Akeelah and the Bee (2006)

Director:

Doug Atchison

Writer (WGA):

Doug Atchison (written by)

Release Date:

28 April 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Tagline:

Changing the world... one word at a time.

Plot:

A young girl from South Los Angeles tries to make it to the National Spelling Bee.

Plot Keywords:

Tutor | Sportsmanship | Child Prodigy | Dictionary | Courage

Awards:

8 wins & 12 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. July 10	11:00 AM	SHOW
Sun. July 13	10:15 AM	SHOW
Wed. July 16	10:00 AM	SHOW

Cast

Keke Palmer	...	Akeelah
Laurence Fishburne	...	Dr. Larabee
Angela Bassett	...	Tanya
Curtis Armstrong	...	Mr. Welch
J.R. Villarreal	...	Javier
Sean Michael	...	Dylan (as Sean Michael Afable)
Sahara Garey	...	Georgia
Lee Thompson Young	...	Devon
Julito McCullum	...	Terrence
Erica Hubbard	...	Kiana
Eddie Steeples	...	Derrick-T
Dalia Phillips	...	Ms. Cross
Tzi Ma	...	Mr. Chiu
Jeris Poindexter	...	Steve (as Jeris Lee Poindexter)
Sara Niemietz	...	Polly
George Hornedo	...	Roman
Craig Wasson	...	Ted Saunders
Katie Kerwin McCrimmon	...	Herself
Marjorie Harris	...	National Spelling Bee Head Judge
Jacques Bailly	...	National Spelling Bee Pronouncer (as Jacques Bailly, Ph.D.)
Krysten Leigh Jones	...	Tough Girl #1
Amirah Hawkins	...	Tough Girl #2
Jeff Marlow	...	District Judge
Chloé Conroy	...	District Pronouncer
Lee Garlington	...	Regional Judge
Sidney Ganis	...	Regional Pronouncer (as Sid Ganis)
Austin Herrera Davis	...	Cheating Boy
Janet Borrus	...	Cheating Boy's Mom
Wolfgang Bodison	...	Akeelah's Father
Marcus Hawkins Dungey	...	Chuckie
Bonita Friedericy	...	Volunteer
Caroline J. Smith	...	Mary Calveretti
Neil Soni	...	Rajeev Subramonian
Jack Ong	...	Korean Grocer
Lauren Sanchez	...	Reporter
Fay Hauser	...	Woman on TV
Keshell Lucas	...	Little Girl on TV
Corina Boettger	...	Red-Haired Girl
Shyann Chatman	...	Eighth-Grade Girl
Todd Wagner	...	Regional Bee Assistant Judge
Brittany Curran	...	District Speller #1 (as Brittany Elizabeth Curran)
Alexandra Rieger	...	District Speller #2
Eric Don	...	Regional Speller #1
Julia Kelleher	...	Regional Speller #2
Zac Gardner	...	Regional Speller #3
John A. Ausick	...	"Sacciform" Speller
Maddy Kloss	...	"Scutellate" Speller
Mason Green	...	"Longicollis" Speller
Jessy J. Hwang	...	"Ginglymus" Speller
Biplab Panda	...	"Empennage" Speller
Alexander Christian Stephans	...	"Souchong" Speller
Katie L. Brown	...	"Intussusception" Speller
John Oxenreiter	...	"Engastrimythic" Speller
Katie Olson	...	"Escharotic" Speller
Jason Ortenberg	...	"Flocculation" Speller
Lance Norling	...	Boy in Wheelchair
Jmeka Cherrel	...	Driver
Kahlil Ashanti	...	Postman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephanie Hass	...	National Spelling Bee Press Reporter (unconfirmed)
D.T. Carney	...	(uncredited)
Rennie Cowan	...	Parent (uncredited)
Eric Fallecker	...	Student (uncredited)
Andrea Frisby	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Ric Govea	...	Extra (uncredited)
Justin Rodgers Hall	...	Parent (uncredited)
Dava Hulsey	...	Finals - Judge (uncredited)
Lanaria Johnson	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Katelyn Kowalick	...	Additional Voice (voice) (uncredited)
Kelron Mixon	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Mishon Ratliff	...	Additional Voice (voice) (uncredited)
Justin D. Reininga	...	Spelling Bee Audience Member (uncredited)
Ashlynn Rose	...	Additional Voice (voice) (uncredited)
Sarah Sticker	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Holly Traister	...	Finals Judge (uncredited)
Brittany M. Wildman	...	Speller (uncredited)
Kaitlyn Williams	...	Featured Speller (uncredited)

Directed by
Doug Atchison

Writing credits (WGA)
Doug Atchison		(written by)

Produced by
Jaki Brown	....	co-producer (as Jaki Brown-Karman)
Michael Burns	....	executive producer
Marc Butan	....	executive producer
Mark Cuban	....	executive producer
Laurence Fishburne	....	producer
Sidney Ganis	....	producer (as Sid Ganis)
Nancy Hult	....	producer (as Nancy Hult Ganis)
Michael Johnson	....	associate producer
Kent Kubena	....	co-producer
Danny Llewelyn	....	producer
Tom Ortenberg	....	executive producer
Michael Paseornek	....	executive producer
Dalia Phillips	....	associate producer
Michael Romersa	....	producer
Helen Sugland	....	executive producer
Mike Upton	....	co-producer
Todd Wagner	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Aaron Zigman

Cinematography by
M. David Mullen

Film Editing by
Glenn Farr

Casting by
Jaki Brown
Kim Coleman
Aisha Coley

Production Design by
Warren Alan Young

Art Direction by
Shelley A. Wallace

Set Decoration by
Julieann Getman

Costume Design by
Sharen Davis

Makeup Department
Linda Cowan	....	key makeup artist
Fay Kelly	....	assistant hair stylist
Erma Kent	....	assistant hair stylist
Edna Sheen	....	department head makeup (as Edna M. Sheen)
Kenneth Walker	....	department head hair stylist
Gigi Williams	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Jennifer Booth	....	production supervisor
Rosemary Lara	....	production manager: Lions Gate Films
Lisa Looney	....	production supervisor
Carl Pedregal	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anne Carroll	....	additional second assistant director
Rodney-Allen Hooks	....	assistant director
David K. Riebel	....	second assistant director
Chad Rosen	....	first assistant director: additional photography
Ken Twohy	....	crowds assistant director
Marvin Williams	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Alysia Allen	....	art department coordinator
Matthew D. Egan	....	propmaker gangboss
Bianca Ferro	....	props
Kathleen Kasinger	....	property master
Leslie Lawson	....	painter
Alicia Maccarone	....	set designer
Jocelyn Marsh	....	assistant property master
Robert 'Cass' McEntee	....	construction coordinator
Kristie Moore	....	paint coordinator
Greg Sanger	....	leadman
Grant Sawyer	....	set dresser
Angela Simpson	....	art production assistant
John Warner	....	on-set dresser

Sound Department
Julie Altus	....	adr recordist
Ezra Dweck	....	sound re-recording mixer
Shawn Kennelly	....	foley mixer
Laura Macias	....	foley artist
James Morioka	....	dialogue editor
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
Vince Nicastro	....	foley artist
Matthew Nicolay	....	sound mixer
Ken S. Polk	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dean St. John	....	adr mixer
Roland N. Thai	....	supervising sound editor
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Gerard Vernice	....	sound
Stacey A. Washer	....	boom operator
James Wright	....	consultant: Dolby surround

Visual Effects by
Mark Intravartolo	....	compositor
Mike Uguccioni	....	visual effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Saeed Adyani	....	still photographer
James 'Keeper' Auld	....	dolly grip
Mark Carlile	....	lighting technician
Brian Christie	....	grip
Cooper Donaldson	....	electrician
Michael Fitzgerald	....	epk photographer
Jordan Garretson	....	grip
Brad Heiner	....	key grip
Andrew Korner	....	additional electrician
Marcos O. Lopez	....	assistant camera
Chris Mosio	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Chris Mosio	....	director of photography: second unit
David Mun	....	assistant camera
Dave Muskeni	....	electrician
Bob Myers	....	grip
Jeff Niggemeyer	....	rigging electrician
Rich Paisley	....	gaffer
Noah Peter	....	grip
Theo Pingarelli	....	assistant camera
Johnny Radzik	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Johnny Radzik	....	steadicam operator
S. Douglas Smith	....	additional cinematographer
Deron Tse	....	additional grip
Stephen L. Whitcomb	....	camera loader
William Rick Young	....	best boy grip

Casting Department
Heather Sirota	....	extras casting
Eve Streger	....	casting assistant
Lamese Williams	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Yvonne Bastidos	....	set costumer
Cheryl Cravedi	....	set costumer
Meta Moise	....	costumer
Jodie Stern	....	costumes

Editorial Department
Jenny Cho	....	post-production assistant
Markus Czyzewski	....	additional editor
Sue Gates	....	digital intermediate colorist
Mark McCoy	....	post-production coordinator
David Orr	....	color timer
John Scheer	....	digital on-line editor
Bob Wenokur	....	studio post-production representative

Music Department
Johnny Caruso	....	supervising music editor
Howard Drossin	....	orchestrator
Josh Evans	....	assistant score engineer
Joel C. High	....	music supervisor
Tricia Holloway	....	music team
Steve Juliani	....	music preparation
Kory Kruckenberg	....	scoring assistant engineer
Eduardo Ponsdomenech	....	music editor
David Sabee	....	orchestra contractor
Michael Stern	....	music scoring mixer
Jesse Voccia	....	composer: electronic music
Sam Zeines	....	music consultant

Transportation Department
Tony Barattini	....	driver: production van
Geno Hart	....	transportation coordinator
Chris Haynes	....	driver
Kirk Huston	....	transportation captain
John Pellegrino	....	driver
Adam Pinkstaff	....	driver

Other crew
Mary Jane Amato	....	first assistant accountant
Leland Jay Anderson	....	assistant: Laurence Fishburne
Bree Bailey	....	assistant: Michael Paseornek
Jacques Bailly	....	technical advisor (as Jacques Bailly, Ph.D.)
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances
Julie Carideo	....	production coordinator
Jason Cox	....	production assistant
Julie Cummings	....	production assistant
Jenny DeArmitt	....	assistant production office coordinator
Yon Elvira	....	supervisor: assets and productions publicity, Lionsgate
Carlo Eugster	....	assistant: Sid Ganis
Chaz Fatur	....	production assistant
Lisa Gooding	....	legal supervisor
Elaine Hall	....	child acting coach
Robert Hatter	....	assistant: Michael Romersa & Danny Llewelyn
Robyn Heath	....	assistant: Marc Butan
Dorottya Hegedus	....	assistant: Mike Upton (as Dorottya Hegedus-Lum)
Josh Holden Hume	....	office production assistant
Tracy Jackson	....	assistant: Angela Bassett
Andrew C. Keeter	....	location manager
Audrey Kendrick	....	assistant: Helen Sugland
Cody Klop	....	adr voice
Mike Kohl	....	production assistant
Jeff L. Lieberman	....	epk producer
Daniel MacArthur	....	assistant: Donna Sloan, Lions Gate Films
Danielle Mana	....	production assistant
Christopher Marlon	....	assistant: Angela Bassett
Jan McWilliams	....	script supervisor
Robert M. Melnik	....	executive vice president of business affairs
Curtis A. Miller	....	director of production: Lions Gate Films
Khanya Mkhize	....	adr loop group
Keri Moorhouse	....	personal assistant
Robert Natter	....	assistant: Danny Lewellyn and Michael Romersa
Julie Polkes	....	publicist
Michelle Pullman	....	assistant: Jay Faires
Emily Rice	....	post-production accountant
Amber N. Roy	....	business and legal affairs
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances
Amanda Shamis	....	business affairs coordinator
Donna Sloan	....	senior vice president: Lions Gate Films
Sean Kevin Sweeney	....	production assistant
Paul Young	....	production assistant

Thanks
Amy Atchison	....	thanks
Greg Tennant	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Spelling Bee Productions Inc.
• 2929 Productions
• Cinema Gypsy Productions
• Lions Gate Films
• Out of the Blue... Entertainment
• Reactor Films
• Starbucks Entertainment (co-produced)

Distributors

• Lionsgate (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Lionsgate (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• LK-TEL (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2007) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Maple Pictures (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Modern VideoFilm (visual effects)
• XY & Z Visual Effects

Other Companies

• Avon Studio Transport  transportation
• Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Danetracks  sound design & editorial
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Inflatable Crowd Company, The  inflatable mannequins
• Juniper Post  audio services
• Kinetic Imageworks  post-production facilities
• Pfaff Protective Group  security
• Prime Casting  extras casting
• Rockbottom Rentals  modem card rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  nextel cell phone rentals
• Rogers & Cowan  publicist
• Wilshire Stages, The  ADR recording facility

MPAA:

Rated PG for some language.

Runtime:

Argentina:112 min | USA:112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:PG (re-rating) (2007) | USA:PG | Finland:K-3 | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | Canada:G (Ontario) | Ireland:PG | UK:12A

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Spelling Bee Productions Inc.

Trivia:

The first film to be produced by Starbucks Coffee.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the National Spelling Bee, Akeela's brother Devon is shown wearing Staff Sergeant's stripes (four stripes.) Later, he is shown wearing Senior Airman's stripes (three stripes.)

Quotes:

Akeelah: [Javier has just kissed her] Why'd you do that?
Javier: I had an impulse. Are you gonna sue me for sexual harassment?
[pause, then they both laugh]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 2007 Camie Awards (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Definition of Love

Inspiring and necessary

I went to an advance screening and found "Akeelah" to be so much more than I expected. I sat in the theater dabbing tears from eyes throughout the showing. The emotional weight, story-telling approach and female perspective in "Akeelah" is much like that of POETIC JUSTICE (also set in South Central, LA).

"Akeelah" has GREAT cast performances. As a mentor to Akeelah, Laurence Fishburne continuously reminded me of his nurturing position in BOYZ N THE HOOD - I thought of FINDING FORRESTER and THE MAN WITHOUT A FACE as well. Fishburne looks spectacular with Angela Bassett who knows all the right expressions and vocal tones to have the powerful realism she does in her role as a fearful parent in South Central. Keke Palmer, she is definitely on the rise... pretty girl too. Several strong subplots come about in the first half of "Akeelah." They deal with the painful past of Dr. Larabee (Fishburne), lack of time and attention from Akeelah's overworked mother (Bassett), a teetering relationship between Akeelah and her best friend Georgia (Sahara Garey), and the problems of one of Akeelah's brothers who spends his time out late on the streets of South Central.

Apart from the dramatic mood of "Akeelah," there's an excellent amount of comedy. Many of the jokes are in the things that aren't said but seen (watch the father of Akeelah's major opponent). The most hilarious part of the film, IMO, involves the loyalty of Akeelah's friend Javier (J.R. Villarreal) - you'll know the scene when you see it.

From a more objective standpoint, I felt that many of the scene cuts/transitions in "Akeelah" weren't too clean. I forget all about it though when I reflect on the emotional montages that center around Akeelah, her family and the people of her community. If you remember the standout poem ("our deepest fear...") recited in COACH CARTER, you might feel that "Akeelah" twice makes trite use of it. However, different lines of the poem are read this time around. The pacing of "Akeelah" is good, especially when it comes to how Akeelah learns and advances in the National Spelling Bee. "Akeelah" makes the competition look and feel suspenseful at times, but more importantly, it focuses on the rewards found by those who believe in themselves. Kids in the theater I went to were spelling aloud from the very first scene.

The ending -- I won't spoil it -- combines the pieces of humor, triumph and sadness in "Akeelah" in one of the most beautiful finishes I've ever seen, felt and heard from a movie. You MUST go see AKEELAH AND THE BEE!! You'll leave the theater highly inspired by the best word given in the film ("L-O-V-E").