"Life" Pilot: Merit Badge (2007)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

David Semel

Writers:

Rand Ravich (creator)
Rand Ravich (written by)

TV Series:

"Life" (2007)

Original Air Date:

26 September 2007 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery

Plot:

Exonerated after serving 12 years in prison for murders he didn't commit, policeman Charlie Crews is restored to duty as a detective...

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Jail | Beating | Abuse | Police

Cast

Damian Lewis	...	Charlie Crews
Sarah Shahi	...	Dani Reese
Brooke Langton	...	Constance Griffiths
Robin Weigert	...	Lt. Karen Davis
Adam Arkin	...	Ted Earley
Brent Sexton	...	Robert Stark
Jon Sklaroff	...	Arthur Tims
Chad Lindberg	...	Lonnie Garth
Cheryl White	...	Alyssa Gibney
Larry Poindexter	...	Warren Gibney
Jennifer Siebel Newsom	...	Jennifer Conover (as Jennifer Siebel)
Brynn Thayer	...	Tyler's Grandmother
Braeden Lemasters	...	Tyler Hawley
Michael Cudlitz	...	Mark Rawls
Benjamín Benítez	...	Tito Juarez (as Ben Benitez)
Reno Wilson	...	Officer Zerco
Matt Gerald	...	Krebbs
David Kagen	...	Tims' Lawyer
Olivia Hardt	...	Very Pretty Girl
DeLon Howell	...	C.O. #1
Bob Rusch	...	C.O. #2
Antonio D. Charity	...	Cop (as Antonio Charity)
Tonita Castro	...	Housekeeper
Kendall Clement	...	Prison Doctor
Cali Sheldon	...	Darcy Gibney
Noelle Sheldon	...	Darcy Gibney
Michelle Marsh	...	Juror #4
Brady Smith	...	Man
Monique Daniels	...	Female Cop Mid 30's (as Moe Daniels)
Anne Moore	...	Female Cop Mid 20's
Michelle Wolff	...	Female Cop Mid 20's (as Michele Wolff)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dave Michael Beaudrie	...	Cadet (uncredited)
B.J. Clinkscales	...	Crackhead (uncredited)
Rosemary Garris	...	Detective (uncredited)
Martin Grey	...	Mark Conover (uncredited)
Hollis Hill	...	Prison Guard #4 (uncredited)
Linara Washington	...	Young Female Cop (uncredited)
John Westernoff	...	Bartender (uncredited)

Directed by
David Semel

Writing credits
Rand Ravich		(creator)
Rand Ravich		(written by)

Produced by
Loucas George	....	producer
Suzanne Lauer	....	associate producer
Rand Ravich	....	executive producer
David Semel	....	executive producer
Far Shariat	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jason Derlatka
Jon Ehrlich

Cinematography by
Checco Varese		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Warren Bowman
Joshua Butler
Victor Du Bois		(as Victor Dubois)

Casting by
Megan Branman

Production Design by
Philip Toolin		(as Phillip Toolin)

Art Direction by
Karen Steward

Set Decoration by
Susan Lynch
Wanda 'Beau' Peterson		(as Beau Peterson)

Costume Design by
Wendy J. Greiner		(as Wendy Greiner)

Makeup Department
Merribelle Anderson	....	key hair stylist
Melanie Tooker	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Christopher Aubin	....	production supervisor
Loucas George	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John H. Radulovic	....	first assistant director (as John Radulovic)
David K. Riebel	....	second assistant director (as David Riebel)
Kellie Jo Tackett	....	second assistant director
Colleen Casey	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)
Stephanie Kinch	....	dga trainee (uncredited)
Cecilia Sweatman	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Rich Hobaica	....	property master (as Richard Hobaica)
James R. Lord	....	propmaker
John McHugh	....	construction coordinator
Michael Semon	....	assistant propmaster
Shelley A. Wallace	....	set designer (as Shelley Wallace)
Sandy Adams	....	on-set dresser (uncredited)
John Fox	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Ethan Goodwin	....	set decoration buyer (uncredited)
Katie Rixon	....	art department coordinator (uncredited)
Graham Robertson	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Roberta Doheny	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Edmondson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stephen Halbert	....	production sound
Victor Iorillo	....	sound supervisor
Paul Drenning	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Frank Fleming	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
John R. Fors	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Kirk Herzbrun	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Jason Krane	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
Dan Lipe	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Philip Rogers	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Craig T. Rosevear	....	foley supervisor (uncredited)
Marcelo Teson	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
Harry Woolway	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Martin Bresin	....	special effects coordinator (as Marty Bresin)
Frank Iudica	....	special effects foreman
Brendon O'Dell	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)
Jake Valdez	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Kim Boyle	....	visual effects producer
Danny S. Kim	....	visual effects
Doug Ludwig	....	visual effects supervisor
Ragui Hanna	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Tim Nassauer	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Jeremy Nelson	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Migs Rustia	....	visual effects editor (uncredited)
Chad Schott	....	digital compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Manny Perry	....	stunt coordinator
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Leigh Hennessy	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Hollis Hill	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kevin L. Jackson	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Tom McComas	....	stunts (uncredited)
Marco Morales	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Samuel Reynolds	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Gregg Sargeant	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Miguel Benavides	....	key grip
Rafael 'Rafa' Castro	....	video assist (as Rafael Castro)
Casey Hotchkiss	....	camera operator: "a" camera
David Lee	....	gaffer
Ignacio Musich	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Patrick B. O'Brien	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Patrick O'Brien)
Bonnie Osborne	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Nick Paige	....	camera operator: additional photography
Gary Schillp	....	rigging best boy grip
Bobby Brown	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Thomas Burns	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)
Will Dearborn	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera (uncredited)
Michael DiGiovanni	....	grip (uncredited)
Eric Felland	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Ryan French	....	assistant chief lighting technician (uncredited)
David Kanner	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)
Justin M. Lubin	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Tamas Mack	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Isaac McKee	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Jacqueline J. Nivens	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)
Thomas Pugh	....	gaffer: second unit (uncredited)
Todd SanSone	....	additional assistant camera (uncredited)
Michael Santoro	....	best boy grip (uncredited)
Jerry Sidell	....	additional photographer (uncredited)
Riley Sidore	....	lamp operator (uncredited)
Victoria Tidmarch	....	camera loader (uncredited)
Joshua Turner	....	camera production assistant (uncredited)
Michael J. Walsh	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Dylann Brander	....	casting associate
Jeffrey M. Paal	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michele Dunn	....	costumer
Dana Loats	....	costume supervisor
Safowa Bright-Asare	....	key costumer (uncredited)
Tashiba Jones	....	set costumer (uncredited)
Silvia Raiano	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Onnalee Blank	....	assistant editor (as Onna Blank)
Russell Eaton	....	assistant editor
Scott Garrow	....	colorist
Michael Kewley	....	additional editing (as Michael Kewely)
Oliver Schimmel	....	assistant editor
Jonathan Thornhill	....	post production coordinator
Skipper Martin	....	colorist: dailies (uncredited)

Music Department
Michael Baber	....	music editor
Jason Derlatka	....	composer: theme music
Jon Ehrlich	....	composer: theme music
Liza Richardson	....	music supervisor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Paul Jones	....	transportation co-captain
Guy Merrick	....	transportation captain
Russ Tolliver	....	transportation coordinator
Don Haggerty	....	driver (uncredited)
Mark D. Hysen	....	driver (uncredited)
Claudia Rojas	....	transportation dispatcher (uncredited)

Other crew
Aimee Bell	....	assistant: Rand Ravich/Far Shariat
Dan Delaney	....	assistant: David Semel (as Daniel Delaney)
Kevin Dunigan	....	technical advisor
Peter Feldman	....	production coordinator (uncredited)
Heath Howard	....	production coordinator
Kelly Lane	....	assistant: Loucas George
Paul Linden	....	creative consultant
James R. Maceo	....	location manager (as Jim Maceo)
Roger Parkinson Jr.	....	production accountant (as Roger Parkinson)
Patience Thoreson	....	script supervisor
Candy Carstensen	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Alexandre Chen	....	key assistant location manager (uncredited)
Sebastien Cuk	....	stand-in: Damian Lewis (uncredited)
Thomas Farr	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Simeon Jones	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Rain Kanikula	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Kristofer Kolpek	....	staff set production assistant (uncredited)
Eric Kovtun	....	assistant production coordinator (uncredited)
Craig Langus	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Nathan Maruccio	....	craft service (uncredited)
Brian J. McNamara	....	titles: loctors and end credits (uncredited)
Josh Novak	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Thu Pham	....	assistant coordinator (uncredited)
Lindsay Staloff	....	key assistant location manager (uncredited)
Chris Steimel	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Scott Trimble	....	location scout (uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Rand Ravich		creator

Production Companies

• Ravich/Shariat Productions
• NBC Universal Television

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (2007) (USA) (TV)
• Independent Television (ITV) (2008) (UK) (TV)
• RTL Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL5)
• Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ) (2008-) (Ireland) (TV)
• TV2 (2008) (Hungary) (TV)
• Vox (2009) (Germany) (TV)

Special Effects

• LOOK! Effects (visual effects)

Other Companies

• American Humane Association, The  animal action monitoring

Runtime:

Germany:42 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-14 | Netherlands:12

Company:

Ravich/Shariat Productions

Trivia:

In an early draft of the script, Charlie Crews was named Billy Crews.

Quotes:

Corrections Officer #1: Getting' angry, convict?
Charlie Crews: Anger ruins joy, steals the goodness of my mind, forces my mouth to say terrible things. Overcoming anger brings peace of mind, leads to a mind without regrets. If I overcome anger, I will be delightful and loved by everyone.
Correctional officer #2: Are you makin' fun of us?
Charlie Crews: It is the universe that makes fun of us all.

Soundtrack:

Dream Awake