St. Louis isn’t necessarily known for its rich cinematic history. One of the most well known films to be shot in the city, John Carpenter’s Escape from New York, didn’t even feature St. Louis, but instead used the city as an example of what New York City would look like after the apocalypse.

More recently, little known films such as Meet Bill and The Lucky Ones had scenes shot in the ‘Gateway to the West’ and the upcoming Matt Damon vehicle, The Informant, also utilized the city for portions of the filming.

Still, it has been a long time since a major studio film has been shot almost exclusively in the city.

That’s why many St. Louis residents will be excited to hear that Paramount Pictures’s new comedy, Up In the Air, is being filmed almost entirely in St. Louis. The film, directed by Jason Reitman, who also directed Thank You for Smoking and Juno, stars George Clooney (most recently seen in Burn After Reading) as a man who specializes in firing people and strives to obtain one million frequent flyer miles.

The film also stars actress Vera Farmiga, from such films as The Departed and Nothing but the Truth, who is quickly racking up an impressive filmography.

Production crews set up on Jan. 5, and will be filming at Lambert Airport for five months starting in March.

The biggest news is that the film needs around 2,000 extras for the film, and no experience is necessary.

The filming crews are looking for men and women aged 18 and older of diverse backgrounds. They are looking for people to portray travelers, working professionals, and airport and hotel staff.

The casting calls take place Saturday Jan. 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday Jan. 25 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Crestwood Court Mall. It is located at 109 Crestwood Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63126.

If you attend you are asked to bring a color snapshot from the waist up and a pen.

Full casting information as well as the extra casting form is available at http://www.missouribusiness.net/film/hotline.asp.