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A day in the life of an extra

At director Damian Lee’s cue, the crowd around the boxing ring inside the Grand Theatre jumped into action.
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Filming for "A Fighting Man" is taking place at the Grand Theatre. Northern Life reporter Jenny Jelen spent a day as an extra for the film. Cast and crew set up a sene featuring Izaak Smith (in the red trunks) and Sudbury's own Gord Apolloni of Top Glove Boxing Academy. Photo by Arron Pickard.
At director Damian Lee’s cue, the crowd around the boxing ring inside the Grand Theatre jumped into action. They hooted and hollered as actor Dominic Purcell squared off against co-star Izaak Smith, acting out a series of expertly choreographed fight scenes.

The intense cheering went on for five rounds, as the opponents chased each other around the ring, crashing into the ropes, faux-sweat dripping from their muscular bodies.

Flashing lights mimicked camera flashes. Each round was interrupted by a short break to adjust cameras as crew members scurried about to instructions bellowed over the loudspeaker. Makeup artists added fake blood to the actors’ faces and extras waited patiently.

Then it all began again.

It was really quite a sight.

For more than an hour, crews filmed the boxing ring scenes that will eventually open A Fighting Man. The film, written and directed by Lee, is the story of two professional boxers at different points in their careers.

The movie starts in Round 6, where both characters examine how they arrived in the ring in terms of their athletic careers, families and circumstances. As their stories unfold, the film keeps returning to the ring.

Us extras were instructed to act like we were at a real fight. Some of us were told to stand up and raise our arms in enthusiasm; others to let out low heckling boos. About 300 faces filled the makeshift stadium around the ring.

Only about half of those faces were real people though — the other half were inflatable imports from Los Angeles, done up by wardrobe to look shockingly real.

Extras arrived at 11 a.m., and by noon began filling seats next to the mannequins around the ring. Some sat quietly, while others chatted with people nearby.
Many asked, “Have you done this before?” as they spoke enthusiastically about their past roles and brushes with fame.

After checking in at the entrance of the old bar, extras climbed the stairs to the balcony, filling out name cards along the way, stating our willingness to participate.

Then began the waiting.

People were continuously being shuffled about as the film crew found just the right places for members of this staged crowd. I was on the edge of my seat, waiting and and watching, as everyone was given a place.

Sitting around is not typically my favourite pastime, but it gave me the opportunity to fully appreciate my surroundings.

In what I remember as a dark nightclub, there was a regal scene: A boxing ring, decorated with an old-fashioned logo in the centre of it, was the first thing to catch my eye.

When I looked past the towers of lights and miles of wires, I was greeted with the sight of the legitimately classy architecture adorning the old vaudeville theatre.
Every now and then, I’d be pulled from my reverie by someone wearing a headset.

After all, I wasn’t here to admire the scenery. I was here to be an extra.
Three different people wearing ear buds must have asked me “What are you?”; a question I answered with a blank stare each time.

Some people seemed to know they had special roles. A handful of us were selected for so-called “sparkle” roles. Kelly McCaw, a longtime Sudburian, was assigned the role of a ringside judge.

Dressed in a sharp-looking suit, outfitted with a clipboard and pen, he was told to scribble notes as the boxers danced around the ring. “A Fighting Man” marks McCaw’s sixth time playing an extra. His first role was playing a bar patron in Casey Walker’s “A Little Bit Zombie,” which was filmed locally in 2011.

“It was really rough,” he said. “I had to sit there drinking pretend beer all night.”

After a 10-hour stint in front of the camera, McCaw was happy to see his 40-second clip in the final production. But that’s not why he does it. McCaw said he enjoys being part of movie magic. It’s something he had never planned to do, but is happy to be able to be part of the industry in his hometown.

“I think it’s great for Sudbury and Northern Ontario,” he said.

I couldn’t agree more.

Extras not only make money for their time, but they are able to be part of something once so foreign to this mining town. I can’t wait to press pause on my DVD copy of A Fighting Man when my face flashes before the camera, for my split-second 15 minutes of fame.

Jenny Jelen is Northern Life’s lifestyle and entertainment reporter.

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