1,000 audition for roles in Dennis Quaid movie in Winnipeg

A long line of people vying to fill paid extra roles in the latest Dennis Quaidmovie stretched out and around theFairmontHotel in Winnipeg on Sunday.

• Dennis Quaid movie searches for 2,000 paid extras in Winnipeg

A Dog's Purposeis based on aNew York Timesbestsellerandwill be shooting for 50 days in Winnipeg from August through October. A casting company announced the call for 2,000 paid extras last week.

Kari Rieger with Kari Casting saidprospective extras showed up as early as 7:30 a.m. on Sunday.

"Ithink people just get excited in Winnipeg still for films," said Rieger, addingthe movie is probably themost ambitious project thecompany has ever taken on in Winnipeg.

The story istold from the perspective of a dog who is reincarnated several times between the 1960sand 1990s. It's set in small-town America, so the company islooking for "wholesome" looking characters.

If you're a man with ashaggyhairdo, they might have a use for you, too.

"This is a period piecebased in the 60s and the 70s.For all men who are not follicallychallenged, please grow your hair out!" an organizershouted out to the crowd at the Fairmont.

'Cool thing to have done'

Tracy Feschuk, a.k.a. "Zilly the Clown," saw the listing included a call out for thecomicallyinclined, so she decided to show up to the audition in character.

"If you're going for a job interview, you put on your best outfit, put your best face forward!" Feschuk said.

She has never been in a movie before. If she lands the job, Feschuksaid it will act as proofto her mom that "the clowning wasn't a waste of time."

Chris Nemish, a retiree, was hoping to land his first movierole, too.

"It was one of the things on my retired bucket list, try out and see what happens," said Nemish."[I'm] not sure what they're looking for, but you never know."

Jessica Desjarlais said while she doesn't see herself doing any other acting projects,making the final cut for this onewould be exciting because it would give her a rarebehind-the-scenes glimpse of the filming process.

"Ithink it would be cool to look back when I'm older and say, 'Hey, I'm in the movie,'" she said. "It's a cool thing to have done."

As of 2:30 p.m., 1,000 people had completed auditions with many more still waiting in line. The event was supposed to wrap up at 3:30 p.m., but Rieger said they would have toextend the casting call if they hoped to get through all ofthe auditions.