What would it be like if you were in a movie?
Two students found out recently when they were selected to be extras in a new movie called I Can Only Imagine, filmed in part in Oklahoma City.
Kiefer eighth grader Shelby Rader and fifth grader Londyn Anderson will appear as extras in the film.
“It was a really cool experience” said Rader, who has appeared on stage in summer theatre productions of Mulan, Aladdin, Alice in Wonderland and Snow White, to name a few.
The girls’ parts in the movie, based on the contemporary Christian song of the same title recorded by the Christian band MercyMe, are pretty simple. They play fans at a concert cheering and witnessing the song “I Can Only Imagine” being performed for the very first time.
“It was a really cool experience” Rader said. “It was awesome. It was long, seven hours, but it was neat being around all the cameras and lights and hair and make-up people.”
Rader’s mother learned about the movie production through face book. Its producer was seeking extras.
Both girls had to sign up between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and be among the first 300 people to do so in order to land the parts as extras. Both girls made the cut.
Rader said that going into the movie she was a little bit nervous.
“I was more excited than nervous,” she said.
Anderson said she wasn’t really nervous.
“It was nerve wrecking a little at first, but not to the point I was scared,” she said.
Anderson said it was a really great experience for her. She loved getting to meet all the people. Her favorite part about being in the movie was getting to experience something like that at her age and also having the chance to meet big time people who could possibly give her the chance to have more parts in other big movies.
It is something she would definitely do again, she said.
In addition to MercyMe band members Bart Millard, Nathan Cochran, Michael John, Robby Shaffer and Barry Graul, the film’s cast includes actor Dennis Quaid, country singer/songwirter and actor Trace Adkins and actress Cloris Leachman. Stage actor J. Michael Finley makes his film debut in I Can Only Imagine.
The movie is directed by Jon and Andrew Erwin who also directed Woodlawn.
Featured Image: Londyn Anderson, left, and Shelby Rader, both Kiefer Junior High students, were extras in the filming of I Can Only Imagine, a new Christian movie filmed recently in Oklahoma City.
