01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, May 21, 2006

PROVIDENCE -- Your car "auto" be in pictures. And it could be, if it meets the requirements of filmmakers frequenting Rhode Island for their locations.

Currently, the call is out for cars from the early 1970s to be used in a low-budget film scheduled to begin shooting next month. But John Ryder, a picture car coordinator, is compiling a database of area autos available for use in the movies.

Shooting for The Education of Charlie Banks is set for June 12 through July 25 at locations to be determined in Providence and Newport. The independent film from Iridium Entertainment is a coming-of-age tale starring Jesse Eisenberg (The Squid and the Whale), Jason Ritter (Swimfan, Joan of Arcadia) and Chris Marquette (The Girl Next Door).

The director is Fred Durst, lead singer of the rock group Limp Bizkit, who has directed music videos. Producers are Marisa Polvino and Rhode Island's Michael Corrente.

Ryder says that for the most part the film is set in 1981 in and around a college campus. So he is seeking cars from the '70s to early '80s.

"There are not a lot of cars in the show," he said. "But because of the time period, we will need a lot of background cars to help define the era. We're looking for cars, and people who want to be involved in making a movie locally."

His proposition: bring your car to the set and they will put you and your car into the scene. You'll both be extras. The car doesn't leave your sight, and you can see first-hand how a movie is made. "And we save money on towing, so everybody wins," Ryder said.

Ryder, who lives in East Providence, scouts cars for other movies and is compiling a list for future use. Other movies may have different needs.

He says he is not looking for exotic classic cars. He needs ordinary, average cars, not in showroom condition. Generally, they should not be white, which is hard to photograph, and they need to run well so that they can be easily moved when the scene is done.

There are some specific cars on the list, including:

Two police cars, an unmarked police car and a state police cruiser, two Chevrolet El Caminos, a white BMW 320i and other BMWs from the mid to late 1970s, a '60s or '70s Jeep, a mid-'70s taxi van, a '60s or early '70s bus from a sports camp, pickup trucks and a large truck from the late '60s to early '70s.

Anyone interested in participating can e-mail pictures and contact information to Ryder at

Show.cars@hotmail.com

Make your car a star PROVIDENCE -- Picture car coordinator John Ryder has some tips for those hoping to get their cars into a movie being shot locally.

White cars are generally avoided (where possible, police cars are the exception) because of the difficulty in lighting something large and bright.

Cars need to run reliably. Regardless of whether the car drives in a shot, it needs to be able to move; at times cars are shuffled around for different camera set-ups. In order to be considered they need to be able to start and drive.

Windows need to move up and down.

Unless specified, the filmmakers are looking for ordinary, average cars, not distinctive collector cars, in good shape, not immaculate or "showroom" quality.

Cars should be relatively clean, free of clutter on the inside. However, do not wash the car before the filming. The glare from clean glass and metal is difficult to light and film.