Big Fish [2003]

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 2003
Running Times:
Format: colour
Ratio:
Sound: Dolby Digital     SDDS     DTS

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Columbia Pictures Presents / A Jinks/Cohen Company Production / A Zanuck Company Production
Executive Producer: Arne L. Schmidt
Producers: Richard D. Zanuck, Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks
Associate Producer: Katterli Frauenfelder
Unit Production Manager: Debra James
Unit Production Manager [Paris]: Jean-Pierre Avice
Production Coordinator: Lisa Swain
Production Coordinator [Paris]: Geraldine Niche
Assistant Production Coordinators: Jean Nakahara, Kerin Ferallo

SCRIPT
Script: John August
Novel: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Daniel Wallace

DIRECTION
Director: Tim Burton
1st Assistant Director: Katterli Frauenfelder
2nd Assistant Director: Thomas Harper
Additional 2nd Assistant Director: Carlos De La Torre
2nd 2nd Assistant Director: Robert Skidmore

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Philippe Rousselot
Camera Operator: Neal Norton
1st Assistant Camera: Pamela Rittelmeyer
2nd Assistant Camera: Xiomara Comrie
Camera Loader: Josh Hancher
Chief Lighting Technician: Jack English
Assistant Chief Lighting Technician: James Babineaux
Chief Rigging Lighting Technician: Dennis Lootens
Assistant Chief Rigging Lighting Technician: Branch Brunson
Key Grip: C. Alan Rawlins
2nd Grip: Riko Schatke
Dolly Grip: Darryl R. Humber
Rigging Key Grip: J. Wayne Parker
Rigging Best Boy Grip: Teddy Sapp
Stills: Zade Rosenthal
Video Assist: Daniel P. Moore
Colour Timer: Steve Bowen
Cameras and Lenses: Panavision
Colour: Deluxe

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editor: Chris Lebenzon
Additional Editor: Joel Negron
1st Assistant Editor: Michel Markus
Assistant Editors: Meredith Apel, Nadia Naimi
Apprentice Editor: Marc Pattavina
Negative Cutter: Mo Henry

MUSIC
Music: Danny Elfman
Additional Music: Ludwig van Beethoven [Symphony No. 6 in F ‘Pastoral’: V. Allegretto (Shepherds’ Hymn)]; Jacques Offenbach [Can-Can]; Julius Fucik [Enter The Gladiators]
Songs: Harry Akst, Sam Lewis and Joe Young [Dinah]; John Newton [Amazing Grace]; Louis Elbel [The Victors]; Arthur Smith [Duelin’ Banjos]; Dock Boggs [Sammie, Where Have You Been So Long?]; Buddy Holly, Norman Petty [Everyday]; Elvis Presley, Otis Blackwell [All Shook Up]; Danny Elfman, John August [Twice The Love]; Allen Reynolds [Five O’Clock World]; Dickey Betts [Ramblin’ Man]; Wilbert Harrison [Let’s Work Together]; Eddie Vedder [Man Of The Hour]
Songs Performed By: Bing Crosby [Dinah]; Dock Boggs [Sammie, Where Have You Been So Long?]; Buddy Holly [Everyday]; Elvis Presley [All Shook Up]; The Vogues [Five O’Clock World]; The Allman Brothers Band [Ramblin’ Man]; Canned Heat [Let’s Work Together]; Pearl Jam [Man Of The Hour]
Songs Produced By: Danny Elfman [Twice The Love]; Adam Kasper [Man Of The Hour]
Conductor: Nick Ingman
Orchestrations: Steve Bartek, Jeff Atmajian, David Slonaker, Edgardo Simone
Music Supervisor: Bob Badami
Score Recorded and Mixed by: Dennis Sands
Music Editor: Ellen Segal
Assistant Music Editor: Shie Rozow
MIDI Supervision / Recording: Marc Mann
Orchestra Contractor: Isobel Griffiths
Music Preparation by: Dakota Music Service

SOUND
Production Mixer: Petur Hliddal
Boom Operator: Carl Fischer
Re-Recordists: Dan Sharp, Brian P. Williams
Supervising Sound Mixers: Kevin O’Connell, Greg P. Russell
Supervising Sound Editor: Skip Lievsay
Assistant Sound Editors: Steve F. Price, Melissa Lytle, David Wolowic
Supervising Dialogue Editor: Teri E. Dorman
Dialogue Editor: Susan Dawes
ADR Recordist: Howard London
Supervising ADR Editor: Kimberly Harris
Voice Casting: Barbara Harris
Sound Effects Designer: Craig Berkey
Sound Effects Editors: Jeremy Peirson, Ted Caplan, Ezra Dweck
Supervising Foley Editor: Victoria Martin
Foley Mixer: Brian Ruberg
Foley Editor: Matt Harrison
Foley Artists: Gary Hecker, Catherine Rose
Cable: Michael Rayle
Post Sound Services Provided by: Sony Pictures Studios, Culver City, California

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Department Head Make Up: Jean A. Black
Make Up: Elisa Marsh, Sharyn Cordice
Make Up for Ewan McGregor: Michelle Vittone-McNeil
Make Up for Jessica Lange: Dorothy Pearl
Department Heads Hair: Paul Le Blanc, Rosalee Riggle, Linda De Andrea
Hair: Karen Lovell, Linda Williams
Costume Designer: Colleen Atwood
Assistant Costume Designer: Michelle Skoby
Costume Supervisor: Deborah Blevins
Key Costumer: Donna O'Neal
Costumers: Deborah Ambrosino, Susan Antonelli, Brenda Donoho, Daniel H. George, Jimmy Jay, Rhea Lowenthal, Joulles Wright

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Animatronic and Make Up Effects: Stan Winston Studio
Effects Supervisors: Lindsay Macgowan, J. Alan Scott
Key Artists: Shane Mahan, John Rosengrant
Key Mechanical Designer: Matthew Heimlich
Specialty Make Up: Richard Alonzo

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects Coordinator: Stan Parks
Special Effects Supervisors: Hans Metz, Richard L. Hill
Special Effects Technicians: Kevin Metz, David Rohrer, Tony Vandenecker, Thomas Weinacker
Puppeteers: John Cherevka, Matthew Heimlich, Richard Landon, Lindsay MacGowan, Shane Mahan, Brian Namanny

VISUAL EFFECTS
Visual Effects Supervisor: Kevin Mack
Visual Effects Producer: Victoria Alonso
Model Makers: Benjamin Edelberg, Scott Lukowski, Brett Phillips
Title Designer: Robert Dawson
Digital Opticals: Pacific Title
Digital Intermediate: EFILM

Sony Pictures Imageworks
Visual Effects Executive Producer: Jenny Fulle
CG Supervisor: Seth Maury
Visual Effects Digital Production Manager: Bradford Simonsen
Visual Effects Editor: Steve Rhee
CG Lighting Lead: Max Bruce
CG Look Development Lead: Lutz Müller
Lead Character Animator: Bill Diaz
CG Character Animators: Denis Samoilov, Brian Schindler
Digital Character Lead: Richard Grandy
Character Technical TD: Mitch Cockerham
Colour and Lighting / Compositors: Colin Drobnis, Adrian Steven Iler, Blaine Kennison, John E. Sasaki, Christine J. Lo, Adam Moura
Manager, Interactive Compositing: Dawn Guinta
Interactive Compositing Coordinator: Jason Anderson
Interactive Compositing Artists: Rob Blue, Christian Boudman, Lisa Deaner, Doug Forrest, Jennifer German, Michelle Steinau, Kristen Trattner
FX Animation: Todd Boyce, Sean Cunningham, Allen Ruilova, Robert Shrider, Mark Hall
Modelers: Christian Bouyer, Michael Duhatcheck
Character Texture Painter: Steven Eric Giesler
Texture Painter: Jennifer Jung Kim
Match Move Artists: David Spencer, David Worman, Erica Hornung
Rotoscoping Artists: Nicolle Cornute, Lea C. Lambert, Michael Kaelin
Visual Effects Digital Associate Coordinator: Eddie Soria
Visual Effects Production Assistant: Scott Berri
Lead Production Services Technician: Ned Wilson
Production Services Technicians: Andrea Lackey Pace, Chikako Terashita
Digital Color Timer: Paul McGhee
Production Accountant: Robert Miller
Production Accountant Assistant : Megan Mathews
I/O Film Supervisor: Dennis Webb
Lead Film Recording Technician: Derrick Quarles
Film Recording Technician: Robert Davis Oh
Lead Scanning Technician: Chris Arreola
Scanning Technicians: Andrew Foote, David Keslick
Negative Cutter: Boyd Steer
Software Engineering Department Manager: Amit Agrawal
Systems Administrator: Creola Jones
Visual Effects Plate Coordinator: Brian Terwilliger
Manager, Digital Production: Rachael Phillips
Senior Manager, DCG: Robin Linn
Manager, Production Resources: Marry Borlik
Manager, Production Services: Nathan Eriksen
Senior Staff: Tim Sarnoff, Stan Szymanski, Barry Weiss

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Dennis Gassner
Supervising Art Director: Richard Johnson
Art Directors: Jack Johnson, Roy Barnes, Robert Fechtman
Art Director [Paris]: Jean-Michel Hugon
Assistant Art Director: Christy Wilson
Set Designers: Dawn Brown Manser, Jonathan Short
Set Decorator: Nancy Haigh
Assistant Set Decorator: Daniel B. Clancy
On-Set Dresser: Jon Nicholson
Property Master: Jerry Moss
Assistant Property Masters: Andrew Petrotta, Rick Chavez
Construction Coordinator: Jeffrey J. Passanante
General Foreman: James M. Davis
Labor Foreman: John Leone
Paint Foreman: James Joseph Passanante
Plaster Foreman: John Dugan
Sculpting Foreman: James van Houten
Fixtures Foreman: Quentin Matthys
Art Department Coordinator: Chris Cummings
Illustrators: Warren Manser, Michael A. Jackson
Storyboard Artist: Christopher Baker
Graphic Designer: Dianne Chadwick
Leadman: Scott Troha
Greens Coordinator: Daniel Gillooly
Greens Foreman: Robert Loring
Standby Greensman: Pedro Barquin

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Janna Stern
Production Accountant: Nadine Wilson
Production Accountant [Paris]: Christine Bodelot
Assistant Accountants: Rick Baca, Jon Copley
Payroll Accountant: Marianne Shiffrar
Production Assistants: Chamonix Bosch, Ian Calip, Kelly Cornwell, Adam Fox, Michael A. Grimes, Annie Lynch, Jeremy McGuire, Kari K. Mills, Sara Philpott, Shaun Roberts, Julie Saegert, Jed Seus, Jennifer Wilbert
Assistant to Tim Burton: Derek Frey
Assistant to Richard D. Zanuck: Brenda Berrisford
Assistant to Bruce Cohen: Stephanie Crompton
Assistant to Dan Jinks: Alfonzo Luna
Assistant to Arne L. Schmidt: Joan Johnson
Production Secretary: Whitney Wanous
Choreographer: Cynthia Onrubia
Transportation Captain: Mike Antunez
Transportation Co-Captain: Ken Moore
Picture Car Coordinator: Steve Humphrey
Unit Publicist: Eileen Peterson
Craft Service: Peter D'Amato
Catering: For Stars Catering
Boat Coordinator: David A. Haynes
Medic: Stan S. Swofford
Dialect Coach: Carla Meyer
Wolves Provided By: Doug Seus', Wasatch Rocky Mountain Wildlife
Alexander Tsiaras/cover photo courtesy of Time Magazine
Playboy material from the archives of Playboy Magazine
Blue’s Clues and Dora the Explorer Courtesy of Nickelodeon

LOCATIONS
Locations: Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA; Montgomery, Alabama, USA; Paris, France; Tallassee, Alabama, USA; Wetumpka, Alabama, USA
Location Manager: Robin Citrin
Assistant Location Managers: John Findley, Raine Hall, Craig McCraw

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special Thanks To: Alabama Film Office; The City of Montgomery; The People of Cloverdale; Huntingdon College

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Charlie Croughwell
Stunts: Michelle Croughwell, Corey Eubanks, Sean Graham, Yoshio Iizuka, Billy Morts, Mika Saitom Spencer Sano, Scott Sproule, Sonny Tipton, Darlene Williams

CASTING
Casting: Denise Chamian
Extras Casting: Maryellen Roberts
Location Casting: Tracy Kilpatrick
Casting Associate: Dena Berman
Voice Casting: Barbara Harris

CAST
Ewan McGregor [Ed Bloom (young)]
Albert Finney [Ed Bloom (senior)]
Billy Crudup [Will Bloom]
Jessica Lange [Sandra Bloom (senior)]
Helena Bonham Carter [Jenny (young & senior) / The Witch]
Alison Lohman [Sandra Bloom (young)]
Robert Guillaume [Dr Bennett (senior)]
Marion Cotillard [Josephine]
Matthew McGrory [Karl the Giant]
David Denman [Don Price (age 18-22)]
Missi Pyle [Mildred]
Loudon Wainwright [Beamen]
Ada Tai [Ping]
Arlene Tai [Jing]
Steve Buscemi [Norther Winslow]
Danny DeVito [Amos Calloway]
Deep Roy [Mr Soggybottom]
Perry Walston [Ed Bloom (age 10)]
Hailey Anne Nelson [Jenny (age 8)]
Grayson Stone [Will Bloom (age 6-8)]
R. Keith Harris [Ed's father]
Karla Droege [Ed's mother]
Zachary Gardner [Zacky Price (age 10)]
John Lowell [Don Price (age 12)]
Darrell Vanterpool [Wilbur (age 10)]
Destiny Cyrus [Ruthie (age 8)]
Joseph Humphrey [Little Brave]
Morgan Grace Jarrett [Will's date]
Sallie Hedrick [pretty girl]
Charles McLawhorn [mayor]
Frank Hoyt Taylor [sharecropper]
Savanna James [little girl]
Billy Redden [banjo man]
James DeForest Parker [shotgun toter]
Russell Hodgkinson [some farmer]
Don Young [shephard]
Jayne Morgan, David Ramsey, Greg Hohn [townsfolk]
Zach Hanner [cashier]
George McArthur [Colossus]
Jeff Campbell [jump leader]
Lawrence Sykkmon [Chinese emcee]
Bonnie Johnson [teller woman]
Howard Houston Jr [piano student]
Joanne Pankow [heavy set nurse]
Trevor Gagnon [Will's son]
Jacob Radford [kid]
Karlos Walkes [Dr Bennett (young)]
Cathy Berry [lobster woman]
John Fugate [side show barker]
Daniel Wallace [Econ professor]
Metz Duites [ventriloquist]
Vincent Ybiernas [Asian officer]
Barry C. Harvard [chicken plant owner]
Edward Aldag [municipal dump owner]
Michael Garnet Stewart [auctioneer]
Alan Rawlins [pretty man]
Jake Brake [Old Zacky]
Bevin Kaye [river woman]

Edward Bloom has spent his life creating a mytha round himself through his tall stories about his many travels. Returning to his small-town Alabama roots, he's the toast of the town – but he can't win over his estranged son Will who finds it hard to separate the fact from the fantasy and come to terms with his legendary father.

Argentina
Theatrical Distributor: Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina

Netherlands
Theatrical Distributor: Columbia TriStar Films

USA
Theatrical Distributors: Columbia Pictures / Sony Pictures Entertainment

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

USA
Rating: PG-13 [for a fight scene, some images of nudity and a suggestive reference]

2003
January
13: USA – filming begins

April
Day Unknown: USA – filming ends

December
18: Canada, USA [New York] – theatrical release

2004
January
23: USA – theatrical release
30: Sweden, UK – theatrical release

February
4: Belgium – theatrical release
12: Czech Republic – theatrical release
19: Argentina – theatrical release
26: Netherlands – theatrical release

March
4: New Zealand – theatrical release
10: France – theatrical release

An adventure as big as life itself.

REFERENCES

MAGAZINES

Sight and Sound vol.14 no.2 [February 2004] pp.35-36 [UK]
credits, review [by Kim Newman]

KEYWORDS

book into film

Last Updated: 22 March, 2007