The Southland Times
September 13, 2000

Crowds Sought For Movie Scenes
Meaghan Miller

Up to 200 Queenstown extras are wanted for the movie The Lord of the Rings for crowd scenes at Deer Park Heights next month.

Publicist Claire Raskind said the extras would be playing either the Rohan people from the Middle Earth or soldiers.

Casting director Liz Mullane said subject to change, the extras would be required for two to three 12-hour days.

"They're pretty well looked after, they get fed and paid," Ms Mullane said.

The day was long but a lot of it was spent waiting.

"We tell them to bring a book," she said.

Casting for the particular scenes would take place at Queenstown this weekend.

Only fit men and women over 60, teenage boys aged between 13 and 18, women aged between 13 and 60, men 5ft 9in plus (174cm) and aged between 18 and 50 years and mothers and children aged two to 10 need apply.

The teenage boys, women and children must have light hair colouring, including red, light brown and grey.

The men, who would be playing soldiers could have any hair colouring.

Auditions would take place from 10am until 4pm on Saturday for men and women over 60, teenage boys and women at the Wakatipu High School sports stadium.

Women and children should audition on Saturday between 2pm and 4pm or between 10am and 12pm on Sunday.

The younger men were to audition on Sunday from 11pm until 4pm.

Ms Mullane said those auditioning should allow up to an hour, although the photograph and measurements might only take five minutes.

People who fitted the brief needed to have flexible schedules and good availability.

Those who couldn't make the audition could send a photograph and details to PO Box 15083, Miramar, Wellington, attention Casting.

Those who had already auditioned in Queenstown last year could still attend the fresh auditions.

"A lot of those people have since moved on," Ms Mullane said.

Ms Raskind said the filming would take place from the second week of October, but further filming was planned in November in the Queenstown area.

Filming of the movie had now moved to Ashburton where Mt Potts scenes would be shot from Friday.