Directions: TV DRAMA 2

As part of my research process for the directions unit I have chosen to look at The Walking Dead (2010). My main reasons for choosing it are because I am a fan of the show and it's style, and because it is produced by the same network (AMC) as Breaking Bad (2008).

A poster for the current season of the show

A bit of background info...

The Walking Dead is an American horror drama tv series based on the comic book series of the same name. It follows a group of people who have to battle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world overrun with zombies. The main character, Rick Grimes, is played by British actor Andrew Lincoln. So far the show has run for six seasons, with the first season premiering in October 2010. The show was developed by Frank Darabont who based it on the comic book series created by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard.

Frank Darabont on set with the famous Dead Girl, the
first 'walker' to be seen on The Walking Dead

Over the years the show has been directed by numerous directors. The season 1 premiere was directed by developer Frank Darabont. Recurring directors include Ernest R. Dickerson, Greg Nicotero, and Guy Ferland. Michelle MacLaren, who has directed many episodes of Breaking Bad, has also directed 3 episodes of The Walking Dead.

How does The Walking Dead influence me?

Similar to Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead has its own signature style. It's handheld and grainy style influences me because it's the kind of style I aim for with my own work. They're able to achieve this look by shooting on 16mm film. When testing cameras out, the team looked at shooting both digital and film, but eventually found that 16mm allowed them to achieve the grainy look that allowed the make-up effects to be most believable. Whilst shooting The Walking Dead, they tend to use a multi-camera setup (usually 2 or 3), because it allows them to capture something from many unique angles without having to keep running through a scene.

One DOP on The Walking Dead who likes using 3 cameras is David Boyd. He has directed numerous episodes over the years. He likes to use the third camera to tell the story in a different way to the other two cameras. He uses cameras A and B to capture the ordinary and compulsory medium shots, close ups and over the shoulder shots. He then uses camera C to capture something odd. He uses it to show what the characters are thinking, usually something that finds them looking or finding something in their hands. He says it's the key that opens the door to something deep that you don't get with the usual shots.

Another DOP on The Walking Dead is Michael Satrazemis. He likes to shoot long takes and allow the actors to explore a scene themselves. They don't have to stop when the director shouts "Cut!", instead they can continue if they think the scene could develop more. He doesn't like to cut too often, sometimes something can be done in just one take and look great.

This scene from S5E16 was shot in one full take. The camera
was on a technocrane which followed her into the hole before
pulling out to reveal her surroundings.

Behind the scenes look

In terms of lighting, The Walking Dead has always been very dark. The show uses shadows and light very well, and loves to use exteriors for night scenes, something most would steer away from because of low lighting.

So to answer the question, this is how The Walking Dead influences my work:

• I am planning to shoot mostly handheld. This is a technique that The Walking Dead uses very well, however sometimes they do use many other techniques, like a dolly or a crane. Every time they stick the camera on a tripod, there is a good reason. So I will think about when I will and when I won't use a tripod. To tell a good story visually, I may need to keep the camera still and only move it if the movement is motivated by the story.
• I will attempt to achieve the gritty and grainy look. It's a look I think will work very well in my scenes, especially Scene 2. If I can't achieve it in camera, I will play about with the footage a little to see what I can do.
• As I have said before, I will consider shooting with two cameras because it can help save time and allow me to capture some more unusual angles that stray away from the usual conventions of TV drama.
• I will think about shooting long takes that allow the actors to explore and develop the scene. I can then cut in different angles in the edit if I think they are required to build the scene.

And that's how The Walking Dead influences my work.