If you happen to catch Bruce Beresford’s latest film, ‘Ladies In Black’ you might recognise a few familiar faces.
Volunteers from the Penrith Museum of Printing can now tick ‘be an extra in a movie’ off their bucket list, after Beresford and his production team decided the museum was the perfect backdrop.
Peter Butterworth from Penrith Museum of Printing said it was a great experience meeting the seasoned director.
“Beresford came to the museum to get some information on the period because we’re all old guys who know about that,” he said.
“It was just like normal blokes talking, he’s a very nice man and is very good at his craft.”
Adapted from the bestselling novel by Madeleine St John, the Australian film follows school girl Lisa, who lands a prestigious job at a Sydney department store where she meets the ladies in black.
With a stand out cast, including Rachael Taylor, Susie Porter and Ryan Corr, the museum volunteers helped main actor, Shane Jacobson get in his character as Lisa’s father and a linotype operator.
And after a few minor cosmetic changes, the Museum was made to look like a composing room in a major newspaper during the summer of 1959.
“Shane Jacobson, I don’t think he’s an actor, that is him, what you see on screen is Shane Jacobson, he’s so open and so easy to talk to,” Mr Butterworth said.
“There were also two other professional extras, so they were guiding us and telling us what to do.
“It was quite an eye opener for us to see how movies were made and see how things were done so quickly and efficiently in such a small area, it was quite an amazing thing.”
Filming for the day around the museum and around the trotting sheds at Penrith Paceway, Mr Butterworth said all the volunteers couldn’t wait to check out the end result.
‘Ladies In Black’ is in cinemas from Thursday, September 20.
Lauren Suttie is the Weekender’s General & Community News journalist.
