CELLULAR

Ryan Hewitt (Evans) receives a bizarre call on his cell phone from a desperate woman (Bassinger) claiming to have been kidnapped. Although at first he thinks the call is a prank, Ryan quickly realizes the situation is deadly serious and that he is literally her only lifeline for survival.

American Humane’s role
American Humane’s Film & Television Unit did not monitor all the animal action in this film. Cellular is a Screen Actors Guild production, and, therefore, was required to provide American Humane’s Certified Animal Safety Representatives on-set access whenever animals were used. However, American Humane was unable to directly supervise the action due to lack of notification concerning the scheduling of animal scenes.

Producers early on informed American Humane of their intention to use animals yet neglected to provide American Humane with all the daily call sheets. The studio did provide American Humane with a pre-release screening of the film, but because American Humane was unable to witness the animal action firsthand, the film received the “Not Monitored” rating.

Featured animal scenes
An American Humane Animal Safety Representative  was on-set for one take of a shot involving pigeons and gunfire; however, producers did not obtain the desired footage at that time. When the action was filmed again at a later date, American Humane was not made aware of the schedule change and, therefore, did not monitor how the additional footage was acquired.

In another scene, a fishbowl with a fish swimming in it crashes to the floor. Later, the fish is seen swimming in a wine glass. American Humane was not notified of this scheduled animal use or present for the filming of the scene. Producers offered no information regarding the supplier of the fish or how the action was achieved.

How to make sure American Humane is there

The “Not Monitored” rating means American Humane’s Film & Television Unit was not contacted regarding animal action in the film and was unable to verify that animals were treated humanely. Films like Cellular typically receive the “Not Monitored” rating because the film’s producers did not involve American Humane and may not have followed American Humane’s Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media. Because the film industry is vast, American Humane needs your support to better protect animals used in entertainment.

You can help make sure the American Humane Association is there to monitor animal action in future films by:
1) Registering on our website and indicating your interest in “No Animals Were Harmed.” ™ The more people who register, the stronger American Humane’s impact will be on actors, producers, and film distributors.
2) Choosing to spend your money on films that express a commitment to the humane treatment of animal actors. Before buying tickets, look for the review of the animal action and make sure the film’s producers have taken the right steps to ensure animal safety and well-being.
3) Letting your voice be heard. At the movies, stay tuned through the end credits to be sure the film received the “No Animals Were Harmed” Disclaimer. If you do not see it, e-mail your concerns to American Humane at info@americanhumane.org.