"Californication" Pilot (2007)

Director:

Stephen Hopkins

Writer:

Tom Kapinos (written by)

TV Series:

"Californication" (2007)

Original Air Date:

13 August 2007 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Meet Hank Moody, a depressed writer with a writer's block who has a daughter, an ex he wants back and lots of casual sex.

Plot Keywords:

Writer | Sex | Nudity | Female Rear Nudity | Male Female Relationship

Cast

David Duchovny	...	Hank Moody
Natascha McElhone	...	Karen
Madeleine Martin	...	Becca Moody
Madeline Zima	...	Mia Lewis
Evan Handler	...	Charlie Runkle
Pamela Adlon	...	Marcy
Amy Price-Francis	...	Meredith
Michele Nordin	...	Nun / Heather
Camille Langfield	...	Sandy Carr
Philip Shahbaz	...	Man on Cell Phone
Chase Penny	...	Tattooed Millionaire
Miriam T. Green	...	Penny Lyons
Alison Mei Lan	...	Hot Woman
Stephen Sowan	...	Drunk Kid
Michael H. Barnett	...	Gawky Dweeb
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Don Abernathy	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Stephen Hopkins

Writing credits
Tom Kapinos		(written by)

Produced by
David Duchovny	....	executive producer
Bruce Dunn	....	associate producer
Kate Garwood	....	co-producer
Melanie Greene	....	co-executive producer
Stephen Hopkins	....	executive producer
Tom Kapinos	....	executive producer
Ann Kindberg	....	producer

Original Music by
Tree Adams
Tyler Bates

Cinematography by
Peter Levy		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David Brixton

Casting by
Felicia Fasano

Production Design by
Gabrael Wilson

Set Decoration by
Ron Franco

Costume Design by
Peggy A. Schnitzer		(as Peggy Schnitzer)

Makeup Department
David Forrest	....	makeup department head
Marie-Ange Ripka	....	hair designer department head

Production Management
Robert Rothbard	....	unit production manager
Christopher White	....	post-production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hilbert Hakim	....	second assistant director
Cliff Lanning	....	first assistant director
Matthew Janssen	....	dga trainee (uncredited)
Michael Winter	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Will Blount	....	property master
Jeffrey Beck	....	set designer (uncredited)
Jason Brown	....	set graphics (uncredited)
Peter Flynn	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Kristina Fuangkasae	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
China Iwata	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Dea Jensen	....	set decoration buyer (uncredited)
Tim R. Lafferty	....	construction foreman (uncredited)
Jeremy Meyer	....	art department coordinator (uncredited)
Jaudi Negri	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Drew Pierce	....	painter (uncredited)
Sharon Speller	....	decorator painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Nicholas R. Allen	....	sound mixer (as Nick Allen)
Ed Carr	....	re-recording mixer (as Edward C. Carr III)
Mitch Gettleman	....	sound supervisor (as Mitchell C. Gettleman)
Todd Grace	....	re-recording mixer
Chuck Homyak	....	sound utility
Chris Navarro	....	adr mixer
Deron Street	....	first assistant sound editor
Courtney Bishop	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Karyn Foster	....	dialogue editor (adr editor) (uncredited)
Jason Krane	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John P. Cazin	....	special effects coordinator (as John Cazin)
George Zamora	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Rik Shorten	....	visual effects supervisor
Renaud Talon	....	digital compositor
Kent Johnson	....	visual effects supervisor (uncredited)

Stunts
Eddy Donno	....	stunt coordinator
Tony Donno	....	stunt performer
Jon H. Epstein	....	stunt performer (as Jon Epstein)
Andy Gill	....	stunt performer
James M. Halty	....	stunt performer (as Jim Halty)
John Meier	....	stunt performer (as John C. Meier)

Camera and Electrical Department
David A. Brown	....	key grip
David J. Frederick	....	Steadicam operator (as David Frederick)
David J. Frederick	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as David Frederick)
Scott Fuller	....	camera operator: "a" camera (as Scott E. Fuller)
Steve Mathis	....	gaffer
Kirk Bloom	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Daniel L. Magat	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Greg Mayer	....	rigging best boy (uncredited)
Dara Norman	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Lance Oyabu	....	electrician (uncredited)
Jorge Sánchez	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Jedediah Shoemaker	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Stephan K. Taylor	....	electrician (uncredited)
Kevin Tiesiera	....	best boy electric (uncredited)

Casting Department
Shari Greicar	....	casting associate: Los Angeles
Pat McCorkle	....	casting: New York
Jeff Olan	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cecilia Puga	....	costume supervisor
Timothy A. Wonsik	....	assistant costume designer (as Timothy Wonsik)
Cesha Ventre	....	set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Drew Dalea	....	post-production coordinator
Joanna Manning	....	assistant editor
Tom Overton	....	colorist

Music Department
Budd Carr	....	music supervisor
Jeanne Fay	....	music clearance
Nora Felder	....	music supervisor
Nick Pavey	....	assistant music editor
Georgiana Ramsland	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Buster Kohloff	....	transportation coordinator (as Buster Kohlhoff)

Other crew
Carol Banker	....	script supervisor
Aimee Campolucci	....	assistant production coordinator
Tami D'Addio	....	assistant to the producers
John Hererra	....	script coordinator (as John Herrera)
Gary Kesell	....	location manager
Karen Romero	....	production coordinator
Susan Safer	....	production accountant
Charles A. Tamburro	....	helicopter pilot
Natalie Allan	....	assistant to director (uncredited)
Wanda Armstrong	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Thomas Farr	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Michael Freeman	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Cary Heckman	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Kiosha Lee	....	stand-in: Penny Lyons (uncredited)
Steve Martin	....	relief medic (uncredited)
Christopher Nunez	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Chris Scharffenberg	....	key production assistant (uncredited)
Rony Shino	....	key assistant location manager (uncredited)
Sabrina Somma	....	key set medic (uncredited)
Mitch Yapko	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tom Kapinos		creator

Makeup Department
Clinton Wayne	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited) (2008)

Visual Effects by
Kristen Branan	....	head of production: Zoic Studios (2007)

Camera and Electrical Department
Halsey D. Corbin	....	electrician (2008) (as Halsey D. 'Pigpen' Corbin)

Editorial Department
Matthew Lopes	....	post-production coordinator (2009)

Production Companies

• Aggressive Mediocrity
• And Then...
• Totally Commercial Films
• Showtime Networks

Distributors

• AXN (2008) (Germany) (TV)
• Comedy Central (2007) (Netherlands) (TV)
• RTL2 (2008) (Germany) (TV)
• Showtime Networks (2007) (USA) (TV)

Special Effects

• Stargate Digital (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Laser Pacific Media  editorial services (as Laser Pacific Media Corporation)
• Keep Me Posted  editorial services
• Warner Bros. Studio Facilities  sound editing and re-recording
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Cinelease  lighting equipment provided by
• Whitehouse, The  post-production (uncredited)

Runtime:

33 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

USA:TV-MA

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Aggressive Mediocrity

Trivia:

Seven advertisers, including Burger King, Finish Dishwashing Liquid, CRC, Cadbury, Flight Center, Ferrit, and the Ministry Of Economic Development all pulled their advertising from the show after this pilot aired in New Zealand.

Goofs:

Continuity: When leaving Hank's room, Sandy alternates between having a bag on her shoulder and not having a bag on her shoulder in different shots.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Hank Moody: [to Jesus] Hey, big guy, you and me. We've never done this before but desperate times call for desperate measures. My name is Hank.
Nun: Hello, Hank.

Movie Connections:

References Yellow Submarine (1968)

Soundtrack:

A Beira Mar

A top-notch first episode

From its controversial opening scene to its excellent finale, the first episode of "Californication" sets the tone for the series. Stylishly directed by the always-reliable Stephen Hopkins, the pilot is thoroughly entertaining adult comedy. Watching the first episode reminded me a little of a modern Blake Edwards' production.

The cast are excellent, especially David Duchovny as the seedy Hank Moody, a man whose mid-life crisis is on display for all to see, from his Porsche to his constant bed-hopping.

The script is sharp and the whole show exudes quality.

Recommended.