High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008)

Director:

Kenny Ortega

Writers (WGA):

Peter Barsocchini (written by)
Peter Barsocchini (characters)

Release Date:

24 October 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

high school graduation

Plot:

As seniors in high school, Troy and Gabriella struggle with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical to address their experiences, hopes and fears about their future.

Plot Keywords:

High School | Basketball | High School Musical | Third Part | High School Graduation

Awards:

7 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Zac Efron	...	Troy Bolton
Vanessa Hudgens	...	Gabriella Montez
Ashley Tisdale	...	Sharpay Evans
Lucas Grabeel	...	Ryan Evans
Corbin Bleu	...	Chad Danforth
Monique Coleman	...	Taylor McKessie
Olesya Rulin	...	Kelsi Nielsen
Chris Warren Jr.	...	Zeke Baylor
Ryne Sanborn	...	Jason Cross
KayCee Stroh	...	Martha Cox
Bart Johnson	...	Coach Jack Bolton
Alyson Reed	...	Ms. Darbus
Matt Prokop	...	Jimmie Zara
Justin Martin	...	Donny Dion
Jemma McKenzie-Brown	...	Tiara Gold
Leslie Wing	...	Mrs. Bolton (as Leslie Wing Pomeroy)
Socorro Herrera	...	Mrs. Montez
David Reivers	...	Mr. Danforth
Yolanda Wood	...	Mrs. Danforth
Robert Curtis Brown	...	Mr. Evans
Jessica Tuck	...	Mrs. Evans
Joey Miyashima	...	Principal Matsui
Stan Ellsworth	...	Mr. Riley
Dave Fox	...	Coach Kellogg
Jeremy Banks	...	Stagehand
Todd Snyder	...	Mr. Juilliard
Tara Starling	...	Ms. Juilliard
Manly Ortega	...	Sharpay's Dog Boi (as Manly 'Little Pickles' Ortega)
Bayli Baker	...	Principal Dancer
Shawn Carter	...	Principal Dancer
Katie Cockrell	...	Principal Dancer
Max Ehrich	...	Principal Dancer
Italo Elgueta	...	Principal Dancer
Christina Glur	...	Principal Dancer
Jaimie Goodwin	...	Principal Dancer
Mollee Gray	...	Principal Dancer
Charles Klapow	...	Principal Dancer
Kimberly Klapow	...	Principal Dancer
Nick Lanzisera	...	Principal Dancer (as Nicholas Lanzisera)
Roger Malaga	...	Principal Dancer
Doug Penikas	...	Principal Dancer
Jameson Perry	...	Principal Dancer
Tia Robinson	...	Principal Dancer
Haylee Roderick	...	Principal Dancer
Britt Stewart	...	Principal Dancer
Jason Williams	...	Principal Dancer
Nikola Clark	...	Featured Dancer - Now or Never
Audra Griffis	...	Featured Dancer - Now or Never
Megan Honore	...	Featured Dancer - Now or Never
Cara Horibe	...	Featured Dancer - Now or Never
David Huff	...	Featured Dancer - Now or Never
Melissa Magleby	...	Featured Dancer - Now or Never
Allysa Shorte	...	Featured Dancer - Now or Never
Mercedes Bailey	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Lisa Benson	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Christina Bluth	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Nacole Brown	...	Featured Dancer - I Want It All
Erica L. Bryce	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Taylor Cate	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Stacey Clark	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Lacey Derrick	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Mallauri Esquibel	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Alexander Farnsworth	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Hayley Folsom	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Raquel Goodsell	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Daysha Hannemann	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Adair Hensley	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Bailee Hunsaker	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Kelene Johnson	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Kaelee Jones	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Tiffany Mallari	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Nina Miller	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Seneca Miner	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Taylour Paige	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Amber Snow	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Jessica Snowden	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Kelsey Peterson Tanner	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Tyler Welling	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Chelsea Williams	...	Featured Dancer - I Want it All
Tadd Gadduang	...	Featured Dancer - The Boys Are Back
Kaleb Henderson	...	Featured Dancer - The Boys Are Back
Skyler Johnson	...	Featured Dancer - The Boys Are Back
Miguel Olague	...	Featured Dancer - The Boys Are Back
Chris Owens	...	Featured Dancer - The Boys Are Back
Tui-Niua Tuita	...	Featured Dancer - The Boys Are Back
Josh Unice	...	Featured Dancer - The Boys Are Back
Zack Wilson	...	Featured Dancer - The Boys Are Back / Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Katie Allred	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Kelli Baker	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Chaz Bodily	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Averie DelGrosso	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
D.J. Guthrie	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Casey Harward	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Jaremy Hill	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Eldon Johnson	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Noelle Menard	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Jen Osorio	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Junar Pasco	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical (as Junar 'J.J' Pasco Jr.)
Brandon Perry	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Sydney T. Sorenson	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Jessie Thacker	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Hefa Leone Tuita	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Lisa Whittaker	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
Veronica Yeager	...	Featured Dancer - High School Musical
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Johnny Ahn	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Deuandra T. Brown	...	Student (uncredited)
Mason Steel Davis	...	Student (uncredited)
Beau Dunn	...	Student / Dancer (uncredited)
Darren Fromal	...	Teacher (uncredited)
Joe Manuel Gallegos Jr.	...	Graduation day dancer (uncredited)
Brad Johnson	...	Assistant Coach (uncredited)
Toiya Leatherwood	...	Student / dancer (uncredited)
Ben Naccarato	...	Teacher (uncredited)
Mary Alice Nelson	...	Student (uncredited)
Priscilla Poland	...	Dancer / Student (uncredited)
Kade Smith	...	Party Goer (uncredited)
Nick Whitaker	...	Spring Musical Guitar Player (uncredited)

Directed by
Kenny Ortega

Writing credits (WGA)
Peter Barsocchini		(written by)
Peter Barsocchini		(characters)

Produced by
Bill Borden	....	producer
Kenny Ortega	....	executive producer
Barry Rosenbush	....	producer
Don Schain	....	co-producer

Original Music by
David Lawrence

Cinematography by
Daniel Aranyó		(director of photography) (as Daniel Aranyo)

Film Editing by
Don Brochu

Casting by
Natalie Hart
Jeff Johnson
Jason La Padura

Production Design by
Mark Hofeling

Art Direction by
Wing Lee

Set Decoration by
Ken Kirchner

Costume Design by
Caroline Marx

Makeup Department
Jodi Gleave	....	assistant makeup artist
Charlene Johnson	....	hair stylist (as Charlene C. Johnson)
Lora Lang	....	key hair stylist (as Lora Laing)
Troy Lunt	....	assistant makeup artist
Christianna Mower	....	first assistant hair stylist (as Christianna M. Mower)
Robin Michelle Patrick	....	key makeup artist
Tara Starling	....	first assistant makeup artist (as Tara Paige Starling)
Katherine Ward	....	hair stylist
Christel Edwards	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Jeanette Charlene Johnson	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Shauna Miller	....	production supervisor
Don Schain	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christopher Barnes	....	second assistant director: second unit
John David Denison	....	second assistant director: second unit
Brent Geisler	....	second second assistant director
Mark Hansson	....	first assistant director
Craig L. Steiner	....	first assistant director: second unit
Heather Toone	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Burke Bowthorpe	....	set dresser
Russell Evans	....	foreman
Wray Featherstone	....	property master assistant
Shane Feulner	....	carpenter
Darrin Fletcher	....	storyboard artist
James Gambino	....	typesetting
Adam Henderson	....	set dresser
Michael T. Higgins	....	set dresser
Konnor Jenson	....	leadman
Michael Kirkland	....	scenic foreman
John Malmborg	....	construction coordinator
Gloria Murphy	....	assistant property master
Richard T. Olson	....	art department coordinator
Seth Sieunarine	....	set dresser
Kee Miller	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Odin Benitez	....	sound effects editor
Jason Brady	....	sound utility
G.W. Brown	....	dialogue editor
Douglas Cameron	....	production sound mixer
Steve Copley	....	foley mixer
Brian Dinkins	....	sound recordist
Stefan Fraticelli	....	foley artist
Michael Fugal	....	sound mixer
Joseph L. Garrard	....	boom operator
Eric Gillingham	....	sound editor
Jeff Gomillion	....	adr mixer
Jamie Hardt	....	co-supervising sound editor
Marisa Kelley	....	sound intern
John Kwiatkowski	....	adr & dialogue editor
John Leveque	....	supervising sound editor
Ron Malligers	....	foley mixer
Morten Folmer Nielsen	....	adr editor
Morten Folmer Nielsen	....	adr recordist
Michele Perrone	....	supervising dialogue editor
Paul D. Poduska	....	sound librarian
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Charles W. Ritter	....	adr & dialogue editor
Philip Rogers	....	adr recordist
John Sievert	....	foley artist
Todd Toon	....	sound effects editor
Randy Wilson	....	foley mixer
Dean A. Zupancic	....	sound re-recording mixer
Christian Schaanning	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Rodrigo Armendariz	....	digital compositor
Ryan Beadle	....	digital I/O
Eric Belanger	....	digital compositor
Eddie Bonin	....	visual effects
Gayle Busby	....	visual effects producer
Meliza Fermin	....	digital compositor
Diego Galtieri	....	digital compositor
Shaina Holmes	....	digital artist supervisor
Jared Jones	....	digital compositor
Jason Korber	....	digital compositor
Daniel Kumiega	....	visual effects
Sara Lee	....	visual effects producer: Stargate Digital
Brenda Li	....	digital compositor
Erin L. Nelson	....	digital restoration
Anthony Ocampo	....	3D artist
Steven Joseph Rogers	....	visual effects
Jon Rosenthal	....	digital effects artist
Jon Rosenthal	....	visual effects artist
Stephen Seledee	....	visual effects editor
Mark Spatny	....	vfx supervising producer: Stargate Digital
Brent A. Steinberg	....	visual effects artist
Wilson Tang	....	digital restoration

Stunts
Frank L. Bare II	....	stunt rigger

Camera and Electrical Department
Dean Aoki	....	first assistant camera
John Bramley	....	still photographer
Sergio Cheney	....	electrician
Jason Fife	....	key grip
Glenn Fisk	....	jib operator
Brandon Gleave	....	rigging electrician
Jeff Gustafson	....	second assistant camera: "c" camera
Fred Hayes	....	still photographer
Richard Hendricks	....	best boy grip
Gary Johnson	....	second assistant camera
Mike Law	....	grip
Josh Lee	....	electrician
Fredrick Lindbeck	....	best boy electric
Andrew Mitchell	....	camera operator
Don Muirhead	....	Steadicam operator
Don Muirhead	....	camera operator
Gaylen Nebeker	....	video assist
Loren Nebeker	....	camera remote technician
Rick Page	....	first assistant camera
Rick Page	....	key first assistant camera: second unit
David 'D.R.' Rhineer	....	first assistant camera
Jonathan Roatcap	....	grip
Nate Stock	....	camera dolly
Nathan Stock	....	dolly grip
Brian Sullivan	....	second director of photography
Craig Sullivan	....	dolly grip: "b" camera
Craig Sullivan	....	key grip: second unit
Jon Tilton	....	electrician
Remi Tournois	....	camera operator
Jason Walser	....	dolly grip
Peter Weiland	....	lighting technician
Peter Weiland	....	rigging best boy
Garlan Wilde	....	gaffer
Benjamin Hunt	....	camera production assistant (uncredited)
Ryan Muirhead	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Chris Bustard	....	extras casting: Los Angeles
Kelly Valentine Hendry	....	casting associate: UK
Caitlin McKenna-Wilkinson	....	adr voice casting
Shawn Mehling	....	dancer casting associate
Gayle Minkevitch-Jensen	....	extras casting coordinator
Ashley Morgan	....	dancer casting associate
Melissa Moss	....	casting associate
Tye Nelson	....	casting assistant
Kendra Patterson	....	casting assistant
Gail Stevens	....	casting: UK
Yong Yun	....	extras casting assistant
Clay Robeson	....	extras casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cindy Albertson	....	costumer
Zoya Bergam	....	head cutter/fitter
Isabela Braga	....	costume supervisor
Jennifer Breeden	....	set costumer
Georgia Fletcher	....	costumer
Alyson Hancey	....	costumer
Katie Holland	....	costumer
Barbara Nelson	....	key costumer
Sonja A. Nelson	....	wardrobe
Natalie Pascual	....	costumer
Carlane Passman	....	costume supervisor
Christina Phipps Johnson	....	costumer
Antonia Romeo	....	costumer
Kacie Seamons	....	costumer
Ric Spencer	....	assistant costume designer
Jill Stoutz	....	costumer
Brooke Westberg	....	set costumer
Karen Yan	....	costume illustrator

Editorial Department
David Abramson	....	first assistant editor
George Chavez	....	color timer
Erica Flaum	....	first assistant editor
Seth Flaum	....	additional editor
Trent Johnson	....	digital film colorist
Brad Tobler	....	apprentice editor
Everette Webber	....	digital intermediate editor

Music Department
Pancho Burgos-Goizueta	....	additional score preparation
David Giuli	....	orchestrator
Jennifer Hammond	....	music arranger
Jennifer Hammond	....	orchestrator
Tom Hardisty	....	digital score recordist
Julia Harriman	....	chorus
Tanya Noel Hill	....	music editor
Charles Martin Inouye	....	music editor
Fred Kron	....	music arranger
Fred Kron	....	orchestrator
Frank Macchia	....	orchestrator
Joseph Magee	....	supervising music mixer
Hal Oppenheim	....	composer: stock music
Jason Poss	....	music transcription
Mark Robinette	....	technical advisor: piano
Peter Rotter	....	music contractor
Steven Vincent	....	music supervisor
Booker White	....	head of music preparation

Transportation Department
Kelly Klindt	....	driver: grip truck
Rick Spidell	....	driver

Other crew
Bayli Baker	....	assistant choreographer
Dallin Bassett	....	key office production assistant
Karen J. Borja	....	assistant: Mr. Borden & Mr. Rosenbush (as Karen Borja)
Michelle Brinkerhoff	....	assistant: Mr. Schain
Felix Chen	....	payroll accountant
Gracie Cirinna	....	second assistant accountant
Sam Dabbs	....	sing along text designer
Jeanie Daniels	....	post-production accountant
Steven Doxey	....	production assistant
Karin Fong	....	title designer
Carole Fontana	....	location manager
Jonathan Gershon	....	title designer
Kipling Hicks	....	assistant production coordinator
Paula Jack	....	dialect coach: pre-production
Charles Klapow	....	choreographer
Rob LaFollette	....	technical advisor: basketball
Nathan D. Lee	....	production assistant
Skip Lowe	....	technical advisor: basketball
Clay Maw	....	assistant location manager
Rachel Moceri	....	production assistant
Kate Morrison	....	script supervisor
Kenny Ortega	....	choreographer
Ryan Pederson	....	key set production assistant
James Phares	....	assistant: Mr. Ortega
Ryan Poland	....	office production assistant
Hadeel Sittu	....	additional voices
Bonnie Story	....	choreographer
Matthew Temple	....	production associate
Angelo Vacco	....	adr loop group
Cortland Wilson	....	production secretary
Judith Babcock	....	technical supervisor: dailies (uncredited)

Thanks
Jon M. Huntsman Jr.	....	special thanks (as Governor Jon M. Huntsman Jr.)
Marshall Moore	....	special thanks
Jason Perry	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Borden and Rosenbush Entertainment
• Walt Disney Pictures

Distributors

• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Entertainment (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2008) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Sony Pictures Releasing (BVSPR) (2008) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Falcon (2008) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Saturn Enternainment (2008) (Slovakia) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2009) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Finland (2008) (Finland) (all media)

Special Effects

• Technicolor Digital Intermediates (opticals)
• Stargate Digital (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Nebtek  camera remote head
• Nebtek  video assist equipment
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Imaginary Forces  main and end titles
• LCW Props  set equipment
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Redman Movies and Stories  camera cranes
• Redman Movies and Stories  camera dollies
• Redman Movies and Stories  camera remote head
• Redman Movies and Stories  condors and lifts
• Redman Movies and Stories  electric package
• Redman Movies and Stories  expendables
• Redman Movies and Stories  generators
• Redman Movies and Stories  grip and lighting equipment
• Redman Movies and Stories  grip package
• Redman Movies and Stories  lighting
• Redman Movies and Stories  special effects equipment
• Redman Movies and Stories  trailers
• Redman Movies and Stories  trucks
• Right Lobe Design Group  sing-along titles
• Studio 8 Sound  post-production sound services
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  digital intermediate
• Walt Disney Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

H.S.M. 3 (USA) (informal title)
Haunted High School Musical (USA) (working title)
High School Musical 3: Gradu-Dancin' (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:G (certificate #44768) | Ireland:G | UK:U | Australia:G | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Sweden:Btl | Norway:A | Chile:TE | Portugal:M/6 | Canada:G | Hong Kong:I | South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Malaysia:U | Peru:PT | New Zealand:G | Brazil:Livre | South Africa:A | Mexico:A

Filming Locations:

East High School - 840 S 1300 E, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Company:

Borden and Rosenbush Entertainment

Trivia:

Sharpay's ringtone is "Fabulous" from the second movie.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Even though it is presumably May or June (around the time of graduation), in the scene where Coach Bolton confronts Troy about Julliard, you can see the breaths of both actors.

Quotes:

Troy Bolton: I figured you'd be the last one out of the building.
Gabriella Montez: I don't believe this.
Troy Bolton: I took a wrong turn on the way to prom. So did you.
Gabriella Montez: You are so crazy, Wildcat. And what is it with you and trees?
Troy Bolton: I guess I see things clearly from up here.
Gabriella Montez: Well, you look handsome. Prom is tonight in Albuquerque, 1000 miles away.
Troy Bolton: [he jumps down from the tree] My prom is where ever you are.
[he pulls out a corsage]
Troy Bolton: If I'm gonna have a last dance at East High, it's gonna be with you.
[he puts it on her wrist]

Movie Connections:

References Dirty Dancing (1987)

Soundtrack:

Fabulous

An entertaining film with many flaws but many of them come with the territory and shouldn't be met with too much surprise

The low score on IMDb is representative of the majority opinion of those that are not really within the target audience of this film, however it is also the opinion of those who have never watched any of the High School Musical films for themselves. Rather than accepting that the film is not for them they also feel the need to deride it as worthless when really they mean that nothing about it holds any value for them. This is not the same as the HSM films being brilliant though – just I think that they come in for some overly harsh criticism by those that seem surprised that they do exactly what they propose to do. In a way it is like complaining that Star Wars is an awful film because it is a sci-fi.

OK, there is plenty wrong with HSM3. The plot is obvious but yet full of sanitised relationships and situations, cloying moral messages and forced sentiment and certainly if you are watching it as a film then yes there is plenty that is clunky. However it is probably not fair to pick holes in all of the obvious stuff while ignoring that it does actually do a good job as a musical. Have you been to a musical? It tends to bring cheesy overacting, big smiles, easy sentiment, big musical numbers and not a lot of room for gritty reality of teenage life and the messy business of teenage relationships – that HSM3 has all these faults is not really something that I'm going to kick it about. It is a bit overlong though and, at almost two hours it does have sections that appear to have little forward motion and perhaps lack pace or a sense of fun that it does when it is in good form. It could and should have lost at least 20 minutes in there somewhere and would have been better for it – although I know that Disney see it as a flagship product recently so want to do more with it. It must also be said that several of the musical numbers are not as fun as they should have been. Some don't inspire in terms of choreography and several of the songs come over as rather bland and samey.

The cast do well, although I understand why some viewers do not like the performances. Efron may not have a great range to expand out of this but he is a great presence in the film – he does singing and dancing really well and has a light touch that makes him easy to like. Likewise Hudgens, for all her photographic "scandals" delivers a wonderfully light turn that is nothing but sweetness. OK neither of them come over as real people but they are sweet and enjoyable couple at the heart of the film. As before Tisdale is fun and bitchy without being unlikeable and she works well with Grabeel. Bleu has less to do than before and I didn't think he was used that well – likewise Coleman.

Overall HSM3 is far from a great film. It is clunky and obvious, overlong, cheesy and is not the sort of thing that will win over viewers who do not like cheesy musicals – but it is a bit harsh to blame that on the film when it is pretty clear from the start that this is what it is setting out to be. It should not be given total forgiveness for its flaws and of course the casual viewer may be left a bit cold by aspects of it but if you are happy to meet it on its terms then it is a reasonably good (if sanitised and soullessly packaged) product.