Mick Molloy announced on his fab radioshow Tough Love that he needed a crowd of unpaid extras to appear in his next film ‘Boytown’. This sounded like a great excuse to take some time off work to me, so I jumped right in!
The film’s plot is officially described as “Once the greatest boy band of the 80s, Boytown reforms with its original members. Leaving their now humdrum lives for one last crack at the big time, Boytown returns to the stage with slightly older fans and slightly larger pants to complete some unfinished business.” The actors playing the band are Glen Robbins (Benny G), Mick Molloy (Tommy Boy), Bob Franklin (Bobby), Wayne Hope and Gary Eck. Glen Robbin’s love interest is played by English comic actress Sally Philips, from Smack the Pony and the Bridget Jones movies. They had a kissing scene and seemed to have great fun doing it. Woooo!
The filming was at Festival Hall with a BBQ lunch provided and showbags of snacks for all. I took part in both ARIA day – we were to dress as if guests at the ARIA Awards, and Eighties day – we were asked to come in 1980’s gear. Any excuse to dress up! I had a long silver gown for the ARIAs and some lime green paisley pants with suede ankle boots and an orange tshirt for 80s day.
The 1st day, we were ARIA audience members and the has-been boy band ‘Boytown’ were having their reunion. Ella Hooper was a special guest presenting an ARIA award. We were seated at tables and the band did a few songs and dance numbers which was fun to watch. Bob Franklin had to leave at 6pm to get to his Cooking Show gig at the Spiegeltent at 7pm. What a busy boy! The next day was set in the band’s heyday of 1980s and the wigs were hilarious, outfits perfect. We were their screaming fans but they had to have a younger fanbase, so there was a group of about 20 teen extras who were placed front and centre. It was pretty exhausting jumping up and down and screaming and dancing all afternoon, but fun too, and we were constantly plied with chilled water. The funniest song that the band sang was called “Tough Titties”. It was like an anthem and we all had to shout out the chorus.
Tony Martin who has a part in the film, was constantly floating about on both days (sporting a fabulous mullet wig) with his own film crew. He is making a Mockumentary at the same time specifically for the DVD. I got to scream ‘Bobby!!!” into his camera. He also asked some girls to shout out their fave 80s bands but they didn’t know any so he told them band names and one girl said into the camera “Yeah Duran Duran, I love his work” My god did I feel old that day.
The main enjoyment for me was spending the day there with people I admire and watch them create a film. To see all the hard work (those dance numbers!) and all the people it takes to make a film and what they all do was a great experience that I thoroughly recommend if you get the chance to be an extra.
Unsubstantiated Squirrel Fact #705 by L. Farquar
In some parts of the UK, the word ‘squirrel’ is spelt ‘squirrel’