Hi:

Some updates and information ...

1. Theater and Showtime. I expected the showtimes to be available on 
Friday, but they are still not published yet. I hope to learn them 
either Monday or Tuesday at the latest. Then I'll confirm the 
theater, pick a showtime and let you know via a posting here.

2. Tickets. Just to clarify, I am not organizing group ticket sales. 
If individuals want to organize this for your own group, feel free to 
contact the theater chain's Group Sales number. I think you need 
a  group of at least 25 people to qualify for a group discount ... 
and then you'll need to figure out how to handle distribution and 
collection, etc.

3. Greg Miller. In my previous message, I indicated Greg will 
tentatively plan on joining. Well, he has confirmed and he will be there!!!

4. Publicity. FYI, Greg advised me that the three lead actors from 
the movie (Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, and Jack Black) will be on 
ABC's Good Morning America, tomorrow morning (Mon, 10/3) and also on 
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno this Thursday night (10/6). HBO is 
airing a 15 minute feature in their "First Look" series this week 
that will show extended previews and behind the scenes looks. 
According to my TV schedule, the first HBO airing is this Friday 
(10/7) at 3:40 pm ET and the second airing is next Monday (10/10) at 
12:45 am ET. Greg Neise posted a link to three new movie clips in his 
message, below ... (note a commercial follows the second clip on his 
web page, so you might to view it last so you can leave the web page 
when the commercial starts.)

>Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 06:12:34 -0700
>From: Greg Neise <>
>Subject: [BIRDCHAT] 3 NEW Big Year clips
>To: 
>
>Hi all,
>
>We've dug up 3 new clips from the movie, The Big Year:
>
>http://www.nabirding.com/2011/09/30/3-new-big-year-clips/


4. Personal Note. Yes, a personal note. I know the book, The Big 
Year, was excellent and I hope director David  Frankle and the 
start-studded cast won't disappoint. Back in the early 1990s when 
Barbara and I owned a wild bird-type store in Columbia, MD, I was 
made privy to some advanced production information on a sequel to 
Hitchcock's classic movie, The Birds. This was a made-for television 
movie and it was filmed in coastal North Carolina. I passed the 
advanced information on to our customers and friends and generally 
hyped the the movie. However, when it finally debuted on the tube, it 
was not only a bad movie, but it was probably the worst movie I had 
ever seen. Sheesh! Here's to the Oscar-winning cast and director of 
The Big Year ... I'm rootin' fer ya.

I'll post as soon as I know about the time.

Usual disclaimers ...

Phil



At 13:18 09/14/2011, Phil Davis wrote:
>Hi Maryland birders:
>
>As most of you know, the movie, The Big Year, based on the Mark 
>Obmascik book of the same title, will be opening nationwide on 
>Friday, 14 October. The story line is based on three avid birders in 
>a competition to set a new "North American" Big Year record of the 
>most species seen in one year. The movie stars Steve Martin, Owen 
>Wilson, and Jack Black and a host of well-known supporting cast 
>members. The character played by Jack Black is based on our friend 
>and former Maryland resident, Greg Miller. The book chronicled the 
>1998 competition; however, the movie is set in the present. I 
>understand the replica of Attu (in the Aleutian Islands) that was 
>constructed in the Canadian Yukon, will blow the minds of those that 
>have been there.
>
>Here's more info on the movie:
>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053810/
>
>Here's an interview with Greg Miller:
>http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/2011/09/09/the-big-year-interview-with-greg-miller/
>
>Here is Greg's web site with more info:
>http://www.gregmillerbirding.com/
>
>
>For about a month, I have been trying to arrange some sort of 
>"premier" event for the Maryland birding community; however, any 
>kind of "official event" turned out to be an insurmountable 
>challenge. It seems like the National Audubon Society is trying to 
>organize some local functions, too, but it's unclear what the status 
>is of that initiative. So, instead of a an organized event, I am 
>proposing an informal Maryland birders "night at the movies."
>
>Plan. Here's the basic plan ... the final movie theater locations 
>and showing time schedules for this movie will not be set until 30 
>Sept (at least for the United Artist theater chain). However, I've 
>picked a tentative place, date, and time and suggest that any 
>Maryland birders that wish to join in can just purchase tickets, 
>either on-line or in person, and come to this designated showing. It 
>should be a good opportunity to see friends, meet others, and 
>socialize. People may want to consider coming early to have dinner 
>locally or hitting a nearby watering hole after the movie. I'll 
>suggest some food/drink venues later.
>
>Special Guest: I've talked to Greg Miller and he is tentatively 
>planning to come and join us! We'll confirm this later.
>
>Venue. The following venue details will not be official or be 
>confirmed until the theater schedule details are determined on 30 
>Sept, but here's what I have selected:
>
>
>1. Date: Saturday evening, 15 October 2011 (the day AFTER the movie 
>opens nationwide). I figured Saturday would be a better day for 
>folks than Friday.
>
>2. Time: I'll pick a showing of the movie on that date of around 6 
>pm (plus or minus). This will allow more driving time to/from 
>further distances than will a later showing. Again, we won't know 
>the show time until the final schedule is established on 30 Sept.
>
>3. Location: I've tentatively picked United Artists Snowden Square 
>14, Columbia, MD. I figured that Columbia is about in the center of 
>the state. This theater is a large modern standalone multiplex with 
>lots of free parking and no associated mall that attracts teenagers 
>and other urchins! The address of the theater, very close to I-95 
>and MD-32, is:
>
>     UA Snowden Square Stadium 14
>     9141 Commerce Center Dr
>     Columbia, MD 21046
>     (410) 872-0670 for showtimes
>
>Here is link to a map and for directions:
>http://www.yelp.com/map/united-artist-snowden-square-14-columbia
>
>Tickets. I recommend purchasing tickets in advance since the theater 
>will also be open to the general public. As advance ticket sales 
>increase, the theater may move this showing into a larger auditorium 
>(their largest holds about 460 people!) Tickets can be purchased 
>either in person at their box office or via various on-line 
>ticketing web sites, such as Fandango.com.
>
>
>If Columbia, MD is too far for some Maryland birders, you might want 
>to get a group together and go to a closer local theater.
>
>So, that's all I know for now. Around 30 Sept, I will verify that 
>the Snowden Square theater will be showing the movie and confirm the 
>show time via a post to this listserver.
>
>Hope to see you there ...
>
>Phil
>
>
>Usual disclaimers ...
>
>==================================
>Phil Davis      Davidsonville, Maryland     USA
>                 mailto:[log in to unmask]
>==================================

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