Skills Like This (2007)

Director:

Monty Miranda

Writers:

Gabriel Tigerman (story) and
Spencer Berger (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

20 March 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Everybody Wants to be Somebody

Plot:

Max Solomon faces the awful truth that he will never be a writer. So, in a desperate attempt to find his true calling...

Plot Keywords:

Death Of Grandfather | Female Nudity | Quitting A Job | Briefcase | Love

Awards:

5 wins

Cast

Spencer Berger	...	Max
Brian D. Phelan	...	Tommy
Gabriel Tigerman	...	Dave
Kerry Knuppe	...	Lucy
Jennifer Batter	...	Lauren
Ned Bellamy	...	Uncle Morris
Marta Martin	...	Rosa
Zach Cumer	...	Cousin Jeramiah
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Danielle Arnold	...	Onion Dance Player (as Danielle Renee)
Rylie Beaty	...	Girl on playground
Bret Bertholf	...	Lead Singer
Brett Billings	...	Band Member
Paige Black	...	Girl on Bridge
Tom Borrillo	...	Italian Waiter
Charlee Chiv	...	Young Japanese Badass
Tupper Cullum	...	Englehard
Donna Dewey	...	TV Reporter
Tom Doyle	...	Italian Restaurant patron
Amy Rose Drucker	...	Nurse
Chris J. Ferrante	...	Bald drunk at drive through robbery
Patty Figel	...	Max's Grandma Uta
Chelsea Frye	...	Onion Dance Player
Quintin Gamer	...	Hall Pass Kid
Spencer George	...	Businessman in Bank
Chris Grundy	...	Man with Nice Suit
William Hahn	...	Bank Security Guard
Travis Kellog	...	Clerk in 24 Hour Store
Reverend Leon Kelly	...	Leon
Amie MacKenzie	...	Housewife
Mercedes Magee	...	Elderly Woman in Bank
Jeremy Make	...	Rusty
Robert Markle	...	Onion Dance Player
David Mijares	...	Kid in 24 Hour Store
John Nance	...	Dave's Boss Mr. Levar
Suzy Nelson	...	TV Anchorwoman
Winston Ngo	...	Onion Dance Player
Ben O'Connor	...	Band Member
Ry Feder Pruett	...	Late Kid
Kent Randell	...	Male Teacher
Shawn Rickel	...	Construction Guy in Bank
Paul Rohrer	...	Grandiose Actor
Marian Rothschild	...	Max's Mom
Mark Rubald	...	Bank Manager
Greg Schochet	...	Band Member
Matthew D. Sheahan	...	Sheingold
Damon Smith	...	Band Member
Harry Sterling	...	Grandpa Abe
Scott Swaggart	...	Parking cop
Daniell Taff	...	Gonzalo
Maggie Tisdale	...	Bank Patron
Roslyn D. Washington	...	Godfearing Woman in Bank
Marcus Waterman	...	Mr. Nam
Halden Wofford	...	Band Member
Quentin Yamasaki	...	Onion Dance Player
Christa Cannon	...	Italian Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Mark Diestler	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Francesca Palizzi	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Monty Miranda

Writing credits
Gabriel Tigerman		(story)
Spencer Berger		screenplay
Spencer Berger		story

Produced by
Paul Aaron	....	producer
Greg 'Freddy' Camalier	....	executive producer
Donna Dewey	....	producer
Timothy Gray	....	producer
Amy Jarvela	....	line producer
Catherine J. Moore	....	associate producer
Rock Obenchain	....	producer
Brian D. Phelan	....	producer
Daniell Taff	....	associate producer
Judith Wahler	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Andy Monley

Cinematography by
Robert F. Smith

Film Editing by
Rock Obenchain

Casting by
Corbin Bronson
Annie Hamilton

Production Design by
Pamela Chavez

Art Direction by
Jake Newsom

Set Decoration by
Savanna Johnson

Costume Design by
Mimi Kaupe

Makeup Department
Jenece Amella	....	assistant makeup artist
Tanya Barnes-Jones	....	hair stylist
Tanya Barnes-Jones	....	makeup artist
Jennifer Murphy	....	hair stylist
Jennifer Murphy	....	makeup artist
Colleen Provost	....	key hair stylist
Colleen Provost	....	key makeup artist
Michele Raftery	....	hair stylist
Michele Raftery	....	makeup artist
Lauren Rennells	....	hair stylist
Lauren Rennells	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Amy Jarvela	....	unit production manager
Maria Sandhei	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joe Crowley	....	second second assistant director
Amy Jarvela	....	first assistant director: second unit
Joel Jeffrey Nishimine	....	first assistant director
Michael Piznarski	....	second second assistant director
Phillip Wagner	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Chad Branham	....	property assistant
Jessica Feavel	....	property production assistant
Evan Isoline	....	property production assistant
Paul Keables	....	art department production assistant
Kamla Presswalla	....	scenic painter
Keith Price	....	sign painter
Clay Pruitt	....	art production assistant
Steven Schalk	....	property master
Dave Schutz	....	lead man
Michael Stano	....	construction coordinator
Rebecca Totman	....	props assistant

Sound Department
Robert Abbott	....	sound mixer
Jeff Archuleta	....	boom operator
Richard Charles	....	sound production assistant
Michael Pfeifer	....	sound editor
Andrew Vastola	....	supervising sound editor
Paul Vastola	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Chris Rink	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Michael Lauter	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Tim Drnec	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Eli Berg	....	electrician
Frank Dantonio	....	grip
Carlos Doerr	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Cooper Donaldson	....	gaffer
Shane Evans	....	second assistant camera
Anthony Gudino	....	best boy electric
Alan Hamilton	....	grip
Brad Heiner	....	key grip
Jon Helzer	....	grip
Justin Stewart Johnson	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Donald Jones	....	grip
Mike Jones	....	director of photography: second unit
Mike Jones	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Kyle Knudson	....	second assistant camera
Lauren Kovarik	....	camera production assistant
Will Lamborn	....	electrician
Cass Letson	....	grip
Cassidy Letson	....	grip
John Mans	....	jib operator
Erik Gunnar Mortensen	....	grip (as Erik Mortensen)
Robert Muratore	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Robert Muratore	....	digital imaging technician
Noah Peter	....	best boy grip
Andrew Phillips	....	additional best boy electric
David Quint	....	jib operator
David Quint	....	photographer: second unit
George Tague	....	gaffer
Joshua Trager	....	grip
Joshua H. Trager	....	grip
Joshua Weinberg	....	second assistant camera (as Josh Weinberg)
Monty Miranda	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Mitch Dickman	....	extras casting
Chad Schnackel	....	casting assistant
Roxane Sondrup	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Brigid Moore	....	wardrobe production assistant
Kaitlin Moore	....	wardrobe production assistant
Meredith J. Murray	....	costume supervisor
Meredith J. Murray	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Michael Lauter	....	digital colorist
Jon Obenchain	....	assistant editor
Scotty Pierce	....	post-production production assistant
David Rennie	....	consulting editor

Music Department
Shawn Amos	....	music supervisor
Andy Monley	....	orchestrator: songs
Mark Raynes	....	orchestrator: songs
Adam Trachsel	....	orchestrator: songs

Transportation Department
Issac Fogler	....	driver
Phil Helman	....	transportation coordinator
John E. Jaramillo	....	driver
Rita Schafer	....	driver
Dennis Steele	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Roger Ames	....	set medic
Sarah Berkovich	....	cast production assistant
Paige Black	....	assistant: Donna Dewey
Paige Black	....	script supervisor: second unit
Barry L. Caldwell	....	script supervisor
Christopher J. Corabi	....	production attorney
Christopher J. Corabi	....	production legal services
Andy Curtis	....	office production assistant
Donna Dewey	....	unit director
Rena Dusenbury	....	assistant: Monty Miranda
Janine Hagarty	....	office production assistant
Ashley Holm	....	set production assistant
Luke Hunter	....	office production assistant
Lynne Ida	....	production coordinator
Luke Hunter James-Erickson	....	production assistant
Justin Stewart Johnson	....	location assistant
Andy Kelts	....	set production assistant
Nick Levine	....	set production assistant
Kathryn Lichty	....	assistant: Amy Jarvela
MaryLynn Malone	....	set medic
Catherine J. Moore	....	production accountant
Austin Nunn	....	office production assistant
Jessica Picune	....	assistant production accountant (as Jessica Moore)
John Price Reynolds	....	office production assistant
Zac Sanford	....	assistant: producer
Ilynn Sutton	....	craft service
Rob Sutton	....	set production assistant
Maria Sylva	....	assistant script supervisor
Daniell Taff	....	location manager
Nicole Talbot	....	office production assistant
Carla Thilmont	....	set production assistant
Gabriel Tigerman	....	story idea
Judith Wahler	....	special projects coordinator
Brian Walker	....	cast production assistant
Kathryn Warner	....	set production assistant
Brooke Warren	....	assistant production coordinator
James M. Waugh	....	script consultant
Amanda Woodson	....	production secretary
Eric Zacharias	....	office production assistant
Meredith Zitron	....	set production assistant

Thanks
Peter Berg	....	special thanks
Blaine Gray	....	thanks
John Hickenlooper	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Dewey-Obenchain Films
• Elsboy Entertainment
• Suntaur Entertainment Company

Distributors

• Shadow Distribution (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• New Video (2009) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Cinetic Media  sales representative
• Cinetic Media  North American sales
• Cinetic Media  U.S. sales
• GW Hannaway & Associates  post-production facilities (HD conform)
• Lighting Services  lighting

Also Known As:

Runtime:

Germany:86 min (European Film Market) | USA:88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Norway:11 (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Boulder, Colorado, USA

Company:

Dewey-Obenchain Films

Trivia:

Principle photography was completed in 17 days.

Quotes:

Lucy:How long have you been writing poetry?
Uncle Morris:I don't know... on and off throughout my entire life. Some of us have poetry in us. Wolf Blitzer said that.

Movie Connections:

References Point Break (1991)

Soundtrack:

Krafty

Stealing Laughs!

Just saw at the Edinburgh Ineternational Film Festival. I saw many films at the fest this year and Skills was definitely my favourite. The film is fast and furious and has really none of the usual American comedy clichés. About a bad playwright turned robber and his friends. The Tommy character has some brilliantly funny lines I sure will be repeated. All the performances are really strong. The actress playing Lucy is so natural and fun to watch. The film takes you on fast ride and you have no clue where you are going, and this is just one of it's charms. A wee bit edgy and maybe too fast an ending but I look forward to catching this one again. It is a Cool Comedy.