Duma (2005)

Director:

Carroll Ballard

Writers (WGA):

Carol Cawthra Hopcraft (book) and
Xan Hopcraft (book) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 May 2005 (UK)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Family

Tagline:

Some friendships are wilder than others.

Plot:

An orphaned cheetah becomes the best friend and pet of a young boy living in South Africa. |

Plot Keywords:

Rescue | Desert | Bush Baby | Child | Young Boy

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Alex Michaeletos	...	Xan (as Alexander Michaletos)
Campbell Scott	...	Peter
Mary Makhatho	...	Thandi
Nthabiseng Kenoshi	...	Lucille
Hope Davis	...	Kristin
Jennifer Steyn	...	Aunt Gwen
Nicky Rebello	...	Coach Nagy (as Nicky Rebelo)
Garth Renecle	...	Hock Bender
Andre Stolz	...	Xan's Teacher
Charlotte Savage	...	Poetry Student
Ronald Shange	...	Policeman
Eamonn Walker	...	Ripkuna
Nadia Kretschmer	...	Tourist #1
John Whiteley	...	Tourist #2
Clive Scott	...	Tourist #3 - Eager Man
Catriona Andrew	...	Tourist #4 - Beautiful Woman
Errol Ballentine	...	White Haired Doctor (as Errol Ballantine)
Michele Levin	...	Doctor's Wife
Sam Ngakane	...	Old Man in Village (as Sam Nagakane)
Adelaide Shabalala	...	Medicine Woman, Suliwa
Thokozani Ndaba	...	Rip's Wife, Melika
Wright Ngubane	...	Rip's Son
Bernard Msimang	...	Rip's Father
Ivy Nkutha	...	Rip's Mother
Anthony	...	Duma
Azaro	...	Duma
Nikita	...	Duma
Sasha	...	Duma
Savannah	...	Duma
Sheba	...	Young Duma

Directed by
Carroll Ballard

Writing credits (WGA)
Carol Cawthra Hopcraft		(book "How It Was with Dooms") and
Xan Hopcraft		(book "How It Was with Dooms")
Carol Flint		(story) and
Karen Janszen		(story)
Karen Janszen		(screenplay) and
Mark St. Germain		(screenplay)

Produced by
Doug Claybourne	....	executive producer
Stacy Cohen	....	producer
E.K. Gaylord II	....	producer
Vlokkie Gordon	....	co-producer
Kristin Harms	....	producer
Hunt Lowry	....	producer
John Wells	....	producer
David Wicht	....	co-producer

Original Music by
John Debney

Cinematography by
Werner Maritz

Film Editing by
T.M. Christopher

Casting by
Carrie Hilton
Junie Lowry-Johnson
Benedicte Roumega
Christa Shamberger		(as Christa Schamberger)

Production Design by
Johnny Breedt

Set Decoration by
Flo Ballack

Costume Design by
Jayne Forbes

Makeup Department
Chris Burgoyne	....	special makeup effects artist
Beverly House	....	hair stylist
Beverly House	....	makeup artist
Christa Schoeman	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Gudrun Scott	....	production manager
Lulu Zezza	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Annelize Bosch	....	second assistant director
Michael Buckley	....	second unit director
Dale Butler	....	second assistant director
Doug Claybourne	....	first assistant director
Joshua Jeppe	....	second second assistant director
Peter Sherlock	....	first assistant director
Neil Uys	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Danelle Davenport	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
David Franklin Bergad	....	adr editor
Mark Berger	....	supervising re-recording mixer
Ben Conrad	....	foley recordist
Ettie M. Feldman	....	adr supervisor: south africa (as Ettie Felmann)
Kim Foscato	....	supervising sound assistant
Samuel H. Hinckley	....	foley editor
Samuel H. Hinckley	....	sound effects editor
Ann Kroeber	....	sound designer
Barbara McBane	....	adr editor
Marnie Moore	....	foley artist
Douglas Murray	....	supervising sound editor
Felipe Neira	....	assistant sound editor
Margie O'Malley	....	foley artist
David Parker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jim Petrak	....	adr recordist
Richard Quinn	....	dialogue editor (as Rich Quinn)
Gene Radzik	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
James Willetts	....	foley recordist
Scott Koué	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Angela Murison	....	mould maker: animatronics
Angela Murison	....	sculptor: animatronics
Graham Press	....	animatronics mechanic
Graham Press	....	animatronics supervisor
Werner Pretorius	....	mould maker: animatronics
Werner Pretorius	....	sculptor: animatronics
Lynton Richards	....	mould maker: animatronics
Lynton Richards	....	sculptor: animatronics
Dirk Rogers	....	mold maker: foam department
Lucky Selo	....	mould maker: animatronics
Lucky Selo	....	sculptor: animatronics
Jason Snyman	....	mould maker: animatronics (as Jaco Snyman)
Jason Snyman	....	sculptor: animatronics (as Jaco Snyman)
Peter Spiro	....	special effects director
Kim Sylvaine Waspe	....	mould maker: animatronics
Kim Sylvaine Waspe	....	sculptor: animatronics

Visual Effects by
Eddie Addinal	....	digital compositor
Desmond Allan	....	visual effects producer
Dan Ashton	....	scanning and recording supervisor: Cinesite Hollywood
Tallen Chow	....	digital compositor
Bret Culp	....	visual effects supervisor: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
Rob de Villiers	....	animator
Jean du Plessis	....	digital compositor
Erik Hakanen	....	visual effects coordinator
Gerhard Kriel	....	systems engineer
Donavan Lightfoot	....	animator
Kenneth Littleton	....	digital opticals/titles
Isaac Lui	....	animator
Brett Manson	....	digital compositor
Brett Manson	....	visual effects supervisor
Rory Mark	....	animator
Gerhard Roets	....	systems engineer
Roben Schlikker	....	animator
Cyril Schumann	....	digital compositor
Cyril Schumann	....	visual effects supervisor
Tracey Williams	....	visual effects exective producer
Diane Wright	....	digital asset manager: Cinesite/Laser Pacific
Diane Wright	....	digital visual effects coordinator: Cinesite/Laser Pacific
Steve Wright	....	digital compositor: Laser Pacific/Cinesite
Samara Melanson	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)

Stunts
Michael Kruger	....	stunt double: second unit
Peter Spiropoulous	....	stunt coordinator (as Pete Spyropoulos)
Peter Spiropoulous	....	stunts (as Pete Spyropoulos)
Brad Stannett	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Buckley	....	director of photography: second unit

Casting Department
Debbie George	....	casting assistant
April Hayes	....	casting assistant
Carrie Hilton	....	casting: UK

Editorial Department
Kyle DeVriendt	....	digital intermediate editor
Thomas Halasz	....	assistant editor
Joe Hathaway	....	color timer: dailies
C.J. Hsu	....	assistant editor
Mato	....	color timer (as Mato der Avanssian)
Chris Miller	....	post-production services
Jonathan Miller	....	post-production coordinator
Brad Reinke	....	digital intermediate producer
Mike Sowa	....	digital intermediate color timer
Linda Williams	....	digital intermediate editor
Tim Fox	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
George Acogny	....	music programmer
Wolfgang Amadeus	....	music scoring engineer
Pete Anthony	....	conductor
Frank Bennett	....	orchestrator
Jeffrey Biggers	....	assistant score engineer
Jeff Carson	....	preview music editor
Richard Chappell	....	music engineer: vocals
Jordan Corngold	....	music editor: temp music
John Debney	....	music programmer: synthesizer and percussion
Lola Debney	....	music coordinator
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
Jimmy Hoyson	....	music scoring engineer (as Jimmy Hoysen)
Christopher Klatman	....	orchestrator
Robin Lee	....	music editor
Joe Legwabe	....	choir master
Alan Meyerson	....	music scoring mixer
Alan Meyerson	....	score engineer: orchestral and mix-down
Sid Page	....	concert master
Martin Russell	....	composer: song "Release"
Mike Watts	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Sean Bacon	....	animal trainer: lions
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances
Robert Bentley	....	location scout
Daphne Bezem	....	production coordinator
Anthony Boswell	....	animal fencing
Brian Boswell	....	animal trainer: lions
Georgina Boswell	....	animal trainer: lions
Reeva Hunter Mandelbaum	....	researcher
Aileen Kiernan	....	assistant: Hunt Lowry
Myrto Makrides	....	script supervisor
Elizabeth McMullan	....	animal trainer: cheetah and bush baby (as Eadie McMullen)
Cecilia Michaletos	....	animal handler: cheetah
Bill Olmsted	....	helicopter pilot (as Bill Olmstead)
Fess Reynolds	....	animal trainer: cheetah
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances
Jamie Stockley	....	animal trainer: cheetahs
Jim Stockley	....	animal trainer: lion
Jules Sylvester	....	head animal trainer
Suzanna Ward	....	production coordinator
Randy Weiss	....	production coordinator
Diane Wright	....	title designer
Peter Vaughn Jervis	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Gaylord Films
• John Wells Productions
• Pandora Pictures
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• Warner Bros. (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures (additional visual effects)
• Magic Monsters (animatronics)
• Matthew Mungle & Associates (special make-up effects) (as Matthew Mungel & Associates)
• Video Lab, The (visual effects)
• W.M. Creations (special make-up effects)

Other Companies

• AFM Lighting  lighting equipment
• Abbey Road Studios  African choir and African percussions recorded at (as Abbey Road Studios, London)
• Cango Wildlife Ranch  cheetah cubs and mother provided by
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Film Afrika Worldwide  production services: South Africa
• Film Lab, The  negative processing (as The Film Lab Johannesburg)
• FotoKem Laboratory  answer printing (as FotoKem)
• Goden Island Studios  stage facilities
• Hoedspruit Cheetah Breeding Research Foundation  cheetah cubs and mother provided by
• Hollywood Symphony Orchestra  score performed by
• ITN Archive/Reuters  stock footage (as ITN/Reuters Archive)
• Laser Pacific Media  digital imaging services (as Laser Pacific)
• Loc-Gistix  logistical support
• Manjuba Choir  choir
• Massive Events  stage facilities
• Media Film Services  cameras and lenses
• Movie Camera Company  grip equipment
• NT Audio Services  optical sound negative (as NT Audio)
• Real World Records  Peter Gabriel vocals recorded at
• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound editorial
• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound re-recording
• Technicolor  prints
• Video Lab  visual effects
• Visionbox Media Group  post-production management

Also Known As:

How It Was with Dooms (USA) (working title)
Shadows (USA) (working title)
Untitled Cheetah Movie (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild adventure peril.

Runtime:

Australia:100 min | USA:100 min | Argentina:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

South Korea:All | Iceland:LH | Australia:PG | Ireland:G | UK:U | USA:PG | Argentina:Atp | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Africa

Company:

Gaylord Films

Quotes:

Xan: [observing Peter as he is biting a flower] What on earth are you doing?
Peter: Well, this is simple. You just grab a shaker, fill it up, stuff in the flower and you have... a bottle.
Tourist #1: [brings a bowl of milk] Here you are.
Peter: Cheers!
[pours the milk into a pepper shaker and straps the flower to it]
Xan: [the cub bites him] Ah! He's feisty, dad.
Peter: See if this helps.
[hands Xan the bottle and clicks his tongue to coax the cub]
Xan: [the cub begins to drink a little bit] Hey, he's drinking it!
Peter: Good.
[...]

Soundtrack:

Just Having A Party

Excellent - Reminds me somewhat of "Walkabout"

This film was a rare pleasure to behold, much like the joy I experienced in September 1993 at the Toronto International Film Festival screening of "SIRGA: L'infant Lion" (yet to be released on DVD in North America although released in Germany a few years ago). There are deeper messages here and these are truly welcome, unlike so much of the swill that passes for family entertainment these days. As much as I enjoyed "Two Brothers" (Jean-Jacques Annaud) recently, I do prefer this film by a director whose last film I enjoyed at the Toronto Festival some 8+ years ago - "Fly Away Home".

The journey taken by the 12 year old boy reminds me somewhat of the journey taken by a slightly younger lad and his sister in the also-compelling early 70s Nicholas Roeg film "Walkabout" which I also highly recommend if you like nature-type films (or should I say "au natural" type films ... ha ha). I rate this one 9 out of 10.

Anyway make sure you get to see this once it comes to your part of the world either theatrically or, likelier on DVD.