Next Friday a film crew from Universal Pictures will be shooting five scenes for "The Express," the upcoming movie about Ernie Davis, the only Heisman Trophy winner in Syracuse history.
Rob Brown who is playing Davis, will be involved in all of the scenes but Dennis Quaid, who stars as Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder will not be in Syracuse.
Northwestern University's Ryan Field was used to replicate Archbold Stadium, The Cotton Bowl and various other stadiums in which Syracuse played during the late 1950s and early 1960s.
The scenes to be shot at SU include Ernie's arrival on campus, a meeting with athletic director Lew Andreas, and jogging through campus with a teammate. In addition to the scenes with dialogue, the crew will shoot scenic shots of the historically pertinent campus buildings to be used into the film. All locations on the SU campus used for filming will not be open to the public during shooting.
But here's the cool part: Express Films, LLC, the producers of the movie, plan to hire up to 50 extras to play college students and professors in the background of some of the scenes. Those men and women between the ages of 18 and 60 who wish to be considered are encouraged to send an e-mail to expresscasting@gmail.com with the word "Syracuse" in the subject line. Individuals should include in the e-mail information on height, weight, dress or jacket size, waist, inseam, shoe size, hair and eye color, and age, plus contact information and an e-mail attachment of a recent photograph. I definitely would have done this if I were there.
All extras will be provided costumes, hair styling and makeup that will replicate the late-1950s period of the movie. Extras must be prepared to work a full 12- to 16-hour day beginning as early as 5 a.m. Compensation is $65 for the first eight hours with overtime paid for any hours worked beyond the initial eight-hour commitment. Food and beverages are provided.
"The Express" is the life story of Davis, who came to Syracuse from Elmira in 1958 and led the Orange to the school's only national championship in 1959. He became the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, in 1961. Despite being the first player taken in the 1962 NFL draft, Davis never played a single game of professional
football. He died of leukemia in 1963, at the age of 23.
The movie will be released in theaters nationally on Oct. 10, 2008.
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