Hunter Ricks
Dr. Waggoner
Intro Comp: Writing as Inquiry
12 October 2016
Sully Interview
It is painful to admit it but it is a growing reality that interviews of movie stars seems more like another channel of advertising rather than a conversation about something important in society. I chose an interview between Tom Hanks and Good Morning America. Tom is talking about his upcoming movie Sully. As I have mentioned before the film industry is a business and it is not by chance that this interview aired a couple weeks before the movie hit theaters.
Aside from the fact that interviews often attempt to raise awareness of the film, they can often be used to affect the ethos of the audience by talking about the personal life of an actor (marriage, kids, financial situation, etc.). These type of interviews are designed to establish “hype” or publicity with the actor or actress. Yes, it is not a direct advertisement for a movie, but it is another pathway to gain audience.
What prompted this interview is the fact that the movie is being released in three days. It is a final by Tom Hanks and the movie studio to grab the attention of viewers and get them to the box office. Tom Hanks mentioned “ The movie has to do with the social contract we have with our institutions.” What he means by this, in the least philosophical version, is that there is a thing that is supposed to happen when you go to an airport. You get on a flight and sit back relax and get to your destination. The worst thing that could happen is that you could spill your coffee or lose your bag. The movie is based on the emergency landing in the Hudson river in 2009. It shows the evolution of aviation and instills trust in Americans with the aviation.
I think that the targeted audience is rather generalized. Disregarding the audience of GMA, the movie is targeted at all demographics. They do state that the movie is rated PG-13 but in general it is not leaning towards one demographic or the other. It is being watched as a documentary of one of the greatest and scariest instances in aviation history. It digs deep into the ethos of the people on board and really puts you into their mind. The movie is more of a “feel good” movie in my opinion. Maybe people who are enthusiasts of flight or aviation may feel compelled to see this movie, but other than that I do not see a specific audience.
The point of this interview is not only to promote Sully but also to promote Tom Hanks as a genuine, down-to-Earth, guy. They mention his twitter account and his satirical comedic tweets. Tom also mentions the Bubba Gump Shrimp store across the street and how that used to be the bank he deposited his unemployment checks to in 1977 and now it is a restaurant based off one of his most famous characters. He ends the interview on this high note to instill hope in Americans that even if things are not necessarily going your way the future is bright. The main goal, however, is to advertise the movie as a whole.
I think the interviewer, Robin Roberts, helps shape the perception of Tom Hanks that I had prior to this film: that he is a stand up actor and human in general. She asks many questions regarding the film and his role in it. Tom Hanks replies to these with the utmost confidence and gives most of the credit to the man he is portraying, Captain SullenBerger. Tom Hanks has done his part in creating a strong presence in the film industry but this interview only enhances him as a person. He is extremely funny and generous regarding the fact he even offers to buy the whole audience lunch. I understand Robin Roberts was instructed to ask certain question that would advertise the film and Tom Hanks, but Tom decided to go off script which made the interview seem less of an interview and more of a friendly conversation.
After taking closer look into the CAPP of this interview, I am more intrigued to see Sully. I applaud Tom Hanks and this interview only serves to heighten my praise on Hanks as one of my favorite actors. The link to the interview can be found below.
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