[Spotted] Our alumni in the credits of Top Gun: Maverick
News . 01 Jun. 2022
Almost thirty-six years after the iconic first film that made Tom Cruise a global star, the second instalment of Top Gun is coming to the cinema. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell returns for more awesome adventures. Several of our CG Animation and FX Master Degree alumni worked on this long-awaited project!
A cult film at the end of the 1980s, Top Gun was a worldwide hit and allowed its young rising star, Tom Cruise, to explode into worldwide icon status. It was astonishing that a sequel was not envisaged in the same breath. So it took more than three decades for aeroplane pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell to fly into theaters at Mach 3 speed, much to the delight of fans.
It is worth noting that a sequel was planned as early as 2010 but several setbacks buried the project, until now. Once again, the success is not denied as the public is there, propelling the film to the top of the box-office as soon as it is released. Tom Cruise, as well as the other actors, underwent several months of intensive training to learn how to fly F/A-18s (although real pilots took over the scenes) and even played director in the cockpit of the plane in order to replace the director! An unprecedented exercise.
Even if the objective was to shoot as much action as possible in real life, a few special effects were used to enrich the project. Several of our former students from the CG Animation & FX Master Degree participated in this.
THEY ARE IN THE CREDITS OF Top Gun: Maverick
- Jérôme Escobar (promo 2005) : CG Supervisor – Method Studios (during the production of the film)
- Benjamin Condy (promo 2014) : Lead Creature FX – MPC (during the production of the film)
- Arnaud Bellour (promo 2016) : Lighting Artist – Method Studio (during the production of the film)
(Non-exhaustive list, we present the profiles of our former students who answered our questionnaire)
MPC & Method studios
MPC – Moving Picture Company – is one of the studios that contributed to the animations and special effects of this new film. This international studio is a real powerhouse, with impressive productions for both film and television: West Side Story, The Lion King, 1917, Wanda Vision, The Mandalorian, etc. The recognition of its work is also reflected in the numerous awards it has received: Oscar for best visual effects, BAFTA Award for best visual effects, VES Award, Annie Award, HPA Award, etc. Thousands of artists give their heart and soul to this studio and its projects, spread across the company’s branches in London, Los Angeles, Bangalore and Montreal.
Method Studio is dedicated to the production of visual effects and is present in the United States, Canada and India. The studio works in the film, advertising, television, video game and motion sectors. The productions it has worked on are internationally renowned: Thor: Love and Thunder, Elvis, Loki, Game of Throne… Method Studios offers a full range of services: conceptual design, look development, on set supervision, CG animation, matte painting, compositing and rendering. They have won several awards for their work.
Top Gun: Maverick
After more than 30 years as one of the US Navy’s top fighter pilots, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell continues to push his limits as a test pilot. He refuses to move up in rank because it would mean giving up flying. He is tasked with training a detachment of young Top Gun school graduates for a special mission that no pilot would have ever imagined. On this mission, Maverick meets Lieutenant Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the son of his late friend, navigator Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. Faced with an uncertain future, haunted by his ghosts, Maverick must confront his worst nightmares in a mission that will require the greatest of sacrifices.