>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. I PROMISE YOU I CAN'T
SEE ANYTHING, I'M BLINDED BY THE LIGHT!
BUT LUCKILY I CAN SEE WHAT'S WRITTEN ON THIS PIECE OF PAPER.
MY NAME IS TWYLA CUMMINGS AND I AM THE SENIOR ASSOCIATE DEAN
FOR THE COLLEGE OF IMAGING ARTS AND SCIENCES HERE AT RIT.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE AN OUTSTANDING ALUMNI WHO HAS
NOT ONLY MADE A MARK FOR HIMSELF BUT HAS MADE A WONDERFUL IMPACT
ON THE INDUSTRY AND ON HIS CRAFT.
WHILE EVERYONE MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH HIS NAME, I AM
SURE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH HIS BODY OF WORK.
MICHAEL SLOVIS FIRST STARTED TAKING PICTURES AS A TEENAGER
AND WAS A WINNER OF THE NEW JERSEY STATE TEEN ARTS FESTIVAL
WITH A PHOTOGRAPH THAT EARNED HIM ADMISSION TO RIT'S SCHOOL OF
PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS AND SCIENCES.
AFTER HIS GRADUATION FROM RIT IN 1976, MICHAEL STUDIED
CINEMATOGRAPHY AT NYU AND BEGAN WORKING AS A GAFFER IN MOTION
PICTURES, COMMERCIALS, AND TELEVISION.
HE STARTED HIS CAREER AS A DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN
INDEPENDENT FILMS IN NEW YORK AND IN 1995 HE PHOTOGRAPHED THE
SUN DANCE FILM FESTIVAL FAVORITE "PARTY GIRL."
THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY INDEPENDENT FILMS DIRECT TO DVD MOVIES,
TELEVISION FILMS, THEATRICAL FILMS, AND PILOTS.
RETURNING FROM EUROPE FOLLOWING EVENTS OF 2001, SLOVIS WANTED TO
STAY CLOSER TO HOME AND FAMILY AND WAS FORTUNATE TO TRANSITION
TO EPISODIC TELEVISION, SERIES ED, FOR PARAMOUNT NBC.
IN 2007 HE COMPLETED TWO AND A HALF YEARS AS DIRECTOR OF
PHOTOGRAPHY ON CIS "CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION" FOR WHICH HE WON
THE 2006 EMMY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY
AND WAS NOMINATED AGAIN IN 2007.
SINCE 2008 HE HAS MADE AMC HIS PART-TIME HOME SHOOTING THREE
SEASONS OF "BREAKING BAD" FOR WHICH HE EARNED TWO EMMY
NOMINATIONS AND DIRECTED TWO EPISODES.
IN RECENT YEARS HE HAS PHOTOGRAPHED THE PILOT FOR ABC'S
"CASTLE," MY FAVORITE SHOW, AND OTHER SHOWS AND WAS RECENTLY
NAMED CINEMATOGRAPHER FOR THE UP COMING PRODUCTION "GRACE POINT"
THE AWARD-WINNING BBC DRAMA "BROAD CHURCH" HE JOINED THE
PRODUCTION IN EARLY APRIL TO WORK ON THE LATEST EPISODES
WHICH JUST FINISHED FILMING IN VANCOUVER BRITISH COLUMBIA.
IN 2010 HE WAS HONORED WITH AN INVITATION TO JOIN THE AMERICAN
SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS, THE PINNACLE ASSOCIATION,
WHICH HE VERY GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTED.
WE ARE APPRECIATIVE THAT MICHAEL HAS TRAVELED FROM HIS HOME IN
NEW JERSEY WITH HIS WIFE MARIA TO JOIN US AND TO SHARE HIS
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE WITH US ALL.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME TO THE STAGE,
RIT ALUMNUS, MICHAEL SLOVIS.
[APPLAUSE]
>> IT DEFINITELY IS HARD TO SEE
FROM UP HERE.
MAYBE WE COULD TURN THIS DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT AND -- TURN
THIS DOWN JUST A TOUCH.
WHAT I LIKE TO DO IN THESE -- FIRST OF ALL, I DID NOT SHOOT
ANY PART OF "GRACE POINT" I WAS THE DIRECTOR ON IT.
I HAVE BEEN DIRECTING EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE LAST YEAR
AND AM GOING TO CONTINUE DOING THAT UNLESS SOMETHING TRULY
SPECTACULAR COMES MY WAY TO SHOOT AS A DP.
IT WAS A HARD DECISION TO MAKE, BUT I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO
SHOOT AFTER "BREAKING BAD" IT WAS THAT GOOD.
AND IT WAS THAT GOOD OF AN EXPERIENCE.
WHEN I TELL PEOPLE, ONE THING YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WORKING IN
THE FILM INDUSTRY AND ESPECIALLY IN TELEVISION, THERE IS NOT A
LOT OF GREAT MATERIAL OUT THERE AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW THAT FROM
WHAT YOU WATCH ON TELEVISION.
THERE IS EVEN FEWER GREAT EXPERIENCES.
SOMETHING HAPPENED IN ALBUQUERQUE THAT FOR ALL OF US
WAS MAGIC.
IT WAS NOT JUST THE FACT THAT WE HAD THIS REMARKABLE CAST.
IT WAS NOT JUST THE FACT THAT WE HAD PROBABLY THE BEST WRITING,
EVER, ON TELEVISION, IF YOU ASK ME.
IT WAS NOT JUST THE FACT THAT IT WAS BEAUTIFUL DOWN THERE.
AND IT WAS NOT JUST THE FACT THAT I HAD UNBELIEVABLE SUPPORT
FROM THE NETWORK, AND THE PRODUCTION COMPANY, AND VINCE.
SOMETHING KIND OF AKIN TO FALLING IN LOVE HAPPENED FOR ALL
OF US, AND WE STILL TO THIS DAY STAY IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION
WITH EACH OTHER.
THE CAST, THE MAJOR MEMBERS OF THE CAST, THE CREW AND MYSELF.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE COMPARE EVERYTHING THAT WE WORK ON NOW
TO "BREAKING BAD" AND IT'S JUST AN AWFUL THING TO DO TO OTHER
PEOPLE, IT REALLY IS HORRIBLE.
I JUST DIRECTED ANNA GUNN IN "GRACE POINT" AND KEVIN RANKIN,
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SEEN "BREAKING BAD" ONE OF THE NAZI'S
IN SEASON 5, AND ALL THEY TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE WERE UP THERE IS
REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE IN ALBUQUERQUE?
AND WE REMINISCED QUITE A LOT.
I'M SURE PEOPLE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING IT AT THIS
POINT.
WHAT I WANT TO DO HERE IS TALK ABOUT VISUAL LANGUAGE AND WHY I
THINK "BREAKING BAD" DID WELL.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU CLIPS.
I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE.
THESE ARE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DARK BUT I THINK MOST OF YOU
ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE FOOTAGE SO IT WILL BE A GENTLE REMINDER.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH BREAKING BAD, IN MY OPINION, IS -- WAS A
REMARKABLE CONFLUENCE OF GOOD LUCK.
VINCE WAS GOING TO TELL HIS STORY THE WAY HE WANTED IT TOLD,
NO MATTER WHAT.
WHICH WAS WIDE SCREEN, BIG SHOTS, WHICH WAS ALWAYS
REFERENCED AS A WESTERN.
HE WANTED LONGER TAKES.
WHEN WE WOULD SIT IN PREPRODUCTION MEETINGS VINCE
WOULD GO, I DON'T CARE IF YOU COME BACK WITH THE COVERAGE,
CLOSEUPS AND MEDIUM SHOTS, DO NOT COME BACK WITHOUT WIDE SHOTS
AND THAT WAS OUR MANTRA AND IT BECAME, IN ADDITION TO THOSE
SPECIALTY POV SHOTS, THE HALLMARK -- ONE OF THE HALLMARKS
OF THE SHOW.
THE OTHER THING WE DID IS LET SHOTS RUN MUCH LONGER THAN A LOT
OF SHOTS IN OTHER TV SHOWS.
WE NEVER SHOT -- IN TRADITIONAL TELEVISION THE PRODUCERS SIT IN
HOLLYWOOD OR IN NEW YORK, MOSTLY HOLLYWOOD AND PEOPLE GO OUT AND
THEY SHOOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF COVERAGE, WIDE SHOT, MEDIUM
SHOT, EVERYBODY GETS A PIECE OF COVERAGE AND THEN THEY TAKE IT
AND EDIT IT INTO SOMETHING.
THAT'S NOT HOW WE WORKED.
WE WERE GIVEN AS DIRECTORS AND AS A DP WE WERE GIVEN INORDINATE
AMOUNT OF FREEDOM TO INTERPRET SCENES AS WE SAW FIT.
ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT VINCE DID WAS HE NEVER SENT
ANYBODY OUT UNPREPARED.
IN PREPARING TO DIRECT AN EPISODE OF "BREAKING BAD" YOU
SAT IN WHAT WAS A MINIMUM OF FIVE TO SEVEN-HOUR TONE MEETING
WHERE YOU WENT THROUGH EVERY LINE AND EVERY SCENE AND EVERY
ACT OF THE SHOW THAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO AND YOU TALKED ABOUT
THE GENESIS OF THE LINES, SO YOU KNEW EXACTLY WHEN IT CAME TIME
ON THE SET WHERE THAT LINE WAS COMING FROM, AND WHERE IT WAS
TAKING YOU.
IN TERMS OF WRITING A VISUAL LANGUAGE FOR THE SHOW, WHEN I
GOT THE CALL TO DO THE SHOW ORIGINALLY, I HAD JUST BEEN
TRAVELING ABROAD, AND I GOT THIS PHONE CALL AND SOME OF THE
PEOPLE I'VE SEEN TODAY HAVE HEARD THIS ALREADY SO BEAR WITH
ME AND THEY SAID WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO COME AND SHOOT THIS SHOW
IN NEW MEXICO AND I SAID, UM, NO THANK YOU, I DON'T WANT TO
TRAVEL AWAY FROM HOME.
I JUST GOT HOME AND I'M NOT INTERESTED IN TRAVELING.
I HUNG UP THE PHONE AND MY WIFE SAID WHO WAS THAT AND I SAID
SOME STUPID SHOW IN NEW MEXICO AND THEY WANT ME TO GO SHOOT IT
AND I'M NOT INTERESTED IN GOING AND SHE SAID TO ME, IS IT CALLED
"BREAKING BAD?" AND I SAID, YEAH, THAT'S IT.
BECAUSE I TRULY HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT.
SHE SAID "STOP, TURN AROUND, CALL THEM RIGHT NOW!"
SHE HAD SEEN IT AND READ ABOUT IT.
AND SHE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT DOES THIS, ESPECIALLY ABOUT
AMERICAN TELEVISION.
SO I CALLED THEM, AND AMC JUST HAPPENED TO BE IN NEW YORK.
THEY MESSENGERED OVER THE FIRST SEASON AND THE NEXT MORNING WE
SAT DOWN TO WATCH IT AND FROM THE VERY FIRST IMAGE, THE PANTS
COMING DOWN, THE BODIES SLOSHING AROUND IN THE BACK OF THE
WINNEBAGO, I DON'T THINK WE GOT PAST THE TEASER AND I SAID I'M
GOING TO SHOOT THIS SHOW AND SHE SAID I KNOW.
I SAID "YOU DID A BAD THING HERE!"
SO AFTER WE WATCHED THE ENTIRE SEASON I SAID "YOU'VE GOT A
GREAT SHOW BUT I THINK THE PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE LIGHTING
COULD ELEVATE IT TO SOMETHING SPECIAL" AND THEY SAID, YEAH,
THAT'S WHAT WE WANT, WE WANT IT TO BE GREAT, CINEMATIC, DARK,
IT'S GOING TO A DARK PLACE AND I SAID GREAT THAT'S WHERE I WOULD
LIKE TO TAKE IT.
AND THEY SAID, GREAT, WE WANT YOUR INTERPRETATION AND WE WANT
YOU TO COME DOWN AND -- EVERYBODY I SPOKE TO I STARTED
WITH PEOPLE AT AMC, PEOPLE AT GRAND VILLA, VINCE AND MARK
JOHNSON, I SAID, GREAT, GREAT.
BUT I SAID IF THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT PLEASE TELL ME BECAUSE
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN GOING TO NEW MEXICO FOR FIVE AND A HALF
MONTHS TO DO PEDESTRIAN WORK AND I THINK YOUR SHOW DESERVES MORE
AND I THINK IT COULD POSSIBLY BE THE BEST THING THAT I'VE EVER
SEEN ON TV.
THEY SAID NO WE WANT YOU TO COME.
SO I GET DOWN THERE, AND I GO INTO THE FIRST -- MY FIRST WEEK
OF SHOOTING, AND WE'RE IN THE BASEMENT OF JESSE'S -- AT THAT
TIME HIS AUNT'S HOUSE AND WE'RE SHOOTING BRIAN AND ERIN DOWN
THERE COOKING AWAY AND THEY'VE GOT MASKS ON AND SMOKE COMING
OUT OF THINGS AND I PUT SHAFTS OF LIGHT COMING THROUGH THE
WINDOWS AND IT'S DARK!
I'M LOOKING AT IT THINKING THIS IS WHAT I CAME TO DO, PROUD OF
MYSELF.
THE NEXT DAY I GET A PHONE CALL FROM THE EXECUTIVES AT SONY,
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON DOWN THERE?
IT'S SO DARK WE CAN'T SEE A THING, SHAFTS OF LIGHT, WE DON'T
UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS.
WHAT'S HAPPENING?"
I SAID I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT, I'M GOING TO PAT MYSELF ON THE BACK,
GO BACK TO NEW JERSEY, THAT'S THAT, WASH MY HANDS OF THIS.
SHORTLY AFTER THAT I GET A CALL FROM AMC AND THE EXECUTIVE THAT
PUT ME ON THE SHOW AND HE SAID, "OH MY GOD, IT'S GREAT!"
DON'T CHANGE A THING!
IT'S WONDERFUL!
AND RIGHT AFTER THAT I GET A CALL FROM VINCE WHO SAYS "OH MY
GOODNESS THE SHOW LOOKS LIKE THE WAY I THOUGHT IT SHOULD LOOK.
IT'S WONDERFUL, DON'T CHANGE A THING!"
I SAID, GREAT, I'LL STAY HERE AND I DO A COUPLE OF DAYS OF
SHOOTING AND AT THE END OF THE WEEK I GET A CALL FROM THE SONY
FOLKS, OH MY GOD, IT'S WONDERFUL!
DON'T CHANGE A THING!
[LAUGHTER] I TOLD THIS STORY WHEN I GOT
INITIATED INTO THE ASC.
OWEN REISMAN ANY OF YOU WHO ARE FILMOPHILES KNOW THAT HE IS A
GREAT CINEMATOGRAPHERS OF ALL TIME AND HE SHOT "FRENCH
CONNECTION" WHICH WAS THE MODEL OF OUR SHOW AND HE TURNED TO
FAMOUS PEOPLE AT THE TABLE AND HE SAYS, "YOU KNOW FOR SURE IF
YOU HEAR FROM THE STUDIO THAT IT'S TOO DARK THAT YOU WERE
DEAD, SMACK ON" SO FROM THEN ON IT WAS EASY, IT WAS EASY BREEZY.
I WANT TO SHOW -- WHEN I TALK ABOUT FILM LANGUAGE A LOT OF
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND I WANT TO SHOW
YOU EXAMPLES OF THAT.
ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE AS FILM MAKERS IS
CONTRAST.
I DON'T JUST MEAN CONTRAST IN TERMS OF LIGHTING, I MEAN
CONTRAST IN TERMS OF IF YOU WANT TO SHOW SOMETHING FAST, IT'S
GREAT TO SHOW SOMETHING SLOW NEXT TO IT.
ONE OF THE GREAT FIGHT SEQUENCES OF ALL TIMES, I THINK, IS "THE
QUIET MAN" WITH JOHN WAYNE WHERE IN THE MINUTE OF A 20 MINUTE
FIGHT SEQUENCE THEY TAKE A BAR DRINK JUST TO GET MORE PEOPLE
TO COME IN AND GAMBLE ON THIS FIGHT THAT'S GOING ON.
IT'S FUNNY BUT IT ALSO GIVES A PAUSE TO THE ACTION AND I
BELIEVE THAT.
SO WHAT WE TRIED TO DO -- WHAT I TRIED TO DO IS USE IT
EFFECTIVELY.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO SHOW SOMETHING FAST, IF YOU WANT TO
TELL A STORY ABOUT SOMETHING GOING FAST, GREAT TO SHOW
SOMETHING SLOW NEXT TO IT, IF YOU WANT TO TELL A STORY ABOUT
SOMETHING DARK, SHOW SOMETHING BRIGHT NEXT TO IT.
USING CONTRAST IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE STORY TELLING.
WE AS CINEMATOGRAPHERS AND STORY TELLERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE
LENGTHY TAKES AND SHORT TAKES AND I WANT TO SHOW -- CAN YOU
PUT UP THE MENU?
LET'S SHOW THE -- THE CLIP THAT SAYS "PARTY" AND YOU'RE GOING TO
SEE A DIRECT EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING SPEEDY AND HOW
EFFECTIVE OF SOMETHING SLOW NEXT TO IT CAN BE.
>> DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?
>> YEAH MAN, IT'S QUIET.
YOU KNOW WHAT THIS PLACE NEEDS?
[MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING]
[APPLAUSE] >> MAYBE WHEN WE SHOW THE NEXT
CLIP IF WE TURN OFF THE LIGHTS WE MAY BE ABLE TO SEE BETTER.
I AM TRULY EMBARRASSED TO DO SHOW YOU SUCH A DARK CLIP FOR
PEOPLE WHO ANALYZE PHOTOGRAPHER FOR THEIR LIFE'S WORK SO I
APOLOGIZE TO ALL OF YOU.
YOU FELT SOMETHING, RIGHT?
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE
TECHNICAL SIDE OF IT, THE PARTY WAS SHOT WITH A 7D IN BURST
MODE.
IT'S PRETTY MUCH NOT EDITED, IT WAS ME WALKING AROUND IN BURST
MODE EDITING ON THE DAY AND WE JUST DOWNLOADED ALL OF THE
FRAMES INTO THE FRAME AND PLAYED THEM BACK JUST AS IF IT WAS A
MOVIE AND THE REST OF IT WAS FILMED.
ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT "BREAKING BAD" THAT YOU SHOULD
UNDERSTAND IS THAT I HAD AN UNREPEATABLE AMOUNT OF CONTROL
OVER THE IMAGE.
IN THE OLD DAYS WHEN WE SHOT FILM AND FINISHED ON FILM, YOU
WOULD SHOOT YOUR FILM, YOU WOULD MAKE A WORK PRINT, YOU WOULD
EDIT THE FILM, THEN THE CINEMATOGRAPHER WOULD COME IN
AND FINISH THE FILM.
THE WAY WE SHOT "BREAKING BAD" WHICH WAS ALL SHOT ON FILM
EXCEPT FOR SPECIALTY TIDBITS LIKE THIS, WAS I SHOT ON FILM.
IT WOULD BE TRANSFERRED THAT NIGHT BY MY COLORIST IN
LOS ANGELES.
WE WOULD NOT DO A BROAD SPECTRUM TRANSFER, WE WOULD NOT DO
ANYTHING THAT COULD BE CHANGED LATER ON.
WE BURNED IN ALL THE COLOR.
SO LET'S SAY -- AND I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU AN EXAMPLE OF STUFF
THAT TOOK PLACE IN MEXICO WITH A DEEP -- WITH A DEEP YELLOW SORT
OF GOLDISH COLOR TO IT.
THAT WAS FLILT TERED AT THE CAMERA AND IT WAS BURNED IN.
THE REASON I DID THIS WAS TWO FOLD.
ONE, I WANTED THE SHOW TO BE FINISHED IN THE WAY -- WITH THE
INTENT THAT IT WAS SHOT AND SO MANY SHOWS RIGHT NOW ARE SHOT BY
CINEMATOGRAPHERS AND TAKEN OUT OF THEIR HANDS AND FINISHED BY
AN EXECUTIVE IN LOS ANGELES.
I DID NOT WANT TO GIVE THEM THAT CONTROL AND I DID IT WITH THE
BLESSING OF THE SHOW, AMC AND VINCE GILLIGAN.
THERE IS MORE IMPORTANT REASON.
I BELIEVE PEOPLE GET USED TO SEEING THINGS IN A CERTAIN WAY,
JUST LIKE THE EXECUTIVES WHO SAID IT'S DARK, WE CAN'T SEE
WHAT'S GOING ON, WE'RE USED TO SEEING THINGS FROM THE PREVIOUS
SEASON THAT WERE BRIGHTER AND OVERLIT.
I BELIEVE THAT IF THEY SEE SOMETHING WITH A BLUE TINT IN IT
AND YOUR INTENT WAS LATER ON TO GO COLOR IT WARM WITH DIGITAL
COLORING, THEY'LL GO WAIT A MINUTE, WHERE'S THE BLUE?
BUT IF THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT THE WAY YOU INTENDED ALL ALONG, THEY
ACCEPT IT FROM DAILIES THROUGH EDITOR'S CUTS, TO DIRECTOR'S
CUTS, TO STUDIO CUTS, ALL THE WAY PEOPLE GET USED TO IT.
AND NEVER ONCE DID I HAVE ANYONE EVER COME TO ME AND SAY, COULD
YOU LIGHTEN OR DARKEN OR CHANGE THIS COLOR?
AND THE OTHER THING THAT WOULD HAPPEN AND THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN
IN THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD IS WHEN THEY WOULD FINISH A SHOW
AFTER I -- A SHOW WOULD BE SHOT, I WOULD GET AN AVID OUTPUT, I
WOULD MAKE NOTES, SEND THEM OUT TO CALIFORNIA, THEY WOULD SEND
ME A DIGITAL VERSION OF IT, I WOULD WATCH, MAKE COMMENTS, I
WOULD SEND IT BACK.
IF THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN WITH A SHOT,
WHETHER IT SHOULD BE LIGHTER OR DARKER, THEY WOULD TURN TO VINCE
AND SAY "WHAT DO YOU THINK?" AND VINCE WOULD SAY "I THINK
WE SHOULD DO THIS, BUT YOU HAVE TO CHECK WITH MICHAEL."
DOESN'T HAPPEN.
ONLY HAPPENED ONCE IN 37 YEARS IN MY LIFE AND THAT WAS ON THIS
SHOW.
SO WHETHER YOU LIKE THE LOOK OF THE SHOW OR NOT, THE SHOW WAS
CONSISTENT FROM CONCEPT THROUGH FINISHING.
THAT'S TRULY, TRULY, TRULY IMPORTANT.
THERE IS AN ORGANICNESS, THERE IS A SENSE OF SINGULAR PURPOSE,
I WOULD SAY, THAT WAS A MELDING OF SHOT STRUCTURE, LIGHTING, AND
VISUAL LANGUAGE, AND FOR THAT, I AM VERY, VERY, VERY PLEASE AND
PROUD.
IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I REALLY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING
AFTER THIS TO COMMIT NINE MONTHS A YEAR TO.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU ANOTHER CLIP NOW, THAT'S EXTRAORDINARY
FOR AMERICAN TELEVISION.
YOU'LL SEE WHY.
IF WE COULD TURN THESE OFF SO -- I'M AFRAID YOU GUYS CAN'T SEE
AND IF YOU CAN SHOW THE TOP LEFT CORNER "BB DESERT."
IT'S BETTER NOW, GOOD.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT AS WE GO THROUGH HERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID -- WE DID A LOT OF THINGS VERY LOW
TECH.
THIS SHOT WHEN THE HOOD COMES OFF WE DID IN CAMERA.
WITH MY HAND ON THE IRIS, I DID IT MYSELF.
NOW!
IT'S QUITE A SHOT BECAUSE THE LIGHT ON HIM WAS THE SAME BUT WE
INCORPORATED A SUBJECTIVE VIEW ON TO HIM.
>> STAY AWAY FROM PINKMAN.
DO NOT GO NEAR HIM, EVER.
ARE YOU LISTEN TO GO ME?
>> OR ELSE YOU'LL DO WHAT?
>> WHAT DID YOU SAY?
>> STAY AWAY FROM PINKMAN OR ELSE YOU WILL DO --
>> WHAT?
>> IF YOU COULD KILL ME, I'D ALREADY BE DEAD.
BUT YOU CAN'T!
YOU CAN'T KILL ME.
BECAUSE JESSE WOULDN'T COOK FOR YOU, IF YOU DID.
THAT'S IT, ISN'T IT?
NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY TO TURN HIM AGAINST ME, SCREW WITH
HIS HEAD, MAKE HIM HATE MY GUTS, HE WON'T LET YOU DO IT.
>> FOR NOW.
BUT HE WILL COME AROUND.
IN THE MEANTIME THERE IS A MATTER OF YOUR BROTHER-IN-LAW.
HE IS A PROBLEM YOU PROMISED TO RESOLVE.
YOU HAVE FAILED.
>> NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO DEAL WITH HIM.
>> IF YOU TRY TO INTERFERE, THIS BECOMES A MUCH SIMPLER MATTER.
I WILL KILL YOUR WIFE.
I WILL KILL YOUR SON.
I WILL KILL YOUR INFANT DAUGHTER.
>> SO THAT SHOT, WHICH I CAN'T TELL YOU -- CAN YOU KEEP THE
LIGHTS A LITTLE LOWER SO I CAN SEE?
THAT SHOT REALLY HAPPENED.
IT WAS JUST LUCK TO BE TOTALLY HONEST.
WE ALWAYS PLANNED ON DOING IT AS THE SCENE.
WE NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD BE THE SCENE.
IT'S ACTUALLY TWO OR THREE SHOTS THAT ARE BEAUTIFULLY,
BEAUTIFULLY PUT TOGETHER, JUST TO ACCELERATE THE CLOUDS MOVING
OVER.
YOU REALLY COULDN'T SEE IT ON THIS BUT IF YOU WERE TO WATCH IT
ON TELEVISION YOU WOULD SEE THEM CLEARLY AND YOU SEE THIS CLOUD
COVER COME OVER AND PASS OVER.
I'VE GOT MORE E-MAILS AND PHONE CALLS AND WRITE-UPS ABOUT THAT
SHOT THAN I THINK ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE.
THE FACT THAT IT WAS KEPT IN THERE AS A SINGLE SHOT IS THE
MOST REMARKABLE THING, NOT THE FACT THAT WE SHOT IT, AND THE
FACT THAT IT WORKS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SHOW BECAUSE OF
THE VOCABULARY THAT WE DEVELOPED FOR THE SHOW, NO ONE EVER
REALLY QUESTIONED IT.
THEY GO, IT'S BEAUTIFUL, IT'S GREAT, IT'S EFFECTIVE, IT'S
EVOCOTIVE BUT THEY NEVER SAY, THERE IS A 90-SECOND SHOT OF TWO
GUYS IN THE DESERT TALKING?
AND I THINK THAT'S TO VINCE'S CREDIT.
THE IDEA OF SITTING ON A SHOT VERY, VERY, VERY OLD SCHOOL, FOR
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE STUDENTS OF AND APPRECIATIVE OF MOVIES FROM
THE 1940s, LATE 30s, EARLY 50s, THEY DIDN'T DO ALL THE
EDITING THAT WE DO NOW.
THEY WOULD SET UP A SHOT AND LET IT RECORD AND PLAY AND THE FACT
THAT WE HAD THAT TOOL AVAILABLE TO US GAVE US THIS BIG SPRAY
GUN, I THINK, OF A BRUSH TO PAINT WITH.
WE COULD DO THINGS THAT OTHER SHOWS COULD NOT DO, AND IT ADDED
SOMETHING TO OUR VOCABULARY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO USE.
MOST PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE POINT OF VIEW SHOTS, LOOKING UP
THROUGH A TOILET BOWL OR A SINK, I DON'T KNOW, MY SHOVEL CAM SHOT
WHICH PEOPLE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT.
THOSE ARE DISTINCTIVE, BUT I THINK THIS KIND OF THING WAS
REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE STORY TELLING OF "BREAKING BAD."
I THINK EVEN MORE SO, THE WIDE STUFF IN THE DESERT THAT LET YOU
FEEL A PART OF THE DESERT.
WE ALWAYS ERRED TOWARD EMOTIONAL ON THIS SHOW.
I PERSONALLY DID NOT CARE ABOUT WHAT WAS REALITY.
I ALWAYS LIT THE SHOW AND WE ALWAYS DESIGNED OUR SHOTS TO AN
EMOTIONAL END.
WE WERE TELLING A STORY.
MY PROCESS FOR TELLING STORIES, WHEN A DIRECTOR COMES IN, WE
TALK ABOUT WHAT THE SCENE IS, AND IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY
WANT, MY PROCESS IS TO GO TO THEM, OKAY, WHAT'S THIS SCENE
ABOUT?
HOW DOES THIS SHOT FIT INTO THIS SCENE, FIT INTO THE ACT, FIT
INTO THE SHOW, EPISODE, AND FIT INTO THE ART AND HOW DOES IT
ADVANCE THE STORY?
IF WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER TO THAT, THEN WE GO LOOKING FOR
ONE.
I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ASK YOURSELF BECAUSE
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MAKING NEAT SHOTS.
I THINK WHAT WORKED AND WHAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU GUYS RESPONDED
TO VISCERALLY IS THE ORGANIC MELDING OF THE STORY
AND THE STORY ITSELF.
WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE ALL OF THE ELEMENTS OF
FILM MAKING AND CARRY THEM THROUGH INTO EDITING AND
CONTINUE THAT SAME KIND OF LANGUAGE ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
WITH THAT IN MIND I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU ANOTHER CLIP THAT YOU
WOULD ALSO NEVER SEE ON TV AND, AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU
SIT ON FOR A GOOD, IN THIS CASE, 30 OR 40 SECONDS.
OH, GOD, IF WE CAN -- IF WE CAN SHOW THE CLIP THAT SAYS "JESSE'S
HOUSE" MOST OF YOU GUYS WILL LOVE THIS.
>> SO NOW YOU WANT TO BLOW UP A POLICE STATION.
>> I DON'T BELIEVE I SAID THAT, NO.
>> NURSING HOME FULL OF OLD FOLKS JUST WET YOUR APPETITE
>> NOW YOU WANT TO KILL A BUNCH OF COPS.
>> I NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT KILLING ANYBODY, I AM, HOWEVER,
CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF A DEVICE, A SMALL DEVICE, SAY THIS
DEVICE GETS FILED INTO EVIDENCE.
NOW IT IS INSIDE THAT ROOM.
>> WHAT ABOUT A MAGNET?
>> YOU WANT TO COMMIT A WHOLE OF A CRIME JUST TO GET A BOMB INTO
EVIDENCE.
>> WHO SAID "BOMB?
I SAID AN INCENDIARY DEVICE.
>> I'M TALKING ABOUT NOT DESTROYING EVIDENCE.
>> MAYBE WE PLANT A BOMB OUTSIDE.
>> ACTUALLY I KNEW A CREW OUT OF FT. WORTH AND
ABOUT ALL THEY DID WAS TAKE OUT A COUPLE OF HEDGES.
YOU ARE PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT 2 FEET OF REINFORCED CONCRETE.
>> OR WHAT ABOUT A MAGNET.
>> WHAT ABOUT IT?
[CHUCKLES] >> WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> ENGINEERING, THE STICKING POINT IS I ACTUALLY --
>> OKAY THAT IS A SHOW THAT I DIRECTED.
I DID NOT SHOOT THAT SHOT.
WHEN I TOLD BRIAN AND JONATHAN AND AARON THAT THIS WAS GOING TO
BE THE ONLY WAY WE SHOOT THIS SHOT, THE SMILES
ON THEIR FACES WERE IMMEASURABLE.
IN A NORMAL INSTANCE YOU WOULD SHOOT A SHOT OF JONATHAN, A SHOT
OF BRIAN, COVERAGE ON THE PACK.
THERE WAS ONLY ONE "WHAT ABOUT A MAGNET" LINE FROM AARON, I
THINK, OR TWO.
I SAID WE'RE GOING TO PLAY THIS AS ONE SHOT, I WANT YOU GET TO
GET IN THERE, DON'T STOP TALKING AND I PULLED AARON OFF TO THE
SIDE AND I SAID IF THERE IS QUIET FOR ANY MORE THAN 1 OR 2
SECONDS I WANT YOU TO YELL OUT "WHAT ABOUT A MAGNET", AND HE
GOT THE BIGGEST GRIN ON HIS FACE!
HE WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT!
[LAUGHTER] >> WHAT'S FUNNY ABOUT IT IS HE
IS OUT OF FOCUS IN THE BACKGROUND.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NOTICED THAT.
HE, UM, PLAYED IT SO PERFECTLY.
I THINK IT'S A REAL TESTAMENT TO VINCE THAT HE EMBRACED THIS.
WE DID IT THREE OR FOUR TIMES AND THAT WAS IT.
WE DIDN'T SHOOT ANYTHING ELSE FOR THAT SCENE AND THE CAST
TRULY, TRULY EMBRACED IT, BUT IT'S BECOME -- I THINK IT'S
WITHIN THE LANGUAGE OF "BREAKING BAD" THAT THAT SHOT WORKED SO
WELL.
I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE, WITHOUT AS STELLAR OF A CAST AS
WE HAD, COULDN'T DO IT.
WE COULD COUNT ON THIS CAST TO DO ANYTHING WE ASKED.
THERE WAS NEVER, EVER, EVER, A BAD IDEA ON THE SET, EVER.
IF YOU CAME IN WITH THE MOST RIDICULOUS SUGGESTION, ALL THEY
WOULD SAY IS, HMM, WE'LL GIVE THAT A SHOT!
SO THE ATMOSPHERE OF CREATIVITY AND COLLABORATION WAS PALPABLE
ON THE SET, ALL THE TIME!
WE ALSO DIDN'T DO A LOT OF SPECIAL EFFECTS.
WE DID WHEN IT WAS NECESSARY.
THE PROBLEM WAS THAT SPECIAL EFFECTS ARE EXPENSIVE.
WHEN I GOT TO "BREAKING BAD" WE REALLY LITERALLY HAD NO MONEY.
WE WERE REALLY ON THE EDGE OF COMING BACK FOR THE FIRST THREE
YEARS THAT I WAS THERE.
THE SHOW, ALTHOUGH NOT EXPENSIVE BY THE BIG PRODUCTION SPECTRUM
OF WHAT'S OUT THERE NOW, HAD NO VIEWERS.
WHEN I GOT THERE, I THINK WE HAD LESS THAN A MILLION PEOPLE A
YEAR -- A MILLION PEOPLE A WEEK WATCH THE SHOW, I THINK 900,000
TO 1.1 AND SONY WAS ALWAYS ON THE VERGE OF ARE WE BRINGING
IT BACK OR NOT?
THEY KNEW IT WAS GOOD BUT THEY WERE IN THE BUSINESS OF MAKING
GOOD AND MONEY, AT LEAST A BIG COMPANY LIKE THIS IS
AND RIGHTLY SO.
WHAT DO I WANT TO SHOW NEXT?
ONE OF THE QUINTESSENTIAL SHOTS OF THIS WAS JESSE AFTER
HE DOES HEROIN AND HE FLOATS UP OUT OF THE BED
AND THE DIRECTOR WAS ADAM BERNSTEIN AND
WE WERE LOOKING FOR A WAY OF SHOWING
THAT SUBJECTIVELY, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO DO SUCH A TERRIBLE DRUG
AND WE CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA OF FLOATING HIM UP OUT OF THE SET
AND ACTUALLY SHOWING THE SET BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO
IT AS A GREEN SCREEN OR CG SHOT OR EFFECT.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY EXPENSIVE.
EVEN IF YOU HAD TO SHOOT HIM AGAINST A GREEN SCREEN WE WOULD
HAVE HAD TO BUILD THE BED, TIE IT IN -- IT WOULD HAVE ALL
NEEDED TO BE TIED IN TOGETHER.
SO I CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF PUTTING HIM AND THE CAMERA ON
CHAIN HOISTS AND LIFTING HIM OUT OF THE BED.
AGAIN, IT BECAME A SHOT THAT ALMOST EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT AND
LOVES AND I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU IT AND THEN I'M GOING TO SHOW
YOU HOW LOW-TECH AND HOW WE DID IT SO SIMPLY TO BE HONEST WHICH
JUST THRILLED VINCE GILLIGAN TO NO END THAT WE DID THIS
BASICALLY WITH THE STUFF THAT WE HAD LAYING AROUND IN THE STUDIO.
SO LET'S SHOW JESSE AND JANE.
KEEP THE LIGHTS OFF AFTER THAT AND WE WILL SHOW THE SLIDES.
OUR CAST WENT TO COOKING METH SCHOOL, BY THE WAY.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
>> YOU CAN SEE THE TOP OF THE SET IN THE CORNERS
NOW SHOW THE SLIDES IN THE LOWER -- IT SAYS "SLIDES" IN THE
LOWER RIGHT.
THIS IS HOW WE DID IT.
SO THERE IS THE RIG WITH THE CAMERA, YOU CAN SEE A 4-2-2-FOOT
CAMERA FLOW, IT'S RIGGED ABOVE AARON'S HEAD, THERE IS THE RIG
WITH KRISTEN ON THE BED WITH HIM, THERE IS AARON HAVING FUN
HE LOVED TO RIDE THIS THING UP AND DOWN.
[LAUGHTER] >> YOU CAN SEE HE'S SUFFERING
THROUGH HIS WORK RIGHT THERE.
HE JUST LOVED THIS -- HE WOULDN'T LET ANYBODY ELSE RIDE
IT.
[LAUGHTER] IT WAS REALLY SIMPLE I HAD A LOT
OF PEOPLE AVAILABLE TO HELP ME DO THIS, BUT IT WAS INEXPENSIVE,
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO ANYTHING ELSE AND IT WAS
EFFECTIVE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL TELL YOU, WHEN WE DID IT, WE PUT
AARON ON THE RIG, WE DID THE SHOT AND WE HAD TO COORDINATE
KRISTEN LAYING DOWN WHEN AARON ROWS UP, TO MAKE IT LOOK
INTEGRATED INTO THE SCENE, WHICH WE HAD ALREADY SHOT.
WE DID THE SHOT, RAISED THEM UP AND EVERYBODY ON THE SET WAS
HAPPY AND CLAPPED AND I SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT, GUYS?
LET'S DO IT ONE MORE TIME."
THEY SAID "WHY?
IT WORKS GREAT."
AND I SAID "JUST APPEASE ME, HERE" AND JUST AS AARON STARTED
TO GO OFF THE BED I WALKED OVER TO HIS FEET AND I GAVE IT A PUSH
AND THE RIG THAT HE WAS ON STARTED SWERVING, WHICH, IN THE
END CAUSED THE BACKGROUND TO SWERVE BACK AND FORTH AND I
COULD HEAR FROM THE MONITORS, THE VIDEO VILLAGE, THE "OH HHHH"
AND THAT'S WHEN I THINK I KNEW I HAD THEM!
THE SUCCESS OF THE SHOW, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY I
THINK THE SHOW WAS SUCCESSFUL.
IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE TALENT THAT WAS INVOLVED IN IT.
WE WERE GOING TO SHOOT THE SHOW LIKE A WESTERN, GREAT, BIG, AND
WIDE, LIKE I SAID BEFORE.
BUT WE WOULD HAVE SHOT THAT SHOW THAT SAME WAY IF WE HAD BEEN
MAKING THAT SHOW IN 1985 ACCORDING TO VINCE WITH CRTTVs
THAT WERE SMALL.
BUT JUST AS WE WENT INTO PRODUCTION: NETFLIX, AMC, AND
LCD TELEVISION HAPPENED.
THE PRICE DROPPED JUST AS WE WERE STARTING PRODUCTION SO THE
KINDS OF FRAMES THAT WE WERE GOING TO TELL THE STORY WITH
ANYHOW BECAME VERY, VERY USEFUL AND VERY EASY TO SEE WHEREAS ON
A CRT, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SO, OKAY?
AMC HAD ONE SHOW ON TV, "MAD MEN."
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
THEY NEEDED SOMETHING TO REALLY, REALLY MAKE A SPLASH.
SO WHEN WE CAME ALONG, THEY WERE THE ONLY NETWORK TO PICK UP THE
SHOW.
THE SHOW HAD BEEN PASSED BY, BY OTHER NETWORKS.
SO THEY WERE WILLING TO THROW THEIR CARDS ON THE TABLE AND TRY
SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL AND INDIVIDUAL.
BUT MOST OF ALL, NETFLIX.
NETFLIX TOOK GREAT PRIDE IN STATING THAT MORE PEOPLE HAD
SEEN "BREAKING BAD" ON NETFLIX THAN HAD SEEN IT ON AMC.
HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS WATCHED IT ON -- BINGED WATCHED "BREAKING
BAD"?
[LAUGHTER] PUT YOUR HANDS UP.
HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS WATCHED IT WHEN IT WAS BROADCAST?
SEE?
I'LL BET YOU THE GUYS WHO WATCHED IT WHEN IT WAS BROADCAST
DIDN'T WATCH THE FIRST THREE YEARS, THEY CAUGHT UP AND THEN
WATCHED THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY.
PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO CATCH UP WITH US.
TO THE POINT WHERE ON THE SERIES FINALE, WE HAD 15 MILLION
VIEWERS.
WHICH WAS EXTRAORDINARY.
REALLY JUST PLEASED ALL OF US TO NO END.
I THINK WITHOUT THOSE THREE THINGS HAPPENING CONCURRENTLY,
AND REALLY JUST BY CHANCE AND DUMB LUCK, WITH THE KIND OF SHOW
THAT WE HAD, THE SHOW WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT THROUGH.
I REALLY DON'T THINK SO.
I DON'T THINK THE SHOW WOULD GET A GREEN LIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, JUST THINK ABOUT IT.
I'M GOING TO MAKE A SHOW ABOUT A GUY WHO COOKS CRYSTAL METH AND
SELLS IT TO KIDS.
IT'S NOT AN ADVERTISER'S FAVORITE.
[LAUGHTER] IT'S TRUE.
SO WE WERE LUCKY.
I THINK.
WE WERE LUCKY IN THE CAST, AND AMC DIDN'T WANT BRIAN.
NO ONE WANTED BRIAN.
HE WAS THE DAD FROM "MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE" FOR GOODNESS SAKES!
REALLY!
HE'S GOING TO PLAY A KILLER, A DRUG LORD!
THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE IT.
I THINK NOW A TONY AWARD AND FIVE EMMY'S I THINK IT IS, LATER
ON, THEY GET IT.
VINCE KNEW BRIAN -- YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS, FROM ONE EPISODE
OF THE "X FILES" VINCE WAS A SHOW RUNNER ON THAT SHOW AND HE
WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH WHAT BRIAN DID WHEN HE CAME UP AS A GUEST
STAR THAT HE HAD NO ONE ELSE IN MIND FOR WALT AND HAD TO
CONVINCE EVERYBODY THAT HE WAS THE RIGHT GUY AND THANK GOD HE
DID BECAUSE BRIAN JUST, I THINK, CARRIED THAT SHOW.
WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT MY FAVORITE SHOT OF THE SHOW IS,
THEY ALL EXPECT ME TO GO, ONE OF THOSE SHOTS LOOKING UP FROM A
DRAIN OR LOOKING DOWN ON SOMETHING OR, I DON'T KNOW,
LOOKING THROUGH A TOILET BOWL OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
OR A WIDE SHOT IN THE DESERT, TWO GUYS WALKING IN THE DESERT.
AND IT'S NOT.
I HAVE TWO FAVORITE SHOTS.
THIS IS A SPOILER ALERT, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT ALL THE WAY TO
THE END.
I HAVE TWO FAVORITE SHOTS IN "BREAKING BAD."
THE FIRST ONE, STILL MY FAVORITE SHOT, IS WHEN BRIAN IS WATCHING
JANE DIE ON THE BED AND DECIDES NOT TO TURN HER OVER WHEN SHE IS
CHOKING.
PEOPLE GO WHY?
AND I GO -- IT'S JUST A MEDIUM SHOT OF A GUY STANDING THERE.
YOU CAN DO THAT WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED.
I GO, I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE TWO BEST WAYS TO HAVE TOLD ONE
OF THE BEST PERFORMANCES AND BEST STORIES THAT I'VE EVER
SEEN.
I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A BETTER WAY TO TELL THAT.
I THINK IT ALL CAME TOGETHER JUST RIGHT FOR THAT MOMENT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A BETTER WAY TO TELL THAT STORY.
AND THE OTHER ONE WAS THE SAME THING, IT WAS A CLOSEUP OF BRIAN
WHEN HE WAS ON THE PHONE AND HE CALLED SKYLER AND HE'S GOT THE
BABY OUTSIDE THE FIRE STATION, AND HE'S BASICALLY CONFESSING TO
THE ENTIRE EVENT BUT BLAMING SKYLER, YOU KNOW THAT SCENE
THERE?
IT'S JUST A CLOSEUP OF BRIAN ON THE PHONE AND STILL TO THIS DAY
WHEN I WATCH IT I CRY.
I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A BETTER WAY TO HAVE TOLD THE STORY.
THEY WERE REALLY, REALLY CLOSE TO IDEAL.
AND TO ME, THAT'S WHAT THE SHOW WAS ABOUT.
IT WAS ABOUT GETTING THE STORY IN SYNC WITH THE STORY TELLING.
WE BECAME SOMEWHAT FAMOUS OR INFAMOUS FOR MONTAGES, ALSO.
IN THE PRODUCTION WORLD WE CALL IT "THE M WORD."
ON A SCRIPT IT'S ABOUT THAT LONG, MONTAGE.
THIS HAPPENS, THAT HAPPENS, THIS HAPPENS.
THEY TAKE FOREVER TO SHOOT, FOREVER, FOREVER, FOREVER!
AND THEY CAN RUIN YOUR SCHEDULE.
OUR RESIDENT MONTAGE EXPERT, MICHELLE McCLEARAN AND SHE AND I
GOT VERY GOOD AT DOING THESE THINGS AND I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU
A MONTAGE THAT I THINK WAS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE ENTIRE SERIES
AND MICHELLE DIRECTED IT AND SHE AND I WORKED EVERY SINGLE SHOT
THAT YOU SEE HERE WAS A SEPARATE SCENE AND IT WAS -- IN ADDITION
TO THIS TWO-MINUTE MONTAGE WE HAD TO SHOOT AN ENTIRE EPISODE.
BY THE WAY, YOU SHOULD KNOW EACH EPISODE OF "BREAKING BAD" WAS
SHOT IN 8 DAYS.
DIRECTOR GOT SEVEN DAYS TO PREP, COMING IN BASIC WAEL WITH A
SCRIPT, NO LOCATION, NO PROPS, NO NOTHING.
YOU HAVE 7 DAYS TO PUT THE EPISODE TOGETHER AND YOU GET 8
DAYS AND 11,000 FEET OF FILM A DAY TO SHOOT.
THAT'S IT.
IF YOU GO OVER YOUR 11,000 FEET -- UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOUR
VINCE GILLIGAN.
IF YOU GO OVER THE 11,000 FEET OF FILM YOU HAVE TO FIND THAT
MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE OR SOMEBODY GETS VERY UPSET WITH YOU.
SO EVERYTHING WAS PLANNED, EVERYTHING WAS SHOP LISTED,
EVERYTHING WAS PLANNED OUT TO THE SMALLEST MINUTE DETAIL.
IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE GOTTEN THE SHOW LIKE THIS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I AM MOST PROUD OF ABOUT THIS SHOW IS THE
FEELING OF INTENT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT.
IT DOES NOT HAVE A FEELING THAT THE FILM MAKERS WENT OUT, SHOT A
BUNCH OF JUNK AND THEN IT WAS EDITED LATER ON.
IT FEELS LIKE I'M SAYING TO YOU, LOOK AT THIS, THIS IS IMPORTANT,
I WANT YOU TO SEE IT.
AND I REALLY, REALLY LOVE THAT ABOUT WHAT OUR DIRECTORS AND OUR
WRITERS AND OUR TEAM DID.
WITH THAT IN MIND, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO PLAY "FLYING OVER" WHICH
MOST OF YOU GUYS WILL KNOW.
>> IT CAN BE DONE EXACTLY HOW I WANT IT.
THE ONLY QUESTION IS, ARE YOU THE MAN TO DO IT?
FIGURE IT OUT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M PAYING YOU FOR.
>> REMEMBER ONCE AGAIN, LONG TAKES, QUIET, BEFORE --
[MUSIC PLAYING] [SCREAMING]
[GROANING] [MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
>> YES, IT'S DONE.
>> THERE'S A COUPLE OF REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT THAT
MONTAGE I THINK THAT ARE REALLY GOOD EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE DID.
THE MOST, I THINK -- THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT IT SHOWS
HOW EXPRESSIONISTIC WE WERE ABOUT THE IMAGERY IN IT AND I
ALWAYS DEFAULTED TO THAT ON THE LIGHTING AND THE CAMERAS.
DURING THE DAY NO ONE'S LIVING ROOM IS THAT DARK.
THERE WOULD BE DAYLIGHT IN THERE.
DOES ANYBODY QUESTION IT?
IT WORKS WITH THE STORY.
SO I ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS IN LIGHTING AND CAMERA, I PAY NO
ATTENTION TO JUST LIGHT SOURCE JUSTIFICATION, I DON'T DO ANY OF
THAT.
I JUST LIT TO THE EMOTIONAL STORY LINE, THAT'S ALL I EVER
DID.
YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED WHAT PEOPLE ACCEPT.
ALL OF THE STUFF THAT WE DID OUT IN THE DESERT WAS FILTERED WITH
A TOBACCO FILTER.
ALL OF THE STUFF WE SHOT IN MEXICO WAS SHOT WITH A STRAW
FILTER, IT'S YELLOW, IT COMES UP IT'S YELLOW.
NO ONE HAS EVER QUESTIONED IT.
BUT AFTER YOU SAW THE FIRST IMAGE IN YELLOW THAT WAS IN
MEXICO, EVERY TIME YOU SAW THAT YELLOW COME UP YOU KNEW WHERE
YOU WERE.
THAT COLOR CAME ABOUT AT THE BEGINNING OF SEASON 3 AND I WENT
TO VINCE AND I SAID I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW IT'S A COMPLETELY
NEW SEASON IN A COMPLETELY NEW LOCATION AND THAT THEY'RE
GETTING SOMETHING COMPLETELY NEW.
AND WHAT I WANT TO DO IS GIVE IT THIS OVERALL GOLDISH, YELLOW
TINT AND EVERY TIME WE GO BACK TO MEXICO, IT HAS THAT COLOR.
AND I SAID WE CAN USE THAT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN
IT AFTER A WHILE.
AND I'VE NEVER ONCE GOT A QUESTION AS TO, WELL, THAT --
LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE LOOKING THROUGH BLUE BLOCKERS OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S NOT.
PEOPLE WILL BUY WHAT YOU SET UP FOR THEM IF IT WORKS EMOTIONALLY
FOR THE STORY.
THE OTHER ADVANTAGE THAT I HAD WAS SHOOTING A SERIES.
IF YOU'RE SHOOTING A MOVIE, WORKING ON A MOVIE AS A DIRECTOR
OR DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY YOU START TELLING A STORY EVERY TIME
YOU HAVE SCENE 1, ACT 1, BUT WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ON A
TELEVISION SERIES, YOU'RE BUILDING ON WHAT YOU DID BEFORE.
SO IF YOU KNOW WHO WALTER WHITE IS, IF YOU KNOW BRIAN CRANSTON
PLAYS WALTER WHITE, I COULD HAVE A COMPLETELY DARK AUDITORIUM AND
A LITTLE BALD HEAD WALKS INTO IT, NOTHING ON HIS FACE AT ALL
AND YOU WOULD KNOW WHO HE IS AND I WAS ABLE TO USE THAT TO MY
ADVANTAGE BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO LIGHT IT TO THE EMOTIONS OF THE
SCENE.
I DIDN'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT.
VINCE'S LINE WAS "GO DARKER, WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE!"
AND I WAS JUST -- ENCOURAGEMENT LIKE THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN
NORMALLY.
BUT I WAS HANDED THE BALL AND TOLD TO RUN REALLY FAR WITH IT.
FOR ME, I THINK WE WENT JUST FAR ENOUGH, FOR VINCE WE DIDN'T GO
FAR ENOUGH, AND HE WAS ALWAYS PUSHING US EVEN FURTHER TO TAKE
CHANCES, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN.
WHEN YOU WORK ON THIS LEVEL, THE STUDIO WANTS TO KNOW THAT
THEY'RE NOT WASTING MONEY AND THAT IS IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH
TAKING CHANCES AND BEING CREATIVE.
IF YOU PLAY IT SAFE, YOU WILL NEVER DO -- A WONDERFUL FRIEND
OF MINE WHO IS A GREAT CINEMATOGRAPHER, YOU SHOULD TAKE
THIS WITH YOU, ALL YOU STUDENTS, I THINK IT'S GREAT.
HE SAID TO ME "I NEVER DID ANYTHING TRULY GREAT,
INTENTIONALLY."
WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT LINE.
I'VE TRIED TO LIVE WITH THAT.
THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF NIGHTS WHERE I HAVE WOKE UP AT 1 OR 2
IN THE MORNING, CALLED THE GUY AT THE LAB AND SAID "WAS THERE
ANYTHING ON THE FILM?" BECAUSE I WAS -- BECAUSE OF
TAKING CHANCES.
IF YOU PLAY IT SAFE, YOU WORK BUT YOU WON'T GET A "BREAKING
BAD" OR A "MAD MEN" OR A "GAME OF THRONES" OR SOMETHING.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE CHANCES, CALCULATED ONES BUT YOU DO HAVE
TO TAKE CHANCES.
TO THAT END I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING THAT TAKES PLACE IN
MEXICO THAT IS ANOTHER ONE OF THE ICONIC SCENES FROM THE SHOW.
IT'S FROM SEASON 3.
FIRST EPISODE, DIRECTED BY BRIAN CRANSTON AND I WILL TELL YOU A
GREAT STORY ABOUT IT AFTERWARDS.
LET'S LOOK AT "THE COUSINS" IN 301.
TWO OF MY FAVORITE GUYS.
THIS IS THE YELLOW I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT.
THAT SHOT RIGHT THERE WAS ON A MOVING PLATFORM IN THE DESERT
JUST TO GET THAT THE ONE SHOT.
NOW WE'RE IN A SET, OKAY.
WE DID THIS ALL IN A SET.
INCLUDING THE WIDE SHOT YOU WILL SEE IN A MINUTE.
THIS IS A SET.
IN A STUDIO.
[SPEAKING SPANISH] >> THE SET WAS ON RUBBER TIRES,
THE CAMERA WAS MOVING, THE LIGHTS WERE MOVING, THE WALLS
WERE MOVING, IT'S PRETTY CONVINCING, I THINK.
I LOVE NOT BEING THERE FOR THE SHOOTING.
>> WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN THERE?
[GUNS FIRED]
>> THAT'S THE ONLY SHOT OF THAT
THAT WE SHOT.
WE DID NOT GO CLOSE ON IT.
[GUN FIRES] WE'RE ON A PLATFORM LOOKING UP
THROUGH HALF INCH PLEXIGLASS.
WATCH THIS SHOT.
[EXPLOSION] >> SO THOSE COUSINS ARE LOUIS
AND DANIEL MONSADA, THEY ARE RECOVERED GANG-BANGERS FROM LA,
THEY BOTH DID A LOT OF TIME AND NOW THEY SPEND TIME GETTING KIDS
OFF THE STREETS AND INTO THE MOVIES, INTO THEATER.
THEY ARE TWO TREMENDOUSLY, AT THIS POINT IN THEIR LIFE,
WONDERFUL GUYS.
DANIEL, THE YOUNGER ONE, THE SMALLER ONE IN THE BACK THERE,
IT WAS HIS FIRST DAY ON A FILM SET, EVER.
HIS BROTHER HAD GOTTEN HIM THE JOB AND VINCE ALWAYS SAW IT AS
TWO COUSINS IF YOU SAW THE SHOW AND THAT SHOT OF THEM WALKING
AWAY WAS THE FIRST SHOT THAT WE SHOT WITH HIS FIRST DAY ON A
FILM SET.
AND IF ANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN ON A PROFESSIONAL SET YOU WILL KNOW
THAT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, SPECIAL EFFECTS PEOPLE GO A
LITTLE OVERBOARD, THEY REALLY DO.
THAT EXPLOSION WAS ENORMOUS.
WHEN THEY WERE WALKING AWAY FROM THE THING, THERE WAS HAY, PARTS
OF TRUCK BURNING, BURNING WOOD FLYING OVER THEM, OVER THE
CAMERA AND THE CAMERA WAS ON A VERY LONG LENS, 1200 OR 800
MILLIMETER, FLYING PAST THEM, LANDING ON THEM, GOING
EVERYWHERE.
THEY DIDN'T FLINCH ONE IODA.
AND I SAID TO DANIEL "DIDN'T YOU FEEL THE HEAT COME UP?"
THERE WAS FIRE COMING OVER THEM AND HE GOES "YEAH, I FELT THAT"
AND I SAID BUT YOU DIDN'T REACT
AND HE GOES "BRIAN TOLD ME NOT TO!"
THE CREW WAS LIKE, RUNNING AWAY, AND HE IS JUST
WALKING AWAY WITH HIS CIGARETTE.
IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.
IT WAS QUITE AN INITIATION.
THEY ARE BOTH DOING EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY WELL.
OKAY.
LET ME HAVE -- RIGHT, FIVE.
CAN YOU PUT UP THE MENU, PLEASE?
YEAH, EVERYBODY PROBABLY WANTS -- I DON'T KNOW.
I HAD A FEELING THAT'S WHAT WE WERE GOING FOR.
LET'S SHOW THE NURSING HOME AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE
THAT'S REALLY -- THAT'S THE ONE, RIGHT?
YEAH.
THE MOST WONDERFUL ACTOR IMAGINABLE, CARLO ESPIZITO,
FATHER FROM CONNECTICUT, THREE DAUGHTERS, NICEST MAN IN THE
WORLD, MEDITATES EVERY DAY, HE BECAME ONE OF
THE MOST NOTORIOUS VILLAINS ON TELEVISION AND IS TO THIS DAY.
I'M SORRY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO HIM.
>> IS THAT HOW YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?
>> THE INCREDIBLE MARK MARGOLI DIDN'T HAVE A LOT TO SAY DURING
THIS SHOW BUT HAD A GREAT, GREAT IMPACT.
[YELLING] [EXPLOSION]
>> OH MY GOD. OH JESUS.
[APPLAUSE] >> THAT WAS DONE -- THAT WAS
DONE 19 TIMES.
VINCE HAD IT IN HIS HEAD, AND WE WERE GOING TO MATCH IT
FRAME-FOR-FRAME, IT WAS THAT SIMPLE.
WE WERE -- WE WOULD DO IT, THEY WOULD SAY OKAY WE HAVE THREE
TAKES, PUT THE DOOR BACK ON, BY THE END OF IT WE WERE PATCHING
THINGS TOGETHER AND THROWING IT BACK IN AND STUFFING THINGS BACK
TOGETHER.
JEAN CARLO HAD GREEN PAINT ON HIS FACE THAT WAS LATER TAKEN
OUT AND BY OUR INCREDIBLE SPECIAL EFFECTS COORDINATOR,
BILL POLOSKI, WHO DID ALL OF THAT PAINTING AND ALL OF THAT
STUFF.
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE SHOT.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE EVEN AT THAT POINT WHEN WE TALKED
ABOUT SCHEDULES AND FOOTAGE AND ALL THAT STUFF BEFORE, BECAUSE
WE DID THAT SO MANY TIMES, VINCE WAS ABLE TO, BECAUSE HE WAS THE
CREATOR, AND HAD TO GIVE UP SOMETHING LATER IN THE DAY SO
THAT WE COULD STAY THERE AND FINISH THAT.
I TOLD THEM NOW WE WOULD TAKE QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE A HARD OUT AT A CERTAIN TIME.
BUT IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE MICROPHONES.
PLEASE DON'T BE SHY.
I'LLANSWER ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO KNOW.
PLEASE.
YES, SIR.
>> I WAS WONDERING HOW YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A CINEMATOGRAPHER
HAS AFFECTED YOUR DIRECTING?
>> REALLY GREAT QUESTION.
I AM -- I THINK IT'S BEEN A GREAT BENEFIT AND THE DIRECTORS
OF PHOTOGRAPHY THAT I WORK WITH NOW REALLY LOVE IT WHEN I COME
ON BECAUSE I'M VERY CLEAR WITH WHAT I WANT.
I COME IN, I EXPLAIN IT, MY COMMUNICATION IS ROCK SOLID.
I DO NOT -- A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY IS IT DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO GIVE
IT UP AND THE ANSWER IS ABSOLUTELY NOT!
I AM SO HAPPY TO GIVE IT UP YOU HAVE NO IDEA!
I REALLY AM!
I ALSO AM A GOOD GUEST.
WHEN I GO TO -- WHEN I GO AND DIRECT AS A GUEST DIRECTOR
SOMEWHERE -- YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IN EPISODIC
TELEVISION YOU'RE NOT A DIRECTOR.
YOU ARE A GUEST DIRECTOR.
YOU COME INTO SOMEBODY ELSE'S HOUSE AS A GUEST.
WHEN THEY CAME INTO "BREAKING BAD" THEY WERE MY GUEST AND THEY
WERE EXPECTED TO FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES AND TO ABIDE BY THE
CULTURE OF THE SHOW WHERE YOU'RE WORKING.
SO IF YOU CAME INTO THIS SHOW AND YOU WANTED TO DIRECT IT
LET'S SAY, THE WAY THAT "FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS" IS, ALL THE HAND
HELDZ, SIX CAMERAS RUNNING AT THE SAME TIME, EVERYBODY WAGGING
AROUND THEIR CAMERAS AND STUFF, NO.
YOUR JOB WHEN YOU COME IN IS TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND DO
THE SHOW IN THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU'RE DOING IT.
WHEN I GO TO SHOWS I DON'T TELL PEOPLE, I ASK.
EVEN WITH MY EXPERIENCE I SAY THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO. IS
THIS IN THE CULTURE AND THE VISUAL LANGUAGE OF YOUR SHOW,
UNLESS, OF COURSE, I'M THERE WRITING IT.
I DIRECTED THE FIRST EPISODE OF "CHICAGO P.D." LAST YEAR AND
THERE WAS NO LANGUAGE SO IT WAS UP TO ME TO AT LEAST START
WRITING THE VOCABULARY OF THAT SHOW.
>> HI, WILL YOU BE DOING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR ANY OTHER
SPIN-OFF?
>> NO, IN FACT I'M DISTRESSED THAT I WON'T BE.
I'M GOING TO GO DO -- I'M GOING TO DIRECT THE SEASON PREMIERE
AND THE SECOND EPISODE OF "GAME OF THRONES" FOR SEASON 5.
[APPLAUSE] SO I WILL COME BACK NEXT YEAR
WITH THAT!
[APPLAUSE] I'M GOING TO MISS UNFORTUNATELY
I AM GOING TO MISS THE ENTIRE PRODUCTION OF IT WHICH
DISSTRESSES ME BECAUSE JONATHAN BANKS IS GOING TO BE PART OF IT,
AND A LOT OF TALENTED FOLKS, MICHAEL McKEEAN THEY JUST SIGNED
ON FOR THAT SHOW.
MY FAMILY IS GOING TO BE THERE AND IT DISSTRESSES ME TO NO END.
PETER GOULD -- I HAVE TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT ALL OF THE WRITERS
ON "BREAKING BAD" HAVE GONE ON TO FAME AND FORTUNE
IN THEIR OWN RIGHTS.
IT'S INCREDIBLE, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.
PETER GOULD IS GOING TO BE THE SHOW RUNNER OF IT, BECAUSE IF
YOU CREATE THE CHARACTER YOU'RE ENTITLED TO WORK THAT CHARACTER
AND VINCE DOES NOT WANT TO RUN ANOTHER SHOW.
PETER CREATED THE FIRST EPISODE, SO PETER IS GOING TO TAKE THAT
SHOW AND BE THE SHOW RUNNER OF IT, BUT MOYRA BECKET HAS A SHOW
"FLESH AND BONE" ALL OF THE SHOW WRITERS HAVE GONE ON TO WRITE
FOR OTHER SHOWS.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BUT I WISH I WAS GOING.
>> THAT'S UNFORTUNATE.
>> YEAH, I HAVE SUCH AN INTERESTING RELATIONSHIP WITH
THAT SHOW BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT -- ONE OF THE THINGS
ABOUT "BREAKING BAD" WAS THAT IT WAS SO SPECIAL THAT I DON'T KNOW
IF I WANT SOMETHING ELSE COMING CLOSE, BECAUSE IT WAS GREAT,
TRULY GREAT, BUT I REALLY WANT THEM TO SUCCEED AND DO GREAT.
AND VINCE IS GOING TO DIRECT THE FIRST EPISODE, THE GUY WHO I
HIRED TO SHOOT FOR ME -- THIS IS A QUESTION THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
ASK, WHO DID YOU HIRE TO SHOOT FOR YOU WHEN YOU DIRECTED?
WHEN I DIRECTED -- I DID THE SEASON 5 PREMIERE OF "BREAKING
BAD" BUT ALL OF THE OTHER ONCE I TOOK OFF, ONE THAT I PREPPED AND
TWO THAT I DIRECTED SO I HAD TO HIRE PEOPLE THAT WOULD REPLACE
MYSELF.
THE GUY WHO I HIRED IN THE FIFTH YEAR, ARTHUR ALBERT TO SHOOT FOR
ME AND MY EPISODE "CONFESSIONS"
AND THEN HE TOOK OVER FOR ME WHEN I LEFT EARLY. I LEFT 4 DAYS
BEFORE HE END OF THE SHOW. HE'S GOING TO SHOOT [INAUDIBLE]
>> HI, MICHAEL. I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD TALK
ABOUT YOUR BEGINNINGS HERE AT RIT.
WERE YOU ALWAYS INTERESTED IN MOTION OR DID YOU START OFF
WITH STILLS AND GO INTO THAT?
AND, CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT MAKING THAT TRANSFER OVER?
>> GREAT QUESTION.
WHEN I WAS HERE I WANTED TO BE AN ART PHOTOGRAPHER.
I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT I HAD INCREDIBLE TEACHERS, WHEN I WAS
HERE, BEA NETTLES WAS HERE, AND SHE WAS A NON-SILVER SPECIALIST,
AND SHE WAS AN ARTIST FIRST,
PHOTOGRAPHER SECOND. AND SHE WAS THE ONE WHO SAID, "YOU KNOW
YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS TELL STORIES AND THEY LOOK LIKE MOVIES TO ME, WHY
DON'T YOU TRY MAKING A MOVIE?" PROBABLY TO GET ME OUT OF
PHOTOGRAPHY, I WOULD IMAGINE. SHE COULD SEE IT, EVEN AT THAT
POINT. SO I DID MAKE AN UNWATCHABLE MOVIE HERE. I MADE A
FILM, I TOOK A FILM COURSE, AND I MADE A FILM THAT IS ABSOLUTELY
UNWATCHABLE.
[LAUGHTER] BUT IT GOT IT'S TALONS INTO ME
BIG TIME. I MEAN, IT JUST GRABBED ME, AND DIDN'T LET GO
AND I BECAME A -- I BECAME A PERSON WITH A MISSION.
I BECAME LIKE A HORSE WITH BLINDERS ON, AND I EDUCATED
MYSELF ABOUT FILM.
I REALLY WENT TO TOWN ON IT.
I APPLIED FROM HERE TO NYU GRAD SCHOOL AND I GOT INTO NYU GRAD
SCHOOL AND WHEN I WAS THERE I DID SHOOT A BUNCH OF FILMS AND I
LOVED -- I LOVED THE CINEMATOGRAPHY ASPECT OF IT.
WHEN I GOT OUT, I WENT TO WORK MOSTLY AS AN ELECTRICIAN, I TOOK
ANY JOB I COULD GET, BUT BEING IN ELECTRIC IS A GREAT WAY
TO LEARN WHAT LIGHTS DO AND HAS BENEFITED ME TO THIS DAY.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ASK FOR AND YOU DON'T EXPECT THEM TO DO IT
ANY FASTER THAN WHAT CAN REALLY BE DONE.
AND YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT LIGHT DOES WHAT, SO -- AND THERE WAS A
PRAGMATIC SIDE TO IT, ALSO.
IF YOU COME UP IN THE CAMERA DEPARTMENT ON A MOVIE SET THERE
IS ONE ASSISTANT, TWO ASSISTANTS IF THERE IS TWO, ONE OPERATOR
AND ONLY ONE DP BUT THERE ARE MANY ELECTRICIANS, MANY, MANY,
BECAUSE THEY HIRE ADDITIONAL ONES FOR NIGHTS, THEY HIRE
ADDITIONAL ONES FOR FOR WRAPPING, THEY HIRE ADDITONAL
ONES FOR PRELIGHTING, THERE IS USUALLY 8 OR 9 ON A CREW SO THE
POSSIBILITY OF GETTING A JOB WERE FAR, FAR GREATER.
AND THAT'S WHAT I DID.
I HUNG IN THERE AND BECAME A GAFFER AND THEN USED THAT AS
LEVERAGE TO START SHOOTING. PEOPLE WHO WANTED ME TO LIGHT
FOR THEM, AND I'D SAY, "YEAH BUT I WOULD LIKE TO
SHOOT SECOND CAMERA OR I'D LIKE TO DO ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY OR
SOMETHING". AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
>> WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE YOU MADE WHILE WORKING ON
"BREAKING BAD" AND WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU LEARNED FROM IT?
>> THAT IS A NEW QUESTION.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE?
OH, UM, IT HAS TO DO WITH MANAGEMENT.
WHEN I FIRST GOT DOWN THERE -- WHEN YOU ARE THE DIRECTOR OF
PHOTOGRAPHY, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH LIGHTING OR CAMERA,
YOU'RE THE HEAD OF THE CREW AND YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIRING,
FIRING, KEEPING PEOPLE ON AND IN THE FIRST SEASON THERE WERE
PEOPLE THERE THAT, THAT, ALTHOUGH GOOD AT WHAT THEY DID
WERE NOT GOOD FITS FOR THE SHOW AND I MADE THAT CHANGE BETWEEN
SECOND AND THIRD SEASON BUT I SHOULD HAVE MADE IT EARLIER.
THAT'S THE BIGGEST MISTAKE THAT I THINK I'VE MADE.
PHOTOGRAPHICALLY I NEVER -- THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
LET ME GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE.
THAT IS -- THAT WAS MY BIGGEST, I THINK, ERROR OF JUDGMENT ON MY
PART.
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYBODY ELSE, IT WAS AN ERROR OF
JUDGMENT ON MY PART.
BECAUSE YOU REALLY ARE THE MANAGER OF THE CREW AND WHEN A
SHOT IS SET UP, EVERYONE LOOKS TO YOU AS TO HOW YOU'RE GOING TO
MAKE THAT SHOT OR MAKE THAT DAY.
ODDLY ENOUGH THEY ALMOST NEVER BLAME THE DIRECTOR.
IF YOU DON'T MAKE THE DAY, THEY ALWAYS COME TO THE
CINEMATOGRAPHER, "HOW COME YOU DIDN'T MAKE THE DAY? WHAT'S
GOING ON?" MAYBE NOT GOING FAR ENOUGH AT TIMES? MAYBE I COULD
HAVE GONE FURTHER, PHOTOGRAPHICALLY, I'M NOT SURE.
THANK YOU, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING. THIS IS REALLY
A PRIVILEGE, AND FOR THOSE OF US THAT WATCH "BREAKING
BAD" ALL YOU THINK ABOUT IS, LIKE YOU SAY, IT'S A VISUAL
STORY, BUT VINCE GILLIGAN WAS INTERVIEWED AND IT'S HIS BABY
AND YOU MENTIONED TODAY, YOU ALWAYS GO BACK TO VINCE
GILLIGAN. HE SAID THERE WERE TWO FATHER'S ON THIS SHOW, MICHAEL
AND BRIAN. SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY TOUCHING AND HOW MUCH
TRUST HE PUT IN YOU. AND YOU MENTIONED THAT HE MET BRIAN ONE
TIME ON "X FILES" HOW DID HE MEET YOU
OR HOW DID HE TRUST YOU AND HIRE YOU?
>> THAT'S A GREAT -- THAT'S GREAT.
THE REASON THAT THERE WERE TWO DAD'S ON THE SET, IS THAT BRIAN
AND EVEN ME MORE THAN BRIAN, I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS THERE
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
EVERY DAY.
BRIAN HAD DAYS OFF, BUT I WAS THERE EVERY DAY OF SHOOTING.
VINCE WAS NOT. VINCE WAS IN LA.
I JUST CONNECTED WITH THIS MATERIAL. I KNEW IT WHEN
I SAW THE PILOT, THAT THIS GLOVE WOULD FIT MY HAND, I
KNEW IT. MY WIFE KNEW IT, WE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD FIT.
I USED TO ARGUE WITH VINCE. I USED TO CALL HIM UP AND TRY TO
EXPLAIN TO HIM THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO.
AND HE WOULD GO, "DONT WORRY ABOUT A THING, I TRUST YOU, I
TRUST YOU". AND I WOULD ARGUE WITH HIM BACK, AND GO, "YOU
DON'T KNOW ME TO TRUST ME! YOU DON'T KNOW ME!" LISTEN TO WHAT
I'M SAYING!" AND HE GOES "NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, I KNOW YOU WELL
ENOUGH". THE DIRECTOR WHO DID THE FIRST TWO EPISODES
AFTER THE PILOT -- VINCE DID THE PILOT.
THE FIRST TWO EPISODES WERE DIRECTED BY MY FRIEND ADAM
BERNSTEIN WHO I MET ON A SHOW CALLED "ED" IN NEW YORK FOR NBC,
WHICH WAS A GREAT SHOW BY THE WAY.
WHEN THEY LOOKED TO MAKE A CHANGE, HE WAS THE ONE THAT SAID
"YOU SHOULD CALL THIS GUY". ADAM SAID, "PLEASE CALL MICHAEL,
IT'LL BE A GOOD FIT. YOU'LL SEE".
>> AND BECAUSE OF VINCE'S TRUST IN ADAM AND
THE RELATIONSHIP, THAT'S IT? HE JUST SAYS, YOU
SAY. "MICHAEL", MICHAEL.
>> WELL, NO, NO, THIS IS A GREAT POINT.
>> WELL, BECAUSE IT'S A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME, BRILLIANT,
LIKE YOU SAY, COMING TOGETHER...
>> BUT LET ME TELL YOU HOW A DECISION LIKE THAT IS MADE. IT'S
REALLY INTERESTING. IT'S NOT UP TO JUST SOMEBODY SAYING, "I
WANT THAT PERSON"
WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS "I WANT THAT PERSON" EVEN VINCE, YOU HAVE TO
BE VETTED AND APPROVED BY THE WHOLE SLOUGH OF PRODUCERS AND
THEN EXECUTIVES. SO IF ALL THE PRODUCERS WANT YOU, THEN
IT GOES TO THE NETWORK.
THEY HAVE THE APPROVAL OVER YOU OR NOT.
SO IT'S NO SMALL THING TO GET TO SHOOT A TV SHOW.
WHEN I WAS HIRED FOR CSI, IT WAS, I DON'T KNOW, I THINK 11
LEVELS -- LIKE IT WAS THE NO. 1 SHOW ON THE GLOBE AND IT WENT
EITHER TO THE TOP GUY OR RIGHT BELOW HIM, WHO WAS GOING TO BE
AT THE HELM OF THEIR NUMBER ONE SHOW.
THESE THINGS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO
ALL NETWORKS, HBO, SHOWTIME,
AMC, THEY HAVE APPROVAL OF EVERY MAJOR CREATIVE ON THE SET AND
ESPECIALLY DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY SINCE DIRECTORS OF
PHOTOGRAPHY ARE THE FULCRUM POINT BETWEEN THE
LOOK, THE AESTHETICS, AND THE EFFICIENCY OF THE DAY. SO THEY
ARE VERY CONCERNED WITH WHO THE BRING IN FOR THESE POSITIONS.
>> AS A DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY HOW MUCH INPUT DID YOU HAVE IN
TERMS OF THE SPECIFIC SOUNDS AND MUSIC THAT WENT INTO THE
SHOW, AND HOW MUCH DID YOU HAVE ON OTHER SETS BESIDES "BREAKING
BAD" AND HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK IT HELPED WITH THE SUCCESS
OF "BREAKING BAD"?
>> I THINK IT WAS IMMEASURABLE IN HELPING WITH THE SUCCESS.
I HAD NO INPUT AT ALL, AS A DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY.
AS A DIRECTOR, YES. AS A DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY, NO.
YOU'RE NOT INVOLVED AT ALL WITH THE AUDIO OR
THE SOUND OR THE MUSIC.
YOU DON'T SEE IT REALLY UNTIL THE SHOW IS FINISHED. BUT AS
A DIRECTOR YOU ARE CONSULTED AND REALLY THOSE DECISIONS
ARE MADE BY THE SHOW RUNNERS WHO ARE DOING IT WITH COMPOSERS AND
MUSIC SUPERVISORS.
WHEN WE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS A RECOGNIZABLE NAME,
PEOPLE -- BANDS WOULD START SENDING MUSIC TO OUR MUSIC
SUPERVISORS AND SAY, PLEASE, CAN WE GET OUR MUSIC ON TO THE SHOW,
IT GETS A LOT EASIER WHEN YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL.
>> HI, SO, I'M REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT KIND OF
DIRECTING TECHNIQUES YOU USE
WITH ACTORS, PARTICULARLY WITH THE "BREAKING BAD" CAST AFTER
BEING ON-SET WITH THEM I'M SURE YOU WERE ABLE TO SORT OF OBSERVE
HOW THEY WORK AS ACTORS AND THEN USE CERTAIN TECHNIQUES WITH THEM
SO I'M WONDERING WHAT TECHNIQUES YOU USED WITH THEM AS WELL AS
TECHNIQUES YOU PLAN TO BRING TO DIRECTING "GAME OF THRONES"
SINCE THAT'S SUCH AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT WORLD.
>> THE METHODOLOGY, THE METHOD IS THE SAME, IT REALLY IS.
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AN HONEST NOT PRECIOUS, NOT PUT-UPON WAY OF
PORTRAYING THE SCENE. THE WAY THAT EVERY ONE OF THE FILM SETS
THAT I DIRECT RUNS IS...YOU COME IN, AND YOU READ THE MATERIAL.
AS A GROUP. THEN WE PUT IT ON ITS FEET AND YOU GUIDE IT -- YOU
HAVE TO BE -- YOU JUST GUIDE ACTORS, YOU DON'T TELL THEM WHAT
YOU WANT AND VERY OFTEN IF YOU TRUST THEM, YOU'LL GET SOMETHING
BETTER THAN WHAT YOU EVER IMAGINED IN YOUR HEAD
BEFOREHAND.
SO IF YOU LISTEN AND WORK TOGETHER -- IT'S THE MOST
COLLABORATIVE PART OF THE FILM-MAKING PROCESS; IS THE
DIRECTOR AND THE ACTOR RELATIONSHIP. AS THE
DIRECTOR, YOUR JOB IS TO BE THE AUDIENCE AND TO SAY THIS EITHER
WORKS OR DOESN'T AND VERY OFTEN ACTORS WILL GO, "THIS IS WHY I'M
DOING THIS..." AND THEY COME UP WITH A WHOLE CEREBRAL APPROACH
AND IT'S WELL THOUGHT OUT AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE ACTORS
UP THERE IS SUPER SMART, REALLY SMART. SOMETIMES IT'S JUST A
VISCERAL RESPONSE, AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE THAT YOU HAVE, AND I
WILL OFTEN GO, "I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY IT DOESN'T WORK, BUT IT
DOESN'T. THIS IS WHAT WE NEED". AND IT'S THEIR JOB TO GO
LOOKING FOR IT, OR IT'S THEIR JOB TO CONVINCE ME, OR TOGETHER
HOW WE DO IT. BUT, IT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. NOW
SOME ACTORS ARE WAY MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN OTHERS. SOME ARE
CLOSED AND THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT THEIR WAY, AND THAT'S
IT, AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO. AND OTHERS ARE
OPEN PALETTES AND OPEN BOOKS AND YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.
ON THE SET OF "BREAKING BAD" I'LL TELL YOU NEVER ONCE DID I
HEAR THE WORDS "I WOULD NOT SAY IT THAT WAY" YOU ONLY HEARD
"I'LL GIVE THAT A TRY". THEN YOU KNEW IF IT WORKED AFTERWARDS.
IT WAS OBVIOUS TO EVERYBODY. DOES THAT HELP?
>> YEAH!
>> OK.
>> HELLO, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE WERE ANY SHOTS THAT YOU
FELT NEEDED A PARTICULAR EMOTIONAL FEELING
THAT JUST DIDN'T AGREE WITH VINCE.
>> THERE WERE TIMES WHEN WHAT WE SAW ON THE SET WAS NOT WHAT WE
WERE TOLD TO DO AHEAD OF TIME. AND, WHAT I WOULD DO THEN, IS
I WOULD CALL HIM ON THE PHONE. I CALLED VERY RARELY, SO WHEN I
DID CALL, HE ALWAYS EITHER GOT RIGHT BACK TO ME, OR PICKED UP
THE PHONE. AND I WOULD SAY "THIS IS NOT WORKING. HERE'S WHAT'S
WORKING, WHAT DO YOU THINK?" AND, 90% OF THE TIME, HE
DEFERRED TO US, AND SAID "THAT SOUND GOOD. YOU'RE
RIGHT. THAT WORKS." OR, HE WOULD SAY, "I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO
SEE IT THIS WAY. IF YOU WANT TO DO IT YOUR WAY AS WELL,
GREAT" AND, EVERYBODY HAD SUCH RESPECT FOR HIM, THAT...WE
DID, AND WE WOULD. I MEAN...TO GET THE SHOW, TO
THE POINT WHERE IT'S DONE, IS AN ENORMOUS TASK.
IT'S GARGANTUAN. HIS SCRIPT FOR A PILOT WAS PICKED OUT
OF HUNDREDS, AND HUNDREDS, AND HUNDREDS OF
SCRIPTS AND HIS PILOT WAS PICKED OUT OF, YOU KNOW, 100 OR 120
PILOTS TO BE PRODUCED INTO A SERIES.
HIS SERIES WENT FIVE, SIX YEARS. THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING TO BE
-- TO BE LAUDED. I THINK HE JUST DID A GREAT JOB. SO WE
RESPECTED THAT AND WE JUST WENT AHEAD AND DID WHAT HE ASKED.
>> THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> HELLO, AS A YOUNG FILM MAKER STARTING OUT IN THE FILM
INDUSTRY, WHAT'S ONE THING THAT YOU KNOW NOW THAT YOU WISH YOU
KNEW WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?
>> I NOTICED YOU NOTICED THAT I WASN'T YOUNG.
[LAUGHTER]
>> WELL, I MEAN, WHEN YOU WERE IN YOUR 20s.
[LAUGHTER]
>> OH, LAST DECADE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> I WENT TO A VERY PRESTIGIOUS FILM SCHOOL AND WHEN I GOT OUT
OF THAT FILM SCHOOL, MY FIRST DAY ON A SET I REALIZED WHAT I
DIDN'T KNOW. I THINK THAT WAS A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR ME.
I WAS WILLING, UNLIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, I WAS WILLING TO STAY A
BLUE COLLAR WORKER FOR AS LONG AS IT TOOK ME TO REALLY KNOW
THE BUSINESS. I DIDN'T KNOW HARDLY ANYTHING EVEN THOUGH I
WENT AND HAD A MASTER'S FROM NYU.
THE LUCK PART WAS THAT I WORKED FOR VERY GENEROUS
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY WHO WERE WILLING TO SHARE AND WERE
NOT CLOSE-MINDED ABOUT IT AND WERE COLLABORATIVE AND WERE OPEN
BOOKS ABOUT WHAT THEY DID AND THEIR PROCESSES AND THAT I WAS
VERY APPRECIATIVE OF.
YOU THINK YOU KNOW.
I SAY TO PEOPLE, IT'S GREAT, BE A FILM MAKER, GET OUT AND DO IT.
BUT REALIZE THAT THERE IS A LOT TO BE LEARNED AS WELL.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE A SPIKE LEE OR JIM JARMISH,
OR WHATEVER, OR STEVEN SODERBERG BUT FOR EACH ONE
OF THOSE PEOPLE THERE ARE 2,000 OR
3,000 PEOPLE OUT THERE EARNING A LIVING AND RAISING FAMILIES.
AND, WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU AS AN ASPIRING FILM MAKER IS BECOME
ART AND FILM LITERATE.
WATCH ALL THE MOVIES THAT YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T WATCHED FROM
THE 1930'S, AND '40'S AND '50's, BECOME TOTALLY FILM LITERATE,
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF MUSIC, AND BOOKS AND ART AND
DANCE, IMMERSE YOURSELF. AND BE PREPARED SO THAT WHEN
YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO BE A FILM MAKER COMES YOU HAVE A RICH
RESOURCE OF THINGS TO DRAW UPON. AND DON'T NOT LIVE YOUR LIFE.
DON'T NOT FALL IN LOVE OR HAVE A FAMILY, WHATEVER.
THERE'S ALWAYS A BETTER TIME FOR THAT COMING DOWN THE ROAD, BUT
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WILL ENRICH YOU AS A PERSON AND MAKE
YOU A MUCH, MUCH, MUCH BETTER FILM MAKER AND ARTIST OF ANY
SORT.
>> THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANKS FOR COMING OUT HERE TODAY.
AND GOOD LUCK ON MAKING GAME OF THRONES.
>> WE TURN TO PUMPKINS IN 2 MINUTES, DID YOU KNOW THAT?
>> WHAT?
>> WE'RE GOING TO TURN INTO PUMPKINS IN TWO MINUTES.
>> MY QUESTION WAS, SINCE THE JOB MARKET IS SO COMPETITIVE RIGHT
NOW TO GET INTO THE JOB ENTRY, AND IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
THAN WHEN YOU ENTERED IN, WHAT CAN WE DO TO STAND OUT?
>> IT'S NOT THAT DIFFERENT, IN FACT, THERE IS MORE TELEVISION
BEING MADE TODAY THAN THERE WAS WHEN I GOT OUT.
GETTING IN IS HARD. THE ONE THING
YOU CAN DO IS..JUST DON'T TAKE "NO" FOR AN ANSWER.
I HOPE IT'S NOT, BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS IT'S GOING TO
BE HARDER THAN YOU CAN EVEN IMAGINE AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO EXPLAIN TO YOUR PARENTS WHY YOU'RE FOLLOWING THIS, WHICH IS
WHAT I HAD TO DO AND THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO CONVINCE YOU TO
DO SOMETHING REASONABLE AND MAKE MONEY OR HAVE A REAL JOB, BUT
IF IT'S REALLY IN YOUR HEART AND SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANT TO DO
YOU HAVE TO BE TENACIOUS ENOUGH TO HANG-OUT UNTIL THE
OPPORTUNITY COMES YOUR WAY AND IT'S JUST INVESTING TIME AND
GETTING TO KNOW THE NETWORK OF PEOPLE.
I WAS LUCKY.
IF YOU'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GO TO A SCHOOL LIKE USC OR NYU, I
DON'T KNOW COMING OUT OF THIS SCHOOL, I DON'T KNOW. BUT I CAME
OUT WITH A NETWORK AND ALL OF MY FRIENDS, WE HELPED EACH OTHER.
IN THE EARLY DAYS WE HAD WHAT WAS CALLED THE "DAD'S NETWORK"
ALL OF US THAT HAD YOUNG INFANTS AND IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT WE
WERE DOING ON THE SET, WHETHER WE WERE RUNNING A GENERATOR OR
MOVING LIGHTS OR COILING CABLE OR MOVING SANDBAGS, BUT WE MADE
SURE -- THERE WAS NO JOB TOO DEMEENING, BUT WE MADE SURE ALL
THE PEOPLE WITH FAMILIES WERE WORKING SOMEHOW AND EARNING
MONEY AND IT WAS THAT NETWORK.
WHEN I STOPPED GAFFING AND STARTED TO SHOOT, THE ONLY
REASON WE SURVIVED WAS BECAUSE MY FRIENDS WOULD SNEAK ME ON TO
GENERATORS OR PUT ME UP IN A CONDOR WITH A LIGHT AND I WAS
TURNING DOWN GAFFING WORK BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO
DP BUT I NEEDED MONEY STILL AND I WAS ANONYMOUS THERE.
AS A GAFFER, I WAS A GAFFER, BUT IF I WAS IN A GENERATOR OR
OPERATING A LIGHT OR DOING SOMETHING BEHIND THE SCENES
I WAS ANONYMOUS AND PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW. AND, I JUST WAITED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> DONE?
[APPLAUSE]
OK? THANK YOU!