The Big Year (2011)

Director:

David Frankel

Writers:

Howard Franklin (screenplay)
Mark Obmascik (book) (inspiration)

Release Date:

14 October 2011 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Two bird enthusiasts try to defeat the cocky, cutthroat world record holder in a year-long bird-spotting competition.

Plot Keywords:

Alaska | Migration | Storm | Birding | Competition

Cast

Jack Black	...	Brad Harris
Zahf Paroo	...	Prasad
John Cleese	...	Historical Montage Narrator (voice)
Owen Wilson	...	Kenny Bostick
Rosamund Pike	...	Jessica
Steve Martin	...	Stu Preissler
Kevin Pollak	...	Jim Gittelson
Joel McHale	...	Barry Loomis
JoBeth Williams	...	Edith Preissler
Paul Campbell	...	Tony
Cindy Busby	...	Susie
Greg Kean	...	Computer Birder
Eva Allan	...	Birder's Daughter
Bill Dow	...	Dr. Paul Elkin
Barry Shabaka Henley	...	Dr. Neil Kramer
Dianne Wiest	...	Brenda Harris
Brian Dennehy	...	Raymond Harris
Calum Worthy	...	Colin Debs
Anthony Anderson	...	Bill Clemont
June Squibb	...	Old Lady
Craig Bockhorn	...	Lawyer
Jim Parsons	...	Crane
Anjelica Huston	...	Annie Auklet
Rashida Jones	...	Ellie
Tim Blake Nelson	...	Fuchs
Joey Aresco	...	Frank Falucci
Ryan Caltagirone	...	Frank Jr.
Al Roker	...	New York Weatherman
Christopher Mann	...	Security Guard
Jan Bos	...	Local Newsman (High Island)
Kate Gajdosik	...	Local Newswoman (High Island)
William Samples	...	British Tourist
Scott Patey	...	Birder (High Island)
Marci T. House	...	Troop Leader
Michael Bean	...	Waiter
Steven Weber	...	Rick McIntire (as Steven R. Weber)
Christopher Redman	...	Scott (as Chris Redman)
Devon Weigel	...	Karen
Andrew Wilson	...	Mike Shin
Gabrielle Rose	...	Mary Swit
Doreen Ramus	...	CB Announcer
Terence Kelly	...	Pete Shackelford
Steve Darling	...	Anchorage Weatherman.
Jon Frankel	...	Anchorage Anchorman
David Lewis	...	Lanky Birder
Kath Dugray	...	Motel Manager
Jesse Moss	...	Darren
Morgan Brayton	...	Ferry Ticket Seller
Corbin Bernsen	...	Gil Gordon
Sheelah Megill	...	Nurse
Nate Torrence	...	Ted Simkin
Veena Sood	...	Nurse Katie
Dee Jay Jackson	...	Parking Attendant (as DeeJay Jackson)
Calvin Lee	...	Chinese Waiter
Tshering Garie	...	Chinese Waitress
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jackson Handy	...	Attu Birder (uncredited)
Eric Keenleyside	...	Cochrane (uncredited)
Markley Rizzi	...	Lawyer (uncredited)

Directed by
David Frankel

Writing credits
Howard Franklin		(screenplay)
Mark Obmascik		(book "The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession") (inspiration)

Produced by
Stuart Cornfeld	....	producer
Carol Fenelon	....	executive producer
Curtis Hanson	....	producer
Jeffrey Harlacker	....	associate producer
Jeremy Kramer	....	executive producer
Karen Rosenfelt	....	producer
Ben Stiller	....	executive producer
Brad Van Arragon	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Theodore Shapiro

Cinematography by
Lawrence Sher		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Mark Livolsi

Casting by
Margery Simkin

Production Design by
Brent Thomas

Art Direction by
Michael Diner
Martina Javorova

Set Decoration by
Peter Lando

Costume Design by
Monique Prudhomme

Makeup Department
Sarah Bergeest	....	makeup artist
Joseph A. Campayno	....	makeup artist: Mr. Martin
Janella Churchill	....	assistant makeup artist
Angel De Angelis	....	hair stylist
Leah Ehman	....	first assistant makeup artist
Geraldine Jones	....	hair stylist: Mr. Wilson (as Gerry Jones)
Nicki Ledermann	....	key makeup artist
Lisa Love	....	department head makeup
Lisa Love	....	makeup artist: Mr. Black
Cassandra Saulter	....	makeup artist
Andrea Simpson	....	first assistant hair stylist
Fay von Schroeder	....	makeup artist (as Faye von Schroeder)
Debra Wiebe	....	department head hair
Debra Wiebe	....	hair stylist: Mr. Black
Patty York	....	makeup artist: Mr. Wilson

Production Management
Blair Breard	....	unit production manager
Warren Carr	....	unit production manager
Jeffrey Harlacker	....	post-production supervisor
Tracey Nomura	....	unit manager
Michael Williams	....	unit production manager (as J. Michael Williams)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jim Brebner	....	first assistant director
Mark Bunting	....	second assistant director
Mark Carter	....	first assistant director: helicopter unit
Mark Carter	....	first assistant director: second unit
Mark Carter	....	second assistant director (additional photography)
Steve Eathorne	....	second assistant director: second unit
Jenna Irvine	....	trainee assistant director
Cy Peck	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Erkin Aycen	....	lead scenic artist (as Erkin Aycan)
Brent Bennett	....	set decoration buyer
Laurel Bergman	....	assistant art director
Kurt Bruun	....	props buyer
Scott Calderwood	....	assistant set decorator
John Chaschowy	....	lead greens
David Clarke	....	assistant art director
Joshua Cockerham	....	on-set carpenter
Rob Dampier	....	construction foreman
Darian Deering	....	dresser
Dylan Dowd	....	head greensperson
David Dowling	....	property master
Jay Erickson	....	buyer
Les Ford	....	playback animator
Sonia Gemmiti	....	art department assistant
Chris Gilmour	....	lead dresser
Sean Goojha	....	art department coordinator
Wes Hamby	....	assistant property master (as Wesley Hamby)
Leesa Hanna	....	set decoration coordinator (as Leesa Lee Hanna)
Shay Hilliard	....	sign fabricator
Adrian Hrytzak	....	graphic designer
Aaron Jordan	....	head sculptor
Jeff Jordan	....	lead metal fabricator (as Geoff Jordan)
Jesse Joslin	....	construction coordinator
Jacques Larrue	....	dresser
Cody Larson	....	on-set dresser
Sean Lavoie	....	paint coordinator
Vern Lavoie	....	paint foreman (as Vernon Lavoie)
Spencer Louttit	....	assistant property master
Mike Marsten	....	dresser (as Mike Marston)
Keith McCulloch	....	construction foreman
Guy Miller	....	dresser
Darren Moore	....	best boy greens
D. Martin Myatt	....	props assistant
Anthony O.H. Navarro	....	set dresser
Fanny Pereire	....	art consultant
David Pirrie	....	on-set painter
Barry Rennie	....	lead carpenter
Andrew Rowland	....	lead location carpenter
Sarah M. Smith	....	greens person
Danielle Taylor	....	construction first aid
Vincent Thomas	....	concept artist
Adrien Van Viersen	....	storyboard artist
Lori West	....	graphic designer

Sound Department
Derek Casari	....	adr stage engineer
Bob Chefalas	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rick Chefalas	....	first assistant sound editor
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Tom Fleischman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Fowler	....	adr recordist
David Husby	....	production sound mixer
Kenton Jakub	....	adr editor
Bret Johnson	....	sound re-recordist
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Charles O'Shea	....	boom person (as Charlie O'Shea)
Eric Potter	....	sound effects recordist
Nicholas Renbeck	....	supervising dialogue editor
Wyatt Sprague	....	sound effects editor
Paul Tirone	....	sound re-recordist
Candice Todesco	....	cable person
Paul Urmson	....	supervising sound editor
Thomas Varga	....	sound mixer (new york)
Steven Visscher	....	supervising foley editor
David Wyman	....	additional production sound mixer
Lawrence Zipf	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Alex Burdett	....	special effects coordinator
Robert Falck	....	special effects foreman
Miles May	....	special effects buyer
Randy Parks	....	fabricator
Mike Splatt	....	special effects technician
Adam Tayler	....	best boy special effects
Andrew Verhoeven	....	motion base operator

Visual Effects by
Nidhi Agarwal	....	matchmove artist: MPC
Rohit Agarwal	....	roto animation artist: The Moving Picture Company
Lee Alexander	....	matchmove lead: MPC
K.H. Aslam	....	senior matchmove artist: MPC Bangalore
Romain Bayle	....	matte painting supervisor
Kent Blocher	....	visual effects assistant editor
Landon Bootsma	....	digital compositor: MPC
Jeffrey Burt	....	lead layout artist
David Cameron	....	lead data/render operations: MPC
Korey J. Cauchon	....	visual effects producer: Prime Focus
Eric D. Christensen	....	visual effects supervisor: Factory VFX
Ryan B. Clarke	....	digital compositor: MPC
Rob Crone	....	visual effects assistant coordinator (as Robert Crone)
Mark Curtis	....	compositing head of department: MPC Vancouver
Adam Davis	....	head of crowd sim
Stanley A. Dellimore	....	head of layout: MPC
Pete Dionne	....	CG supervisor: The Moving Picture Company
Ryan Duffy	....	scanning: deluxe New York
Kishan E. Chandran	....	matchmove artist: The Moving Picture Company
Scott Eade	....	senior layout artist: MPC
Tarek Elaydi	....	lighting technical director
Joe Eveleigh	....	lead lighting
Boominathan Frances	....	matchmove artist
Jigesh Gajjar	....	matchmove supervisor: The Moving Picture Company
Sigurjón F. Gardarsson	....	digital compositor
Oded Granot	....	digital compositor: Prime Focus
Bryan Jones	....	lead compositor
Dinesh K. Bishnoi	....	matchmove artist: The Moving Picture Company
Patrick Kavanaugh	....	visual effects supervisor: Prime Focus
Christian Kontis	....	digital restoration artist
Sujay Kumar G.	....	matchmove artist: The Moving Picture Company
Wendy Lanning	....	visual effects producer: Prime Focus Visual Effects
Shandy Lashley	....	visual effects coordinator
Michelle Ledesma	....	visual effects coordinator
Jooyong Lee	....	digital compositor: Prime Focus
Ryan Sunghun Lim	....	modeler
Darren Little	....	senior modelling technical director and grooming specialist: MPC
Marika D. Litz	....	digital restoration artist
Angela Magrath	....	lead character technical director
Matt Mayer	....	visual effects assistant editor
Claire McLachlan	....	digital compositor: Prime Focus
James McPhail	....	effects technical director: MPC
Rebecca Melander	....	lead texture artist
Juan Melgoza	....	digital artist
Buhas Mohammedunny P.	....	matchmove artist: The Moving Picture Company
Mo Mohamoud	....	roto/prep artist
Travis Moore	....	digital artist
Devan Mussato	....	character td: MPC
Leona Naidoo	....	vfx editor
Erik Nordby	....	visual effects supervisor: MPC
Gurpreet Singh Pannu	....	matchmove artist: MPC
Stephen Paschke	....	digital compositor
Rodgers Paul	....	matte painter
Diego Piccinato	....	prep lead: MPC
Andrew Poole	....	visual effects production manager
Michael Ranalletta	....	digital compositor: MPC
Colin Riley	....	compositor
Liz Roberts	....	visual effects producer: MPC
Eric J. Robertson	....	visual effects producer
Eric J. Robertson	....	visual effects supervisor
Chris Rogoski	....	rotoscope artist: Prime Focus
Philip Rosado	....	cg modeler
David Rose	....	digital compositor: prime focus
Maya D. Roza	....	digital compositor: Prime Focus (as Dorian Roza)
Chris Ryan	....	senior technical director
Mohan Sangeeth	....	production coordinator: MPC
Daryl Sawchuk	....	animation supervisor: The Moving Picture Company
Sachin Shivkar	....	matchmove Artist: MPC
Bradey Strong	....	lighting td: MPC
Kelly Swenson	....	visual effects artist: Factory VFX
Patrick Tasse	....	animator
Anna Terekhova	....	digital compositor
Radley Teruel	....	digital effects supervisor: Factory VFX
Joseph Thomas M.	....	matchmove artist: The Moving Picture Company
Vincent Thomas	....	senior digital matte painter
Joel Thompson	....	visual effects editor
Rich Thorne	....	visual effects consultant
Peter Toufidis	....	senior matte painter: MPC
Micole Toyloy	....	digital artist: Factory VFX
Donald Tse	....	digital compositor
Vasantharajan.g.d	....	matchmove artist
Darren Wall	....	digital compositor
Derek Wolfe	....	effects technical director
Christal Wolgamott	....	visual effects producer: Factory VFX
David Miles Wolkind	....	digital production manager: Factory VFX
Chris Wood	....	digital compositor: MPC
Teh-wei Yeh	....	lighting technical director: MPC
Eric Zhang	....	texture artist: MPC
Jaye Krebs	....	compositor: MPC (uncredited)

Stunts
Mark Aisbett	....	stunts
Ed Anders	....	stunt coordinator
Scott J. Ateah	....	stunt coordinator (as Scott Ateah)
Celia Bond	....	stunts
Curt Bonn	....	stunts
Byron Briscoe	....	stunts (as Byron Brisco)
Dave Campbell	....	stunts
Janene Carleton	....	stunt driver
Janene Carleton	....	stunts
Mike Carpenter	....	stunts
Laura Lee Connery	....	stunts
Mike Crestejo	....	stunts
Kim Duess	....	stunts
Ryan Ennis	....	stunts
Leif Havdale	....	stunts
Jeff Hotte	....	safety diver
Cody Laudan	....	stunt driver
Tony Lazzara	....	stunt driver
Scott Nicholson	....	stunts
Dan Redford	....	stunt driver
Jeff Sanca	....	stunt driver
Todd Scott	....	stunts
Ty Trand	....	stunts
Jimmy Waitman	....	stunts
Owen Walstrom	....	stunts
Gregory Wise	....	stunts (as Gregory S. Wise)
Brent Woolsey	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Chris Alexander	....	rigging grip
Greg Beaton	....	focus puller: "b" camera
Yves Bernadet	....	lamp operator
Dane Bjerno	....	aerial camera technician
Hans Bjerno	....	aerial director of photography
Jeffery Bjorgum	....	video assist
Richard Boisvert	....	lamp operator
Alex M. Cacciarelli	....	video assist operator: Los Angeles
Andrew Capicik	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (as Andy Capicik)
Andrew Cavagnet	....	video assist: New York
Murray Close	....	still photographer
John Clothier	....	Steadicam operator
John Clothier	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Scott Cozens	....	camera loader
Andy Day	....	gaffer: New York
Ken Decker	....	generator operator
Anthony DeFrancesco	....	film loader: New York unit
John Dekker	....	gaffer (as John C. Dekker)
Todd Doiran	....	rigging best boy electric (as Todd Doiron)
Julie Donovan	....	focus puller: "a" camera
Tony Durke	....	rigging lighting technician
James J. Ferris	....	electrician
Gil Forrester	....	dolly grip
Andre Gheorghiu	....	video assist
Dan Gorval	....	best boy grip
Peter Graf	....	aerial camera system tech eclipse
Curt Griebel	....	key rigging grip (as C.G. Griebel)
Bryan G. Haigh	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Sean M. Harding	....	focus puller: "b" camera (as Sean Harding)
Jon L.J. Helgason	....	rigging electric
Craig Jones	....	best boy electric
Byron Kopman	....	rigging best boy electric
Jared Krenz	....	camera trainee
Andrew Learmonth	....	key video assist
David Lourie	....	focus puller: "c" camera
Andrew Mackie	....	best boy rigging grip
Charlie Marroquin	....	key grip: New York
Michael Mayo	....	rigging gaffer
Jeff Muhlstock	....	camera operator: New York Unit (2010)
Jeff Muhlstock	....	steadicam operator: New York Unit
Kim Olsen	....	key grip
Gene Page	....	still photographer: Florida
Dylan Paul	....	balloon light technician
Robert Petrin	....	ultimate arm operator
Pawel Sedzimir	....	rigging best boy electric
Leon Serginson	....	grip
Bryce Shaw	....	company grip
Richard Sinclair	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera (as Rich Sinclair)
Trig Singer	....	camera operator: "c" camera
Troy James Sobotka	....	company grip (as Troy Sobotka)
Andrew Towson	....	lamp operator
Shai Vera	....	best boy rigger
Jarred Waldron	....	gaffer: additional unit
Pat Waller	....	rigging grip
Barry Wetcher	....	still photographer: New York
Aaron Wik	....	company grip
James Williams	....	libra head technician
Andrew D. Wilson	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Andy Wilson)
Brendan Wilson	....	set electrician
Carrie Wilson	....	second assistant camera: "c" camera
Adriene Wyse	....	second assistant camera

Animation Department
Andy Lemoine	....	2D animation & illustration
Chris McGaw	....	character animator
Jason Snyman	....	senior animator
Blaine Toderian	....	animator: Moving Picture Company

Casting Department
Heike Brandstatter	....	casting: Canada
Todd Feldman	....	extras casting
James Forsyth	....	extras casting
Justine Hempe	....	casting associate
Coreen Mayrs	....	casting: Canada
Amy Nygaard	....	casting associate: Canada
Laura Obenaus	....	casting assistant: Canada

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lucas Comstock	....	set costumer (as Lucas Cornstock)
Summer Eves	....	truck costumer
Jennifer Grossman	....	costume coordinator
Lise Hache	....	assistant costume designer
Barrett Hong	....	wardrobe supervisor: NY unit
Paul Lavigne	....	set supervisor (as J. Paul Lavigne)
Heather Osborne	....	personal costumer: Mr. Black
Paula Plachy	....	costumer: prep
Don Vargas	....	personal costumer: Mr. Martin

Editorial Department
Brian Boyd	....	colorist
Richard Cordes	....	colorist: dailies
Molle DeBartolo	....	digital intermediate project manager
Kenny Dodson	....	editorial production assistant (as Kenny Lee Dodson)
Joe Gawler	....	digital intermediate colorist
John Hill	....	assistant editor (as John Andrew Hill)
William Kruzykowski	....	first assistant editor (as William Joseph Kruzykowski)
Jason Miller	....	post-production coordinator
David Rogow	....	additional editor
Jonathan Sanden	....	digital intermediate editor
Darrell R. Smith	....	digital intermediate supervising producer
Maggie Studwell	....	editorial production assistant
Jim Passon	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	conductor
Pete Anthony	....	orchestrator
Bryan Carrigan	....	digital score recordist
Gloria Cheng	....	musician: celeste
Dan DiPrima	....	supervising music editor
George Doering	....	musician
Thomas S. Drescher	....	music editor (as Thomas Drescher)
Sierra Drucker	....	music coordinator
Chris Fogel	....	music mixer
M.B. Gordy	....	musician: Percussion
Mark Graham	....	head of music preparation
Randy Kerber	....	orchestrator
Jon Kull	....	orchestrator
Julia Michels	....	music supervisor
Victor Pesavento	....	music preparation
Peter Rotter	....	music contractor
Jason Ruder	....	music editor
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Greg Dennen	....	stage manager: Newman scoring stage (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Kelly Charlton	....	driver
Terence Cochlan	....	unit driver
Matthew Habgood	....	picture car wrangler
Ian-Peter Jacobi	....	transportation
Maykel Sanchez	....	transportation
Gus Sardina	....	transportation
Fred Stephens	....	insert car operator
Ian Thompson	....	picture bus wrangler
David G. Todd	....	driver generator operator
Mike Witherington	....	driver

Other crew
Richie Adams	....	title designer: main and end titles; montage sequences
Debera Barager	....	production accountant
Patricia Barry	....	second assistant production coordinator (as Pat Barry)
Marc Borja	....	assistant accountant
Rebecca Boyle	....	script supervisor: Los Angeles
Rich Brown	....	assistant accountant: payroll
Ricou Browning Jr.	....	marine coordinator
Corine Buffel	....	production coordinator
Bill Burns	....	location scout
Jonathan Cairns	....	location scout/assistant
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
Jason Collier	....	assistant location manager
Alana Comeau	....	production assistant
Susan Crawford	....	production coordinator
Jason Crosby	....	marine coordinator
Peter Cummings	....	clearance/product placement coordinator
Katharine Currie	....	payroll clerk
Amanda Dobson	....	assistant chef: Season's Fine Food
Marion Dobson	....	chef: Season's Fine Food
Graham Donahoe	....	key production assistant
Dana Dubé	....	animal wrangler
Rita Duffey	....	location manager: Everglades
Rita Duffey	....	locations department: Florida unit
Maggie Engelhardt	....	production coordinator: New York
Noelia Estrada	....	assistant: Mr. Cornfeld
Susana Inés Fattorini	....	location accountant
Jason Fesel	....	production assistant: New York
Jonathan Fox	....	production assistant
Jessica Franks	....	assistant: Mr. Wilson
Jennifer Zolten Freed	....	post-production accountant (as Jennifer Freed)
Joshua A. Friedman	....	paperwork production assistant: NY unit
Ed Gately	....	additional production assistant: NY unit
Michael Gazetas	....	location manager
Cullman Hedges	....	assistant: Mr. Wilson
Bill Henderson	....	security co-captain
Diane Hounsell	....	script supervisor: New York
Joel Hurley	....	location scout
Lorraine Jamison	....	unit publicist
Sylvia Jang	....	accounts payable
Paul Jasper	....	bird trainer
Kurt Miles Joudrey	....	production assistant
Sam Kim	....	office production assistant (as Samuel Kim)
Scottie Knollin	....	stand-in: Owen Wilson
Joe Kornago	....	security captain
Samantha Kreitzer	....	assistant production coordinator: NY unit
Robyn Kubena	....	assistant production office coordinator: Los Angeles and Miami
Scott Kukurudz	....	production assistant
Dan Kuzmenko	....	on-set assistant location manager
Susan Lambie	....	script supervisor
Willan Leung	....	key production assistant
Gerri Logan	....	assistant location manager
Flemming Lund	....	assistant location manager
Brendan C. Lynch	....	staff production assistant
Caroline MacVicar	....	assistant: Ms. Rosenfelt
Otto Mak	....	location scout
Xavier Manrique	....	assistant: Mr. Frankel
Melissa Marlette	....	production assistant
Anthony McClendon	....	location scout: new york
Amy Miller	....	craft service (as Amy R. Miller)
Amy Miller	....	first aid (as Amy R. Miller)
Greg Miller	....	consultant: birds
Nathaniel Moher	....	assistant production coordinator
Jeff Mohs	....	location scout
Tim Moshansky	....	location scout
Janet D. Munro	....	community liaison: Yukon unit
Michael Neale	....	location manager: reshoots
Shannon Nielsen	....	craft service assistant
Shannon Nielsen	....	first aid assistant
Frédéric North	....	stunt camera helicopter pilot
Greg Nye	....	location coordinator: Miami unit
Mark O'Brien	....	assistant location manager
Tara Jean O'Brien	....	production assistant
Rino Pace	....	location manager
James Pasierbowicz	....	adr loop group
Karen Pelrine	....	first assistant production coordinator
Bill Richards	....	helicopter pilot
Jarod Ridge	....	assistant marine coordinator
Lawra Robertson	....	assistant: Mr. Van Arragon
Mick Rochon	....	location scout
Temple Rohl-Burdekin	....	key production assistant
Aja Kai Rowley	....	location assistant/scout
Tyler Scott	....	production assistant
Katie Shook	....	assistant: Mr. Black
Nate Shull	....	location assistant
Winona Sim	....	playback coordinator
Kathie Singh	....	production assistant
Cherie Smid	....	bird trainer
Christopher Spencer	....	assistant: Mr. Martin
Jon Stephenson	....	marine safety coordinator
Patrick Subarsky	....	key production assistant
Thierry Tanguy	....	location manager
Regina Taufen	....	epk producer
Devin Taylor	....	playback editor
Laura May Taylor	....	production assistant
Robert Teten	....	production assistant: New York Unit
David Scott Thomson	....	production assistant
Iris Torres	....	production assistant: assistant director
Erin Unrau	....	accounts payable clerk
Amy Greene Vines	....	production coordinator: Miami
Luca Waldman	....	production assistant: NY unit
Ilene Waterstone	....	executive assistant: Mr. Martin
Steve Wright	....	aerial coordinator (as Steven Wright)

Production Companies

• Fox 2000 Pictures (presents)
• Red Hour Films
• Deuce Three Productions (as Deuce Three)
• Sunswept Entertainment
• Dune Entertainment (made in association with)
• Ingenious Media (made in association with)

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2012) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (2012) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Forum Cinemas (2011) (Lithuania) (theatrical)
• Fox 2000 Pictures (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• Hispano Foxfilms S.A.E. (2012) (Spain) (theatrical) (as Hispano Foxfilm S.A.E.)
• SPO (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Japan (2012) (Japan) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (2012) (USA) (TV)

Special Effects

• Factory VFX
• Moving Picture Company (MPC)
• RotoFactory (additional visual effects)

Other Companies

• Duotone Audio Group Ltd.  soundtrack
• Seasons Fine Foods  catering (as Season's Fine Food)
• Sim Video West  playback
• PS Production Services  provided by: Chapman Camera Dollies (as PS Production Services, Ltd. Canada)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• De Lane Lea  ADR recording
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Gallagher Entertainment  insurance
• Intelligent Media  international monitoring agency
• POP Sound  ADR recording
• Pictorvision  Eclipse aerial camera system
• River Road Creative  main titles and special effects
• Scarlet Letters  end title cards
• Sixteen19  post production services
• Trevanna Post  post-production accounting

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for language and some sensuality

Runtime:

USA:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate #46617) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Malaysia:PG-13 | Ireland:PG | Singapore:PG | Japan:G | South Korea:All | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Joshua Tree National Park, Twentynine Palms, California, USA

Company:

Fox 2000 Pictures

Trivia:

Steve Martin wrote much of the music in his 2011 album,"Rare Bird Alert" (Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers) while on the set for this movie.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Attu island is not closer to Tokyo than Anchorage. Anchorage is 1440 miles from the island, Tokyo is closer to 2000 miles away.

Quotes:

[from trailer]
Brad Harris:There is going to be major fallout in a few hours.
Bill Clemont:Nuclear fallout?
Brad Harris:Bird fallout.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs The Birds (1963)

Soundtrack:

Come Fly Away

A comedy without great laughs, but lots of birds instead...

Initially I had expected this to be somewhat more of a laughing-comedy, given the three headlining names on the poster; Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson. However, "The Big Year" was much better than just that. Instead of being just another comedy, this movie was more meaningful and profound.

"The Big Year" is a warm story about friendship and fulfilling your dreams and chasing after what you want. Though it may come at a cost, and just what are you willing to sacrifice to obtain your dreams? There weren't really any major laughs throughout the movie, but still the story manages to maintain your interest and you want to sit around to see what happens next. The movie manages to get you submerged into the race between the competitors in the birding competition, and when they do manage to catch a glimpse of that rare bird, you feel like you are right there with them.

"The Big Year" is actually holds one of Jack Black's best performances, proving that he is more than just your average standard comedian actor. And the on-screen chemistry between Martin, Wilson and Black is really working quite well.

"The Big Year" is a movie full of beautiful shots of nature, scenery, and of course, birds. I think you will appreciate this movie a tad more if you are into birding yourself. I am not into that, but I still found the movie to be rather good, because of the warm and compelling story that it told.

However, I doubt that this is the type of movie that you will watch a second time around, unless you are into birding, because there actually is very little leverage in the storyline to support a second watching. But still, if you haven't seen the movie yet, sit down and watch it, because it is actually a rather beautiful movie.