When Dinosaurs Roamed America (2001) (TV)

Director:

Pierre de Lespinois

Writer:

Georgann Kane (written by)

Release Date:

1 January 2001 (UK)

Genre:

Animation | Documentary

Tagline:

After 65 million years... they're back.

Plot Keywords:

Dinosaur

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

John Goodman

...

Narrator (voice)

Directed by
Pierre de Lespinois

Writing credits
Georgann Kane		(written by)

Produced by
John Copeland	....	producer
Tomi Bednar Landis	....	executive producer
Pierre de Lespinois	....	executive producer
Pierre de Lespinois	....	producer
Fran Lo Cascio	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Christopher Franke

Film Editing by
Barrett Sanders

Production Management
Julio Serna	....	production manager

Art Department
Mark Dubeau	....	creature designer

Sound Department
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
David Esparza	....	sound effects editor
Shawn Kennelly	....	foley mixer
Nancy Nugent	....	sound editor
Michael Payne	....	sound editor
Jeff Septoff	....	narration recordist
Jonathan Sola	....	sound editor (as Jonathon Wareham)
Liz Sroka	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jonathan Wareham	....	sound editor
Dave Winston	....	sound

Special Effects by
Ali Pearce	....	special effects assistant
Brian Pearce	....	special effects supervisor
Cassie Pearce	....	special effects
Kevin Turner	....	special effects foreman

Visual Effects by
Rob Aitchison	....	digital artist
Christine Arboit	....	texture artist: Meteor Studios
Manon Barriault	....	visual effects coordinator
Robert Bock	....	visual effects supervisor
Genevieve Boisvert	....	visual effects coordinator
Michael Borhi	....	texture artist
Jean-Christophe Boue	....	digital compositor: Meteor Studios
Jean-Christophe Boue	....	lighting artist: Meteor Studios
Yanick Bourgie	....	digital texture painter
Philippe Brochu	....	modeler
Shannon Casey	....	visual effects supervisor
Philippe Desiront	....	Flame artist
Gina Di Bari	....	lighting supervisor
Sebastien Dostie	....	digital artist
Mark Dubeau	....	art director
Stéphanie Dubé	....	texture painter
Frederic Fortin	....	technical director
Marie-Josee Gagnon	....	lighting artist
Marie-Josee Gagnon	....	modeler
Aaron Gilman	....	lead animator
Joe Han	....	senior animator
Miae Kang	....	lighting artist
Emanuel LaFrance	....	digital compositor
Virginie Lamotte	....	digital compositor
Nadine Lavoie	....	digital artist
Jean-Pascal Leblanc	....	digital artist
Jean-Pascal Leblanc	....	matte painter
Christine Leclerc	....	lead texture artist
Pierre de Lespinois	....	visual effects supervisor
Charles Marchand	....	Flame artist
Charles Marchand	....	digital compositor
Simon Marinof	....	motion tracker
Omar McClinton	....	visual effects production manager: Cantina Pictures, Inc.
Jamie Minett	....	lighting artist
Thai-My Nguyen	....	animator
Velislava Nikolova	....	character animator
Lorne Nudel	....	layout artist
Christophe Pacaud	....	compositor
Christian Paradis	....	texture & shading artist
Benoit Pelchat	....	digital artist
John Poisson	....	animation producer
John Poisson	....	visual effects producer
John Poisson	....	visual effects supervisor
Carl Prud'homme	....	texture artist
The-Hung Quach	....	digital artist
Sébastien Quessy	....	rendering artist
Jay Randall	....	lead animator
Jean-Pierre Riverin	....	lighting artist
Philippe Roberge	....	digital compositor
Peter Skovsbo	....	visual effects line producer
Martin Tardif	....	lighting artist
Mark van den Bergen	....	digital compositor
Don Waller	....	digital effects animation director
Dennis Yoo	....	CGI animator
Marie-Josee Auclair	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Jami Levesque	....	system support (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Bock	....	camera operator

Animation Department
Steeve Boulianne	....	animator
Charles Le Guen	....	animator
Sean Mahoney	....	animator
Thai-My Nguyen	....	animator

Music Department
Chuck Ferry	....	music editor
Edgar Rothermich	....	music producer
Edgar Rothermich	....	music recordist

Other crew
Kenny Davis	....	production assistant
Mario Ghersi	....	local production
Wade Woods	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Discovery Channel
• Evergreen Films

Distributors

• Discovery Channel (2001) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Discovery Channel (2001) (USA) (TV)
• Tandem Communications (Germany)
• Telepool (Germany)

Special Effects

• Meteor Studios

Other Companies

• AWAFI S.A.  location scouting

Also Known As:

Runtime:

Germany:90 min | USA:120 min (TV)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Neuquén, Argentina

Company:

Discovery Channel

Trivia:

The dinosaur referred to as Syntarsus was, since this program had been made, renamed Megapnosaurus, since its former name had been already taken by a kind of beetle.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the Coelophysis is done eating the insect, its broken-off wing falls to the ground. At the moment it touches the ground, the wing disappears.

Movie Connections:

References The Flintstones (1994)

a well-done documentary that lasts just as long as it should and is as good as you want it to be

While it's not as magnificently done, well-told, or visually realistic as the famous and epic prehistoric documentary "Walking With Dinosaurs", this documentary which tells the story of prehistoric life in North America over the course of a hundred and fifty-some million years is above-average when compared to others that try to live up to "Walking With Dinosaurs".

The graphics used to create the prehistoric animals are acceptable. They weren't perfect and at some points during the course of the documentary, were cheap and revealing. The sound design was perhaps better than the visuals, but I felt that the FX were good enough to keep the audience interested and motivated towards watching the story till the end. But some of the dinosaurs were just simply flawless, mostly concerning the Coelophysis towards the beginning of the and the Ceratosaurus, whom I felt the most sympathy toward. The other dinosaurs were pretty good. As I mentioned earlier, the sound effects were excellent. However, I did feel that the Allosaurus really needed a better roar. It's described as the dominant predator of its age and it looks like it is, yet it's roar, which is supposed to have struck terror into the hearts of the other dinosaurs of its day, sounds like a reverberated bird's chirping.

Storyline was also very well-done. It wasn't particularly original, using many aspects that had been used in other documentaries about prehistoric life, yet with John Goodman's excellent narration, you don't even bother to think about it. The music score in the background also served its purpose, especially at the end, which was the most dramatic, almost as powerful as the ending of "Walking With Dinosaurs". And it really makes the viewers think about the great creatures that once roamed and dominated over our land and if it hadn't been for the sudden cataclysmic events which brought them to extinction, we ourselves would have probably never existed.

Bottom line, it's a very well-done documentary. I recommend it.