Ruby Sparks (2012)

Directors:

Jonathan Dayton
Valerie Faris

Writer:

Zoe Kazan (written by)

Release Date:

6 September 2012 (Portugal)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

She's out of his mind.

Plot:

A novelist struggling with writer's block finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, then willing her into existence.

Plot Keywords:

Dream | Novelist | Therapist | Typewriter | Writer's Block

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Paul Dano	...	Calvin Weir-Fields
Zoe Kazan	...	Ruby Sparks
Chris Messina	...	Harry
Annette Bening	...	Gertrude
Antonio Banderas	...	Mort
Aasif Mandvi	...	Cyrus Modi
Steve Coogan	...	Langdon Tharp
Toni Trucks	...	Susie
Deborah Ann Woll	...	Lila
Elliott Gould	...	Dr. Rosenthal
Alia Shawkat	...	Mabel
Jane Anne Thomas	...	Saskia
John F. Beach	...	Adam
Eleanor Seigler	...	Mandi
Emma Jacobs	...	Party Goer at Langdon's (as Emma Julia Jacobs)
Wallace Langham	...	Warren
Rightor Doyle	...	Party Goer 1 - Hammer
Eden Brolin	...	Part Goer 2 - Hammer
Michael Silverblatt	...	Michael Silverblatt
Mary Jo Deschanel	...	Female Professor
Kai Lennox	...	Sort of Weird Guy
Ole Olofson	...	Older Dude
Jack Levinson	...	Party Goer 2 - Book Release
China Shavers	...	Party Goer 1 - Book Release
Casey Genton	...	Busboy
Michael Berry Jr.	...	Silverlake Passerby
Lindsay Fishkin	...	Box Office Teller
Claudia Bestor	...	Lecture Curator
Oscar	...	Scotty the Dog
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Humphrey Bogart	...	Linus Larrabee in Sabrina (archive footage) (uncredited)
Brittany King	...	Literary Fan (uncredited)
Janine King	...	Literary Fan (uncredited)
Diana Parros	...	Book Club Member (uncredited)
Barrett Perlman	...	Gym Girl (uncredited)
Mark Roman	...	Literary Fan (uncredited)
Tatiana Sarasty	...	Book Club Member (uncredited)
Marco Tazioli	...	Book Club Groupie (uncredited)

Directed by
Jonathan Dayton
Valerie Faris

Writing credits
Zoe Kazan		(written by)

Produced by
Albert Berger	....	producer
Paul Dano	....	executive producer
Robert Graf	....	executive producer
Zoe Kazan	....	executive producer
T.K. Knowles	....	associate producer
John O'Grady	....	associate producer
Chuck Ryant	....	associate producer
Ron Yerxa	....	producer
Bart Lipton	....	line producer: additional photography (uncredited)

Original Music by
Nick Urata

Cinematography by
Matthew Libatique		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Pamela Martin

Casting by
Justine Baddeley
Kim Davis-Wagner

Production Design by
Judy Becker

Art Direction by
Alexander Wei

Set Decoration by
Matthew Flood Ferguson

Costume Design by
Nancy Steiner

Makeup Department
Kristin Berge	....	hair department head
Curran Crockett	....	hair stylist
Angel Radefeld	....	key makeup artist (as Angel Radfield-Wright)
Michael S. Ward	....	key hair stylist
Torsten Witte	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Robert Graf	....	unit production manager
Bart Lipton	....	production supervisor
J.M. Logan	....	post-production supervisor
Lindsay Rosaaen	....	production supervisor: additional photography (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
J.E. Barrows	....	second second assistant director
Robert E. Kay	....	second assistant director
Thomas Patrick Smith	....	first assistant director
Cecilia Sweatman	....	additional second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
David Brace	....	leadman
Colleen Broderick	....	buyer
Susannah Carradine	....	art department coordinator
Chad R. Davis	....	on-set dresser
Ursula Glaviano	....	set dresser
Aaron A. Goffman	....	assistant property master
Dwayne Grady	....	property master (as Dwayne David Grady)
Anne Hyvarinen	....	paint foreman
Charles Kern	....	standby painter
Alexander Linde	....	art department assistant (as Alex Linde)
Cynthia Martinez	....	greens
Joe Mason	....	art department production assistant
Geoff McFetridge	....	artist: The Girlfriend book cover
Michael O'Donnell	....	additional leadman
James Pollack	....	set dresser (as James S. Pollack)
Aaron G. Rodriguez	....	standby painter (as Aaron Greengrass Rodriguez)
Wilfredo Antonio Sola	....	set dresser (as Antonio Sola)
Ann Urich	....	assistant props
Wayne White	....	artist: Heartbroken Old Times book cover
Alexandra Wiesenfeld	....	artist: Ruby's artwork
Peter Zeman	....	set dresser
Michael Buha	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Jon De Pabon	....	painter (uncredited)
Jane Fitts	....	graphic designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
David A. Arnold	....	dialogue editor
Rick Canelli	....	adr recordist
William Cawley	....	assistant sound editor (as Bill Cawley)
Johnna Chism	....	assistant sound editor
David Lee Fein	....	foley artist (as David Fein)
Jamie Gambell	....	cable person
Albert Gasser	....	foley editor
Aaron Glascock	....	sound re-recording mixer
Aaron Glascock	....	supervising sound editor
Hilda Hodges	....	foley artist
David Jobe	....	foley mixer
Randall L. Johnson	....	boom person (as Randy Johnson)
Skip Lievsay	....	sound re-recording mixer
Howard London	....	adr mixer
Thomas J. O'Connell	....	adr mixer
Jason Oliver	....	adr mixer
Sonny Pettijohn	....	assistant sound editor
Curt Schulkey	....	dialogue editor
Edward Tise	....	sound mixer
Byron Wilson	....	supervising sound editor
Ryan Young	....	adr recordist
Greg Cosh	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Mark Purcell	....	dubbing recordist (uncredited)
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Kirsten Anderson	....	visual effects production manager: Brickyard VFX
Jeff Blodgett	....	visual effects production manager: Brickyard VFX
Gina Downing	....	visual effects artist: Brickyard VFX
Henrique Ghersi	....	visual effects artist: Brickyard VFX
Robin Hobart	....	visual effects artist: Brickyard VFX
Linda Jackson	....	visual effects coordinator: Brickyard VFX
Geoff McAuliffe	....	visual effects artist: Brickyard VFX
Evan Paras	....	visual effects artist: Brickyard VFX
Patrick Poulatian	....	visual effects artist: Brickyard VFX
Chris Sonia	....	visual effects artist: Brickyard VFX

Stunts
Wade Allen	....	stunt coordinator
Arturo Dickey	....	stunts (as Arturo Joe Dickey)
Barron Gunter	....	stunts
Chris Nielsen	....	stunts
Allan Padelford	....	stunts
Pat Romano	....	stunt coordinator (as Patrick Romano)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gary Bevans	....	diu
Kyle Bryson	....	electrician
William Clouter	....	grip
James Coffin	....	best boy grip
Tana Dubbe	....	key grip
Randy Dye	....	best boy electric
Jeffrey Ferraro	....	gaffer (as Jeff Ferrero)
Shun Goldin	....	grip (as Sgun S. Goldin)
Colin Hudson	....	steadicam operator
Corey Jennings	....	camera department production assistant
Michael Koepke	....	grip
Michael Kowalczyk	....	digital imaging technician
Christophe Lanzenberg	....	additional photography
Nicholas Larsen	....	grip
Stephanie Lyons	....	camera department production assistant
Tommy Maddox-Upshaw	....	additional camera operator (as Tommy Maddox)
Joey Maloney	....	additional digital imaging technician
John Mang	....	dolly grip: "a" camera
Steven Mann	....	additional first assistant camera (as Steven 'Manny' Mann)
Merrick Morton	....	still photographer (as Merrick Rhodes Morton)
Brian Mundell	....	electrician
Robert Novellino	....	grip (as Bob Novellino)
Joey O'Donnell	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Mickey Petersen	....	electrician
Nicolas Restrepo	....	underwater camera operator (as Nic Restrepo)
Matt Shaver	....	video assist (as Matthew Shaver)
David Sirianni	....	grip
Curtis Smith	....	dolly grip: "b" camera
Prentice Smith	....	additional diu (as Patrice S. Smith)
Matt Stenerson	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (as Matthew T. Stenerson)
David Blue Thompson	....	electrician (as Blue Thompson)
Jeff Tomhave	....	grip (as Jeffrey Tomhave)
Mike Valentine	....	camera department production assistant (as Michael Valentine)
Fritz Weber	....	grip (as Fritz 'Bootsy' Weber)
Terry Zumalt	....	electrician
Chris Basso	....	generator operator (uncredited)
Michael Mansouri	....	digital imaging technician (uncredited)
Johan Martínez	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
John Paul Meyer	....	additional first assistant camera: pick-ups (uncredited)
Robert Petrin	....	edge arm operator (uncredited)
Patrick Redmond	....	edge head technician (uncredited)
Manny Tapia	....	gaffer: re-shoots (uncredited)

Animation Department
Roger Hall	....	animator: title

Casting Department
Rich King	....	extras casting
Freya Krasnow	....	casting associate
Caitlin McKenna-Wilkinson	....	adr voice casting (as Caitlin McKenna)
Jeremy Lambert	....	extras casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
'Downtown' Jamie Brown	....	costume production assistant
Jill Chizever	....	set costumer
Cheryl Cravedi	....	set costumer (as Cheryl L. Cravedi)
Sara Daubney	....	cutter/fitter (as Sara Daubney-Kinney)
Deborah Myles Davis	....	costume supervisor
Carmen Frost	....	set costumer
Vitalina Gauzylyuk	....	seamstress (as Vitalina Gavrylyuk)
Marylou Lim	....	key set costumer
Jennifer Starzyk	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Terel Gibson	....	first assistant editor
Joshua Kirchmer	....	editorial production assistant (as Josh Kirchmer)
Mitch Paulson	....	supervising digital colorist
Amy Pawlowski	....	digital intermediate conform editor
Robert E. Phillips	....	digital intermediate project manager (as Rob Phillips_)
Staci Pontius	....	first assistant editor
Rosalie A. Staley	....	digital intermediate assistant producer (uncredited)

Music Department
Timou Bekbosunov	....	musician: featured vocalist
Jason La Rocca	....	music mixer
Jon Ong	....	assistant scoring engineer
Adam Peters	....	music consultant
Adam Peters	....	musician: solo cello
Monica Sonand	....	assistant music consultant
Daniel J. Stimac	....	assistant scoring engineer (as Dan Stimack)
Alex Walker	....	musician: featured vocalist
Dan Wilcox	....	music supervisor
Joshua Winget	....	music editor (as Josh Winget)
Al Clay	....	music score producer/mixer (uncredited)
Robert Puff	....	music preparation (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Paul Ripple	....	transportation captain
Tom Roberts	....	transportation coordinator (as Tommy Roberts)
Timothy P. Ryan Jr.	....	transportation captain
Chris Basso	....	driver (uncredited)
Jan Dally	....	driver (uncredited)
Lin C. Smith	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Stephen Apostolina	....	additional voice (as Steve Apostolina)
Jacob Bartel	....	production secretary
Raymond W. Beal	....	animal trainer
Elias Benavidez	....	production secretary
Gregg Brilliant	....	unit publicist
Matt Chase	....	assistant craft service
Peter Chase	....	craft service
Maureen 'Mo' Crutchfield	....	production accountant
Romy Cutler-Lengyel	....	additional voice
Robert Cymbal	....	key set medic
Kelli Dragon	....	assistant: Mr. Dano and Ms. Kazan
John Emmons	....	set medic (as John W. Emmons)
Danny Finn	....	assistant location manager
Robert Funk	....	payroll accountant
Ken Furer	....	assistant: Mr. Berger and Mr. Yerxa
Andres Galleguillos	....	assistant craft service
Keith Gaudin	....	second assistant accountant
Anna Golin	....	assistant: Mr. Dayton and Ms. Faris
Patrick Thomas Gorman	....	production assistant
Ali Griffith	....	assistant production coordinator
Adam Hein	....	production assistant
J. Elizabeth Ingram	....	production coordinator
Holmes Jim	....	assistant chef
Gregory Levine	....	set medic
Chris Lipton	....	production assistant
Pedro Lopez	....	assistant chef
Marylouise Lukasiewicz	....	assistant: Mr. Berger and Mr. Yerxa
Lyn Matsuda Norton	....	script supervisor
Courtney McCrory	....	assistant post production accountant: post production
Mike McLaughlin	....	first assistant accountant (as Michael James McLaughlin)
Scott Menville	....	additional voice
Chris Miller	....	location manager
Daniel Milner	....	key assistant location manager
Jonathan Nichols	....	additional voice
Kelly Patino	....	additional voice
Alex Roth	....	assistant: Mr. Dayton and Ms. Faris
Michelle Ruff	....	additional voice
Dennis Singletary	....	additional voice
David C. Soliz	....	assistant chef
Shane Sweet	....	additional voice
Natalie Truly	....	post production accountant
Lisa Wilhoit	....	additional voice
Subhashan Withanage	....	assistant chef
Philip Barnes	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Kelly Berthold	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Victor Chon	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Valesca Cnossen	....	script supervisor: reshoots (uncredited)
Chris Cortez	....	medic (uncredited)
Chris Cortez	....	water safety (uncredited)
Heather Fielding	....	studio teacher (uncredited)
Ray Gordon II	....	set production assistant: additional (uncredited)
David Greenbaum	....	production executive (uncredited)
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond company representative (uncredited)
Jean Hodges	....	food stylist (uncredited)
Danielle Krudy	....	additional production assistant (uncredited)
Michael D. Nes	....	project manager: Deluxe Digital Cinema (uncredited)
Lee Peglow	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Leslie Ranne	....	intern (uncredited)

Thanks
Irma Fitzgibbons	....	the producers wish to thank
Sid Krofft	....	the producers wish to thank
Don Molls	....	the producers wish to thank
Samuel Vazquez	....	the producers wish to thank

Production Companies

• Fox Searchlight Pictures (presents)
• Bona Fide Productions (as Bona Fide)

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox Netherlands (2012) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (through Warner Bros.)
• 20th Century Fox (2012) (Canada) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2012) (Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2012) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2012) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2012) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Big Picture 2 Films (2012) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2012) (USA) (theatrical)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2012) (United Arab Emirates) (theatrical) (Middle East)
• Miracle Voice (2012) (Japan) (theatrical) (in association with)
• Warner Bros. (2012) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (through)
• Blu Shine (2013) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2013) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2013) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• Brickyard VFX (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Bender ET  GFCI shock protection provided by
• Bob Industries  production services: New York
• Camtec Motion Picture Camera Rentals  camera systems provided by (as Camtec)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  remote camera systems and dollies provided by
• Codex Digital  digital recording equipment
• Deborah Ross Film Design  main and end titles by
• EFilm  digital intermediate
• Empire Design  poster design (uncredited)
• Hula Post  editing systems
• Intelligent Media  international monitoring agency
• Milan Records  soundtrack
• Performance Edge  cranes and dollies by
• Performance Filmworks  Edge Crane System
• ShowBiz Studios  studio
• TCC  cranes and dollies by
• Warner Bros. Sound  sound services and re-recording by

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language including some sexual references, and for some drug use

Runtime:

USA:104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Datasat | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #47471) | Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Portugal:M/12 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Philippines:R-13 | Hong Kong:IIB | Japan:PG12 | South Korea:All | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | South Korea:15 (re-rating) | Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Big Sur, California, USA

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Trivia:

Zoe Kazan, who plays Ruby, also wrote the screenplay for "Ruby Sparks". Zoe's grandfather is Elia Kazan, who directed "On the Waterfront (1954)". Her mother, Robin Swicord, wrote the screenplay for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)". Her father, Nicholas Kazan wrote the screenplay for "Reversal of Fortune (1990)".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Calvin is telling his psychiatrist the story he started to write, you can see his shirt sleeves folded in different ways, depending on where the camera is.

Quotes:

Calvin Weir-Fields:Ruby Sparks. Twenty-six years old. Raised in Dayton, Ohio.
Dr. Rosenthal:Why Dayton?
Calvin Weir-Fields:Sounds romantic. Ruby's first crushes were Humphrey Bogart and John Lennon. She cried the day she found out they were already dead. Ruby got kicked out of high school for sleeping with her art teacher... or maybe her Spanish teacher. I haven't decided yet...
[...]

Movie Connections:

References What Women Want (2000)

Soundtrack:

Quand Tu Es La

Brilliant

The film is a lot different from the trailer. It's very good, brilliant actually, fun and enjoyable but much darker. The film shows it as a light weight,playful film, not as a psychotic man who needs to control every small detail in his life including the woman he loves. It is truly brilliant, but go in with an open mind, don't leave the trailer to guide you through the film. I sound like I'm giving it a bad impression. I don't mean to, I came out with my dad and I absolutely loved it, we spent most of the journey home contemplating what we had seen. And in all truths, I want the mum's house, and their water slide, and more!