Cory Udler applied to be an extra for "Public Enemies" after learning that they were looking for real-life photographers. He didn't know how far he would have to go to get that chance.

"They said the Madison area," said Udler, who moved to Columbus three years ago with his wife. "I thought cool this is the Madison area, but when they said Darlington... I guess people from Los Angeles would figure that was the Los Angeles area."

Udler said he was in Darlington by 4:30 a.m. on March 19, but he wasn't put in wardrobe until around 9:30 a.m.

"Then I wandered over to the courthouse," Udler said. "When I first got to the courthouse a props manager gave us old flashbulb cameras and told us that we'd probably burn our hands."

It wasn't something Udler had to worry about. The photographers never used the cameras during filming.

"I don't know if it interfered with the scene itself," Udler said.

The scene was an initial arraignment for John Dillinger, Udler said.

"The neatest part was sitting there watching Michael Mann," Udler said.

Mann would move sections of the crowd and put the camera there and then move the crowd again to find the perfect shot.

"It was neat to see where they set everyone up and moved things," Udler said. "At one point Michael Mann was standing next to me."

Johnny Depp struck Udler as normal and very personable.

"He would say good morning and good luck guy," Udler said.

On the night of March 18, Udler was one of the lucky few that got to meet Depp while he was signing autographs. Udler said he did say see you tomorrow to Depp, but he doubts if he remembered him the next day.

"I had a clean cut haircut the next day and a tie," Udler said. "Plus there were 105 extras the next day."

Udler said he believes they were in the room for about 8 hours.

"I don't know how many scenes that were done," Udler said. "I can probably recite the scene."

There were some details that were thought of at the last minute, Udler said. One occurred when a production assistant asked which of the actors smoked. The smokers were all given unfiltered Lucky Strikes.

"I don't know how many cartons they went through," Udler said. "They had to light up a new cigarette with every scene. They were meticulous with details"

Udler writes screenplays himself, and said that he is glad he got such a close look at the making of the movie.

"I learned after a scene is written how it works out," Udler said. "It's a neat perspective the inter-workings of film and how the words get translated differently from the writer to when they perform the scene.

The film makers will be coming back in late April to complete more scenes for the movie.