How's TopGear Made?

[YipMing]

Sorry if this has been discussed before. Took a search but gave up after looking through 10 pages of miscellaneous topics.

Anyway, just like to know how's TopGear filmed?

My guess would be that they film special features and car testdrives beforehand during offseason times.

And then shoot the Stars in a Reasonably Priced car on a day close to the broadcast date for the particular eps, follow later on with the presentation with live audiences including the interview, news and a blurb about some cars (Perhaps cool wall).

During the presentation they would play pre-recorded testdrives and Stig-drives.


So am I correct about how it's produced?

[Cruzz563]

Spot on, I'd say

[Scud]

The stars in the junk car is filmed on the same day as they have the same clothes on in the car and in the studio.


Then they just have a talk show basicly with alot of people around.

BTW if you haven't figured it out by now well here it is.

They follow a script that been made for the show.
The so called funny parts have been planned for and that's why they ask each other in the news whos turn it is to say what.

Same thing they all know about the socalled challanges they have.
Why cause Hammster started to explain how JC manage to catch them or something else after he had done a poor acting job of being suprised that JC won.

It's all a big setup but it's funny to watch and I mostly watch it cause of the news and the start they have cause those are the best parts.

[YipMing]

hmm ... so all the "insults" are pre-planned too?

suppose so, sometimes they are rather ... slack.

[bihus]

Originally Posted by YipMing

hmm ... so all the "insults" are pre-planned too?

suppose so, sometimes they are rather ... slack.

I suppose not all of them. SOmetimes they must have only guidelines, and improvise a little, I guess.

[Buba]

^^ Guess so, too...

[controlspecimen]

From what I've been able to pick up, the script only has general guidelines such as "Following a Hammond road test, Clarkson and Hammond argue about Hammond's opinion of the 911".

One of the more blatant slips of the tongue regarding the script was when Hammond tested the Wildcat offroad racer, and it clocked a rather poor time compared to the other sports cars on the Power Lab Board. Hammond said that it was still very impressive for a 4x4, and Clarkson said, "actually it is very impressive. It says in the script I should argue with you, but that is a seriously fast car."

[Raven18940]

[sarcasm]What? You mean everytime they do a road test they don't run outside with a video camera. [/sarcasm]

edit: It wasn't obvious enough.

[bihus]

Originally Posted by Raven18940

What? You mean everytime they do a road test they don't run outside with a video camera.

Of course not. They have almost all of the road tests filmed before the season starts. On the first show, they show a lot of previews.

[Raven18940]

I was being sarcastic

[bihus]

Originally Posted by Raven18940

I was being sarcastic

No need to be mad at me. I bet there were a lot of people dying to do the same commentary you made but felt ashamed.

[Raven18940]

I'm not mad, but that's the closest smiley to a glare.

[jeffy777]

you can tell bits of the stuff is spontaneous, like when Jeremy picks on some unlucky shmuck in the crowd. But I guess they could plan that out too, but it doesn't really seem like it.

edit: spelling

[Raven18940]

Those are the best, especially when he pushes someone all the way outside. He hasn't done that in a while though.

[Renesis]

I'm sure most of it is planned, even bits they want us to think that are improvised, just think about a humor show, they carefully plan the errors and stuff, even some faked improvisation... so you think you had more than the others, but no.. they got the exact same show as you did.

[ChaoZ]

Originally Posted by Renesis

I'm sure most of it is planned, even bits they want us to think that are improvised, just think about a humor show, they carefully plan the errors and stuff, even some faked improvisation... so you think you had more than the others, but no.. they got the exact same show as you did.

Even the Jesus and Jetta-driving Ferrari fan bits?

[Jasruler]

I'm a big fan of improv comedy and have some acting backround, heres my two cents:


The talk-show bit is going to be scripted with guidelines about what topic they'll be on, and with a few relevant statistics. Aside from that it would appear the guys more or less improv it. I'm sure they are sometimes nudged into arguing or defending something they normally wouldn't, its obvious they don't take too much stake in it, as JC showed with his "Script says" comment.

Obviously the "Theory" stuff is pre-thought out if not written down.

To Renesis: When you have a few guys who can play off each other and are confident with thier talking, you don't have to give them pre-planned lines, and its easier to just say "heres the material, topics, some stats, go to town."


The road-test type things are 100% scripted, I'm sure.

[andyhui01]

since we're on this topic... does anyone know if the cross-country races are staged?

[roundhead]

Originally Posted by andyhui01

since we're on this topic... does anyone know if the cross-country races are staged?

dunno whether it's staged, or whether someone (a producer's lackey?) has meticulously researched routes and found locations where they should arrive at almost the same time... so it's only the unforseen events that decides the winner.

that's my take on it anyway, i wouldn't say it was "staged" but rather well planned in order to guarantee a close result.

[Buba]

I really hope not!!!

And I WANNA believe Jezza, when he tell us that "I wanna make it clear, that we really did meet on Verbier High Street..."
But I bet my ass, they plan the routes so that it will be a tight one... Clarkson just puts the pedal to the metal and screws the planning and wins.

Buba