When the casting director for the latest Harry Potter film began searching
for extras in the Highlands, a group of schoolchildren could not believe
their luck.
Not only would they get a chance to glimpse themselves on celluloid in
the forthcoming Prisoner of Azkaban, they would also make a few pounds
into the bargain. Their headmaster had other ideas.
In a ruling more worthy of Dolores Umbridge, hated temporary head of
Hogwarts, than its rightful headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, the muggle
children’s headteacher said the money they made from the film had to go
into school coffers.
Donald Campbell, head of Lochaber High in Fort William, Invernessshire
told the 14 children that the £1,370 they earned for working
as extras when the latest Harry Potter film was shooting in Glencoe would
be used for school trips or instruments.
Campbell said that since some of the filming was carried out during
school hours it counted as work experience, which council rules state must
be unpaid.
At a nearby school, however, the pupils-cum-extras were more fortunate.
The headteacher of Kinlochleven High, Jim Sutherland, allowed his pupils to
keep the money they made from working on the film over the weekend.
Sutherland decided that since the pupils had to work long hours over
four days they were entitled to pocket the cash.
A spokesman for the Highland council said Lochaber High first made its
ruling on the payment of pupil extras during the filming of a previous
Harry Potter film, Chamber of Secrets, also partly filmed in the Highlands.
”Lochaber have dealt with Warner Bros a lot and have developed a policy
where they make a donation to the Lochaber school fund,” said the
spokesman.
”The two rectors adopted a different policy. It’s a one-off situation
so we can’t legislate for it.” — Â