Hitching a Ride on "The Express"

Whether it’s the parade scene in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” or the crowd cheering for “Rudy,” these cinematic moments wouldn’t be complete without people who take advantage of a not-to-be-missed opportunity. Being an extra lets ordinary folks participate in something extraordinary.

Before concluding its 53-day shoot at Syracuse University, “The Express,” which opened October 10, was filmed at a handful of locations in the Chicago area, including Lane Technical High School, Northwestern University and Hyde Park.

It tells the true story of Syracuse University football player Ernie Davis, who was the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. Dennis Quaid stars as hall-of-fame coach Ben Schwartzwalder and Rob Brown plays Davis.

“If you get a chance to [be an extra] at least once, do it,” said Rob Frappier, who was a first-time extra in movie.

Frappier plays No. 57 on the Syracuse University football team. His 13-hour day of work involved standing in the blistering hot sun in full football garb—not to mention battling the sunscreen he got in his eyes. He stood on the sideline while the crew shot coverage of the football sequence stunts.

The clichés about being an extra are generally true. There’s a lot of waiting, the days are incredibly long and it’s hardly glamorous.

But unlike most extras, Frappier got an up close look at the lead actor when he took part in a post-game handshake and walked within a few feet of Brown.

“That was a really legit, memorable moment,” said Frappier.

Father and son Jack and Sean Curtin of Mount Greenwood were also first-time extras in “The Express.” Jack worked for one day as a secret service agent, and Sean spent two weeks on the film.

In Jack’s scene, he had to walk down a fight of stairs behind the actor playing President Kennedy. So he did that. Thirty times. Until director Gary Fleder got the shot he wanted.

“It was great exercise,” said Curtin. “I loved it. It was so interesting to see how [filmmaking] works.”

Sean’s experience fulfilled his longtime dream of being involved in a movie. He played a handful of characters, but his favorite was being a member of the “Goon Squad,” which is a pep squad in the film.

“We got to fire a cannon on set, so that was really cool,” he said.

Because Sean was involved in several scenes, there’s a good chance he’ll see himself on the big screen. If that moment arrives, it’s sure to make this experience even more memorable.

“I’ll feel very accomplished,” said Curtin. “I’ll be very, very happy.”

“The Express” joins other big-name films recently shot in Chicago like the summer box office giant “The Dark Knight,” and the upcoming “Public Enemies,” which stars Christian Bale and Johnny Depp and is scheduled for a July 2009 release.

Since 2007, more than 40 feature films have been filmed in the city, according to the Chicago Film Office.

And thanks to the city’s consistent cinematic appeal, it doesn’t appear that these unique opportunities will end anytime soon.