By Kathi Stearns

For the students of St. Thomas More School in Decatur Nov. 5 was not a typical out-of-uniform day.

Comedian Steve Martin was on campus and the cameras of Touchstone Pictures were rolling as production began on Martin's new movie "Twist of Fate."

Principal Tom Collins explained that on his first day of school he was approached by "Twist of Fate" location manager Richard Klotz, who wanted to use the school because of the large windows in Marian Hall, which overlook a neighborhood park. In the movie, the campus of St. Thomas More is supposed to be a public school in the fictitious town of Burrows, Va.

Two days of shooting will be completed at St. Thomas More during an 11-week production schedule. Collins explained hosting a location site for a movie is a mammoth task. "The 18 semi-trucks, four circus tents and the additional 200 to 300 people on the grounds are a bit overwhelming at times," he said.

But he believes this experience will provide his students with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. "When they approached me about shooting the film here I thought, what an incredible chance for our kids to watch a movie being made. Not many students receive exposure to the film industry, like our kids are getting today."

Thirty 10-year-olds from St. Thomas More were shot on camera, playing a choir. Susan Belian's first-grade class will also appear during a classroom scene.

First-graders seemed unaware of Martin's successful career but were excited about the opportunity to work in a movie. "I'm excited that I'm going to be in a movie," first-grader Kevin Ksionzyk explained. "My mom told me Steve Martin is a funny guy. But I've never seen him do anything before."

Even though the kids seemed unfamiliar with Martin they were very familiar with his co-star Catherine O'Hare, who played Macaulay Culkin's mother in "Home Alone" I and II. "Kevin's mom is in this movie," first-grader Scottie Zimmerman told her classmates.

A sense of nervous energy permeated Ms. Belian's first-grade class before the kids were moved to make-up. "It is going to be embarrassing if we have to say lines," six-year-old Eric Durban said.

"I'm just going to smile real big, because that is what my mom told me to do," Jessica Kirslis added.

Students, after listening to a woman from the film's art department, decorated a window to her specifications which was also used in the film.

Martin proclaimed, "These kids are great" as he worked with the 10-year-olds during rehearsal. At first students seemed awestruck by the comedian but relaxed after numerous rehearsal scenes.

In the movie, Martin plays an adoptive father involved in a custody battle with a politician claiming to be the child's biological father.

The school will receive $1,000 a day for the use of its facilities.