'Gone Girl' extra: A brush with Ben

Editor's note: This content is provided through a partnership with rustmedia.

Laurie Bittle shared her experiences in being an extra on the set of 'Gone Girl' as part of a project with the Southeast Missourian and rustmedia. This is one of several stories to be published online.

__What role did you have in the movie's production? __

I was an extra in the candlelight vigil scene.

__What kind of communication did you have with "Gone Girl" staffers? What were they like?:__

I was called to confirm my working schedule. Production assistants explained where to stand and what to do. The actor who played Amy's father visited with us between takes. He was very friendly and made a lot of positive remarks about the extras and the community.

__If you were an extra, did you get to speak to any of the actors? If so, which one and what was the conversation like?:__

At one point on set Ben Affleck put his hand on my back and said,"Excuse me." I guess I must have been standing in his way, but that was pretty memorable!

__If you were an extra, how much time did you spend at the shoot?:__

One night, we arrived at 5p.m. and finished about 4:30 a.m. The second night, we were there from 5p.m. 'til around 3:30 a.m.

__What scenes did you participate in?:__

The candlelight vigil at the gazebo outside the old court house.

__Did anything about your interactions with crew or about the production surprise you? If so, what?:__

It surprised me how much attention to detail there was. From the first night to the second, everything had to be the same. They checked to be sure we had the same clothes, the same hair-do, right down to the exact same jewelry. It also surprised me how many takes and hours and hours of work it took to complete one scene, that may be no more than a minute or two in the finished movie.

__What are you most looking forward to most about the movie?:__

I'm looking forward to seeing friends in the cast and picking out all of our local landmarks.

__What else would you like to share about your experience with the filming of "Gone Girl" in Cape Girardeau?:__

I was really excited to be a part of this project. It was impossible not to get caught up in the local frenzy of star sightings and discovering shooting locations. The "Hollywoods" were very friendly and cordial to everyone. Working on the movie was tedious and exhausting, but overall, it was a great experience.