Shooting the Skies: The Cinematography of Top Gun Maverick
Top Gun: Maverick is a film that pushes the boundaries of what is possible in aerial cinematography. The film’s Director of Photography, Claudio Miranda, and his team faced a number of challenges in capturing the high-speed, high-altitude action of the film’s fighter jet sequences.
One of the first challenges was finding a camera system that could withstand the intense vibrations and G-forces of flying in a fighter jet. The production team initially tested a number of different cameras, including the Arri Alexa Mini and the Sony Venice, but ultimately settled on the Sony Venice for its ability to handle the extreme conditions.
To ensure that the cameras could capture the action in the way that the filmmakers wanted, they had to come up with creative solutions for mounting the cameras on the exterior of the jets. This included using prototypes of the Rialto camera system that were specifically designed for aerial photography and mounting the cameras on the body or inside the cockpit of the aircraft to avoid triggering the jets’ safety settings.
The film also introduces a new aerial platform called the L-39 CineJet, which is a modified Aero L-39 Albatros trainer jet that has a six-axis gyrostabilized Shotover F1 camera system mounted on its nose. The L-39 CineJet’s maneuverability and mounted cameras allowed the operator a wide field of view and gave the filmmakers more control over the footage.
In addition to the L-39 CineJet, the filmmakers also used an Embraer Phenom 300 camera jet for extended operations over water, and an Airbus H125 single-engine helicopter for slower-moving aerial photography.
The filmmakers also utilized new technology such as the Shotover F1 Rush Platforms that were mounted on the nose and tail of the Embraer Phenom 300, and the Shotover K1 that was mounted on the helicopter. The Shotover F1 Rush Platforms were outfitted with Venice cameras with either a Fujifilm/Fujinon Cabrio 20–120mm T3.5 or a Cabrio 85–300mm T2.9–4 zoom, while the Shotover K1 was outfitted with the larger profile of the Fujinon Cabrio 25,300mm T3.5.
One of the most challenging aspects of the film’s aerial photography was securing the perfect backlight for the aircraft carrier sequences. Miranda had to rely on his knowledge of the flight paths and weather conditions to set the camera exposures, and even had to rely on a bit of luck to secure the perfect backlight.
In conclusion, Top Gun: Maverick is a film that showcases the incredible capabilities of modern aerial cinematography. The film’s Director of Photography, Claudio Miranda, and his team faced a number of challenges in capturing the high-speed, high-altitude action of the film’s fighter jet sequences, but ultimately succeeded in creating stunning and visually impactful footage. The use of new technology such as the L-39 CineJet, the Shotover F1 Rush Platforms and the Shotover K1, and the combination of different aircrafts like the Embraer Phenom 300, Airbus H125 and the Rialto system all contributed to the success of the film’s aerial photography.
Top Gun has six Academy Nominations for the Oscars 2023.
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