A Thousand Words (2012/I)

Director:

Brian Robbins

Writer (WGA):

Steve Koren (written by)

Release Date:

9 March 2012 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

He only has 1000 words left to discover what matters the most.

Plot:

After stretching the truth on a deal with a spiritual guru, literary agent Jack McCall finds a Bodhi tree on his property. Its appearance holds a valuable lesson on the consequences of every word we speak.

Plot Keywords:

Literary Agent | Three Word Title | Magical Tree | Box Office Flop | Critically Bashed

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Eddie Murphy	...	Jack McCall
Kerry Washington	...	Caroline McCall
Emanuel Ragsdale	...	Tyler McCall
Jill Basey	...	Woman in Starbucks
Greg Collins	...	Construction Worker
Robert LeQuang	...	Starbucks Customer
Michael G. Wilkinson	...	Starbucks Customer
Lyndsey Nelson	...	Starbucks Customer
Michael Cody Gilbert	...	Starbucks Customer
Lou Saliba	...	Shrink
Clark Duke	...	Aaron Wiseberger
Cliff Curtis	...	Dr. Sinja
Mitchell Fink	...	Male Agent
Edi Patterson	...	Young Female Agent
Allison Janney	...	Samantha Davis
Emily A. Burton	...	Crying Student
Tracy Mulholland	...	Young Student
Brad Keimach	...	Sinja Aide
Dilip Jha	...	Sinja Aide
Jorge A. Alvarez	...	Mariachi Band Leader
Ruby Dee	...	Annie McCall
Kayla Blake	...	Emily
Leonard Earl Howze	...	Orderly
Winston J. Rocha	...	Gaudencio
Jack McBrayer	...	Starbuck's Barista
John Witherspoon	...	Blind Man
Bethany Dwyer	...	Mary
Alain Chabat	...	Christian Léger de la Touffe
Thierry Segall	...	French Businessman
Noel Courteblenche	...	French Businessman
Sara Holden	...	Hostess
Lennie Loftin	...	Robert Gilmore
David Burke	...	Gil Reed
Jeff Kahn	...	Waiter
Matt Winston	...	Kid Space Teacher
Daniel Hepner	...	Sensitive Dad #1
Eric Archibald	...	Sensitive Dad #2
Philip Pavel	...	Overly Enthused Dad
Raquel Bell	...	Kid Space Mom
Kamala Jones	...	Hotel Employee
K. Harrison Sweeney	...	Rotund Man (as Kharrison Sweeney)
Brian Gallivan	...	Tony
Steven M. Gagnon	...	Ira
Daniel Saltos	...	Gaudencio Assistant
Lauren Schuchman	...	Waitress
Ted Kennedy	...	Homeless Man
Jane Bartelme	...	Nun
Darcy Rose Byrnes	...	10 Year Old Girl
Eshaya Draper	...	Young Jack
Sarah Scott Davis	...	Young Annie
Skip Crank	...	Ice Cream Vendor
Justin Robbins	...	Boy (as Justin Soul Robbins)
Miles Robbins	...	Boy (as Miles David Robbins)
Floyd Levine	...	Man on Pier
Bunny Levine	...	Woman on Pier
Brian R. Norris	...	Steven (as Brian Norris)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Adalia Braydon	...	Co-Worker
Andy B. Dardaine	...	Co-Worker
Gina Fricchione	...	Literary Agent
John Gatins	...	Valet
Michela Ghorban	...	Nun
Patrick McSherry	...	Office Co Worker
Michela Rietdijk	...	Nun
Ariel Winter	...	Lila
Mark E. Clason	...	Jazz Concert Attendee (uncredited)
Zachary Junt	...	Concert Guest (uncredited)
Phil Reeves	...	Don Parker (uncredited)

Directed by
Brian Robbins

Writing credits (WGA)
Steve Koren		(written by)

Produced by
Jane Bartelme	....	executive producer
Caroline Bresard	....	associate producer
Nicolas Cage	....	producer
Alain Chabat	....	producer
Stephanie Danan	....	producer
Nicolas Giraudi	....	associate producer
Norman Golightly	....	producer
Steve Koren	....	executive producer
Brian Robbins	....	producer
Sharla Sumpter	....	producer
Lars P. Winther	....	co-producer

Original Music by
John Debney

Cinematography by
Clark Mathis

Film Editing by
Ned Bastille

Casting by
Juel Bestrop
Seth Yanklewitz

Production Design by
Clay A. Griffith

Art Direction by
Angela Stauffer

Set Decoration by
Wayne Shepherd

Costume Design by
Mary E. Vogt

Makeup Department
Debra Coleman	....	key makeup artist
Camille Friend	....	department head hair
Cynthia Hernandez	....	makeup artist
Melanie Hughes	....	department head makeup
Jason James	....	dental technician
Lori McCoy-Bell	....	key hair stylist
Kelley Mitchell	....	makeup artist
Vera Steimberg Moder	....	personal makeup artist
Susan Stepanian	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Tina Anderson	....	post-production supervisor
Mary Kane	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mike Crotty	....	second second assistant director
Eugene Davis	....	additional second assistant director
Stephen W. Moore	....	second second assistant director
Brian Relyea	....	second assistant director
Lars P. Winther	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Ronald S. Baratie	....	greens foreman
Jaime Beebe	....	set dresser
Richard J. Bell	....	head greens coordinator
Mark Brooks	....	set dresser
Skip Crank	....	assistant property master
Michael D'Imperio	....	props
Mathias Fain	....	on-set dresser
Alyssa Feener	....	art department coordinator
Alex Hill	....	storyboard artist (as Alex Hillkurtz)
Patrick Janicke	....	digital illustrator
John Paul 'J.P.' Jones	....	property master
Charles Kern	....	camera scenic
Mark Kudra	....	set dresser
Spencer Lord	....	special photography props
John Hammer Maxwell	....	on-set dresser
Bryan McBrien	....	greens stand-by
Frank McEldowney	....	greens foreman
Douglas McKay	....	gang boss
Marc Meisels	....	set dresser
Randy Molique	....	set dresser
Jay Pelissier	....	assistant art director
James Rothwell	....	animatic
James Rothwell	....	pre-visualization
Michael Ruby	....	graphic designer
Eric S. Saperstein	....	paint gangboss
Mike Villarino	....	construction coordinator: additional photography
Margaret Wall	....	art production assistant
Nic Weethee	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Willie D. Burton	....	sound mixer
Mike Chock	....	sound effects editor
Paul Drenning	....	adr mixer
Buster Flaws	....	adr mixer
Ron Fremstad	....	ProTools operator
Ron Fremstad	....	second boom operator
David Goldsmith	....	video assist
Robin Harlan	....	foley artist
Elliott Koretz	....	sound designer
Elliott Koretz	....	supervising sound editor
Andy Koyama	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sarah Monat	....	foley artist
Frank A. Montaño	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Nelson	....	sound editor
Josephine Nericcio	....	assistant sound editor
Jason Oliver	....	adr recordist
Jason Oliver	....	sound recordist
Ralph Osborn	....	supervising dialogue editor
Troy Porter	....	adr mixer
Kira Roessler	....	adr supervisor
Philip Rogers	....	adr recordist
Randy Singer	....	foley mixer

Special Effects by
Gary D. Bierend	....	special effects foreman

Visual Effects by
Victor DiMichina	....	production supervisor: Pixel Magic
TJ Falls	....	visual effects consultant
Patrick Flanagan	....	digital compositor
Phillip Giles	....	digital artist
Jim Gorman	....	digital compositor
Craig Hilditch	....	digital compositor
Steven Lloyd	....	digital artist
Ray McIntyre Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor
Brad Moylan	....	digital compositor: Pixel Magic
Iva Petkova	....	previsualisation
David Ridlen	....	CG supervisor: Pixel Magic
Michael Saz	....	digital retouching
Linda Schubell-Sundlin	....	visual effects editor
Wilson Tang	....	digital restoration
Norie Varga	....	digital artist
Norie Varga	....	visual effects artist
Nathan Warner	....	previs supervisor: Proof, Inc.
Dione Wood	....	visual effects producer: Pixel Magic FX

Stunts
Sean Christopher	....	stunt rigger
Sean Christopher	....	utility stunts
Danny Epper	....	stunt bus driver
Conrade Gamble	....	stunt double
Lance Gilbert	....	stunt coordinator
Andy Gill	....	stunt coordinator
Horace Knight	....	stunt double
David McSweeney	....	stunt double
Pat Romano	....	stunt rigger

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Alexonis	....	key grip
Noah Bishop	....	technocrane operator
Robert Branam	....	video utility
Rod Calarco	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Nelson A. Castillo	....	rigger
Jonathan Clark	....	film loader
Clayton Daily	....	additional film loader
Michael Kennedy	....	lighting technician
Tommy Klines	....	first assistant camera
Bob Leitelt	....	rigging key grip
Marc Marino	....	rigging gaffer
Bruce McBroom	....	still photographer
James M. McClure	....	key dimmer board operator
Craig Molsberry	....	best boy electric
John S. Moyer	....	Steadicam operator
John S. Moyer	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Jason Newton	....	dolly grip: "b" camera
Brian S. Osmond	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Chris Rauch	....	grip
Jonathan Shier	....	camera
Charles Smith	....	rigging grip best boy
Tim Speed	....	electrician
C. Ashley Sudge	....	dolly grip (as Ashley Sudge)
Andrew Taylor	....	best boy grip
Daniel Tkaczyk	....	lighting technician
Nicole Turegano	....	film loader
John Vecchio	....	gaffer
Eric Wheeler	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Scott Whitbread	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Kate Caldwell	....	casting associate
Melissa Kostenbauder	....	casting assistant
Valerie Magoon	....	casting assistant
Katie Taylor	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charlene Amateau	....	costume supervisor
Valentina Aulisi	....	set costumer
Joshua Coleman	....	costumer
Fetteroff Colen	....	costumer: Mr. Murphy
Erin Fisher	....	costume assistant
Katie Gavin	....	set costumer
Mary-Kate Killilea	....	assistant costume designer
Bob Moore Jr.	....	set costumer
Julie Shack	....	set costumer
Daisy Alexandra Sylbert-Torres	....	additional set costumer

Editorial Department
Tony Bacigalupi	....	first assistant editor
Jill Bogdanowicz	....	digital film colorist
Trevor St. John David	....	post-production assistant
Evan Henke	....	first assistant editor
Jennifer Lee	....	digital edit assist
Bob Peishel	....	digital intermediate producer
Mark Sachen	....	colorist
Everette Webber	....	digital intermediate editor

Music Department
Frank Bennett	....	orchestrator
Jeff Carson	....	music editor: Score
Brad Dechter	....	supervising orchestrator
Robert Fernandez	....	score mixer
Mark Graham	....	head of music preparation
Kevin Kaska	....	orchestrator
Helena Lea	....	music editor
Michael Mishaw	....	score musician: vocalist
Victor Pesavento	....	music preparation
Peter Rotter	....	music contractor
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Michael Stern	....	music recording engineer
Madonna Wade-Reed	....	music supervisor
Mike Watts	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Rich Bennetti	....	parking coordinator
Linda Cipperley	....	transportation
Glenn Coopersmith	....	transportation
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Jim Petti	....	transportation captain
Jimmy Ray Pickens	....	driver: re-shoots
Chris Raines	....	transportation
Jonathan A. Rosenfeld	....	transportation coordinator
Sarah Lynn Schmitt	....	driver
Paul E. Stroh	....	transportation coordinator: additional photography
Paul Tumber	....	transportation co-captain
Jeff Verdick	....	transportation coordinator
Chad Wadsworth	....	production van driver: basecamp

Other crew
John Bartnicki	....	production assistant
Irina Beil	....	third assistant accountant
Cody Birdwell	....	set production assistant
Kristen Boulé	....	additional set production assistant
Jenny Lynn Burnett	....	post-production accountant
Paulette Dauber	....	unit publicist
Victor DiMichina	....	technical production supervisor
Bree Elise	....	stand-in (as Brianna Canillas)
Richie Elson	....	additional set production assistant
Patrick Falls	....	adr loop group
Ashley Fardys	....	production secretary
Jenny Fumarolo	....	assistant to executive producer
Vicki Goldsmith	....	additional set production assistant
Rhona Gordon	....	studio teacher
Zak Grausam	....	second assistant accountant
Marc Haimes	....	studio executive
Amanda Harrington	....	assistant location manager
Richard Itskovich	....	production assistant
Lauren Iverson	....	assistant: director
Zachary Junt	....	production assistant
Zachary Kahn	....	key assistant location manager
Brad Keimach	....	yoga and music consultant
Ket Lamb	....	stand-in: Rakefet Abergel
Joyce Lasley	....	stand-in
Jerry Lee	....	construction accountant
Scott Levine	....	set production assistant
Brandon Linville	....	first assistant accountant
Scotch Ellis Loring	....	adr actor
David B. Lyons	....	key assistant location manager
Matthew McArdle	....	production assistant
Kerry Lyn McKissick	....	script supervisor
Diana P. Mejia	....	assistant accountant: reshoots
Tricia Miles	....	post executive
Michael W. Miliotti	....	cat trainer
Mark Moseley	....	adr voice match
Heidi Brook Myers	....	adr loop group
Carrie A. Oyer	....	assistant production coordinator
John Panzarella	....	location manager
Erin Sahlstrom	....	production coordinator
Edgar Sardarian	....	production assistant
Carter Schmitt	....	key assistant location manager
Matt Schulman	....	production assistant
Jed Smith	....	remix producer
Kelly A. Snyder	....	production accountant (as Kelly Snyder)
Rachel Spenst	....	production assistant
Duffy Taylor	....	key assistant location manager
Katie Taylor	....	production secretary
Nate Taylor	....	key assistant location manager
Donna Tegan	....	staff set production assistant
Leslie Thorson	....	key assistant location manager
Lora Umphress	....	payroll accountant
Randy Webster	....	personal assistant to Eddie Murphy
Richard W. Welch	....	key production assistant
Anthony Woods	....	production medic
Garson Yu	....	main titles
Jesse Heiman	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• DreamWorks SKG (presents) (as DreamWorks Pictures)
• Saturn Films
• Work After Midnight Films
• Varsity Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures Entertainment (2012) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (2012) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (2012) (France) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (2012) (UK) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (2012) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2012) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2012) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Film1 (2013) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co. (2012) (Japan) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Proof
• Proof (previsualization)

Other Companies

• BT Industrial Supply  expendables
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Chef Robért Catering  catering
• Clairmont Camera  camera equipment provided by
• Digital Media Services (DMS)  digital marketing asset management
• Digital Media Services (DMS)  on-line promotional material creation
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Executive Assurance  security
• Film Art  art consulting
• Intelligent Media  international monitoring agency
• Monster Picture Crane  stunt rigging crane
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Movie Movers  star trailers
• Productions Branded  product placement
• Sessions Payroll Management  extras payroll services
• Star Waggons  cast trailers
• Star Waggons  hair and make-up trailers
• Star Waggons  star trailers
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  digital intermediate
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack
• yU+Co.  titles

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual situations including dialogue, language and some drug-related humor

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Datasat | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #45551) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Ireland:12A | Malaysia:PG-13 | UK:12A | Germany:o.Al. | South Korea:15 | Singapore:PG13 | Netherlands:6

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

Filmed in 2008, not released until 2012.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: After Jack gets in the elevator with a semi-naked man, a black town car drives off. A boom mic and crew member are reflected in the car's right rear quarter panel.

Quotes:

Jack McCall:I guess you never know if the last time you see someone is going to be the last time you ever see someone.

Movie Connections:

References "SpongeBob SquarePants" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Because I Got High

Eddie Murphy still makes me laugh...even in something like A Thousand Words

I've been an Eddie Murphy fan since I first saw him on "Saturday Night Live" back in 1980. I've laughed at most of his stuff on TV and movies most of that time. I haven't seen everything he's done but what I've seen I've mostly enjoyed. So it is that I indeed enjoyed this knowing many of the things he does and says in this movie can be quite either silly or stupid but what can I say, I still find him very funny. And Clark Duke who plays his assistant also got plenty of laughs from me especially when he does his version of a street smart person. I also found Kerry Washington appealing as his wife and Ruby Dee as his mother nicely playing someone who seems to live in the past since she keeps mistaking her son for her since-abandoned husband. I thought Allison Janney was wasted as his boss, however. Oh, and I also loved the comic chemistry between him and Jack McBrayer as a Starbucks employee. In summary, A Thousand Words is no great shakes, but it was still entertaining enough for me.