City of Ember (2008)

Director:

Gil Kenan

Writers (WGA):

Caroline Thompson (screenplay)
Jeanne Duprau (book)

Release Date:

10 October 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Discover The Secret

Plot:

For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights. But Ember's once powerful generator is failing ... and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker.

Plot Keywords:

Food | Box | Mayor | Scientist | Running

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

David Ryall	...	Chief Builder
Ian McElhinney	...	Builder
Harry Treadaway	...	Doon Harrow
Tim Robbins	...	Loris Harrow
Bill Murray	...	Mayor Cole
B.J. Hogg	...	Mayor's Guard
Toby Jones	...	Barton Snode
Lucinda Dryzek	...	Lizzie Bisco
Matt Jessup	...	Joss
Lara McIvor	...	Roner
Myles Thompson	...	Smat
Eoin McAndrew	...	Student
Rachel Morton	...	Student
Conor MacNeill	...	Student
Lorraine Hilton	...	Miss Thorn
Saoirse Ronan	...	Lina Mayfleet
Liam Burke	...	Mr. Boaz
Mary Kay Place	...	Mrs. Murdo
Liz Smith	...	Granny
Amy Quinn	...	Poppy
Catherine Quinn	...	Poppy
Simon Kunz	...	Captain Fleery
Martin Landau	...	Sul
Frankie McCafferty	...	Arbin Swinn
Marianne Jean-Baptiste	...	Clary
Heathcote Williams	...	Sadge Merrall
Mackenzie Crook	...	Looper
Maureen Dow	...	Mrs. Sample
Becky Stark	...	Song Master
Brid Ni Chionaola	...	Seely Schnap
Mark Mulholland	...	Portrait Painter
Valerie O'Connor	...	Person in Line
Ann Queensberry	...	Doctor Tower
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Judy Donovan	...	Mayor's Secretary (uncredited)
Chris Parson	...	Additional Voices (voice) (uncredited)
Drew Thompson	...	Other Believer (uncredited)

Directed by
Gil Kenan

Writing credits (WGA)
Caroline Thompson		(screenplay)
Jeanne Duprau		(book "The City of Ember")

Produced by
Diana Choi	....	executive producer (as Diana Choi Sachs)
Gary Goetzman	....	producer
Tom Hanks	....	producer
John D. Schofield	....	executive producer
Steve Shareshian	....	producer (as Steven Shareshian)

Original Music by
Andrew Lockington

Cinematography by
Xavier Pérez Grobet		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Adam P. Scott
Zach Staenberg

Casting by
Richard Hicks
David Rubin
Gail Stevens

Production Design by
Martin Laing

Art Direction by
Jon Billington		(supervising art director)
Ross Bradshaw
James Foster
Ashleigh Jeffers

Set Decoration by
Celia Bobak

Costume Design by
Ruth Myers

Makeup Department
Liz Boston	....	makeup artist
Sallie Jaye	....	makeup designer
Chris Lyons	....	special effects teeth
Vera Mitchell	....	hair and wig designer
Maria Moore	....	hair background supervisor
Niamh O'Loan	....	makeup artist
Tracey Wells	....	hair assistant
Elvia Felix Herrera	....	key makeup artist (uncredited)
Lisa Hill	....	makeup daily (uncredited)
Clare Ramsey	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Aisling Toner	....	hair department (uncredited)
Sian Wilson	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Terry Bamber	....	production manager
David Cain	....	unit manager
Douglas Jones	....	executive in charge of production
Lis Kern	....	additional post-production supervisor
Annabel Schofield	....	production supervisor
John D. Schofield	....	unit production manager
Michael Tinger	....	post-production supervisor
Iram Collantes	....	unit manager: Mexico re-shoot (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Butterworth	....	additional assistant director: breakaway unit
Aron Clayton	....	second assistant director
Patrick Clayton	....	first assistant director
Leon Coole	....	third assistant director
Samantha Ross	....	third assistant director
Michael Stevenson	....	key second assistant director
Stephanie Cheung	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Adam Philpott	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)
Catherine Shanks	....	second unit trainee assistant director (uncredited)
Tom Stevenson	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)
Ciara Tinney	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Stuart Allan	....	concept artist (as Stuart Allen)
Chris Appelhans	....	concept artist
Shane Bunting	....	production buyer
Alejandro Cardenas	....	concept artist
Eliza Chaikin	....	assistant art director
Ben Collins	....	assistant art director
Trevor Eve	....	hod painter
Martin George	....	stand-by painter
Heather Greenlees	....	set designer
Steve Hedinger	....	graphic artist (as Steven Hedinger)
Roger Holden	....	key greensman
Gavin Jones	....	propmaker
John Keenan	....	hod stagehand
John Kirsop	....	construction manager
Jonathan Klassen	....	concept artist
Khang Le	....	concept artist
Richard Lee	....	graphic artist
Eduardo Lima	....	graphics designer
Kevin McCabe	....	props
Neil McNally	....	greens
Laura Ng	....	stand-by art director: breakaway unit
Raymond Perry	....	property master (as Ray Perry)
Dave Perschky	....	hod carpenter
Brendan Rankin	....	set designer
Terry Royce	....	stand-by propman
William Simpson	....	illustrator
Michael Standish	....	assistant set decorator (as Michael John Standish)
Graham Stickley	....	props storeman
Cathy Surgeoner	....	stand-by props: breakaway unit
Micky Swift	....	stand-by chargehand props
Dave Westcott	....	assistant construction manager (as David Westcott)
Arthur Wicks	....	property master
Simeon Wilkins	....	storyboard artist
Kenny Wilson	....	hod plasterer
Helen Xenopoulos	....	assistant art director
Ian Young	....	prop supervisor
Fatiha Aitbadi	....	chargehand greensman (uncredited)
Mauricio Carneiro	....	assistant graphic designer (uncredited)
Ramírez Gabriela	....	unit set decorator (uncredited)
Julie Gardner	....	art department coordinator (uncredited)
Alan Harvey	....	props (uncredited)
Glenn Marsh	....	senior prop modeler (uncredited)
Christopher Moore	....	stand-by props (uncredited)
Philip Murphy	....	props (uncredited)
Tony Perez	....	leadman (uncredited)
Tony Rimmington	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
John Simpson	....	greensman (uncredited)
Helen Sloan	....	portrait photographer (uncredited)
Gert Stevens	....	set designer (uncredited)
Keith Stevenson	....	props (uncredited)
Nic Stubbings	....	dressing propman (uncredited)
Carl Wilson	....	senior propmaker (uncredited)
Ciara Winnington	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Paul Aulicino	....	sound effects editor
Ron Bedrosian	....	adr mixer
Mary Burns	....	foley assistant
Paul Timothy Carden	....	adr editor (as Paul Carden)
Julio Carmona	....	adr recordist
Peter Eliuk	....	foley editor
Jeremy Duayne Elzinga	....	foley technician
Will Files	....	additional sound designer
Amy Giammarco	....	foley coordinator
Dean Giammarco	....	foley editor
Hector C. Gika	....	sound effects editor (as Hector Gika)
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer
Rick Gould	....	adr recordist
Laura Graham	....	adr editor
Robert Hunter	....	adr mixer
Daniel J. Leahy	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Daniel Leahy)
Peter Lindsay	....	production sound mixer
David Livingstone	....	foley assistant
Steve Mann	....	sound effects editor
Luke Mathers	....	foley mixer
Kate Morath	....	sound maintenance
Maureen Murphy	....	foley artist
Stephen P. Robinson	....	sound designer (as Stephen Robinson)
Kim Secrist	....	sound effects editor
Gordon Sproule	....	foley technician
Bruce Stambler	....	sound designer
Bruce Stambler	....	sound supervisor
David Stanke	....	first assistant sound editor
Becky Sullivan	....	adr supervisor
Becky Sullivan	....	dialogue supervisor
Gary Summers	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hermann Thumann	....	sound effects editor (as Herman Thuman)
Brett Voss	....	sound effects editor
Cam Wagner	....	foley artist
Drew Webster	....	sound mix technician
David Williams	....	adr supervisor
David Williams	....	dialogue supervisor
Robert Winder	....	location adr
Scott Wolf	....	sound effects editor
James Wright	....	sound consultant: dolby
Christian Joyce	....	production sound mixer: second unit (uncredited)
Thayna McLaughlin	....	sound assistant (uncredited)
Elda Pinckney	....	post-audio assistant (uncredited)
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John Baker	....	special effects senior technician
Steve Cullane	....	special effects senior technician
Terry Glass	....	special effects set supervisor
Frank Guiney	....	special effects senior technician
Ron Hone	....	special effects senior technician
Julian Marsh	....	special effects senior technician
Doug McCarthy	....	senior special effects technician
Dave Miller	....	special effects supervising engineer
Digby Milner	....	special effects senior technician
Kit West	....	senior special effects supervisor
Albert Whiteside	....	special effects technician
Tim Willis	....	special effects floor supervisor: breakaway unit (as Timothy John Willis)
Vincent Kivlehan	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Matthew McCloskey	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Robert Wright	....	special effects coordinator (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Kimberly Adams	....	visual effects producer (as Kimberly Jorgensen Adams)
Tim Alexander	....	model/texture artist: Luma Pictures
Go Aoyama	....	additional visual effects: Filmworks/FX
Oliver Arnold	....	cg supervisor: Luma Pictures
Julien Aullas	....	digital artist: BUF
James Baldanzi	....	visual effects production assistant
Frederic Barbe	....	digital artist: BUF
Jil-Sheree Bergin	....	visual effects senior coordinator
Andrew Bull	....	motion operator: 3d (as Andy Bull)
Ray Bushey III	....	visual effects editor
Sue Campbell	....	senior animator: Luma Pictures (as Susan Campbell)
Alexandre Cancado	....	lead compositor: Luma Pictures (as Alex Cancado)
John Cassella	....	senior fx artist: Luma Pictures
Olivier Cauwet	....	visual effects supervisor: BUF
Vincent Cirelli	....	visual effects supervisor: Luma Pictures
Mike Clark	....	animator: Luma Pictures
Erik Courtney	....	additional visual effects: Filmworks/FX (as Eric Courtney)
Carole Cowley	....	visual effects coordinator
Daniel Craemer	....	roto/paint artist: Luma Pictures
Lionel Di Scala	....	digital artist
Carla Diamond	....	visual effects producer: BUF
Chad Dombrova	....	senior pipeline td: Luma Pictures
Linda Drake	....	visual effects editor
Eric Durst	....	visual effects supervisor
Laurens Ehrmann	....	digital artist: BUF
Jenn Epstein	....	junior compositor: Luma Pictures
Jenn Epstein	....	roto/paint artist: Luma Pictures
Nicolas Evrard	....	digital artist: BUF
Evan Feuerman	....	visual effects accountant
Patrick Flanagan	....	digital compositor
Michael T. Forrest	....	digital artist
Derry Frost	....	additional visual effects: Amalgamated Pixels
Nicolas Gauthier	....	digital effect artist: BUF
Steve Griffith	....	visual effects producer: Luma Pictures
H Haden Hammond	....	sequence supervisor: Luma Pictures
John R. Hazzard	....	pipeline td: Luma Pictures (as John Hazzard)
Edward Heede	....	additional visual effects: Filmworks/FX (as Ed Heede)
Matthew Henderson	....	lighting td: Luma Pictures
Brent Hensarling	....	senior systems administrator: Luma Pictures
Owen Holdren	....	additional visual effects: Filmworks/FX
Josh Hooker	....	additional visual effects: Amalgamated Pixels
Cajun Hylton	....	lead model/texture artist: Luma Pictures
Justin Johnson	....	digital effects supervisor: Luma Pictures
Ken Kaiser	....	animator
Bonnie Kanner	....	additional visual effects: Amalgamated Pixels
Yoshio Kohashi	....	additional visual effects: Filmworks/FX (as Ypshia Kohashi)
Neil Krepela	....	visual effects consultant
Erik LaPlant	....	visual effect coordinator: Luma Pictures
Andrew Lewitin	....	additional visual effects: Filmworks/FX
Jason Locke	....	matchmove artist: Luma Pictures
Ken Locsmandi	....	additional visual effects: Filmworks/FX (as Kenny Locsmandi)
Nicholas Lund-Ulrich	....	digital effects artist
Samir Lyons	....	animator: Luma Pictures
Jessica Madsen	....	roto/paint artist: Luma Pictures
Geoffrey Mark	....	additional visual effects: Amalgamated Pixels (as Geoff Mark)
Juan Melendez	....	visual effects coordinator
Roger Mocenigo	....	additional visual effects: Amalgamated Pixels
Michael Morreale	....	additional visual effects: Amalgamated Pixels (as Michael J. Morreale)
Glenn Morris	....	visual effects producer: Luma Pictures
Cynthia Mourou	....	visual effects producer: BUF
Eddy Moussa	....	digital artist: BUF
Danny Murphy	....	motion base operator
Kenneth Nakada	....	additional visual effects: Zen Haven (as Ken Nakada)
Ben Neall	....	lead texture/model artist: Luma Pictures
Digna Nigoumi	....	motion control operator
Peter Nye	....	additional visual effects: Amalgamated Pixels
Jeremy Oddo	....	visual effects
Steve Oyola	....	additional visual effects: Filmworks/FX
Kelvin J. Padfield	....	visual effects production assistant
Phillip Palousek	....	additional visual effects: Amalgamated Pixels (as Phil Palousek)
Reid Paul	....	additional visual effects: Amalgamated Pixels
Jason Porath	....	fx artist: Luma Pictures
Pavel Pranevsky	....	cg supervisor: Luma Pictures
Francisco Ramirez	....	visual effects coordinator
Pimentel A. Raphael	....	animation supervisor: Luma Pictures (as Raphael Pimentel)
John Riggs	....	senior character td: Luma Pictures
Marcos Romero	....	animator: Luma Pictures
Dick Ross	....	additional visual effects: Below the Radar
Michael Ross-Lang	....	digital compositor
Christopher Sage	....	lead environment artist: Luma Pictures (as Chris Sage)
Tamar Shaham	....	additional visual effects: Filmworks/FX
Payam Shohadai	....	executive visual effects supervisor: Luma Pictures
Jeremy Shuback	....	additional visual effects: Filmworks/FX
Joey Sila	....	compositor: Luma Pictures
Jared Simeth	....	lighter/compositor: Luma Pictures
Thanapoom Siripopungul	....	character td: Luma Pictures (as Thanapoom Siripopungal)
Ryan Sivley	....	animator: Luma Pictures
Helen Sloan	....	visual effects production assistant
Jesse Sugarman	....	senior animator: Luma Pictures
Richard Sutherland	....	fx artist: Luma Pictures
Tammy Sutton	....	additional visual effects: Amalgamated Pixels (as Tammy Sutton-Walker)
Steven Swanson	....	visual effects supervising producer: Luma Pictures
Audrey Tondre	....	visual effects producer: BUF
Ricardo Torres	....	additional visual effects: Below the Radar
Richard Wardlow	....	additional visual effects: Amalgamated Pixels
Mike Warren	....	additional visual effects: Filmworks/FX
James Waterson	....	compositor: Luma Pictures
Elaine Wu	....	animator: Luma Pictures
Attila Zalanyi	....	fx artist: Luma Pictures
Riccardo Zanettini	....	senior lighting td: Luma Pictures (as Ricardo Zanettini)
Loic Zimmermann	....	character artist: Luma Pictures
Chadi Abo	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Xavier Allard	....	digital effect artist: BUF (uncredited)
François-Xavier Aubague	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)
Xavier Bec	....	head of software: BUF (uncredited)
Christophe Bernard	....	visual effects photographer: BUF (uncredited)
Brian Burks	....	pre-visualization (uncredited)
Andy Burmeister	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Florent Cadel	....	digital effects artist: BUF (uncredited)
Christian Cardona	....	digital artist: Zen Haven (uncredited)
Leon Coole	....	first assistant director: VFX elements unit (uncredited)
Anne Coulet	....	digital artist: BUF (uncredited)
Robin Deledicque	....	digital effect artist: BUF (uncredited)
Shiv Dholakia	....	effects animator: Luma Pictures (uncredited)
A. Michael Dobbs	....	digital artist: Luma Pictures (uncredited)
Michael Forot	....	research & development: BUF (uncredited)
Mathieu Foucher	....	digital artist: BUF (uncredited)
Aurelien Fuentes	....	digital effect artist: BUF (uncredited)
Thibault Gauriau	....	digital artist: BUF (uncredited)
Sylvain Germain	....	research & development: BUF (uncredited)
Ivan Girard	....	matte painter: BUF (uncredited)
Mickael Girod	....	digital artist: BUF (uncredited)
Yoel Godo	....	digital effect artist: BUF (uncredited)
Anthony Grant	....	model/texture artist (uncredited)
Jennifer Gutierrez	....	compositor (uncredited)
Nicolas Jambois	....	digital effect artist: BUF (uncredited)
Meillard Julien	....	digital artist: BUF (uncredited)
Jeffrey Kember	....	fluid technical director (uncredited)
Thomas Kernan	....	digital modeler (uncredited)
Catherine Lee	....	digital effect artist: BUF (uncredited)
Duncan Lees	....	head of 3D services: Plowman Craven and Associates (uncredited)
Mike Makara	....	previs (uncredited)
Thomas Mathai	....	data manager (uncredited)
Morgan McDermott	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Scott Meadows	....	pre-visualization co-supervisor (uncredited)
Maxime Neko	....	digital effect artist: BUF (uncredited)
Rob Ostir	....	pre-visualization artist (uncredited)
Dawrath Phoue	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Danielle Plantec	....	CG supervisor: Scanline VFX (uncredited)
Brett Reyenger	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Nolwenn Rimbault	....	digital artist: BUF (uncredited)
Jeremy Robert	....	digital effect artist: BUF (uncredited)
Nicolas Schneider	....	digital effect artist: BUF (uncredited)
Andrew Schwartz	....	lighter & compositor (uncredited)
Tricoire Sebastien	....	digital artist: BUF (uncredited)
Gabe Shedd	....	visual effects coordinator (uncredited)
Safari Sosebee	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Rpin Suwannath	....	pre-visualization senior supervisor (uncredited)
Julien Thebault	....	digital effect artist: BUF (uncredited)
Marie Tollec	....	R&D engineer: BUF (uncredited)
Justin van der Lek	....	3D environments (uncredited)
Shane Christopher Wicklund	....	junior compositor: Luma Pictures (uncredited)
Jimmy Wu	....	matte painter: Luma Pictures (uncredited)
Pavade Yoane	....	digital effect artist: BUF (uncredited)
Dave Zeevalk	....	digital effects artist: Zen Haven Studios (uncredited)
Christophe Zito	....	digital artist: BUF (uncredited)

Stunts
Phil Adams	....	stunt coordinator
Brendan Condren	....	stunt coordinator
Joe Condren	....	stunt player
Kevin Mathews	....	wire coordinator (as Kevin B. Mathews)
Bill Weston	....	stunt player
Joanna Whitney	....	stunt player
Jeff Chumas	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Anthony Condren	....	stunt rigger (uncredited)
Sean Roe Curran	....	stunts assistant (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David Appleby	....	key grip
Chas Bain	....	camera operator: breakaway unit
Leon Buckley	....	video assist
Luke Cairns	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Jim Crowther	....	grip
Noah Davis	....	second assistant camera
Tim Dean	....	libra head technician
Birgit Dierken	....	focus puller
Nicole Dierken	....	camera loader
Simon Dutton	....	h.o.d. rigger (as Si Dutton)
Laurence Edwards	....	crane head technician
Peter Field	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Chuck Finch	....	gaffer
Stephen Finch	....	electrician
Tommy Finch	....	gaffer
John Gamble	....	focus puller
Andy Gardner	....	camera loader
Keith Hamshere	....	still photographer
Stuart Hurley	....	electrician
Brian Livingstone	....	rigging gaffer
Giancarlo McDonnell	....	rigging best boy
Billy Merrell	....	best boy (as W. Merrell)
Richard Merrell	....	best boy (as R. Merrell)
Richard Merrell	....	electrician (as R. Merrell)
Dean Morrish	....	camera loader
Andy Mountain	....	electrician (as Andrew Mountain)
Phil Murray	....	grip: "b" camera
Shaun O'Dell	....	director of photography: breakaway unit
Alastair Rae	....	Steadicam operator
Alastair Rae	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Gary Romaine	....	grip
Reinhard Stöckl	....	electrician (as Reinhard Stockl)
Steve Wood	....	electrician
Chris Bain	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Dave Brennan	....	electrician (uncredited)
Barry Conroy	....	electrician (uncredited)
Wayne King	....	electrician (uncredited)
Steven Livingstone	....	electrician (uncredited)
Seamus Lynch	....	electrician (uncredited)
Chaz Lyon	....	second assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
David Maund	....	key grip: second unit (uncredited)
Davie Mayes	....	practical electrician (uncredited)
Sean McKeown	....	rigger (uncredited)
Andy Mountain	....	lighting console operator (uncredited)
Andrew Shields	....	video playback operator: second unit (uncredited)
Mariana Sánchez de Antuñano	....	additional first assistant camera (uncredited)
David Taylor	....	electrician (uncredited)
Peter Wignall	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Pimentel A. Raphael	....	animation supervisor: Luma Pictures (as Raphael Pimentel)
Lauren Wells	....	animator

Casting Department
Lesli Gelles	....	additional casting
Kelly Valentine Hendry	....	casting associate: UK
Christina Mullin	....	casting associate: US
Greg Orson	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Camille Benda	....	assistant costume designer
Caroline Dillon	....	costume maker
Laura Ergis	....	key costumer
Kate Frampton	....	workroom supervisor (as Kathryn Frampton)
Heather Long	....	wardrobe mistress
Lyndie MacIntyre	....	costume craft supervisor
Sharon McCormack	....	costume cutter
William McPhail	....	costume supervisor (as William R. McPhail)
Stephen O'Rawe	....	daily costume assistant
Kelly Tonks	....	wardrobe assistant
Melanie Carmichael	....	costume maker (uncredited)
Angela Egan	....	costume assistant (uncredited)
Kerry Gooding	....	costume assistant (uncredited)
Claire Hardaker	....	costume assistant (uncredited)
Una Hickey	....	costume trainee (uncredited)
Calandra Meredith	....	costumer: Mr Robbins (uncredited)
Catherine Shanks	....	costume production assistant (uncredited)
Susan Smith	....	costume maker (uncredited)
Kathryn Tart	....	costume assistant (uncredited)
Rachael Webb-Crozier	....	costume stand-by (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Ron San Agustin	....	apprentice editor (as Ronald San Agustin)
Will Allgood	....	avid support and services
Tanner Bean	....	post-production assistant
Catherine Chase	....	additional editor
George Chavez	....	color timer
Coral D'Alessandro	....	second assistant editor
Gary Jackemuk	....	digital intermediate supervisor (as Garrison Jackemuk)
Brandon Jones	....	digital intermediate coordinator
Greg Kimble	....	digital intermediate colorist
Natasha Leonnet	....	digital intermediate colorist
Blake Maniquis	....	additional editor
Lindsey Morrow	....	second assistant editor
Chris Raiskup	....	additional post-production coordinator
James A. Rota	....	post-production IT supervisor (as James Rota)
Alexis Seymour	....	additional assistant editor
Lacy Wittman	....	post-production coordinator
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter (uncredited)
Helen Sheridan	....	editorial production assistant (uncredited)
Lucy Juliet Westphal	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Deva Anderson	....	music consultant
The Bach Choir	....	musicians: choir
John Barrett	....	score recordist
Christine Bergren	....	music legal and clearance
Chris Clad	....	violin
Nicholas Dodd	....	conductor
Nicholas Dodd	....	orchestrator
Andrew Dudman	....	score mixer
Andrew Dudman	....	score recordist
Lindsay Fellows	....	music supervisor
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Zigmund Gron	....	music editor (as Zig Gron)
Andy Kitchen	....	assistant scoring engineer
Andrew Lockington	....	score producer
Hugh Marsh	....	music programmer: analog synthesizer
Neil Parfitt	....	assistant to composer
Patrick Phillips	....	assistant scoring engineer
Douglas Pipes	....	composer: additional music
Roxana Pope	....	assistant scoring engineer
Matt Robertson	....	music programmer: analog synthesizer
Jill Streater	....	music librarian
Michael White	....	music programmer: analog synthesizer
Kelsey Aloise	....	assistant music supervisor (uncredited)
Kenneth Karman	....	music editor (uncredited)
Jeremy Raub	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Johnny Crawford	....	transportation captain
Alan Crozier	....	transportation captain
Ryan Marshall	....	unit driver (uncredited)
Roy McManus	....	unit driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances: Entertainment Clearances Inc.
Michelle Burns	....	travel coordinator
Lisa Byrne	....	production coordinator
Paul Cadiou	....	financial controller (as Paul W. Cadiou)
Michelle Carew	....	assistant: Mr. Schofield
Cara Cheeseman	....	production consultant
Morgan Cline	....	assistant: Mr. Goetzman
Kevin Curtin	....	admin/facilities coordinator
Allison Diamond	....	assistant: Mr. Hanks
Sue Field	....	script supervisor
Linda Gamble	....	unit publicist
Brendan Gunn	....	dialogue coach
Tory Haljun	....	assistant: Mr. Goetzman
Nora Henderson	....	office production assistant
Sue Jones	....	script supervisor: breakaway unit
Barry Keil	....	assistant locations & facilities manager
Carla Mercer	....	extras coordinator
Amanda Phillips	....	assistant: Mr. Kenan
Eric Quijano	....	assistant: Mr. Shareshian
Sooki Raphael	....	assistant: Mr. Hanks
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances: Entertainment Clearances
Mark Shultz	....	production coordinator: Mexico re-shoot
Mark Shultz	....	production coordinator: Mexico
Val Sunderland	....	second assistant accountant
Brendan Whiston	....	first assistant accountant
Andrew Wilson	....	location & facilities manager
Joanne Woodward	....	post-production accountant
Alexa Alden	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Ciara Barry	....	extras coordinator (uncredited)
Amy Chaffee	....	dialect coach: adr (uncredited)
Roman Diaz	....	production assistant: México (uncredited)
D.R. Farquharson	....	project manager: Deluxe Digital Cinema (uncredited)
Ryan Gomez	....	post production assistant accountant (uncredited)
Joe Hendriks	....	assistant production accountant (uncredited)
Israel Limon	....	office production assistant (uncredited)
Stephen McConnell	....	assistant extras coordinator (uncredited)
Anne-Louise McGinnis	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Emma McNeill	....	extras assistant (uncredited)
Adrian O'Brien	....	auditor (uncredited)
Chris Patterson	....	location scout (uncredited)
Sacha Patterson	....	accommodation liaison (uncredited)
Kimberly Rach	....	production executive (uncredited)
Efrat Ravid	....	auditor (uncredited)
Zeiddy Silva Ríos	....	assistant production office coordinator: reshoot (uncredited)
Jane Thurlow	....	tutor (uncredited)
Rob Whitaker	....	post -production assistant (uncredited)
Richard Wilson	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Playtone
• Walden Media

Distributors

• Alfa Films (2008) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Atlantic Film (2009) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Bontonfilm (2009) (Czech Republic) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Eagle Pictures (2008) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Entertainment Film Distributors (2008) (UK) (theatrical)
• Fox-Walden (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Independent Films (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Long Shong Entertainment Multimedia Company (2008) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2008) (France) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• On Pictures (2008) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Studio 2.0 (2009) (South Korea) (theatrical)
• Belga Home Vidéo (2009) (Belgium) (DVD)
• Capelight Pictures (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Culture Publishers (CP) (2009) (Japan) (DVD)
• Entertainment in Video (2009) (UK) (DVD)
• Entertainment in Video (2009) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Nordisk Film (2009) (Scandinavia) (all media)
• Paris Filmes (2009) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• West Video (2008) (Russia) (all media)

Special Effects

• Luma Pictures (visual effects)
• BUF (visual effects)
• Filmworks/FX (additional visual effects)
• Zen Haven Studios (additional visual effects) (as Zen Haven)
• Amalgamated Pixels (additional visual effects)
• Below The Radar (additional visual effects)
• Pacific Title and Art Studio (opticals)

Other Companies

• Mi Casa Multimedia  DVD 5.1 surround audio mastering
• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting equipment
• ARRI Media  camera and grip equipment
• Abbey Road Studios  music recording and mixing facility
• Arion Facilities  dailies telecine transfers
• Bach Choir, The  choir
• Background, The  walla group
• Bulletproof Recording Company  soundtrack
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• DBC Sound  sound post-production (foley)
• DBC Sound  sound post-production (walla)
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• EFilm  digital intermediate
• En Route Catering  catering
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Global Music Service  copyist
• Gould Music Service  music copyist
• Kinema Films de Mexico  production services: Mexico
• Kodak  motion picture film supplied by
• Kona Cutting  negative cutting
• London Session Orchestra, The  orchestra (uncredited)
• Motion Picture Merchandise (MPM)  crew gift
• NT Audio Services  optical sound negative (as NT Audio)
• One8Six  video playback equipment
• Orbit  Avids provided by
• Pacific Title  end titles and opticals
• Shoot NI  cell phones and walkies
• Soundelux  post-production sound services
• Todd-AO Studios  sound re-recording facility (as Todd-AO West)
• Walden Post Production Services  digital intermediate

Also Known As:

"Cidade das Sombras" - Brazil (imdb display title), Brazil (DVD title), Portugal
"La cité de l'ombre" - Canada (French title), France
"Apodrasi apo ti hameni poli" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
"City of Ember - En busca de la Luz" - Spain
"City of Ember - Flucht aus der Dunkelheit" - Germany (imdb display title)
"Ember - Il mistero della città di luce" - Italy (imdb display title)
"Ember - La ciudad perdida" - Argentina (DVD title)
"Ember: La ciudad perdida" - Mexico
"Grad svetlosti" - Serbia (imdb display title)
"Grad svjetla" - Croatia
"Hehkuva kaupunki" - Finland
"Mesto Ember" - Czech Republic
"Sihirli sehir" - Turkey (Turkish title)
"Szikraváros" - Hungary

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild peril and some thematic elements

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate #43559) | Ireland:PG | UK:PG | Singapore:PG | Philippines:G (MTRCB) | Hong Kong:IIA | Australia:G | Czech Republic:U | South Africa:10M | Canada:G (Manitoba/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | France:U | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:Atp | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Belfast Methodist College, Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK

Company:

Playtone

Trivia:

A former paint hall in the shipyard of Harland and Wolff in Belfast's Titanic Quarter was converted into the city of Ember.

Goofs:

Continuity: The scene where Doon is watching the boat follow its track, the boat automatically launches into the water. Yet when the three get into the boat, the boat does not launch until Doon pulls a lever.

Quotes:

Doon Harrow:Did you see those store-rooms? They're completely empty. We're gonna run out of food.
[He looks away from Lina]
Doon Harrow:It doesn't matter anyway. The Generator won't last. And pretty soon it'll be black for good.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "At the Movies: Episode #5.41" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Song for the City

Fading Ember

At first blush, City of Ember seems like it would be a thrilling sci-fi adventure, a page out of Jules Verne's playbook, but ultimately it fails to completely scale the dizzying heights of its creative premise. The movie does deliver some intrigue and some compelling performances (not to mention some mailed-in ones), but huge lapses in logic that might be detected even by the youngest audience member prevent it from being the heart-stopping classic it wants to be.

Some 200 years ago, life on Earth was dying, and in its waning moments great physicists, inventors, and architects designed and built a huge underground city powered by a gigantic generator. The Builders, though, possess some forethought and, assuming that someday the surface will again be inhabitable, they enclosed specific instructions for the citizens of Ember to eventually escape to the sunlight. This information was placed inside a metal box and alarmed with a 200-year timer; by the end of that time, the Builders reasoned, the surface would be habitable. This box was then handed off from mayor to mayor for nearly 200 years. But, as might be expected, the chain broke somewhere along the way, and at present the box sits in a closet, its owner unknowing of its raison d'etre. So here we are, 200 years down the road, and the lights in Ember flicker occasionally, sometimes more than occasionally, and it's apparent to a few that the generator's days are numbered.

Our story focuses on two children, Lina Mayfleet (Saoirse Ronan) and Doon Harrow (Harry Treadway). At the movie's outset, each has received his and her assigned job for life - Lina as a messenger (all verbal), and Doon working in the pipeworks, where he hopes to find a way to save the generator. During the course of their duties, as the blackouts increase, each learns about the mysterious silver box, and they team up to decipher the tattered remnants of the exit instructions. Naturally, they run into complications with Doon's father (Tim Robbins) and the current mayor (Bill Murray), and just as naturally they're eventually pursued by people who'd just as soon no one ever figured out how to leave the dark city.

For the most part, the casting is on target; Ronan seems a lot more engaging and appealing here than she did just last year in Atonement, and Treadway, although looking like a refugee from High School Musical, is just as impressive. Robbins is excellent in a small, but pivotal role, as is Martin Landau (whatever became of him?) as the requisite old-guy-who-sort-of-knows-stuff. The only puzzling casting is that of Murray as the town's jovial mayor; he seems glib and cheerful enough, but it almost feels like he's being ironic, rather than being a part of the story. Often, this sort of approach makes for a hammy performance, but Murray's too subtle here for pure hamminess; he's more like a square peg in a round hole.

The lapses in logic take some willful ignorance to, well, ignore. We see various businesses and transportation, but there's apparently no police, no cemeteries, no fresh fruit. Now, bear in mind that these people have been down there for two centuries. Sure, they have a lot of canned goods, but something tells me they'd be in poor health after a lifetime of poor eating habits. Then there's the fact that everyone seems clueless about the surface. I don't mean that they don't know what's on it; they don't even know there IS a surface. Attempting to leave the city is a jailable offense, okay, but these people don't even know there's something to escape to. And that makes no sense right there. They haven't been down there for 2000 years, just 200. That means approximately nine generations after the ones who first lived there, and in often there are three generations alive at any given time. So it's not tough to imagine the tales of the outside world being orally handed down from generation to generation, tales of Super Bowls, Shakespeare, Sex and the City, and Snoopy. But apparently the first generationers vowed never to speak of their upper lives again, or something.

City of Ember is pretty fascinating and not complex, meaning it'll grab you (and, more importantly, teens and younger) and not force you to figure things out in order to keep up with the plot. Yes, there are twists and turns, but there aren't huge lapses in logic, at least nothing to dissuade you from staying through to the end. The end, by the way, is satisfying, even beautifully rendered. This might be one time (of many) to read the book, too. Or instead.