ATL (2006)

Director:

Chris Robinson

Writers (WGA):

Tina Gordon Chism (screenplay)
Antwone Fisher (story)

Release Date:

31 March 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

A New American Story

Plot:

As four friends prepare for life after high school, different challenges bring about turning points in each of their lives. The dramas unfold and resolve at their local rollerskating rink, Cascade. |

Plot Keywords:

Rollerskating Rink | High School | Gold Tooth | Ivy League | Cleaning Crew

Awards:

7 nominations

Cast

Greg Andrews	...	Jay
Monica Arnold	...	Waffle House Waitress (as Monica)
Brandon Bernard Benton	...	Student in Classroom
Adam Boyer	...	Bartender
April Clark	...	Tondie
Albert Daniels	...	Brooklyn
Steven R. Ewing	...	Fireman
Alvin Lee Fleming	...	Skateman
Big Gipp	...	Famous Customer (as Cameron Gipp)
Bart Hansard	...	Deputy
T.I.	...	Rashad (as Tip Harris)
Khadijah	...	Veda
Malika	...	Star
Bone Crusher	...	Bone Crusher (as Wayne Hardnett)
Monique Harris	...	Sexy Woman
Tae Heckard	...	Tonya
Nick Hudani	...	Mr. Sartoni
Keith David	...	John Garnett
Lauren London	...	New New
Jackie Long	...	Esquire
Marie McAdoo	...	Fat Girl
Lonette McKee	...	Priscilla Garnett
Lauren Leah Mitchell	...	Janice Rawlings
Markice Moore	...	Austin
Margo Moorer	...	Ms. Jackson
Rodrick Mosley	...	Drug Customer
Zoe Myers	...	Preppy Female
Ayesha Ngaujah	...	Counter Girl
Jameelah Nuriddin	...	Young Girl
Gregory Oliver	...	Cascade Security Guard
Big Boi	...	Marcus (as Antwan Andre Patton)
Vanessa Petrosky	...	Holly
Jazze Pha	...	DJ
Ashley Ragland	...	Teenage Girl
Deon Ramone	...	Big Ronnie
Ric Reitz	...	Mr. Sapp
Christopher Ray Robinson II	...	Ant's Friend
Evan Ross	...	Ant
Onira Tares	...	Sexy Young Girl (as Onira Satterwhite)
Tyree Simmons	...	DJ Drama
Tasha Smith	...	Gayle
Almario Thomas	...	Dante
Jason Weaver	...	Teddy
Mykelti Williamson	...	Uncle George
Laparee Young	...	Pastor
Jorge Luis Abreu	...	Doctor
Blaze	...	Thug
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Genese Bobo	...	Rink Patron Out Front (uncredited)
Matthew Browning	...	High School Prep (uncredited)
Luanne Byrd	...	Country Club Member (uncredited)
Neill Calabro	...	Detective Breaking into Locker (uncredited)
Buffie Carruth	...	Big Booty Judy (uncredited)
Uzoma Emukah	...	Student (uncredited)
Laurie Gardner	...	Gala Attendee (uncredited)
James Harris	...	Rink Patron (uncredited)
Barry Hopkins	...	Private School Teacher (uncredited)
Jonathan Lewandowski Jaxson	...	Golf Partner (uncredited)
B. Todd Johnston	...	Private School Student (uncredited)
Merritt Mitchell	...	Store clerk (uncredited)
Kelly Natividade	...	College Student (uncredited)
Parker Price	...	Skating Rink Patron (uncredited)
Loretta Shenosky	...	ER Nurse (uncredited)
Brandon Thaxton	...	Teenage Boy (uncredited)
Kenneth L. Zirkman	...	Gala Attendee (uncredited)

Directed by
Chris Robinson

Writing credits (WGA)
Tina Gordon Chism		(screenplay)
Antwone Fisher		(story)

Produced by
Dallas Austin	....	producer
Timothy M. Bourne	....	executive producer
Jody Gerson	....	producer
James Lassiter	....	producer
Will Smith	....	producer
Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins	....	executive producer (as Tionne Watkins)

Original Music by
Aaron Zigman

Cinematography by
Karsten Gopinath		(as Crash)

Film Editing by
David Blackburn

Casting by
Leah Daniels
Kim Hardin
Ulysses Terrero

Production Design by
Robb Buono

Art Direction by
Jonathan Short

Set Decoration by
Nicole Selmo

Costume Design by
Shawn Barton

Makeup Department
Andrea C. Brotherton	....	hair stylist
Taylor Knight	....	head hair stylist
Donna M. Premick	....	key makeup artist (as Donna Premick)
Linda Thompson	....	additional hair stylist
Denise Tunnell	....	makeup department head
Deedy Wales-Walden	....	key hair stylist
Char Coats	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Janice Tunnell	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Timothy M. Bourne	....	unit production manager
Craig Cannold	....	production supervisor
Lisa Dennis Kennedy	....	post-production supervisor
Kelley Smith-Wait	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Melody Beam	....	second second assistant director
Charles Croughwell	....	second unit director
Neil Lewis	....	second second assistant director
Patrick Mangan	....	second assistant director
Les McDonough	....	additional second assistant director
Doug Torres	....	first assistant director

Art Department
James Brothers	....	property master
Carrie A. Cantwell	....	art department staff assistant
Carrie A. Cantwell	....	graphic designer
Guillaume DeLouche	....	property master: additional photography
Karen A. Felix	....	set dresser
Dan Fraga	....	storyboard artist
Megan Graham	....	set dresser
Shawn M. Gray	....	assistant property master
Roland Heart	....	set dresser
Chris Hunter	....	storyboard artist
Tatiana Komlos	....	art department coordinator (as Tatiana Komlos Post)
Tony Kupersmith	....	construction coordinator
Ellen Lampl	....	graphic designer
Alisa Lumbreras	....	on-set scenic artist
David H. Nash	....	gang boss
Dan Post	....	set dresser
Philip Salick	....	set dresser
Andre Sowards	....	on-set dresser: reshoots
Greg Waddle	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ron Bartlett	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Berolzheimer	....	sound effects designer
Paul Berolzheimer	....	sound effects editor
Greg Crawford	....	adr recordist: Atlanta
Mary H. Ellis	....	sound mixer
Christopher Flick	....	foley editor
Thomas Giordano	....	production sound technician: re-shoots, Los Angeles
Aaron Glascock	....	supervising sound editor
Eric Gotthelf	....	adr mixer
Vanessa Lapato	....	dialogue editor
Jon Mete	....	dialogue editor
Michael W. Mitchell	....	sound effects editor
Oscar Mitt	....	assistant sound editor
Alyson Dee Moore	....	foley artist
Drew Ponder	....	boom operator
John Roesch	....	foley artist
Kira Roessler	....	dialog editor
Jose A. Sanchez	....	sound utility
Curt Schulkey	....	supervising sound editor
John Joseph Thomas	....	sound editor
Gregory H. Watkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Christopher Todd Weaver	....	utility sound: cable
Colt Logan	....	utility sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Lisa Reynolds	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Gregory Creaser	....	digital intermediate colorist
Mark Freund	....	visual effects supervisor: Pacific Title
David Geoghegan	....	digital optical compositor
Patrick Keenan	....	digital compositor: Pacific Title
Antonio Torres	....	digital artist: Pacific Title
Bob Wiatr	....	digital compositor: Pacific Title

Stunts
Larnell Stovall	....	stunt double: Big Boi
Gus Williams	....	stunt coordinator
Lorenzo Yearby	....	stunt player

Camera and Electrical Department
Reid Andrews	....	electrician
Brent Bazinski	....	rigging electrician
Braden Belmonte	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Tom Bradley	....	grip
Christopher Campbell	....	grip
Dessie Coale	....	electrician
Dan Cornwall	....	gaffer
Rick Crank	....	electrician
Stephen Crocker	....	first assistant camera: "c" camera
Stephen Crowley	....	pre-rigging gaffer
Jeff W. Curtis	....	dolly grip: "b" camera
Guy D'Alema	....	still photographer
Stanley Fernandez Jr.	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Jos'h Hancher	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Colin Hudson	....	Steadicam operator
Colin Hudson	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Colin Hudson	....	director of photography: second unit
Darryl Humber	....	dolly grip
Eric Leftridge	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Halley Manning	....	rigging electrician
Greg Morse	....	video playback
Alex Orr	....	rigging electrician
Karen Parsons	....	dimmer board operator
Daniel Pederson	....	electrician
C. Alan Rawlins	....	key grip
Ted Sapp	....	key rigging grip
Riko Schatke	....	best boy grip
Trey Twitty	....	camera loader
Mike Tyson	....	rigging electrician
Tom Weston	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Steve Zigler	....	best boy rigging
Randy Tharpe	....	rigging grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Michelle Adams	....	co-casting
Janella Bersabal	....	extras casting assistant
Patrick Ingram	....	extras casting
Tamika Jones	....	casting assistant
Nathan Wright	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jason Bland	....	costumer
Sekinah Brown	....	costumer
Zenita Carswell	....	costumer
Anthony Franco	....	costume supervisor
K. Drew Fuller	....	key costumer
Martha Ledbetter	....	set costumer
Philip Maldonado	....	set costumer
Carol Sadler	....	wardrobe supervisor
Kenya Ware	....	on-set costumer
Monique Woods	....	wardrobe daily assistant

Editorial Department
Paul Bronkar	....	digital intermediate colorist
Lauren Cynkar	....	post-production assistant
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Danya Joseph	....	assistant editor
Kathleen Latlip	....	assistant editor
Diane LeDesma	....	colorist
Jerimiah Morey	....	assistant colorist
Billy Rich	....	additional editor
Nicholas Sousa	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Johnny Caruso	....	music editor
Dan DiPrima	....	supervising music editor
Alexandra Dorfman	....	music coordinator
Oliver Hug	....	assistant music editor
Steve Juliani	....	music preparation
Tim Lauber	....	score recordist
Jason Lloyd	....	scoring crew
Julia Michels	....	music supervisor
Satnam Ramgotra	....	musician: percussion
Dennis S. Sands	....	music scoring mixer
Lee Scott	....	music editor
Tom Steel	....	scoring crew
Michael Stern	....	music scoring mixer
Bill Talbott	....	scoring technician
Jojo Villanueva	....	music coordinator
Jesse Voccia	....	music engineer

Transportation Department
Tim Abbatoye	....	transportation captain: additional photography
Keith N. Collis	....	transportation captain
Dale Combs	....	driver: electric
Anthony Forester	....	picture car coordinator
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Leonard Jefferson	....	picture cars
Tom Moore	....	transportation captain
Timothy Stephens	....	driver
Shane Summers	....	transportation coordinator
David Carlton White	....	grip: truck driver

Other crew
Sharliss Asbury	....	assistant: Dallas Austin
Calvin Ashford	....	office staff assistant
Jimmy Chriss	....	set staff assistant
Keiann Collins	....	pick-ups
Jeff W. Curtis	....	scorpio head technician
Peter da Silva	....	set staff assistant
Derron Delaney	....	medic
Alfeo Dixon	....	location scout
Tia Dorsey	....	assistant: Tionne Watkins
Brenda Findley	....	production secretary
Gloria Gifford	....	dialogue coach
Gary Glushon	....	assistant: James Lassiter
Tony Holley	....	assistant location manager
Jerrold McKinley Ivery	....	assistant accountant
Ingrid Johanson	....	production coordinator
Stefanie Johnston	....	art staff assistant
Ty Granderson Jones	....	adr loop group
Megan Kristen Lane	....	production assistant: reshoots
Kamisha McCullough	....	extras payroll
Sam Nainoa	....	production assistant
Vaughn Newton	....	skate coordinator
Wendy Price	....	production accountant
Mike Riley	....	location manager
Harvey Robinson	....	assistant: Chris Robinson
Haroon Saleem	....	assistant: James Lassiter
Eliza Smith	....	assistant: Jody Gerson
Charlie B. Spaht	....	editorial staff assistant
Todd Spears	....	first assistant accountant: re-shoots
Devyne Stephens	....	choreographer
Devyne Stephens	....	choreographer
Patricia Story	....	unit publicist
Leslie Terrero	....	assistant: Chris Robinson
Brandon Thaxton	....	photo double
Jeremy Thomas	....	production assistant
Flávia Toledo	....	assistant: Timothy M. Bourne (as Flavia Toledo)
Greg Tresan	....	dog wrangler
Susan Van Apeldoorn	....	key craft service
Ricky R. Weaver	....	production assistant
Teresa M. Yarbrough	....	assistant production coordinator
Seth Zimmerman	....	office staff assistant

Thanks
Sharlene Falls	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Sweet Tea Pictures LLC
• Overbrook Entertainment

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. (2006) (Argentina) (all media)

Special Effects

• Pacific Title (opticals)

Other Companies

• Camtec Motion Picture Camera Rentals  camera equipment provided by
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Digital Vortechs  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Framepool  stock footage
• Pivotal Post  HD services

Also Known As:

Jellybeans (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for drug content, language, sexual material and some violence.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #42542) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

1901 Metropolitan Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Sweet Tea Pictures LLC

Trivia:

Antwon Fisher wrote the story line for ATL and for Antwone Fisher (2002), his autobiographical movie. In both movies, the main characters say the phrase, "I can eat." Antwon Fisher says it twice: once with Denzel and again with his girlfriend. When he says the phrase to his girlfriend, he chuckles because he remembers saying it to Denzel. In ATL, Jackie Long's character, Esquire, says the same line to John Garnett.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: During the pool scene, the boom mic is visible in the reflection of New New's sunglasses.

Quotes:

Tondie: So, you wanna hook up or what?

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Dance Flick (2009)

Soundtrack:

What You Know

Much Better Than I Expected

The New Urban drama/comedy ATL,about a group of friends coming of age in Atlanta,was better than I expected in so many ways:It was sweet.It had heart.It was funny in real and unexpected ways,and it had a pace and rhythm all its own.

Another reviewer mentioned "Cooley High" as a reference,but I would also add American Graffiti,especially in using a central location,in this case a roller skating rink,as the focus of the action,as the meeting place of the kids in the area.

I'm afraid that once the word gets around that this isn't another tough,gangster style film,that it will die quickly at the box office,as evidenced by the bored,loud teenagers I saw the film with tonight.

Are small,personal African American films like ATL and "Something New" doomed to failure because of their refusal to dumb down to their audiences with broad,crude humor?I hope not,but why should they be any different than white audiences that cant see a good thing if their lives depended on it either.

End of rant.Take a chance on a film that takes a chance.