People with a hankering to be in a major feature film will get the chance to become one of hundreds of extras needed for a major movie which will be made at the Falstone reserve on the shores of Lake Benmore early next year.
The makers of Kingdom Come, a film on the life of Christ, will hold open casting calls shortly for the extras it will need once month-long filming starts in early February.
When the Otago Daily Times last month revealed details about the movie, it was predicted it would employ up to 400 people during the peak of filming and bring major financial benefits to the area through employment, accommodation and services it would need.
The media liaison for the film-maker Southern Vineyards Ltd, Ernie Malik, said yesterday details about casting calls to select extras would be announced within the next few weeks.
The Falstone site was chosen for the movie because "it worked in a physical sense".
The shape and contour of the Lake Benmore shore worked well to replicate the Sea of Galilee in Israel where the historic village of Capernaum was located, Mr Malik said.
Set constructors are building more than 100 facades to create the village on part of the reserve.
Later, it will construct a fishing harbour in the lake.
Environment Canterbury is processing a resource consent application from the film-makers to construct the harbour.
A land use resource consent for the film set at Falstone, along with associated services, has already been granted by the Waitaki District Council.
The ancient village is referred to in the Bible's Gospels of Luke and Matthew as where Jesus preached in a local synagogue.
Despite the film's preparations, the popular Falstone camping area will open as scheduled on Saturday.
Set building will continue until mid-December, with shooting for the movie scheduled to start in the in early February, right after the Waitangi Day holiday weekend.
Production in the Otago region will finish in early March, when the sets will be removed and the camp site and shoreline restored to its original look.
Once filming begins in February, the reserve will remain open, but the area encompassing the film set will be closed to visitors.
The film-makers are working closely with the Waitaki District Council on traffic control and roading.
They are also scouting other locations in Oamaru, Motueka, and Hawkes Bay.
