Pretty Bird (2008)

Director:

Paul Schneider

Writers:

Zene Baker (story)
Paul Schneider (writer)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A comic tale of three would-be entrepreneurs who set out to invent a rocket belt. The clash of their...

Plot Keywords:

Murder

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

John Behlmann	...	Corporate Hotshot #1
Anna Camp	...	Becca French
Billy Crudup	...	Curtis Prentiss
Garret Dillahunt	...	Carson Thrash
Dierdre Friel	...	Waitress
Jordan Gelber	...	Hot Shot #2
Paul Giamatti	...	Rick Honeycutt
Michael Heintzman	...	Chris the Ad Guy
David Hornsby	...	Kenny
Brent King	...	Berger
Elizabeth Marvel	...	Tonya
Denis O'Hare	...	Chuck
Lennon Parham	...	Woman at Gas Station
Daniel Stewart Sherman	...	Ted
Daniel Cameron Talbott	...	Hustler
James Wetzel	...	Dennis
Kristen Wiig	...	Mandy

Directed by
Paul Schneider

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Zene Baker		story
Paul Schneider		writer

Produced by
Doug Bernheim	....	executive producer
Daniel Carey	....	producer
Elizabeth Giamatti	....	producer
Paul Giamatti	....	producer
John Limotte	....	producer
D.J. Martin	....	executive producer
Mark Moran	....	co-producer
Mark Moran	....	line producer
James Shifren	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Igor Martinovic

Film Editing by
Annette Davey

Casting by
Mark Bennett

Production Design by
Alex DiGerlando

Set Decoration by
Sarah Maine

Costume Design by
Paola Weintraub

Makeup Department
Carol 'Ci Ci' Campbell	....	key hair stylist
Tarsha Marshall	....	key hair stylist
Tania Ribalow	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Danielle Blumstein	....	production supervisor
Paul Leonardo Jr.	....	post-production supervisor
Mark Moran	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Blazina	....	second assistant director
Sarah Gottlieb	....	second second assistant director
Josh Newport	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Shiva Shankar Bajpai	....	art department assistant
Emily Boettcher	....	art department intern
Cheryl Boyarsky	....	props p.a
David Brenner	....	on-set dresser
Joel Custer	....	lead man
Tara DiGerlando	....	art department production assistant
Zachary Heinzerling	....	art department intern
Joel Weaver	....	property master
Seth Williamson	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Steven Avila	....	sound effects editor
Andrew Baker	....	additional sound utility
Fredrick Helm	....	supervising sound editor
Giles Khan	....	sound
Peter D. Lago	....	sound effects editor
Maggie Malyn	....	post sound coordinator
Greg Mauer	....	foley mixer
Gary Millus	....	assistant sound editor
David Miraglia	....	sound effects editor
Beauxregard Neylon	....	adr mixer
Rick Owens	....	foley artist
Jeff Pullman	....	sound mixer
Mark A. Rozett	....	sound re-recording mixer
Adam Sanchez	....	additional sound mixer
Adam Sanchez	....	boom operator
Kelly Vandever	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ben Whitver	....	foley editor
Brian S.M. Wroth	....	adr editor
Brian S.M. Wroth	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Chelsea Manifold	....	prosthetics
Paul J. Mason	....	prosthetics
Carl Paolino	....	prosthetics

Stunts
Gene Harrison	....	stunt double: Billy Crudup
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Olga Abramson	....	second assistant camera
Michael Arisohn	....	rigging electric
Wylda Bayron	....	camera operator
Adam Benlifer	....	electrician
Nicholas Bryan	....	rigging gaffer
Luis Colon	....	dolly grip
Bill Dixon	....	additional grip
David Dutkus	....	additional grip
David Giesbrecht	....	still photographer
Brian Harnick	....	additional rigging best boy electric
Aaron Jacobs	....	grip
Chris Koch	....	best boy grip
Denny Kortze	....	Steadicam operator
Damon Lemay	....	first assistant camera
Ludovic Littee	....	camera operator
Evin Lowe	....	gaffer
James Madrid	....	camera loader
Joe Mandeville	....	grip
Kim Marcelino	....	additional electrician
Toby Miller	....	best boy electric
Brent Poleski	....	key grip
Marialuisa Ramirez	....	rigging gaffer
Samantha Sa	....	electrician
Meg Schrock	....	additional electrician
Jay Sgroi	....	rigging best boy
Brian Smith	....	grip
Brooks Toran	....	additional electrician
John Vendetti	....	additional grip
Joy Weber	....	generator operator
JoJo Whilden	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Jennifer Dubin	....	casting assistant
Lee Genick	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Aneikit Bonnel	....	set costumer
Christine Kuhn	....	costume supervisor
Estella Marie	....	additional seamstress

Editorial Department
Kate Abernathy	....	assistant editor
Dave Muscat	....	assistant on-line editor
David Vendette	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Doug Bernheim	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Rebecca Bernard	....	production assistant
Rebecca Breckel	....	script supervisor
Sinead Carty	....	location intern
Patricia Charles	....	first assistant accountant
Alison S. Cohen	....	production counsel
Ana Cuadra	....	assistant location manager
Natalie Damico	....	production secretary
Laura Dodd	....	clearance coordinator
Jacq Donegan	....	production coordinator
Peter Farnsworth	....	production office intern
Heather Gauntt	....	location scout
Seth Hauer	....	production office intern
Richard Kathlean	....	location assistant
Kate Lillie	....	location coordinator
Kimberly Lisner	....	office production assistant
Jeffrey Longo	....	assistant to producers
Gabriella Ludlow	....	production legal
Greg Martin	....	payroll accountant
Gregory T. Martin	....	payroll accountant
Jake Martin	....	production assistant
Ryan McDonald	....	office production assistant
Molly Moran	....	assistant production coordinator (as Molly Bennett)
Joe Sevey	....	location manager
Thomas M. Sevey	....	location scout
Luke Tomalin Sherman	....	key set production assistant
Eric J. Sonntag	....	location assistant
Steven Wargo	....	stand-in: Billy Crudup
Jeffrey M. Weber	....	set production assistant
Kathy Welch	....	post production accountant
Danielle Wilson	....	craft service
Derek Yip	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Sound Pictures
• All Mod Cons
• Touchy Feely Films
• Two Lane Pictures

Distributors

• Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2010) (worldwide) (all media)
• Sky Cinema (2011) (Germany) (TV)

Other Companies

• David Haddad  transportation equipment
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Elizabeth Bardsley & Associates  script annotation
• Endeavor Agency  U.S. sales
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Gotham Sound  walkies provided by
• Haddad's  transportation equipment
• Monkeyland Audio  post-production sound services
• Monkeyland Audio  sound re-recording
• Soundtrack  ADR Facility
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting

Also Known As:

"Röppentyűöv" - Hungary
"Voar Sem Asas" - Portugal (imdb display title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and a scene of sexuality

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

New Jersey, USA

Company:

Sound Pictures

"Pretty Bird" doesn't have much of a story but it has great characters

"Pretty Bird" is about entrepeneuring a 'rocket belt', which is a real invention. It centers on Curtis Prentiss (Billy Crudup) who at one point in the film says "It's not just a rocket belt, it's an attitude." That says exactly what this film is, it's not about a rocket belt, it's about the attitude of its characters.

Opening and closing with Billy Crudup's Curtis, he brings together Rick (Paul Giamatti) and Kenny (David Hornsby) as partners in his rocket belt innovation company. It's not about what they do, but who they are. They are all deeply troubled men. The characteristics that we see in Crudup's and Giamatti's characters completely drive this film; they are flawed and we can almost put our finger on all of their insecurities and needs but there is more ticking beneath the surface. Without sounding like a love song to Billy Crudup, I have rarely seen a character brought to life the way Curtis was. In one word, phenomenal. In three words, breathtaking, heartbreaking, pioneering.

Unfortunately for all of its brilliant character work, the film stumbled with its story line. At times it was a little slow moving and as it neared the finish line it started meandering in other directions. It does seem pretty disjointed but it also just wanted to build up its characters even more.

Listed as a dark comedy, that is probably accurate. A very intelligent film with its humour, and its many dramatic elements makes it seem dark. Kristen Wiig, as usual for her, comes away with one of the most memorable, funny scenes in the movie.

Its ending can seem unsatisfying, but don't see "Pretty Bird" for its story line, see it for its characters, its smart humour, and Billy Crudup in the role of a lifetime.