Spielburg on Dartmoor? I join 1000+ hopefuls for extras casting.

Saturday morning saw the extras casting for what is reputed to be Steven Spielburg's latest offering, The War Horse. Having applied by e-mail and been asked to attend, I set off for my first venture into the world of film.

After a pleasant drive over the Moor from Moretonhampstead, I looked for the village community centre, where the casting was to be held.  It was easy to identify: there was a fifty yard queue stretching from the front door - which I joined.

"You should have seen it at 10 o'clock when they opened the doors," said the security man. "They took four hours to get through. You should do it in two."

We were all handed forms to fill in with details ranging from NI number to shoe size. Mine was numbered 0785, and yes... they were in numerical order. The form told us that the casting was for a film called 'Dartmoor', but it was, like the War Horse (see Okehampton People 19.7.10) set in the First World War, and we were to play 'villagers'.

Having done a little research, I thought I knew all about the film, and asked the young chap I was queuing with if he'd heard anything. He hadn't, but was suitably impressed.

"Spielberg? Wow!" was his response, and he pulled out his iPhone and Googled. "You're right. It's here... and here... and here. All over the net"

Word spread along the queue, until an old 'extras' hand asked one of the film company staff. "Can't say anything, I'm afraid. It's a close secret," was the answer.

That seemed to confirm it, so the rest of the ninety minute wait was filled with speculation as we neared the front door of the building.

Once inside, we handed in copies of our passports, and finally got to the tables where four girls were taking measurements. That done we had our photos taken, holding our numbers in front of us, convict-style - and it was over, and all a bit of an anticlimax.

I'm now waiting for the e-mail telling me if I've got the job, for filming for five days in early September. Watch this space, but don't hold your breath!