Dolphin Tale

Movie Title: Dolphin Tale

Country / Region: USA

Genre: Drama

Language: English (Original version)

Filming Locations:
Admiral Farragut Academy, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Clearwater, Florida, USA

Production cost: $ 10,000,000 (estimated)

Release Date: USA 16 September 2011

Plot: A story centered on the friendship between a boy and a dolphin whose tail was lost in a crab trap.
Plot Keywords: Based On True Story
Taglines: Two Friends, Two Families, One Unsolved Murder

Movie Trivia: CLEARWATER - Friday lunches are special for the Dolphin Tale movie crew. Paychecks are handed out, the catering table includes a pasta grill, and everyone is only a half-day away from the weekend off.
Yesterday's break, in a church auditorium near the Clearwater Marine Aquarium serving as the film's chief location, included a surprise: a seven-minute "sizzle reel" featuring footage captured in Pinellas County over two months of filming, with another month remaining.
For most of the insiders, it was the first time seeing any results of their labors.
"This is for all the really hard and really, really good work you guys have done on this movie," said director Charles Martin Smith, introducing the featurette. "Thank you so much."
A loud cheer when the DVD ended was inevitable, with Smith accepting hugs and returning compliments. But even this witness without a vested interest in the movie came away with a solid impression: Dolphin Tale will be a polished production showcasing Tampa Bay on an artistic and commercial level that hasn't been reached since Cocoon back in 1985.
The film's star Harry Connick Jr. Arrived too late for lunch and the sizzle reel but spoke about filming Dolphin Tale while picking at a piece of lemon cake.
"Seriously, this is the nicest, most laid-back set I've been on," said the actor-musician. "I think it has a lot to do with the weather and the subject matter. Being from the South myself, I 'm used to the whole Southern essence. People (here) are just great, real cool. "
Meanwhile, the 170 crew members - mostly Florida residents, taking advantage of the state's entertainment incentive program - returned to the aquarium's sun-baked bayou where this week's filming focused. The task was the film's climactic sequence, a swimming race at the center of a fundraising carnival to save the aquarium and the movie's hero, Winter the dolphin.
The bayou was rimmed by canopied charity booths, most of them representing actual Tampa Bay causes echoing Dolphin Tale's themes: wilderness preservation advocates, swim teams and youth groups, and veterans who, like Winter, suffered amputations and benefited from science that created a new tail for the dolphin.
Bleachers trimmed with dolphin-shaped balloons were filled with cheering extras, responding to cues from an assistant director on a PA system. From a visitor's vantage point, a pontoon boat loaded with 3D cameras and audio equipment was mostly hidden by giant reflector panels taming sunlight and shadows.
Later, Smith and the camera boat tied up alongside a quirkily rustic houseboat built for the movie, the home of aquarium director Clay Haskett (Connick) and his daughter Hazel (Cozi Zuehlsdorff). Co-star Kris Kristofferson, playing Clay's father, strolled onto the set just in time to take the short cruise to the houseboat.
Dolphin Tale tweaks the true story of Winter's rehabilitation into a story of friendship between the dolphin and an introverted boy named Sawyer (Nathan Gamble) who convinces Clay to save her.
Ashley Judd co-stars as Sawyer's mother, and Oscar winner Morgan Freeman - who completed his 13-day stay last week - plays the inventor of Winter's prosthetic tail. The film's release is slated for fall 2011.
On the set, executive producer Bob Engelman spoke glowingly about his Tampa Bay filming experience, so far.
"It has gone terrifically," he said. "We've had zero production issues on this. Florida has been fabulous."
Productions typically figure potential problems with weather and malfunctions into shooting schedules. Although Dolphin Tale hasn't needed those precautions, Engelman said he expects filming to continue until mid December as planned.
"We'll finish on time because what we're doing is getting a better movie," he said. "It's giving us more time to get better performances. The director is taking that time to make this a better movie."

Directed by
Charles Martin Smith        

Writing credits(in alphabetical order)
Karen Janszen         screenplay
Charles Martin Smith         screenplay

Cast
Morgan Freeman
Ashley Judd
Kris Kristofferson
Harry Connick Jr. ... Clay
Nathan Gamble ... Sawyer
Ray McKinnon
Frances Sternhagen
Marc Macaulay ... John Fitch
Austin Highsmith ... Phoebe
Jim Fitzpatrick ... Max
Mike Pniewski ... Rolando Montoya
Austin Stowell ... Kyle
Rus Blackwell ... Coach Vansky
Michael Roark ... Donovan Peck
Kurt Yaeger ... Tim
Juliana Harkavy ... Rebecca
Laurel Levey-Giacomino ... VA Administrator
Kim Ostrenko ... Alyce Connellan
Cozi Zuehlsdorff ... Hazel Haskett
Keri Maletto ... Kyle's Nurse
Betsy Landin ... Kat
Stacy Ann Rose ... Hillary Sinclair
Ashley White ... Sandra Sinclair
Noah Royak ... CMA volunteer
Laila Harris ... Margaret
Nicholas Turner Martin ... Jerome
Carlos Jorge Guerrero ... Mason
Johanna Griese ... Extra (uncredited)
BJ Parker ... Dr. McC's Chiliburger Vendor (uncredited)
Jermaine Thomas ... VA Patient (uncredited)
Catherine Thornton ... Extra (uncredited)
Donny Tucker ... Extra (uncredited)

Produced by
Yolanda T. Cochran .... co-producer
Robert Engelman .... executive producer
Richard Ingber .... producer
Broderick Johnson .... producer
Andrew A. Kosove .... producer
Steven P. Wegner .... executive producer

Cinematography by
Karl Walter Lindenlaub

Film Editing by
Harvey Rosenstock

Casting by
Kerry Barden
Paul Schnee

Set Decoration by
Susan Benjamin

Costume Design by
Hope Hanafin

Makeup Department
Deena Adair .... hair stylist: Mr. Freeman
Erin Brasfield .... makeup department head
Deborah Brozovich .... additional hair stylist
Nancy Cummings .... additional makeup artist
Nancy Hancock .... makeup artist: Mr. Freeman
Ann-Maree Hurley .... additional makeup artist
Melizah Schmidt .... key hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Krystian Lagowski .... additional second assistant director
Karen Manuel .... second second assistant director
Meaghan F. McLaughlin .... second assistant director
Philip A. Patterson .... first assistant director

Art Department
Lewis Bowen .... key scenic artist
Laureen Clarke .... marine administrator
Peter Damien .... propmaker
Rod England .... set dresser
Michael J. Flynn .... greens gangboss
Jeff Ginn .... prop illustrator
Jeff Ginn .... set designer
James Harris .... construction coordinator
Megan Kristen Lane .... art department assistant
Maria Alejandra Ortiz .... set decoration coordinator
Gaillyn Pena .... graphic designer
Genessa Goldsmith Proctor .... scenic foreman

Sound Department
Scott Clements .... sound mixer
Jacob Kemp .... boom operator

Special Effects by
Jeremy S. Brock .... special effects technician
Bruce E. Merlin .... special effects foreman
James L. Roberts .... special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Bob Munroe .... visual effects supervisor
Martin Tori .... on-set visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Ricou Browning Jr. .... Stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Loren Corl .... key grip
Sean P. Gilbert .... underwater first assistant camera
Marvin Haven .... dolly grip
Robert Howie .... digital imaging technician
Alex V. Hurley .... vtr operator
Milan Janicin .... key second assistant camera
Tommy Klines .... assistant camera
Patrick Murray .... gaffer
Ken Palladino .... electrician
Max Penner .... stereographer
Earl Perque .... best boy grip
Patrick Redmond .... edge head technician
Patrick Redmond .... libra head technician
Joe VanDalsem .... digital lab supervisor
Tessa VanDalsem .... first lab tech
Karli Watland .... lab tech
Marc Wostak .... best boy electric
Peter Zuccarini .... underwater camera operator

Casting Department
Rich Delia .... casting associate
Allison Estrin .... casting associate
Lori Wyman .... florida casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Terri De Haan .... key costumer
Emma Potter .... assistant costume designer
Cathie Valdovino .... personal costumer: Mr. Freeman

Editorial Department
Joe VanDalsem .... key 3d artist

Transportation Department
Cecilia Palomino .... transportation dispatcher

Other crew
Ricou Browning Jr. .... Marine consultant
Justin Browning .... marine unit
Justin Browning .... water safety
Andrew Campbell .... set production assistant
Richard Cohee .... stand in / photo double: Mr. Freeman
Rona Cohen .... production assistant
Rona Cohen .... set production assistant
Alfredo Diaz .... production assistant intern
Kris Gray .... location assistant
David Hickey .... payroll accountant
Katye Kalivoda .... set production assistant
Ian M. Kemp .... first aid / paramedic
Krystian Lagowski .... key set production assistant
David Scott Leatherwood .... assistant to producers
Jana Lundy .... second assistant accountant
Rick Marcena .... first assistant accountant
Heather McKay .... assistant to executive producer
John 'JOC' O'Connell .... assistant to Max Penner: LA
Natale Olsen .... production assistant
Quentin Pierre .... personal assistant: Mr. Freeman
Laura Pinto .... script supervisor
Savannah Scott .... marine crew
Sherrill Smith .... assistant location manager
Kelsey Stroop .... assistant to director
Jaren Vine .... production controller
Alice Wymer .... travel coordinator
Howard Young .... production accountant

Production Companies

     Alcon Entertainment

Distributors

     Warner Bros. Pictures (2011) (USA) (theatrical)

Other Companies

     Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment camera dollies