Submission Synopsis

Henry Hummingbird

And the Whole Wide World

by Allison Ober

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Length: 98

Genre: Animated Feature Film
Possible Television Series

Sentence: A tiny hummingbird and an asthmatic barnyard duck reluctantly pair
up to fly south for the winter, braving unfriendly skies, haphazard hunters,
and a villainous birdnapper.

Logline: When a stubborn little hummingbird with separation anxiety refuses to migrate south for the winter, the doting, asthmatic barnyard duck who raised him takes him against his will on a circuitous, hilarious and, at times, treacherous journey to get him south before the cold weather sets in.  After the two and new friend Gus the Goose are imprisoned by a villainous birdnapper, Henry must overcome his separation anxiety and fear of flying to
save them. 

Synopsis: When Henry, a tiny, orphaned hummingbird refuses to migrate south for the winter due partly to illness, partly to separation anxiety, and mostly to the well-kept secret that he never learned to fly, Dottie, the old, asthmatic barnyard duck who raised him must fly him south on her back before winter sets in. The mismatched pair journey through an amazing, colorful world of bird personalities and are challenged to depend on each other in ways they never thought possible.

Henry and Dottie's avian odyssey first catches them unawares when a nearsighted nerdy old hawk with a penchant for duck breast crashes into their campground; next, reveals to Dottie that Henry doesn't know how to fly like a hummingbird and forces her into the awkward and humorous task of teaching him how; strands them in the middle of a wind farm where they meet two goth-like, gluttonous ravens who must decide whether to eat them or lead them to freedom; leads them north instead of south where they encounter a
cackling gaggle of Canada geese that befriends them and shows them how to play "chicken" with large commercial airliners; and lands Dottie, wounded by gunshot, in the middle of a marsh filled with duck hunters. 

Henry and Dottie, along with new friend Gus the goose, a "medic" who pulls a bullet from Dottie, escape the marsh turned battlefield but soon fall prey to an illegal bird collector who imprisons them.  Henry must overcome his separation anxiety and use his newly acquired flying skills to save them and a "jail" full of parrots.  Henry musters the courage to fly out on his own to rally a rag-tag group of friends to help him set the jail birds free. 

With Dottie and Gus free and Henry full of new found courage, Henry flies south for the winter alone but returns to Dottie's barn for the summer, emphasizing that you can indeed go home again.

Henry's story is funny and heartwarming and will appeal to all ages.  All at once, it is a story about the trials of parenting an adopted "child," overcoming great differences, and conquering our worst fears.  This story does what Valiant and Chicken Little could not -- it brings to life the world of the sky like Finding Nemo brought to life the world within the sea.

Bio: Allison Ober, M.S.W., currently works as a Research Project Manager for the RAND Corporation, a think tank committed to facilitating public policy and decision-making through objective research and analysis.  At RAND Allison is primarily responsible for overseeing an international, multi-site HIV transmission study by facilitating communication among research centers, managing the budget and project timeline, and for writing papers and grant reports.  Allison also is currently a second-year doctoral student
at UCLA's School of Public Policy, Department of Social Welfare where she is pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Welfare, with an emphasis on HIV and drug abuse research.  In addition to her many contributions to scholarly publications and research manuals, Allison has written five feature length screenplays and several short essays.  In 2004 she submitted her script entitled Larsen Bay to Project Greenlight and made it through the first cut to the semi-finals.  In 2005, Allison's short essay entitled "Marooned on the Subway" won honorable mention in a writing contest run by the on-line periodical The Subway Chronicles.  Allison has been practicing Taekwon-Do for 16 years and recently received her third degree black belt.  She currently teaches a Taekwon-Do class at the Cheviot Hills Recreation Center in Los Angeles.  Allison lives in Los Angeles with her husband Ed and her dog Huckleberry.

Budget: Low-Medium

Registration: WGA Registered; Copyright with US Library of Congress

Number: WGA Registration: 1026461

NOTE: All material is copyright protected.  No portion of this material may be copied or reproduced, either electronically,  mechanically, or by any other means, for resale or distribution without the written consent of the author.  All copy has been dated and registered with the American Society of Authors and Writers.  Copyright 2007 by The Swetky Agency