Nim's Island (2008)

Directors:

Jennifer Flackett
Mark Levin

Writers (WGA):

Joseph Kwong (screenplay) &
Paula Mazur (screenplay) ...
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Release Date:

4 April 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Family

Tagline:

Be the hero of your own story.

Plot:

A young girl inhabits an isolated island with her scientist father and communicates with a reclusive author of the novel she's reading.

Plot Keywords:

Australian | Storm | Sea Lion | Overboard | Female Writer

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Abigail Breslin	...	Nim Rusoe
Jodie Foster	...	Alexandra Rover
Gerard Butler	...	Jack Rusoe / Alex Rover
Michael Carman	...	Captain
Mark Brady	...	Purser
Anthony Simcoe	...	First Mate
Christopher Baker	...	Ensign
Peter Callan	...	Edmund's Father
Rhonda Doyle	...	Edmund's Mother
Russell Butler	...	Old Fisherman
Colin Gibson	...	Cruise Director
Bryan Probets	...	Australian Tourist #1
Andrew Nason	...	Australian Tourist #1
Dorothy Thorsen	...	Blue-Haired Woman
Penny Everingham	...	Older Woman Tourist
Tony Bellette	...	Older Man Tourist
Jeff Dornan	...	Taxi Driver
Jay Laga'aia	...	Helicopter Pilot
Marea Lambert Barker	...	Flight Attendant
Nami Itonaga	...	Airport Gate Attendant
John Walton	...	Evil Captor
Jon-Claire Lee	...	Business Passenger
Steve Daddow	...	Rarotongan Taxi Driver
Craig Marriott	...	Pharmacy Delivery Guy
Matthew Little	...	TSA Guard #1
Cheryl Craig	...	TSA Guard #2
Tania Pari	...	Street Vendor
Phoenix Leong	...	Goat Boy
Ashley London	...	Buffy Colt
Shannon van der Drift	...	Nim's Mother
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Maddison Joyce	...	Edmund

Directed by
Jennifer Flackett
Mark Levin

Writing credits (WGA)
Joseph Kwong		(screenplay) &
Paula Mazur		(screenplay) and
Mark Levin		(screenplay) &
Jennifer Flackett		(screenplay)
Wendy Orr		(novel "Nim's Island")

Produced by
Alan Edward Bell	....	co-producer
Stephen Jones	....	executive producer
Paula Mazur	....	producer

Original Music by
Patrick Doyle

Cinematography by
Stuart Dryburgh

Film Editing by
Stuart Levy

Casting by
Nancy Nayor
Ann Robinson

Production Design by
Barry Robison

Art Direction by
Colin Gibson		(supervising art director)
Jacinta Leong
Deborah Riley

Set Decoration by
Rebecca Cohen

Costume Design by
Jeffrey Kurland

Makeup Department
Paige Badenoch	....	hair stylist
Paige Badenoch	....	makeup artist
Dalia Fernandez	....	makeup hair
Nikki Gooley	....	makeup and hair designer
Michelle Hargreaves	....	additional makeup assistant
Anita Morgan	....	hair stylist
Anita Morgan	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Troy Clarke	....	unit manager
Jennifer Cornwell	....	unit production manager
Susan Ehrhart	....	production supervisor
Michael Tinger	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bish Bishop	....	second second assistant director: second unit
Danielle Blake	....	third assistant director
John Martin	....	first assistant director
Johnny Pacialeo	....	second assistant director
Paul Sullivan	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Robert W. Anderson	....	property master
Carl Braga	....	screen graphics designer
Laura Elkington	....	set dresser
Alar Hordern	....	greens foreman
Natalia Hordern	....	greens assistant
Peter Hordern	....	head greensman
Geoff Kemmis	....	concept model maker
Les Landon	....	stand-by greens
Peter Malatesta	....	buyer
Peter Malatesta	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Christopher S. Aud	....	sound effects editor
Craig Berkey	....	sound designer
Dominique Decaudain	....	foley artist
Joel Dougherty	....	assistant sound editor
Alan Freedman	....	adr mixer
David Jobe	....	foley mixer
Vanessa Lapato	....	adr editor
Tim LeBlanc	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Lee	....	sound mixer
Skip Lievsay	....	supervising sound editor
Alyson Dee Moore	....	foley artist
James Morioka	....	sound effects editor
Stacey Parish	....	sound assistant
Curt Schulkey	....	supervising adr editor
Greg ten Bosch	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Bruce Bright	....	supervisor: second unit
Jessee J. Clarkson	....	on set puppeteer
Aaron Cox	....	special effects technician
Jabin Dickins	....	on set supervisor
Dean Franklin	....	set effects technician
Tobias Jahke	....	creature effects
Dan Oliver	....	special effects supervisor
James Paul	....	special effects technician
Tim Riach	....	special effects technician
Arthur Spink Jr.	....	special effects foreman
Rebecca Thiele	....	set effects technician

Visual Effects by
Lindsay Anderson	....	digital paint artist
Joel Ashman	....	senior compositor: Eden FX
Wenden K. Baldwin	....	visual effects coordinator
Daryl Bartley	....	visual effects artist: Halon Entertainment
Judith Bell	....	opticals
Christian Bloch	....	visual effects artist: EdenFX
Jason Bond	....	visual effects artist: Eden Fx
Jelmer Boskma	....	modeler
Jelmer Boskma	....	texture artist
Ryan Bozajian	....	digital effects artist
Mike Bozulich	....	compositor: CafeFX
Ben Campanaro	....	digital compositor: Eden FX
Julie Cardinal	....	visual effects producer: Digital Dimension
Christina Castellan	....	visual effects production assistant
Camille Cellucci	....	visual effects producer
Martin Ciastko	....	compositor: Digital Dimension
Patrick Clancey	....	digital opticals
Thomas Clary	....	visual effects producer: Digital Dream
Doug Cram	....	digital compositor
Clay Dale	....	visual effects artist: Eden Fx
Robert De La Cruz	....	modeler: Digital Dimension
Vincent DeLay	....	character rigger: Cafe FX
Domenic DiGiorgio	....	character rigger
Leif Einarsson	....	lead previs artist
Mitchell Ferm	....	visual effects consultant
Evan Feuerman	....	visual effects accountant
Michael Sean Foley	....	CG supervisor
Nicolas Fortin	....	lead textures: Digital Dimension
Jordan Freda	....	roto artist: CafeFX
Lucy Gaffy	....	data wrangler
Sébastien Gagné	....	compositor: Digital Dimension
Vicki Galloway-Weimer	....	visual effects executive producer (cafe fx ) (as vicki galloway weimer)
Christian Garcia	....	CG supervisor: Digital Dimension
Jonathan Germain	....	lighting artist: Digital Dimension
Benoit Girard	....	visual effects executive producer: Digital Dimension
Julian Gleizer	....	visual effects artist: Halon Entertainment
Scott Gordon	....	visual effects supervisor
Robin Scott Graham	....	lead compositor: CafeFX
Jonathan Grégoire	....	CG artist: Digital Dimension
Todd Groves	....	compositor
Eric Haas	....	visual effects: EdenFx
James David Hattin	....	compositor
Marty Holthaus	....	visual effects coordinator: Cafe FX
Konstantin Hristozov	....	compositor: Digital Dimension
Jocelyn Hudon	....	lead animator: Digital Dimension
Chris Ingersoll	....	compositor: Flame artist
Gael Jacques	....	lead modeler: Digital Dimension
Sid Jayakar	....	lead compositor: desert sequence, Eden FX
Lei Jin	....	concept artist: CafeFX
Simon P. Jones	....	lighting technical director: CafeFX
Grzegorz Jonkajtys	....	visual effects
Brandon Kachel	....	matte painter: Cafe FX
Tim Kadowaki	....	effects animator
Apirak Kamjan	....	matchmover: CafeFX
John Karner	....	visual effects
Geoff Kemmis	....	art director
Jaye Krebs	....	digital compositor: CafeFX
Mathew Krentz	....	digital compositor: CafeFX
Martin Larrivée	....	compositor: Digital Dimension
Patrick Lemay	....	CG artist: Digital Dimension
Neil Lim Sang	....	animator: CafeFX
Gregg Lukomski	....	visual effects supervisor: Halon Entertainment
Francois Madere	....	lead lighter: Digital Dimension
Tran Ma	....	character artist: CafeFX
Elizabeth Matthews	....	lead compositor: Digital Dimension
Mickey McGovern	....	visual effects producer
Sarah McLauchlan	....	visual effects coordinator
Joel Román Mendías	....	visual effects producer: CafeFX
Michael Miller	....	digital compositor
John J. Miralles	....	digital compositor
Daniel Molina	....	digital compositor
Rodney Montague	....	visual effects producer
Phillip Moses	....	production operations: CafeFX
Brad Moylan	....	digital compositor: Digital Dream
Thomas Nittmann	....	visual effects producer: Lola Visual Effects
Shannon Leigh Olds	....	visual effects editor
Akira Orikasa	....	lighting technical director: CafeFX
Miguel Ortega	....	lead character artist: CafeFX
Desi Ortiz	....	visual effects senior editor: CafeFX
Jean-Sebastien Ouellet	....	lighting artist: Digital Dimension
Viviana Palacios	....	senior lighting technical director: CafeFX
Stéphane Paradis	....	compositor: Digital Dimension
Mario Peixoto	....	compositor
Fred Pienkos	....	visual effects supervisor: Eden FX
Chris Pinto	....	digital compositor: CafeFX
Corinne Pooler	....	executive visual effects producer: Digital Dream
Jerry Pooler	....	visual effects supervisor: Digital Dream
Sébastien Proulx	....	animator: Digital Dimension
Rick Ramirez	....	visual effects: Eden FX
Richard R. Reed	....	digital compositor
Kim Richardson	....	animation supervisor: Digital Dimension
Chad Ridgeway	....	roto/paint artist: CafeFX
Stéphane Rioux	....	compositor: Digital Dimension
Mike Roby	....	digital effects artist
Ruben Rodas	....	paint/roto artist: CafeFX
Lee Roderick	....	digital effects artist
Karen Ruggero	....	paint/rotoscope artist: Eden Fx
Carla Schwam	....	visual effects coordinator
Rasha Shalaby	....	matte paintings
Philip Sisk	....	digital compositor
Richard Slechta	....	lead lighting technical director: CafeFX
Brian Smallwood	....	compositor: Cafe FX
Eddie Soria	....	roto artist
Kellany Stewart	....	digital compositor
Tammy Sutton	....	compositor
Mathieu Tétrault	....	lighting artist: Digital Dimension
Jason Thielen	....	character animator: CafeFX
Scot D. Thomson	....	technical artist: Digital Dimension
Danny Torres	....	systems admistrator
Greg Tse	....	matchmove artist: CafeFX
Dawn Turner	....	visual effects coordinator
Carlos Valcarcel	....	character technical director: Digital Dimension
David Valencia	....	visual effects production assistant
Jennifer Vecchiarello	....	visual effects producer: Handmade Digital
Corinne Villa	....	assistant visual effects editor
O.D. Welch	....	production executive: CafeFX
Edson Williams	....	visual effects supervisor: Lola Visual Effects
Tom Williamson	....	compositing supervisor
Stephen Wilson	....	digital compositor
Ryan Zuttermeister	....	associate visual effects producer: Lola Visual Effects
Daniel Lahr	....	assistant visual effects editor: CafeFX (uncredited)

Stunts
Chris Anderson	....	stunt performer
Ric Anderson	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Ric Anderson	....	stunt coordinator: second unit
Rhye Copeman	....	stunt rigger
Ashley Fairfield	....	stunt double: Gerard Butler
Kyle Gardiner	....	head stunt rigger
Amanda Graver	....	stunt double: Jodie Foster
Angela Moore	....	stunt performer
Glenn Ruehland	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Phil Bray	....	still photographer
Florian Emmerich	....	camera operator: second unit
Matthew Floyd	....	clapper loader: insert unit
Simon Harding	....	camera operator
George Hennah	....	first assistant camera
Brenden Holster	....	first assistant camera
Adam Kuiper	....	key grip
Steven Magrath	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Calum McFarlane	....	camera operator
Duncan Scott	....	focus puller
Philip A.T. Smith	....	second assistant camera
Mark Watson	....	best boy
Matthew Weston	....	camera loader

Casting Department
Julie de Fina	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Adam Dalli	....	costume assistant
Mary Lou Da Roza	....	costume buyer
Jessica Fasman	....	costume supervisor: Los Angeles
Carin Richardson	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Kirsty Bruce	....	assistant editor
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Beth Dewey	....	digital intermediate producer
Yvan Lucas	....	colorist: Efilm
Jonny Winograd	....	associate editor
Lacy Wittman	....	post-production coordinator
Todd Zongker	....	first assistant editor
Michael T. Forrest	....	on-line editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Christopher Benstead	....	music editor
Christine Bergren	....	music legal and clearance
Jordan Corngold	....	music editor
Patrick Doyle	....	orchestrator
Lindsay Fellows	....	music supervisor
Steven R. Galloway	....	assistant music editor
Dwight Mikkelsen	....	orchestrator
Maggie Rodford	....	music producer
James Shearman	....	conductor
James Shearman	....	orchestrator
Gina Zimmitti	....	music contractor

Other crew
Andrew Allen	....	dive supervisor
Lauren Cooper	....	assistant location manager
Sarah Edmonds	....	production coordinator
Gina Hallas	....	production accountant
Gabrielle Jones	....	assistant production coordinator
Tony MacDonald	....	assistant to producer
Luke Mulhall	....	assistant to director
Luke Mulhall	....	assistant to directors
Toni Pearson	....	production accountant
Jesse Porter	....	assistant to director
Gareth Price	....	location manager
Peta Ross	....	production coordinator
Alex Schwartz	....	executive charge of production
Bruce Shapiro	....	dialogue coach
Mylan Stepanovich	....	production executive

Production Companies

• Walden Media

Distributors

• Fox-Walden (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Independent Films (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Long Shong Entertainment Multimedia Company (2008) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2008) (Cyprus) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures International (UPI) (2008) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures International (UPI) (2008) (New Zealand) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (2008) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (2008) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (2008) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• West Video (2008) (Russia) (all media)

Special Effects

• CafeFX
• Eden FX
• Handmade Digital
• Lola Visual Effects (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Gearbox Sound and Vision  additional ProTools systems supplied by
• Imaginary Forces  main titles
• Summit Entertainment  international sales
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild adventure action and brief language.

Runtime:

96 min | USA:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Canada:G (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Quebec) | Ireland:PG | Malaysia:U | Australia:PG | Netherlands:6 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG (certificate #43560) | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Bowen, Queensland, Australia

Company:

Walden Media

Trivia:

Lulu Mickelson, the daughter of producer/screenwriter Paula Mazur, appears briefly in the airport scene as a passenger waiting in line at the security checkpoint.

Quotes:

[from trailer]
Jack: Be the hero of your own life story.
Alex Rover: Don't hand me that line - I wrote that line!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2008-04-05)" (2008)

A good family friendly movie with two story lines

(Synopsis) Nim's Island is a beautiful uncharted island located in the south Pacific, occupied only by a young girl named Nim (Abigail Breslin) and her father Jack Rusoe (Gerard Butler), a research scientist studying microscopic marine organisms. Nim is an avid reader who loves to read Alex Rover adventure stories. On the island, Nim lives her life as if it were a wonderful adventure story surrounded by her animal friends, Fred the lizard, Galileo the pelican, and Selki the 300 pound seal. Jack is about to take Nim on a two day research trip looking for protozoa, but Nim begs to be left behind so she can help the hatching baby sea turtles. Jack reluctantly leaves Nim behind and sails out to sea. While he is away, Alexandra Rover (Jodie Foster) the author of the Rover books emails Jack to get his knowledge about volcanoes for her next book. Nim replies thinking he is the great adventurer Alex Rover. Everything goes well until a huge storm hits the island and Jack becomes lost at sea. Alone and scared, Nim emails Alex Rover asking him to come to her island and find her dad. The only problem is that Alex Rover is a woman, and she is agoraphobic and can't leave the house. Alexandra knows that this is a life or death situation and Nim needs help. Alexandra leaves the confines of her home and travels to the island to help Nim.

(My Comment) This is a family friendly movie with two story lines, Nim's story and Alexandra's story. Abigail Breslin was a delight in the title role as Nim. Kids will love Nim's animal friends, especially, the lizard named Fred. I believe kids will think lizards can really do the things this lizard does, and they will beg their parents to get them one. However, I liked the real animal hero, the pelican Galileo, who helped Jack at sea. Gerard Butler played two parts as Alex and Jack and performed them very well. Some of his scenes were so funny, that he cracked me up. Jodi Foster as a neurotic writer played her part well, but I think she was miscast. The movie had humor, adventure, an island volcano, flying lizards, and other adorable animals. The movie was made for the younger audience, and the kids will love it, and adults will enjoy it. (Walden Media, Run Time 1:35, Rated PG)(6/10)