Starter for 10 (2006)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Tom Vaughan

Writers:

David Nicholls (novel)
David Nicholls (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 March 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Set in 1985, working-class student Brian Jackson (McAvoy) navigates his first year at Bristol University.

Plot Keywords:

TV Quiz Show | Fist Fight | Bristol University | Dormitory | Dorm Life

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Tue. Oct. 21

6:30 AM

HBO

Cast

Joseph Friend	...	Young Brian
James Gaddas	...	Martin Jackson
Catherine Tate	...	Julie Jackson
Mark Gatiss	...	Bamber Gascoigne
Robert Cawsey	...	University Challenge Competitor
Rasmus Hardiker	...	University Challenge Competitor
Guy Henry	...	Dr. Morrison
James McAvoy	...	Brian Jackson
James Corden	...	Tone
Dominic Cooper	...	Spencer
Simon Woods	...	Josh
Sule Rimi	...	Marcus
Joe Van Moyland	...	Hippy at the Party
Rebecca Hall	...	Rebecca Epstein
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Patrick Watts
Elaine Tan	...	Lucy Chang
Ian Bonar	...	Colin
Alice Eve	...	Alice Harbinson
Reuben-Henry Biggs	...	Anthony Salmon (as Reuben Henry Biggs)
Ben Willbond	...	University Challenge Coordinator
Su Elliot	...	Cleaning Lady (as Su Elliott)
Gerard Monaco	...	Waiter
John Henshaw	...	Des
Charles Dance	...	Michael Harbinson
Lindsay Duncan	...	Rose Harbinson
Bethan Bevan	...	Cordelia Sykes
Raj Ghatak	...	Nigel De Havilland
Tom Allen	...	Tristram Neville
Kenneth Hadley	...	Television Director
Nicholas Gleaves	...	Speaker for Nuclear Disarmament
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ross Gowland	...	Bristol student (uncredited)
Julian Hensey	...	Bus Passenger (uncredited)

Directed by
Tom Vaughan

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
David Nicholls		novel
David Nicholls		screenplay

Produced by
Jeff Abberley	....	executive producer: Scion Films
Julia Blackman	....	executive producer: Scion Films
Diana Choi	....	co-producer (as Diana Choi Sachs)
Michelle Chydzik Sowa	....	executive producer
Gary Goetzman	....	producer
Tom Hanks	....	producer
Pippa Harris	....	producer
Nathalie Marciano	....	executive producer
Sam Mendes	....	executive producer
Mary Richards	....	co-producer
Steve Shareshian	....	executive producer (as Steven Shareshian)

Original Music by
Blake Neely

Cinematography by
Ashley Rowe		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jon Harris
Heather Persons

Casting by
Nina Gold

Production Design by
Sarah Greenwood

Art Direction by
Ian Bailie		(supervising art director)
Nick Gottschalk

Set Decoration by
Katie Spencer

Costume Design by
Charlotte Morris

Makeup Department
Mandy Gold	....	chief makeup artist
Susan Howard	....	hair stylist (as Sue Howard)
Susan Howard	....	makeup artist (as Sue Howard)
Terry Jarvis	....	wigs
Julie Kendrick	....	additional hair stylist
Julie Kendrick	....	additional makeup artist
Loulia Sheppard	....	chief hair stylist
Jenny Shircore	....	hair designer
Jenny Shircore	....	makeup designer
Julia Vernon	....	hair stylist: crowd
Julia Vernon	....	makeup artist: crowd
Eve Wignall	....	additional hair stylist
Eve Wignall	....	additional makeup artist
Colin Wyatt	....	chief hair stylist

Production Management
Simon Fraser	....	production manager
Jeanette Haley	....	post-production supervisor
Nick Oliver	....	unit manager: locations
Tim Pedegana	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Phil Booth	....	second assistant director
Guy Heeley	....	first assistant director
Vicky Marks	....	third assistant director
Charlie Reed	....	co-third assistant director (as Charles Reed)
Christian Rigg	....	crowd third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Carl Alsop	....	carpenter
Paul Ball	....	painter (as Paul Bale)
Joshua Barraud	....	chargehand stand-by propman (as Josh Barraud)
Mark Billingham	....	dressing propman
Chris Brough	....	carpenter
Rob Brown	....	construction manager
Lindsay Brunnock	....	assistant art director
Ken Burnett	....	dressing propman
John Campbell	....	painter
Alison Cardy	....	assistant production buyer
Alison Cardy	....	assistant set decorator
Netty Chapman	....	stand-by art director (as Jeanette Chapman)
David Chettleborough	....	carpenter (as Dave Chettleborough)
Nigel Crafts	....	carpenter
Cavin Dempsey	....	carpenter (as Gavin Dempsey)
Katrina Dunn	....	assistant production buyer
Katrina Dunn	....	assistant set decorator
Paul Emerson	....	chargehand dressing propman
Glyn Evans	....	painter (as Glynn Evans)
David Haynes	....	supervising painter (as Dave Haynes)
John Haynes	....	painter
Tony Hoskins	....	supervising carpenter
Guy Hunt	....	carpenter
Martin Kane	....	props
Andrew Kiff	....	dressing propman
Chris Kitisakkul	....	art department trainee
Simon Lewis	....	carpenter
Steve Marquiss	....	painter
Georgina Millett	....	art department assistant
Graham Mitchell	....	carpenter
Simon Morrissey	....	property storeman
Paul Oakman	....	stagehand
Nick Pearce	....	stand-by painter
Neil Robertson	....	stagehand
Russell Sargent	....	carpenter (as Russ Sargent)
Leigh Thurbon	....	chargehand carpenter (as Leigh Thurson)
Sophie Tyler	....	production buyer
Chris Ulusele	....	stand-by propman
Tom Walker	....	carpenter
Stuart Watson	....	construction manager
Alex Wells	....	carpenter
David Wells	....	stand-by carpenter
Chris White	....	carpenter
Dennis Wiseman	....	property master
Lee Wiseman	....	dressing propman

Sound Department
Ulrika Akander	....	dialogue editor
Bryan Arenas	....	sound consultant: Dolby
David A. Arnold	....	dialogue editor (as David Arnold)
Courtney Bishop	....	adr recordist: Los Angeles
Eddie Bydalek	....	sound recordist
Tony Dawe	....	production sound mixer
Christopher Flick	....	supervising foley editor
Cameron Frankley	....	supervising sound editor
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley mixer
Kimberly Harris	....	supervising sound editor
Jason W. Jennings	....	sound effects editor (as Jay Jennings)
Ryan Juggler	....	sound effects editor (as Ryan B. Juggler)
Michael Keller	....	sound re-recording mixer
Randy Kelley	....	sound effects editor
Ai-Ling Lee	....	sound effects editor
James Matheny	....	dialogue editor
Jon Michaels	....	first assistant sound editor
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer: Los Angeles
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Moriana	....	foley artist
Jamie Roden	....	adr mixer: London
Paul Schwartz	....	sound maintenance
Gary L.G. Simpson	....	sound re-recording engineer (as Gary Simpson)
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist
Denise Yarde	....	sound assistant
Robert Edwards	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Iain Jamieson	....	assistant adr recordist (uncredited)
Kevin Konarzewski	....	walla recordist (uncredited)
Danny Sheehan	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)
Kevin Warendorp	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Greg Zimmerman	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dave Crownshaw	....	snow effects supervisor
James Davis III	....	special effects senior technician
Hugh Goodbody	....	special effects senior technician
Mark Holt	....	special effects
Martin 'Marty' McLaughlin	....	senior snow effects technician
Del Reid	....	snow effects technician
David 'Pinkie' Thomas	....	snow effects technician

Visual Effects by
Michael Bogen	....	compositor: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Kiley Bond	....	compositor: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Mark Freund	....	visual effects supervisor: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Maureen Healy	....	compositor: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Jeff Ervin	....	visual effects editor (uncredited)
Jennifer Law-Stump	....	digital effects artist: Pacific Title Digital (uncredited)

Stunts
Paul Herbert	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Ian Clark	....	camera operator
Kathryn Cox	....	trainee video assist operator
Pat Cronin	....	stand-by rigger
David Cross	....	key grip
Lee Eldred	....	best boy
John Evans	....	focus puller
Toby Flesher	....	electrician
Aaron Keating	....	electrician
Giles Keyte	....	still photographer
Larry Knox	....	generator operator
Campbell McIntosh	....	gaffer
Dean Morris	....	clapper loader
Michael Seymour	....	stand-by rigger
Simon Baker	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Simon Baker	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Ashley Bond	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)
Chris Clarke	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)
Jason Coop	....	daily second assistant camera (uncredited)
Laurence Edwards	....	crane technician (uncredited)
Tim Morris	....	camera trainee (uncredited)
Barney Piercy	....	daily first assistant camera (uncredited)
Rupert Power	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Phil Reader	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)
Andy Thomson	....	crane technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lesley Gogarty	....	extras casting: Casting Network Limited
Stephen Moore	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Claire Collins	....	wardrobe assistant
Rebecca Elson	....	wardrobe department trainee
Saga Widen	....	assistant costume designer
Tamar Zaig	....	wardrobe supervisor
Alison Beard	....	additional costume assistant (uncredited)
Camille Benda	....	daily costume assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Monica Anderson	....	first assistant editor
Michael Hatzer	....	color timer
Staci R. Pontins	....	assistant editor (as Staci Pontius)
Catriona Richardson	....	first assistant editor
Frances P. Valliere	....	post-production coordinator
Siobhan Boyes	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)
Steve Porter	....	digital film colorist (uncredited)
Jason Wheeler	....	negative cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Deva Anderson	....	music supervisor
Joel Iwataki	....	music score mixer
Joel Iwataki	....	music score recordist
Blake Neely	....	score producer
Elizabeth Neely	....	music studio manager
Delphine Robertson	....	music supervisor
Michael D. Simon	....	scoring assistant
Tom Trafalski	....	music editor
Stuart Michael Thomas	....	music consultant (uncredited)

Transportation Department
George Andrews	....	unit driver
Terry Bleasdale	....	unit driver
Ben Dillon	....	picture car supervisor
Gwyn Ethall	....	driver: minibus
George Green	....	driver: prop stand-by
Mike Harris	....	driver: location facility
Colin Kiddell	....	unit driver
Steve Meek	....	driver: camera car (as Steve Meeks)
Gavin Mullins	....	driver: minibus
Richard Ong	....	driver: location facility
Martin Parry	....	driver: grip truck
Cliff Penwright	....	driver: construction stand-by
Duncan Prentis	....	driver: location facility
Steve Pyke	....	driver: wardrobe truck (as Steve Pike)
Eddie Rodmell	....	driver: props runaround
Albert Smith	....	driver: location facility
David Speirs	....	unit driver

Other crew
Matthew Bovington	....	accounting assistant
Matthew Bovington	....	cashier
Chorley Bunce	....	caterer
Helen Chapman	....	floor runner
Tara B. Cook	....	production associate
Lindsay Dawson	....	legal services: Harbottle & Lewis
Alison Diamond	....	assistant: Mr. Hanks (as Allison Diamond)
Sophie Easton	....	office assistant
Giles Edleston	....	location manager
Jake Edmonds	....	health and safety advisor (as Jake Edmunds)
Tim Elliott	....	assistant: Mr. Vaugham
Pablo Ferro	....	title designer
Charlie Goldberg	....	legal services: Harbottle & Lewis
John David Gunkle	....	location assistant
Tory Haljun	....	assistant: Mr. Goetzman
Tarn Harper	....	accountant: post-production, Owen & De Salvo Co.
James Hobson	....	floor runner
Deborah Leakey	....	first assistant accountant
Sarah Lee	....	location scout
Milly Leigh	....	assistant: Mr. Mendes
Hollie Moreton	....	assistant production coordinator
Jack Murphy	....	choreographer
Simon Nixon	....	assistant location manager
Nick Pearson	....	unit medic
Sooki Raphael	....	assistant: Mr. Hanks
Julie Shimer	....	assistant: Mr. Goetzman
Miura Smith	....	production associate (as Miura Kite)
Richard Smith	....	office assistant
Robert Storer	....	legal services: Harbottle & Lewis
Katherine Tidy	....	home economist (as Katharine Tidy)
Angela Wharton	....	script supervisor (as Angela Noakes Wharton)
Betty Williams	....	production accountant
Jo Cameron Brown	....	dialect coach (uncredited)
Leah Chalk	....	health and safety (uncredited)
Helen Chapman	....	utility stand-in (uncredited)
Rebecca Thornell	....	clearance (uncredited)

Thanks
Bamber Gascoigne	....	thanks
Scott Pascucci	....	thanks
Robert Smith	....	thanks

Production Companies

• BBC Films
• HBO Films
• Neal Street Productions
• Playtone
• Scamp Film and Theatre Ltd.
• Scion Films (in association with)

Distributors

• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2008) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Icon Film Distribution (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• Picturehouse Entertainment (2007) (USA) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• Pacific Title and Art Studio (visual effects and digital opticals)
• Snow Business International (snow effects)
• Mark Holt Special Effects (rain effects)

Other Companies

• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance services (as AON/Albert G. Ruben)
• ARRI Media  cameras and lenses
• Angels  costumier
• BBC Costume Store  costumier (as BBC Costumes)
• Capitol Studios  score recorded and mixed at
• Carlo Manzi Rentals  costumier (as Carlo Manzi)
• Casting Network  extras casting
• Compuhire  video playback
• Cow on the Wall  score recorded and mixed at
• Deluxe  color and prints
• Fuji Photo Film  motion picture film supplied by
• Goldcrest Post Production London  adr stage
• Harbottle & Lewis  legal services
• Lee Lighting  lighting equipment
• Londoin Film & Fashion Centre  costumier
• MGM Cars  action vehicles
• Media Safety  health & safety
• Midnight Transfer  telecine facilities
• Negative People  negative cutting
• Owen & DeSalvo Company  post-production accounting
• POP Sound  adr stage
• Pacific Title and Art Studio  titles
• Technicolor  dailies
• Todd-AO Studios (West)  sound re-recorded at

Also Known As:

Starter for Ten (UK) (alternative spelling)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language and a scene of drug use.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Ireland:15A | UK:12A | Finland:K-7 | New Zealand:M

Filming Locations:

BBC Television Centre, Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company:

BBC Films

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The quiz teams are shown answering questions in 2 picture rounds, but in 1985 there was only 1 picture round and 1 music round in each episode of University Challenge. The 2 picture round format is a recent innovation.

Quotes:

Brian Jackson: [Spencer gives tape to Brian] Wow, thanks Spence'.
Spencer: God, Its only a tape dont get all gay about it!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "HBO First Look: Starter for 10 (#14.5)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Wonderful Life

Leaves a smile on your face - plain and simple.

Surveying the wreckage of numerous other such films - burdened at their outset with flimsy premises, one-dimensional characters, stale gimmicks that coast on the fumes of pop cultural trends, and implausible "meet-cute" situations - which could not be sustained even with big-name talent, inestimable budgets, and plague-like advertising campaigns, I was understandably sceptical as to how the "romantic comedy" aspect of this film might play out when I first sat down to watch it. In retrospect, I honestly couldn't have been more pleased. Rare indeed is the occasion when I have walked out of a theatre feeling unambiguously good about what I saw, believing that it was well worth the time and money I spent to watch it.

The story forming the basis of "Starter for 10" is handled with a great deal of humour, sensitivity, and intelligence. At no time did any part of it feel forced or contrived, nor was it condescending. Testament to this film's openness and accessibility, the emotional connection that I formed with the primary character (James MacEvoy - may he have a long and distinguished career ahead of him) was subtly cultivated throughout, reinforced by simple - yet heartachingly truthful - moments of confusion, awkwardness, uncertainty, and disappointment of the kind anyone might experience (and probably has) in similar circumstances. "Starter for 10" masterfully captures the spirit of that time in one's life wherein a person fully enters the world and begins to establish her- or himself as an individual.

So often, and unfortunately, it is the case that I see people on the screen with whom I cannot identify, in situations to which I cannot relate (this is typically due in part to the performers' overblown celebrity status and the general "Hollywood" gloss that is spread thickly over the top of everything). Not so where "Starter for 10" is concerned.

Perhaps it's no coincidence that "Starter for 10" references "The Graduate," since I believe it shall, in time, prove itself a worthy descendant of that film's legacy and subsequently receive the higher profile that it deserves.