Nerd wars

by Jason Kleymann

Daily Lobo

Nerds of the world unite.

And if you have a Chewbacca or Darth Vader costume, so much the better.

A casting call for extras in a movie called "Fanboys" was held in the bottom level of the SUB on Wednesday, looking for hard-core "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" fans with costumes to be in the comedy.

Eric Kohen, a senior biology major, came to the call with an intricate multi-layered Obi-wan Kenobi costume, a hand-made get-up that a friend helped him with.

"I've never really worn this out much," Kohen said. "I did do a favor for a friend once and wore it to his 5-year-old's birthday party. One kid came up to me and tugged on the robe and asked if I was a real Jedi. It was cute."

He said he wasn't ready to hang up the costume quite yet.

"I just figured, hey, I got the costume, there are no more movies coming out. I might as well get some use out of it," Kohen said.

Michelle Heath, an Asian studies and language major, signed up for the casting call before she went to class on Wednesday.

"Yeah, I have a Princess Leia costume," Heath said. "I work at Suncoast pictures, and wore it for the release of Episode III. But it's the white robe costume, not the bikini."

Gwyn Savage, a native New Mexican who is the casting director for extras in "Fanboys," said she would use Kohen as an extra. She has casted extras for many recent movies in New Mexico, including the recent Richard Gere flick "The Flock."

"Fanboys" is a product of Kevin Spacey's production company, Trigger Street Productions.

Savage got into the movie industry after going back to school at UNM while she battled cancer.

"I think I really have a different outlook on things after cancer," Savage said. "I try to treat people with humility in an industry that can be brutal. I don't treat people as extras."

Potential extras filled out information sheets Wednesday and had their photos taken. Filming in Albuquerque will be from Feb. 21 to March 31, Savage said, and extras will be called a couple days before they are needed.

Savage said extras need to be prepared for the grueling schedules some crew members might face, which can include 12-hour days and standing around on sets.

Some students simply signed up because it was a casting call. Matt Henderson, a senior organizational communications major, said he had seen all the "Star Wars" movies, but wasn't a huge fan.

"A couple of my friends have worked as extras," Henderson said. "I was an extra in a foreign film once, but don't know how that ended up."

Kohen said many of his friends are major "Star Wars" fans, but wouldn't show up to the casting call.

"They think this is just as exciting as I do, but they won't come," Kohen said. "These are people that went to the midnight showings and didn't dress up."

Kohen isn't ashamed to be wearing his "Star Wars" costume on campus.

"I think of it as an opportunity that presented itself," Kohen said. "If this pays off I'll be really happy."