This is NFL Films
10.0TMDB1 votesMuch has been said about the style of NFL Films. Salon.com television critic Matt Zoller Seitz has referred to NFL Films as "the greatest in-house P.R. machine in pro sports history . . . an outfit that could make even a tedious stalemate seem as momentous as the battle for the Alamo."[5] NFL Films productions follow specific patterns. Film is predominantly used, with one camera dedicated entirely to slow-motion shots, microphones positioned on the sidelines and near the field to capture both the sounds of the games and the conversations on the sidelines, and narrators with deep, powerful, baritone voices are preferred. Narrators have typically hailed from the Philadelphia metropolitan area, including well-known announcers like Jefferson Kaye, Harry Kalas, John Facenda, Andy Musser, Jack Whitaker, William Woodson, and current announcer Scott Graham, all of whom have narrated NFL Films presentations at various times. J.K. Simmons was chosen to narrate the company's one-hour recap of the 16-0 regular season of the 2007 New England Patriots, while actor Burt Lancaster was selected for narrations in 1969. Burl Ives narrated the 1971 Washington Redskins highlight film. Team-specific films, such as year-in-review films, have occasionally been narrated by broadcasters or personalities associated with the team in question. For instance, the 1985, 2000, and 2001 Oakland Raiders season reviews were narrated by actor and former Raiders player Carl Weathers. Former Giant Frank Gifford periodically narrated New York Giants season reviews (notably the company's throwback-themed 2013 season recap) until his passing in 2015, and ex-Giants teammate Pat Summerall narrated highlight films for many teams until his death in 2013. New England Patriots play-by-play announcer Gil Santos narrated the year-in-review films for the 1974, 1976, and 1978 seasons, while New Orleans Saints films from their inception in 1967 through 1979 were narrated by Don Criqui, who called Saints games for the NFL on CBS in the team's early years, along with radio announcers Al Wester and Wayne Mack. The style has been described as tight on the spiral, referring to the frequently-used slow-motion shot of the spinning football as it travels from the quarterback's hand to the receiver. This shot typically shows the quarterback throwing the football, then the camera zooming in to focus on the spinning ball, and as the ball begins to descend, the camera zooms out, revealing the ball traveling into the receiver's hands. NFL Films also overlays sound bites from local radio broadcasts over key plays, as radio announcers are often more enthusiastic about their home teams than network television broadcasters. Additionally, NFL Films frequently employs multiple camera angles (with an emphasis on close-up shots that often exaggerate the players' speed in real time). The company's films also feature powerful orchestral scores from a diverse range of musicians, notably Sam Spence, Johnny Pearson (whose "Heavy Action" became the theme for Monday Night Football), Frank Rothman, Ralph Dollimore, Udi Harpaz, Malcolm Lockyer, Jan Stoeckart (under various stage names such as Jack Trombey), Peter Reno, Paul Lewis, Prameela Tomashek, Dave Robidoux, and Tom Hedden. The company's use of KPM Musichouse tracks notably included Syd Dale; tracks include "Malestrom" for the company's 1968 Minnesota Vikings season highlight reel and the psychedelic-flavored jazz track "Artful Dodger" in the film recap of Super Bowl V, specifically during the montage showcasing Johnny Unitas' 75-yard touchdown pass to John Mackey, which was tipped in flight by Eddie Hinton and Mel Renfro before bouncing to Mackey. The company also makes extensive use of footage of players and coaches in the locker room after games. Through these techniques, NFL Films transforms football games into events that resemble ballet, opera, and epic battle stories. Among the company's most famous creations is the poem and accompanying music cue "The Autumn Wind," which have become official themes for the Oakland Raiders.