"We can't find anyone . . . are you sure it starts at 11?" one of them is saying into her phone, her knuckles white around the pink receiver.

They flush with relief when the Sunday Tribune intervenes and leads the way out of the empty cafe to the quietly buzzing audition room.

Both young ladies turn an interesting shade of cherry red when they realise they're speaking to a journalist. "Oh, we're just hoping for a bit of fun, " says one, before they both dissolve into a fit of giggles and melt off towards the application forms. Ah, yes.

Just the sort of outgoing nature that's needed in the movie business.

The Movie Extras annual open auditions, which took place in Dublin's IFI yesterday, attract all types, all ages and all nationalities.

The people who had their photos taken may well be chosen to star as extras in a number of productions, including the film adaptation of PS I Love you, starring Oscar-winner Hilary Swank; the horror movie Bog Bodies, starring Vinnie Jones; and, of course, homegrown soap opera Fair City. For one very young man, it's just another obvious step on the way to stardom. Sixteen-year-old Sean Grady from Dublin has always wanted to be an actor.

"I'd definitely love to work with Vinnie Jones, " he says, having quickly dismissed PS I Love You as not being his type of thing. "I'd love to be his sidekick or something. I'm more into horror and science fiction, you know, like I love Paul Williams' books."

Across the aisle, an older gentleman has settled himself into his chair and is clutching an application form. He introduces himself as Ultan Macken, the son of author Walter Macken.

"I used to work as a journalist and broadcaster for RTE, " he says.

"But now I'm just really interested in acting. I'm a regular extra on Ros na Run and I've been on Fair City. I also got a lead part in an American commerical for GEC Electric."

Macken flushes slightly when he hears that these auditions could lead to work alongside major Hollywood actors like Kathy Bates, Hilary Swank and Vinnie Jones. His hand goes unconsciously to his hair. "I didn't know that, " he says. "That's fantastic news."

For Barbara O'Carroll from Newbridge, Co Kildare, it's the only reason that she got up this morning and made the journey to Dublin.

"I heard on the radio that they were auditioning for PS.

I Love You, and I just said I had to come up, " she says.

"I'm officially retired, I suppose, but I'm still up for doing everything. I read the book and I thought it was lovely, so it would be great to get on the film. I was an extra once, on Fair City . . . as a birthday present . . . and I loved it. Acting is lovely, you know."