in for a surprise, and instead drives us to the fliming location that day. We had the opportunity to meet Tom Hanks, watch a movie being filmed up close, got the opportunity to be gophers and hang with other production staff, and were rewarded by being allowed to be "passers by" in the fliming of a scene. Our faces aren't clearly visable, but we will always remember what we wore that day. Later, our drama department was given extra costumes and props.
Forces of Nature -- during my summer semester in college, my mom, once again acting as a "looky-loo" would travel all around town and watch fliming. So one day she calls and asks if I have anythign planned that day. I dirve home (an hour away from my school) and hang out to watch filming. It became addictive. So one day they are filimg at a local K-Mart (where Ben and Sandra Bullock buy clothes/get out of the rain in the movie), and the opportunity once again arose that the crowd was asked to be extras (so glad I was there). This was an all day shoot, and we were fed, as well as got to be put in "makeup" just in case we came close in a scene with Sandra and Ben. Ben was also dating Gweneth Paltrow at the time, and she came during the K-Mart days to the set. I have a photobooth sticker of her and a production assistant and her autograph.
Oh, I have a great "scandalous" photo my mom took of Ben embracing her neighbor and giving her a kiss.
So basically, being a "looky-loo," answering open calls, and sometimes connections.
Any movie filmed in my hometown and my mom finds a way to be there and manages to be snagged as an extra. Wish I still lived close to home.
. can't wait to show it to my 2 year old to see his "famous" grandpa
What a neat thing to be able to share with your son. 
