Directions | Contextual Research: The Walking Dead

Though I have already researched Frank Darabont's The Walking Dead, he was only in charge of the show for the first season and part o the second, and now the show is up to its seventh season, the overall style of how the show is made has changed somewhat since then.

There are several contradicting sources as to why Frank Darabont was 'fired' from The Walking Dead, but a lot of them seem to agree that it was down to budget and disagreements with the pacing of the show.  Despite being AMC's most successful pilot series, the budget was slashed, AMC increased the episode count per series from 6 episode to 13 and wanted to use half as much of the source material to last twice as long in the series.  This meant that the pacing of the show changed dramatically - The Walking Dead became a series that prioritised character development over development of the plot, and also a series that could not afford to hire a three-time academy award nominee as their showrunner, especially if they had creative disagreements that prevented the producers from doing what they wanted to with the show.

Regardless of how things with Frank Darabont turned out, the show has thrived and continued to be successful and renewed for many seasons under then control of Glen Mazzara for seasons two and three, then Scott Gimple from season 4 to the current season 7.  Although the overall visual style of The Walking Dead has not changed that dramatically - the entire series is shot on 16mm film which gives it that grainy look which adds to the bleak view of the apocalypse - we see very different styles of pacing with both Mazzara and Gimple.  Mazarra's seasons tend to focus on one location per season and explore how the characters' relationships with each other change  and develop as a result of these different scenarios.  Gimple's seasons seem to move around more than Mazzara's in terms of geography but the characterisation seems somewhat disjointed; for example, sometimes episodes will only follow one particular character which breaks the flow of events but also allows for some really fleshed-out characterisation.  In my opinion, whilst I appreciate the need for characterisation in television, by spending entire episodes on singular characters, I find there is little payoff and it detracts from the excitement of the show.  One 'characterisation episode' in season 5 even ended with the character's death, so it felt like such a waste to explore all the potential for this character and then just to end it felt really disappointing.

Even though the plot aspect of The Walking Dead can fluctuate in quality, it is without a doubt that the show thrives through its visual storytelling via special effects and locations.  Greg Nicotero is co-producer and special make-up effects supervisor for The Walking Dead, and has also directed a number of episodes.  He is a master of special effects makeup and it is clear that he put a lot of effort into the visuals of the 'walkers' (zombies).  Each walker on the show is put through "zombie school" in which extras are taught to move like a zombie should.  They are then split into three categories: hero, midground, and deep background.  The 'hero walkers' are in full body makeup as they are closest to the camera, 'midground walkers' wear more subtle coloured and tonal makeup, whilst the 'deep background walkers' often wear masks as they are too far from the character for any detail to be picked up.  It astounds me how many extras can be involved in a TV show such as this, and I feel it is vital for a production such as this to utilise the practical effects and makeup to create an authentic feeling atmosphere to the show, so I will aim to put a lot of effort into this area of production.

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Real-Reason-Frank-Darabont-Was-Fired-From-Walking-Dead-34197.html
http://movieweb.com/walking-dead-frank-darabont-lawsuit-deposition-amc/
http://screenrant.com/walking-dead-frank-darabont-amc/

Directions | Production Notes: Script + Shot List

I transcribed the scene into a script that I would be using for shooting, and I was initially concerned that it was too short, however my scene involves a lot of action compared to the amount of dialogue, and so I will still have enough script for 6-7 minutes of screen-time.  I have altered the ordering of the scene slightly and opted to involve Rick more when he hallucinates Shane in the hospital room.

Here is my final shooting script.

Now it was time to plan out how I was going to shoot the film by making a shot list.  As I found in the first unit, this was incredibly useful when it came to filming and since the focus is now on directing, this will be vital to ensuring I shoot exactly what I need to.

I plotted out exactly how I would shoot each scene on the shot list, which would serve as a basis for how I would shoot each scene.

Directions | Production Notes: Casting

When I read the brief for this unit, this was the part that I felt the most nervous about.  Shooting a film with people I know is daunting enough, but reaching out to strangers to help with my work seemed a scary prospect, especially as this is not the area of production that I would like to go into.  However once I started to get into contact with actors, I was pleasantly surprised at how affable the actors were once they had responded to my advert.  I had previously only considered that I would have to direct them, and so they would be relying on my for direction and help, when in reality, they are also benefiting from working on my film by experience and as something to add to their showreel.  This led me to the understanding that casting actors is a mutually beneficial necessity and not something to be afraid of (I may change my mind when it comes to shooting, we shall see).

I used Casting Call Pro to post my advert.  I found the process fairly straightforward, here is the advert I posted:

I made sure to emphasis the fact that this is a student project and that I would only be able to pay for travel expenses, food and drink.  I also decided not to attach a reference photo of the original actors (Andrew Lincoln and Jon Bernthal), as I wanted to focus on the acting talent rather than how closely they resemble the actors.

Rick Grimes

I had many actors put themselves forward for the role of Rick and I was pleased that some seemed genuinely interested in the role.  I looked through each showreel and carefully considered which actors I felt fit the role best.  Some simply didn't fit the brief - for example, one actor was of a large build, which frankly would not be fitting for a serving police officer who has been in a coma for a month.  Another was able to play roles 40-50, where I advertised the role as 25-35.

However, I have narrowed my choices down to two potential actors.  After contacting both choices, I am yet to hear back from them and I am becoming worried that they may not get back to me in time.  Therefore, I have reached out to a friend of mine who acted in my first unit piece.  Whilst he previously played a younger character, I feel that he would make a good Rick through his physical performance.  He also has the look I am going for, which can be enhanced through makeup.  I will keep him on standby if my actors from Casting Call Pro do not respond - I feel that either option would be effective in playing Rick.

Shane Walsh

I had several actors put their names forward for the role of Shane.  As I did with Rick, I sat and watched each showreel, however there was one actor in particular that stood out most for me.  He fit the physical appearance and his performances in his showreel were good, but he clearly had read the brief in full and he knows the original show.  I feel that with this knowledge of the character, he will be able to give a more convincing performance, so I reached out to him.

He has since replied and agreed to play Shane in my film and I have provided him with the script and details as to when and where we will be filming.

Directions | Lighting and DSLR Workshops

Lighting is something that I have taken into consideration before but have never really had any knowledge or experience as to how to properly light a scene.  We had two workshops on lighting, firstly looking at three-point lighting and then moving onto experimenting with expressive lighting.

We were first shown the standard lighting equipment used in the television and film industry - we focused on using fresnel lighting.  These lights can be toned down with the use of 'scrim', which is a circular mesh that cover the light by varying degrees to decrease the intensity of the lights.  You can also use coloured 'gels' which filter the light into different colours.

Three-point lighting is a very basic but effective way of lighting a scene, usually used for interviews or for a single person in front of the camera.  This is a simple set up and is more of a functional use of lighting than an artistic or expressive.

We experimented with more interesting lighting setups the following week.  I wanted to see how we could achieve a silhouetted effect by placing the lights behind the subjects which I was considering using for my project.  Whilst I thought this looked interesting and could work in my project, I felt the effect was almost too surreal for the mood I was aiming for so instead we played around with three-point lighting again and used it as a basis for making more interesting effects with the light.

I enjoyed working with the lights, but I do not feel I should meddle too much with trying to make particularly abstract and obscure lighting set ups, instead I feel as though my project would suit more natural lighting to convey the tone I want to.  I will still see where I could use the fresnel lights for my shoot in case the lights I have available on set do not work how I want them to.

After working with lights, we looked at using DSLR cameras for filming.  Throughout the course I have been used to using the Sony EX cameras, so it was somewhat refreshing to look at a different and more affordable alternative.  Although the DSLR cameras we were using were limited with regards to changing colour, saturation etc, we were able to change the lenses to achieve different effects.  I particularly liked the shallow depth of field effect you could achieve on a DSLR, which is certainly something I would like to look into for my film.

In another workshop, we looked at the extra attachments for the DSLR cameras, mainly stabilisation tools like the fig rig and steadicam.  I found the steadicam incredibly difficult to use, but it is something I would like to try again in the future as I really like the fluid movement you can get from using a steadicam.

Directions | Contextual Research: Utopia (TV Drama)

Utopia is series for Channel 4, created by Dennis Kelly and directed by Marc Munden, and stands as one of my favourite shows due to its distinct audiovisual style.  I have looked into Utopia before in my work but I wanted to go back to look at it for this project as I feel the directorial style has resonated with me and will influence how I direct my own work as a result.  Utopia deals with complex ethical questions and explores the blurred lines between what is right and wrong through the characterisation and also through the aesthetic.

Utopia is shot in a very distinct style, using a vibrant and saturated colour palette despite the dark themes present in the series.  These colour palettes reflect the characters' and the blurred lines of the morals in the show by running in parallel with the different groups of people, such as those in 'The Network' and those trying to stop them.  Particular motifs such as the colour yellow and spoons (one of the central characters, Wilson, has his eye removed with a spoon) are repeated through the series to reflect the presence of 'The Network' throughout.

I find the camera movements and framing in Utopia very interesting.  Munden often utilises low angle shots with the characters in the centre of the frame to create a sense of intimidation and fear which is intensified by Munden's use of shallow depth of field.  This shallow depth of field creates camera blur, which could be seen to parallel with the blurred moralities present in the series - I feel as though this is an effective an interesting way to portray and emphasise what is happening in the story, as the director has chosen to use the camera to parallel with the ongoing plot.  In my film, I could perhaps use the camera movements to reflect on Rick's emotions through his ordeal which will allow the audience to empathise with him.

Directions | Directions Workshops with Steve Finn

Steve Finn is a director for Eastenders, who has been in the business for more than 20 years, and so he knows a thing or two about the role of a director when producing moving pictures.

In our workshops with Steve, he took us through the entire production process from the eyes of a director and their responsibilities during this time.  Here are the steps he went through with us:

• Pre-preparation
• Understand the script
• Have a creative vision of the script
• Try to solve any problems at this stage in liaison with the producer and script editor
• Prepare ideas in advance of rehearsing with the cast - motivations, characterisations, blocking, camera scripting
• Rehearsals
• Working with the cast to achieve a mutual vision of how the scene is played and staged
• After rehearsals
• Create floor plans, camera plans, shot lists in light of rehearsals
• At the start of the shoot
• Inform the crew of the shooting plan
• Create a good working atmosphere
• During the shoot
• Be in charge
• Allow all the cast and crew to have a creative input
• Manage the time available
• Finishing too early is a sign that you haven't used all your resources
• Finishing too late is a sign of not being properly prepared or not being flexible when problems occur
• After the shoot
• Brief you editor of your overall vision
• Ensure that the best material is used wherever possible
• Step back from the scene and take an objective view of you work
• At all times
• Take a responsible attitude to the safety of those around you

Having worked on a show such as Eastenders, these 'rules' were vital to the running of the production.

We spent a lot of time focusing on 'blocking' scenes and how to break up scripts into everything that needs to be considered about shooting, which included; who the characters are; what is their relationship; how should they be portrayed; where should the camera be placed; where are the characters in relation to each other; what are they doing?

He gave us each scripts to go away and block so we could try directing ourselves after being shown the ropes. I planned out my scene by drawing a diagram of where each character would be in each scene and wrote notes as to what they would be doing and how I wanted them to deliver their lines.

I found it useful to plan out the finer details by blocking this scene and  it will be very useful when I come to planning and carrying out my shoot.

Directions | Production Prep: Locations

For the scene I wanted to shoot I will need to film somewhere that looks like a hospital, including a private hospital room, a bathroom, at least one corridor, somewhere with a double door, and a stairwell.

Though this was a long shot, I had seriously considered shooting in a real abandoned hospital, as the maternity building for my local hospital had been out of use since 2006.  Unfortunately, there are a number of reasons that would prevent me from doing this: the interior of the building is in terrible condition - which would be perfect, really - but it does not look safe.  I found this blog online with pictures taken by people that have been inside the building since it went off limits here.  I also feel as though the council would not allow me to film in this location, and the risk assessment would not cover all the potential hazards that building has to offer.  Even so, it was a nice thought; perhaps when I have more of a budget and could realistically get permission.

The scene opens with Rick having a conversation with a hallucination of Shane as he lies in a private hospital room.  I would like to focus on realism as a part of my directorial style and so a believable hospital room is vital to build this realistic atmosphere.  Luckily, I am fortunate that my sister works for a nursing agency with a medical training room with an en suite toilet that would fit perfectly for this scene.

Here are some photos of the room I will be filming in:

I've been given permission to move the tables, chairs and other equipment away from shot, and there is plenty of room for any equipment we will be using for filming, although it may be a tight squeeze to fit any lighting equipment in there as well.  That said, there will be wall sockets available for me to actually use proper lighting equipment.


I will also have access to the en suite toilet, which has a mirror - something that is important to the development of this scene.  As it is such a compact room, I will also have to carefully consider where I place the lighting and camera equipment as there will be little room to move.  I will also need to ensure that I do not get any of this equipment in shot via the mirror as this would be compromise the realism aspect and the continuity of the scene.

This location is also a convenient distance from Dartford Train Station, and so any acting talent arriving from London should be able to find it quickly and easily.

After Rick wakes up, he makes his way out the hospital room and travels through various corridors before escaping to the outside world.  Since I could not shoot this in the training room, I needed another location to film these scenes.

My first thought was to reach out to the Maidstone Studios as their corridors and stairs would suit the hospital setting.  However, I ran into issues with scheduling, and health and safety, as I needed to shoot on a weekend and I could not film without the lights off or strike a match.  Therefore I had to look elsewhere.

I looked into using two local schools and a college building around my area, but I ran into the same issue with regards to scheduling, and health and safety.  It was not until I was crewing for another student's work that I found the location I would end up using to shoot the corridor and stairwell scenes.

The location is an apartment block in Maidstone, and I would have access to a corridor and stairs, as well as a lift door which I also needed.  The corridor was narrower than I would have liked and had a carpet floor, so it was not exactly what I would have liked, however I did not have much choice after my issues with trying to get permission for the other potential locations.  I also could not turn the lights off so I would need to utilise this in the edit to try to make it fit with a post-apocalyptic aesthetic.

Directions | Production Notes: Production Design

As I have mentioned many times before, realism is something I strive for.  I feel that the clearest and most important way of achieving this is through the production design, which means I will need to consider the props, costumes, lighting, and anything that contributes to the mis en scéne of the film.

I went through Darabont's original scene and read through my script again paying close attention to the props I will need for my adaptation.  These include:

• Medical equipment: Rick's nasal cannula and bandages, and the IV stand stood out the most for me - I will be able to get these from my sister who conveniently works at a nursing agency (which is also one of my filming locations).  It would also be very good to have access to some medical machinery, such as a heart rate monitor.  The nursing agency has some machines available, but I was also considering using old VCR and DVD players to plug wires into to give the impression of some sort of monitoring equipment.
• Hospital Bed: Again, this is something that will be at the nursing agency, although I will likely buy some plain bed-sheets as the ones available may not distract from the tone of the film.
• Clock: Straightforward, I have clocks.
• Corpse: Not as straightforward, I do not have corpses.  There are two ways I could go about this.  I could be faithful to the original scene where the corpse is mostly eaten with most of the skeleton on show - this would mean I would have to make the corpse using Papier Mâché and then painting to look like it is covered in blood.  Alternatively, I could recruit an extra (several of my friends have expressed an interest in helping, which would save time hiring an actor to play something that does not move or speak), who I would "decorate", for lack of a better term, with blood and gore to look like the corpse.  Ultimately, this comes down to time and effect against practicality, therefore I will try to make the corpse, but if this because too much of an issue, I will ask a friend to do this for me.
• Blood: I must consider both realism and practicality as it can be very easy to get the blood effect wrong which would transform it from a dramatic device to a farce.  I will endeavour to get the most realistic blood as possible: I have found several places to buy fake blood, and this site is looking like the best available option.
• Matches: Something small, but vital for the final part of the film - easily obtainable.
• Barricade: I will need objects to barricade the double door, such as wood planks and perhaps a chain.  These can be obtained easily - the wood can come from virtually anywhere, probably from some old fencing in my garden; and my dad has some chain from his work as a locksmith.
• "Don't open dead inside": This will need to be spray-painted, or at least look like it is spray-painted on the double doors.  I have a lot of spray paint from my art days, which I can write out the words on a large acetate sheet (which I also already have) that I will be able to attach on the face of the door so it looks as though it is written on the door itself.
• Flowers and vase: The flowers and vase will be easily obtainable, but I will need to buy two identical bunches of flowers several weeks apart from each other.  This will allow me to create the feeling of time passing in the same way that this was shown in the initial scene. 

The costumes and makeup will also be vital in achieving the realism of the scene and for building the characters.

Rick Grimes

In the original scene, Rick wears a hospital gown and light blue shorts with a bandage across his stomach; he is also not wearing anything on his feet.  This is something I will keep faithful to the original scene: it's important to see Rick in this vulnerable state so it would not make sense to change it for any reason, and they are inexpensive to buy.

Shane Walsh

Shane wears a US sheriff's deputy uniform without the over-shirt - a light grey T-shirt tucked into beige trousers with a belt.  Since the acting talent will speak with an English/London accent, it makes since to Anglicise Shane's uniform too.  Therefore, I have opted to dress Shane in a white short sleeve shirt with a black tie and black trousers, closer to what an off-duty British police officer would be wearing.

There are three predominant lighting styles I want to use in the sequence.

The first scene where Rick is hallucinating Shane speaking in front of him will have the biggest change from the original.  Rather than Darabont's usual cool and crisp lighting, I want to create a more dreamlike feel to this scene so that there is an element of surrealism to the hallucination, which will contrast to when Rick has awoken and back in the real world.  I would like to use soft, warm lighting to create a comfortable and escapist tone, so when Rick returns to consciousness, the audience has another way of knowing Rick has been thrown into a world he knows nothing about any more.

I was inspired by a scene from the final season of 'Breaking Bad' in which Jesse Pinkman is dreaming about making a wooden box in a workshop, somewhere he feels calm and content before snapping back to reality as he is working under slave conditions for a white supremacist gang to cook meth.  The lighting and orange colour palette really work well to separate Jesse from reality, which is something I feel would translate well if I create a similar lighting set up in my scene.

The second stage in the lighting is a lot closer to the original scene, as is the third.  For the second stage, I will aim to enforce the realism of the scene, and so I will use much cooler lighting.  I will likely start with a standard three-point setup and alter it to the layout of the room where there will be light coming through the windows.  This will be the main lighting setup of the whole sequence.

The third stage will only last for the scene in which Rick is making his way down the stairwell and trying to light matches to illuminate the way.  In this scene, the matches will be the only sources of light in the frame so I will either just use the light from the match, or use a spotlight so we can see some of his face.

Directions | General Project Research

Before considering the specifics of shooting the scene, I need to look into any details I need to bare in mind about it.

I decided to look at the comic that the show is based on, and the first thing I noticed was the pacing felt very different.  Of course, printed visuals are not paced in the same sense as film, but there is still a sense that the comic moves a lot faster than the show does on the whole.  Although, the scene I wish to recreate does move slowly compared to the rest of the comic.

Ricks's condition in the comic seems a lot better than it is in the show as well.  In the show, we really feel as though he is struggling to move or even speak, whereas he seems a lot more mobile in much less time in the comic version.

Regardless of the differences between the show and the comic book, I feel it is important to bear in mind that Frank Darabont and the directors that succeeded him had to consider how closely he should follow the visuals of the comic when adapting it for television.

I feel it is important that I look into the practical and technical aspects of how the episode was originally shot by Darabont, back in 2010.  One resource I will not have is the ability to shoot on location - the original pilot was shot in Atlanta, Georgia, which was very close in proximity to the location in the comic.

The pilot was shot entirely on 16mm film in anamorphic format - widescreen format in which "a distorted image is "stretched" by an anamorphic projection lens to recreate the original aspect ratio on the viewing screen" (source).  This is not something I have attempted before through my work, so this may be an opportunity to try it.  It is definitely something I will consider, and if I do decide to do this, this tutorial highlights how straightforward it is in the editing software.

Directions | Director + Chosen Scene Presentation

For this project, I have chosen to focus on the directorial work of Frank Darabont.

Biography

Darabont was born in a French refugee camp in 1959 after his parents fled from Hungary as a result of the 1959 Hungarian Revolution.  He and his family moved to Chicago when he was a child, and then moved again to Los Angeles where he later became inspired to pursue a career in film after seeing George Lucas' 'THX 1138'.  One of Darabont's first jobs after leaving school was at the renowned Hollywood Egyptian Theatre as a concession and seat finder - he was allowed to watch films for free.  Darabont began his filmmaking career after working as a production assistant on a low budget film, ‘Hell Night’ in 1981.  Afterwards, he worked as a set dresser and in set production whilst struggling to establish himself as a writer; his first writing credit was for ‘Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors’.  He made his directorial debut in 1990 with the television film, 'Buried Alive'.

Darabont became one of only six filmmakers in history to receive Best Picture nominations for his first two feature films: ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ (1994) and ‘The Green Mile’ (1999).  Darabont’s next feature film, ‘The Majestic’ (2001), was not successful, achieving only half of its $72 million budget at the box office.  In 2010, Darabont developed and executive-produced the first season of ‘The Walking Dead’, after coming across the comic book (by Robert Kirkman) in a comic book store in 2005 - Kirkman praised Darabont for how he adapted the first season from the source material.  Darabont also wrote and directed the pilot, which became the most-watched series premiere episode of any AMC television series.  However in 2011, Darabont was fired due to budget cuts and a difficult relationship with AMC’s executives.

Key Works:

• 'The Shawshank Redemption' (1994)
• 'The Green Mile' (1999)
• 'The Majestic' (2001)
• 'The Mist' (2007)
• 'The Walking Dead' (2010)

Directorial Style

Darabont frequently uses a dolly movement to establish a scene, which physically brings the audience closer to the scene, as if he is pulling us into the action – this is usually a slow dolly in.  Both ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ and ‘The Green Mile’ feature a voiceover from the central character (Red, played by Morgan Freeman, and Paul Edgecomb, played by Tom Hanks), which reflects the narrative style of their source material – both are based on novels by Stephen King.  Darabont also uses high and low angle shots to establish status amongst characters: in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’, Red is shot from a lower angle which emphasises his status amongst the other inmates, and in ‘The Walking Dead’, when Rick wakes up from his coma, Darabont uses a high angle shot to highlight how he is alone and he is unprepared for what has happened to the world.


Whilst the pacing of ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ and ‘The Walking Dead’ is fairly slow, a lot of time passes in both – Darabont shows this effectively in ‘The Walking Dead’ by a bunch of flowers decaying between shots after Rick wakes up.  Crossfade transitions are also used to show the passing of time. 

The use of different colour palettes is also a feature of Darabont’s work, which is particularly prevalent in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ to depict notions of freedom for Andy Dufresne: when he is convicted, there are very cool, bluey tones used, where the rooftop scene uses a much warmer, red palette.  

My Chosen Scene



I have chosen to recreate a scene from the first episode of 'The Walking Dead', directed by Darabont.  The scene involves the central character, Rick Grimes, waking up from a coma to find himself in an abandoned hospital.  We open with a distorted scene of Rick's partner, Shane, leaving flowers for him at his bed.  Dazed and confused, Rick wakes up and realises a lot of time has passed since he was admitted and Shane left the flowers for him.  He struggles to make his way through the ward and discovers the nightmarish state it is in; occupied by the undead and strewn with corpses.  Rick emerges from the hospital, but he steps out into a changed world...

I feel this is the most important scene in establishing the tone and setting of 'The Walking Dead', and with virtually no dialogue, Darabont has been able to effectively portray a lot of detail.  This scene would be a practical challenge, but if executed well, I feel I could set the foundations for building the setting, as Darabont has done so effectively.  I feel that relying on action and environment to tell the story works much better than through dialogue, and this scene would allow me to explore this as a director.

My initial plan is to work on the pacing of the scene - using faster cuts to build up to more tension - which would distance my directorial style from Darabont's which utilises cuts to create a slow build up.  I would also aim to change the colour grading to allude to the passage of time between the first 'flashback' scene to the present day when Rick wakes up.  There is little musical accompaniment in the initial scene, however I think I will try to avoid music at all costs; similarly to my story-telling project, I want to create a realistic atmosphere to the scene, and a lack of music to dictate mood will allow for this realism.