Mark (Adam Scott) and Gemma (Dichen Lachman) aren’t the one individuals who go on a journey in Episode 7 of “Severance” Season 2. For “Chikhai Bardo” and all of the impressionistic methods it dramatizes the tethers of affection and grief that bind collectively these two Outies, the producers turned to cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné for help in determining how the transitional moments between scenes would work visually. That collaboration, in flip, empowered Gagné to do one thing she didn’t suppose she would do on “Severance” or some other TV present: Direct an episode.
IndieWire reached out to Gagné about entering into the director’s chair and sustaining the present’s sense of self by all of the Severed iterations of Gemma we see. A giant problem was making the visions of her and Mark’s relationship in a time long gone, one which feels as concurrently acquainted and unimaginable as reminiscence, much less of a departure and extra of an evolution of the present’s present visible grammar on superb 35mm movie.
However “Chikhai Bardo” pushed Gagné and your complete “Severance” manufacturing staff in fascinating instructions, with a mixture of extra simplified setups and bold in-camera results. The result’s an episode that retains us present with Lumon’s hopes for the world Gemma goes to “sire” whereas displaying us simply how a lot of a miracle the world the place individuals can speak usually is — not less than when there’s somebody you’re keen on in it.
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
IndieWire: With Episode 7, was there a second that you simply knew you wished to step into the director’s chair for this one?
Jessica Lee Gagné: Properly, I don’t suppose that anybody knew. It was this type of singular episode, I believe, and [co-writer] Mark Friedman and I labored very intently collectively. He was like, “OK, clearly you’re very visible and good technically; let’s speak.” He wished this to really feel like a whirlwind and I used to be like, “I received you. I understand how to do it.” That was the enjoyable of it as a result of we started working on what scenes needs to be intercutting and all of that. It was such a lovely collaboration, and [he] wasn’t afraid of it. That additionally made me not afraid of it. I really feel like I used to be protected within the course of by Ben and the opposite producers on the present.
However I by no means — I didn’t need to do that. I wasn’t excited about directing. I actually blocked it, out of concern of not being adequate. If I do one thing, I’ve this deep-rooted factor inside me about needing it to be excellent. And you may’t be an ideal director. It’s simply not attainable. So I felt directing was very, very scary. However then [the chance to direct] was provided to me originally of prepping Season 2. I stated no. Then I learn the synopsis [of Episode 7], and I simply actually related with it. I used to be like, “Wait wait wait. I believe I’m supposed to do that episode. I believe this one’s mine.”
I put every thing I had on this and it was on the finish of capturing the remainder of the present, additionally, and of wanting the remainder of the present to be good. Having to deal with each of those partnerships with myself as my very own DP after which with being Ben’s supportive accomplice — we completed with the flashbacks [at Mark and Gemma’s house], they usually had been truly shot on the home I used to be renting. So it was actually private.
I really like that concept of a whirlwind for this episode, visually. Are you able to speak somewhat bit about these flashbacks and increasing the visible language of the present? How had been you and Mark fascinated with it after which the place did you are taking it?
Mark introduced up one of many references that meant so much to me, and it’s this Belgian movie referred to as “Shut.” The colours and the sensation of solar in that movie was [important] — and Jane Campion’s “Brilliant Star” was a reference [for] this magical levity second and this nostalgic feeling. There’s additionally this one photographer I really like, Rinko Kawauchi, who does images of simply flowers and light-weight and moons, simply the issues which can be round us that we take with no consideration however are the symbols of life.
And to get to that, it was all about simplifying every thing. I labored with one other DP for the [shot on] movie stuff, Max Goldman, who was so collaborative and simple for me to work with. We had such a lovely dialogue between us and he gave me nice concepts as effectively. [And we went] again to extra of an indie-style of movie; a extra Belgian-style movie, truthfully. Even with the dinner scene, I didn’t do a number of sizes on everybody. It was only one shot per individual, and we tried to do extra single-camera work, and it was quite simple. As a result of I used to be additionally coping with the problem of, OK, this flashback has to really feel prefer it’s the identical film [as “Severance”], but it surely’s an entire totally different world.
I really feel like the key of that, if I put my cinematographer cap again on, can be within the framing, in a bizarre approach. The way in which we compose on “Severance” continues to be there. Although it’s not as offset, there’s nonetheless that stability that we wish to search for in frames.
Yeah, I believe you do form of really feel it, particularly in these excessive close-ups on palms and the blood going by the tubes and stuff like that. There’s nonetheless that kinda painful, observational focus that’s “Severance.”
You realize, I did say this to a few individuals, that I really feel like within the first season of “Severance,” particularly, we’re feeling by Mark and every thing — whether or not it’s colour, the units, every thing — comes from how he views the world. Then, in Season 2, we get larger, however that layer continues to be there. As a result of everyone seems to be severed, in a approach. Whenever you get to this episode, [it’s] what life was earlier than [Mark] didn’t enable himself to really feel, you recognize? That is when he was open as a human.
Yeah, I believe you’re feeling that even in simply the standard of the picture. It is a one who is doing higher. Can I ask simply, technically, about the way you went with movie?
Properly, I wished to shoot 2-perf [35mm film] only for it to be economical and since I wished the feel of the movie to return out. So we didn’t go for anamorphic 4-perf, we went for spherical 2-perf and stored it actually easy. I hold going again to the phrase easy as a result of “Severance” is so lush. Although it’s an workplace factor, the picture is admittedly wealthy and this was a special texture. I wished one thing very tactile and bodily and playful, additionally.
What capturing on movie does to a movie set can be an enormous a part of it, altering the dynamic on set and the best way that we strategy the shot. Everybody must be on their toes. There have been so many occasions we had been [racing] in opposition to the solar setting, however that was a lot enjoyable. And there’s stuff that’s constructed into the digicam.
We truly did that large, wraparound time-lapse shot — which was like images, mainly — in digicam. Once we received to the top and again to dwell movement, we rewound the movie such as you do at school. In the event you cease the body, you’ll see Gemma’s crimson gown fade away, after which it turns into the dinner scene. There’s no reduce within the edit. It’s all overlap. I used to be like, “Perhaps I ought to have simply executed this in put up,” however Ben all the time pushes for us to do issues in digicam, so I used to be like, “Let’s go for it.” It doesn’t get extra movie school-y than that.
Wow. Particularly as a result of “Severance” is a present — and I so respect this about y’all — that wishes to make pictures final and make them depend. So for one thing to be that photographic and really feel that ephemeral looks like the right approach to do this second.
Gagné: It’s — yeah. It’s the right medium. That’s all I’ve to say.
I’d like to ask about sound. It’s such one other cool, fascinating little bit of texture, and I’m curious what it was like so that you can work on stuff you may not essentially be knitting collectively because the DP.
The sound is without doubt one of the issues I’m most excited in regards to the episode as a result of after we’re capturing it, you’re not essentially fascinated with it, you recognize? On “Severance,” a whole lot of the sound work occurs later, and [on Episode 7] I started working with the sound design staff and to be within the combine and to stroll them by what I used to be attempting to do within the episode as a result of it was so totally different. After I watched the combination, I used to be so moved. As a result of when you could have sound, it’s the second as a director that you simply really feel probably the most. I cried on the finish. I simply couldn’t consider that I received the chance to make this and it truly held up.
And the feel that they delivered to the flashback scenes was this analog sound — I by no means stated, like, “Make it analog!” or no matter; I simply wished it to be easier. However they [used] what sound gave the impression of earlier than we had all these digital variations of flicks, this very restricted sound house that’s extra tactile. That blew my thoughts.
All the totally different Severed rooms are terrible and wonderful, too. Are you able to speak about bringing these totally different flavors of claustrophobia and horror to them with Dichen?
What was very fascinating about working with Dichen and for her to create this character — each room is a special character. Each room, her life expertise is so totally different. It’s important to put your self within the footwear of somebody who’s mainly residing these various things — the unique concepts for the rooms got here from Dan Erickson. He was like, “What are the issues that I or that individuals hate?” The dentist. Flying.
The Christmas card factor, I believe, is a private factor for him, and [in that room], what was so fascinating to me was the chance to make Gemma rebellious. I really feel like it’s important to be like a youngster that’s pissed off as a result of this man is type of attempting to be good — he had an entire totally different character in that room, they usually all the time fed off of one another fairly a bit, which was actually enjoyable to play with, as a result of he may very well be so fricking annoying and bizarre and set off her. It’s seeing what’s going to come out. In that particular scene, she received to play the offended teenager, which in the end is when she rebels and one thing pushes him over the road.
Proper, it units her as much as run. Reflecting on the episode, are there any director muscle mass you’d be excited to stretch once more or which have knowledgeable you as a DP? Something you realized out of it?
Properly, realizing that what I really need is to direct.
Hell yeah.
Yeah, I believe I’m just about stepping away from cinematography in fiction. It was a private journey, for me. I wouldn’t change a factor from my profession. I’m extremely pleased with the work I’ve executed and the individuals I’ve gotten to work with. I really feel actually grateful. And people 15 years of being a cinematographer and dealing with all the administrators and crews I’ve labored with have made me who I’m and the kind of director I will likely be. I’m embracing it and I’m simply going into the darkish with out realizing what’s going to occur.
“Severance” Season 2 releases new episodes each Friday.