Several years ago, I became intrigued when I noticed that three of my favorite movies National Treasure, Pearl Harbor, and Remember the Titans all had something in common: the award-winning producer Jerry Bruckheimer. I was even more surprised to discover that these three movies are only a miniscule part of Bruckheimer’s extensive list of film and television productions. Among other blockbuster films, Bruckheimer is the executive producer of all three CSI shows, Cold Case, and Without a Trace; all of these shows are primetime programs. Because of previous work with directors and co-producers that are known for action-packed dramas, Jerry Bruckheimer has captured this same essence in his work in film and TV production. Jerry Bruckheimer is one of the most successful action-packed producers, and he makes his dramas even more entertaining through his use of flashbacks, hand-held camera work for dramatic scenes, intense close-ups, distinctive colors, composed, suave protagonists, camera work, editing, and sounds.
Jerry Bruckheimer attended the University of Arizona and graduated with a major in Psychology and a minor in Algebra. Although both concentrations do not usually lead to a career in film and TV production, Bruckheimer did move to Chicago after graduation and worked in the creative business of advertising. He eventually started working on a television commercial, which prompted him to move to Los Angeles and pursue a career in production. In LA, Bruckheimer worked with Don Simpson, a producer who was known for his work in action films and dramas. Together, Bruckheimer and Simpson produced action films such as Top Gun and Dangerous Minds. He later worked with director Michael Bay on other action films such as Armageddon and Pirates of the Caribbean and started the trend of big-budget action-packed films. Bruckheimer has said that his personal favorite movies are The Godfather and The French Connection, films that both are action-packed and suspenseful. After his multiple Academy Award, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Grammy wins, the University of Arizona granted Bruckheimer an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree.
In a 2003 interview with Steve Head, an entertainment journalist, Bruckheimer also explained in his television shows and movies, “I like to make pictures about those who make a difference” (“Interview with Jerry Bruckheimer,” Steve Head). Bruckheimer indeed creates characters that make a difference; in CSI, Cold Case, and Without a Trace, the protagonists work to solve crimes to create safer communities and allow closure for victims’ families and friends. Bruckheimer also added that because he worked with directors such as Don Simpson (on Dangerous Minds), he became intrigued on producing stories “that are impactful and grab your attention” (Head). Other producers that Bruckheimer worked with inspired him to focus his attention on creating shows with inspiring, dedicated, and intelligent heroes.
Unlike other crime-scene television shows, Jerry Bruckheimer uses flashbacks to help the viewers understand the sequence of events. In the episode of CSI: Miami “Hostile Takeover,” crime-scene investigator and protagonist Horatio Caine pieces together why a man is holding people hostage in Caine’s crime-scene lab. Bruckheimer flashes back to previous years when this same man was the single person convicted of a crime that which others were involved. Bruckheimer used this flashback to help the audience understand that why the man was holding people hostage: he wanted justice. In addition, in Bruckheimer’s other program, Cold Case, the main investigator Lily Rush reopens cases that have been closed for many years. In this series, the use of flashbacks is even more important; therefore, Bruckheimer uses them even more in this show. For example, in the episode “Hoodrats,” Bruckheimer uses flashbacks to help viewers understand how a skate-boarding orphan was murdered. Bruckheimer includes investigations of the suspects from 14 years ago, and then investigations of those same suspects during present-day to help solve the crime. The use of flashbacks in Cold Case provides more details about the murderer who committed the crime. In Bruckheimer’s movie National Treasure, the beginning scene and establishing shot is from Ben Gates, the protagonist’s, childhood. The scene shows Gates and his grandfather intimately talking about a “national treasure” hidden in the Declaration of Independence. This flashback helps the audience understand why and how Gates started his journey of discovering America’s “treasure.” Furthermore, the flashbacks are always in gray or darker colors and are distorted. The darkness represents the haziness of the memory that the characters, witnesses, or suspects recall.
Even more interesting, Bruckheimer’s camera-work during flashbacks is unique. In the episode “Blacklist” on CSI: New York, the cameraman does not use steadicam. Instead, he uses hand-held camera-work. During “Blacklist,” the camera is noticeably shaky when a hospital administrator is murdered in his car. In a flashback during the episode “Hoodrats” of Cold Case, Bruckheimer’s cameraman shakily films the skate-boarding orphan fighting with his employer. When a young boy recalls his mother’s capture on Without a Trace, the camera-man shakes the camera wildly to represent confusion. Bruckheimer uses hand-held camera-work to emphasize the suspense and create a dark mood. The camera-work helps the audience understand that the crime is corrupt, yet thrilling.
Although close-ups and extreme close-ups are used by many producers to emphasize drama, Bruckheimer uses these techniques to make scenes more intense. He uses them during vital moments in his TV programs and films. For example, in CSI: Miami’s “Hostile Takeover,” Bruckheimer films Caine with intense close-ups during investigations, and even more when Caine solves the murder. Bruckheimer uses his close-ups to emphasize the severity of the crime and the success of Caine. In addition, in the film Pearl Harbor, Bruckheimer used a close-up on President Franklin D. Roosevelt to emphasize the severity of the bombing on the United States naval base. This intense close-up helped the viewers understand the intensity of the attack on Pearl Harbor; Bruckheimer successfully captured FDR’s pain and suffering by using this technique. Usually during these intense close-ups, Bruckheimer plays very little music. This way, the camera-work seems to create a powerful mood instead of music.
In Bruckheimer’s programs and movies, his use of color is distinctive. In the beginning scenes, the establishing shots are always colorful and depict a peaceful or fun setting. For example, in CSI: Miami, Bruckheimer often has beautiful shots of the ocean, sunsets, palm trees, and people swimming or boating. In CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, the audience watches people gamble, party, or swim in fabulous Las Vegas. At the beginning of his programs, the murder is then quickly depicted. Throughout the program, the bright colors slowly become darker with grays, blues, and blacks. During investigations, there are shadows on the suspects’ faces and the investigating rooms are darker, emphasizing the suspense. Furthermore, in the crime labs, there is barely any color in the background; the focus is the objects being investigated and the crime scene investigators. There is very little light and brightness during the investigations and lab scenes. Throughout the program, the mysteries are slowly solved, and the colors become brighter once again. For example, in “Hostile Takeover” of CSI: Miami, the characters celebrate their success on a beautiful Miami beach while drinking colorful martinis. The use of brighter colors at the end of the program emphasizes the crime scene investigators’ relief that they have solved the case.
The main protagonists in Bruckheimer’s television shows and movies are always calm, collected, and undefeatable. For example, Horatio Caine wears clean, comfortable-looking suits with sunglasses. He speaks in a slow, soothing voice, creating a persona of suave investigator. In Without a Trace, Agent Jack Malone seems to effortlessly finds missing persons within a 72-hour period. In Bruckheimer’s film, Gone in Sixty Seconds, Memphis Raines remains calm when he must realizes he must steal 50 expensive, exotic cars within two days, or his brother will be killed. In each program or film, Bruckheimer’s characters battle against injustice and seem to strive to create a more righteous society. Like Bruckheimer explained in an interview, his main characters are always trying to make a difference.
Bruckheimer focuses the camera differently for different scenes and situations. For example, he often uses soft focus, a camera work when an entire image is slightly out of focus, when there are flashbacks. For example, in CSI: Miami’s episode “Hostile Takeover,” Bruckheimer flashes back to when the man holding the hostage is convicted of a crime. The entire scene is unclear and hazy, similar to the actual flashback. Bruckheimer parallels his use of camera focusing with the actual memory.
When Bruckheimer’s characters solve crimes or problems, the camera usually is in deep focus, when all planes of an image are in focus. For example, at the end of CSI: Miami “Hostile Takeover,” the camera is clear and the colors are beautifully displayed. Bruckheimer focuses on the beauty of Miami’s ocean, palm trees, and sunsets. Like the solved crimes, the camera is now completely clear. Again, Bruckheimer parallels the camera focus with the clarity in the cases.
Bruckheimer uses panning to portray characters’ emotions. For example, in Cold Case, Bruckheimer used panning to show the criminal’s emotion after detective Lily Rush solved the crime and told him he would go to prison. Bruckheimer panned from Lily calmly explaining how they knew he was the murderer, and then to the murderer to show his reaction afterwards. In addition, in the movie National Treasure, Bruckheimer panned from Ben Gates, the protagonist, to Abigail Chase, the female supporting character, when Gates admitted that he stole the Declaration of Independence to solve a puzzle. The panning shot showed Gates calmly explaining why he stole it to Chase’s shocked expression and anger.
Because Bruckheimer often produces action-packed films, he uses a dolly to film. A dolly is a wheeled camera support that permits a rolling camera movement. Bruckheimer often uses this in scenes with intense movement. For example, in Cold Case’s “Hoodrats,” Bruckheimer used a dolly to capture the orphaned skateboarder’s very quick movement on his skateboard.
For editing, Bruckheimer uses shot-countershot and eyeline matches frequently. A shot-countershot is when the cameraman alternates shots. Although this tool is usually used in conversations, Bruckheimer uses it to emphasize emotion between two characters. For example, when Lily Rush convicted one man of murder in “Hoodrats,” Bruckheimer filmed the calm and collected Rush explaining how she solved the crime, and then filmed a countershot on the murderer to portray his emotion at hearing the news. In addition, although Bruckheimer usually focuses on working on dramas, he also incorporated this into romantic comedy Confessions of a Shopaholic. When the main character Becky Bloomwood first sees a pair of Gucci boots on sale, the audience does not know at what she is looking. We see Becky gasp with happiness and surprise; then Bruckheimer does a countershot of the boots and we know why she is overwhelmed with joy.
With eyeline shots, a shot with a character looking in a specific direction, then cuts to a second shot toward the area the character was looking, Bruckheimer again uses these to emphasize emotions. For example, in CSI: New York, he films a hotel administrator get locked in his car, and then the audience hears a banging on his car. The victim gasps and stares at something shocking in his rear-view mirror, and then the audience sees what the victim saw: a man dressed in black that then murders the administrator in the car. This creates even more suspense and surprise in Bruckheimer’s shows and movies.
Bruckheimer’s sound effects are perhaps most interesting. As previously stated, Bruckheimer uses very little music during extreme close-ups. In addition, during moments of clarity or when a character solves a case, there is no sound. Bruckheimer does this to make the outcome of the case the most important aspect of the show. For instance, when Gates discovers the hidden treasure in National Treasure, it is absolutely silent. This places more emphasis on how astonishing it is that there was indeed, a national treasure.
Although he did not initially pursue a career in television and film production, today, Jerry Bruckheimer is one of the most renowned action and drama producers in America. His unique use of flashbacks, camera-work, colors, composed protagonists, camerawork, editing, and sound contribute to the success of his productions. Perhaps, Bruckheimer should expand his talents into other types of action shows. For example, because he worked on the successful war films Pearl Harbor and Black Hawk Down, Bruckheimer could thrive in creating a military drama series. (Bruckheimer should avoid working on “chick flicks” and comedies; his movie Confessions of a Shopaholic failed.) In the words of the CSI: Miami investigator Horatio Caine, for Jerry Bruckheimer “tomorrow’s what you make of it.” For Bruckheimer, it seems that tomorrow the sky is the limit.
Works Cited
Bruckheimer, Jerry, prod. "Working Stifts." CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. CBS. 8 Oct. 2009. Television.
Bruckheimer, Jerry, prod. "Blacklist." CSI: New York. CBS. 30 Sept. 2009. Television.
Bruckheimer, Jerry, prod. "Hoodrat." Cold Case. CBS. 4 Oct. 2009. Television.
Bruckheimer, Jerry, prod. "Hostile Takeover." CSI: Miami. CBS. 28 Sept. 2009. Television.
Bruckheimer, Jerry, prod. "In Plane Sight." CSI: Miami. CBS. 12 Oct. 2009. Television.
Bruckheimer, Jerry, prod. "Undertow." Without a Trace. CBS. 18 May 2009. Television.
Gone in Sixty Seconds. Dir. Dominic Sena. Prod. Jerry Bruckheimer. Perf. Nicolas Cage and Giovanni Ribisi. Walt Disney, 2000. DVD.
National Treasure. Dir. Jon Turteltaub. Prod. Jerry Bruckheimer. Perf. Nicolas Cage and Diane Kruger. Walt Disney, 2004. DVD.
