8 Mile

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• As the rap battle scenes took days to film, and the 300 extras were starting to get bored, Curtis Hanson initiated an improv freestyle rap battle among them, where the three best rappers would be filmed going head to head with Eminem. 134 volunteers signed up, each getting 15 seconds in front of the judiciary panel to make an impression. This was then whittled down to 20. Ultimately the jury couldn't decide on just three and chose four instead, all of whom had a one-shot one-take-only scene with the film's star, who had to mime his responses to save his voice for the scripted scenes which remained to be shot. However, Eminem couldn't resist the challenge by staying silent (especially as the crowd was taunting him), and took on his opponents in his inimitable style.
• During filming, Eminem could be spotted in between takes writing in a notebook as that was his only chance to compose the film's soundtrack.
• The cans in which prints of the movie were transported to theaters were labeled "Mars Project".
• In the Rap Battle sequence, after Jimmy wins the first round, we hear Future call for "Ox and Strike" to come to the stage for the next round of battling. Ox and Strike are the real life rap aliases of the two rappers Jimmy faces before winning the contest. They play Lotto and Lyckety-Splyt respectively.