SOLICITOR Chris Malley will enjoy a lucrative close-up of the action when his role as an extra for The Boat That Rocked begins at Portland Port.

Cameras have already started rolling for the period comedy but on Saturday Mr Malley, who is a member of the Royal Dorset Yacht Club, will begin 10 days of background work.

Mr Malley will be out on the water with his classic 1960s wooden motor cruiser Nordic Flight.

To secure the role Mr Malley had to take unpaid time off work from Simon Lacey Law Associates in Weymouth. As an extra he will earn £80 a day, plus £200 a day for his scene-setting vessel - which adds up to £2,800 for 10 days work.

Mr Malley, 61, said: "I've already been for costume fitting. I have to wear corduroy trousers, an oiled-wool Guernsey sweater, and a woolly hat.

"It's all happening at Portland Port. There's a lot of background stuff and people rushing around. It's all very friendly.

"It's good fun and my boat might be on film. I don't know yet what I'll be doing, we'll have to wait and see."

The film is directed by Richard Curtis, best known for Four Weddings and A Funeral and Love Actually.

Set in the 60s, the romantic comedy is about a band of rogue DJs and stars of the cast include Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost and Kenneth Branagh.

Filming will take place on a boat in Portland Harbour and street shots set in the 1960s will be filmed in Castletown.

Mr Malley became involved with the film through his sailing club, after a fellow Royal Dorset member was approached and asked to find period boats.

Mr Malley said: "I contacted a guy from the film company and the rest, as they say, is history.

"I'm under strict instructions from my wife Carol to get Bill Nighy's autograph."

Jacqui Gisborne, the communications manager for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, will be featuring in the film as an excited competition winner.

She said: "Around 1,200 people turned out for casting and 100-140 extras will be used. All the main characters' look-alikes have been recruited locally.

"A number of boats from Weymouth and Portland will also be required, although they're still holding production meetings to decide how many. It's very exciting."

  • Are you one of the stars' lookalikes? Contact the Dorset Echo on 01305 830999.