Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1126636
DGA QUARTERLY 29 I remember this shot the most vividly because it came at the end of the day. Andy Voegeli, our "A" camera operator, had just become a father himself. He started crying so hard in the middle of it that he couldn't see through the eyepiece. We were all afraid the camera was shaking and that we'd have to redo it. Luckily, we didn't. Andy is a total pro, teary-eyed or not. Bryan and Anna were tearing up, too. I don't think there was a dry eye on the set. We had four or five babies on set, so we were whispering the entire time. Somehow, that made it even more special. This little girl was a dream to work with— she never once woke up. She had no idea she was on television. Hopefully, she does now. Here, Bryan was acting to an empty crib. Actors amaze me: they feel it on cue, take after take. As you can see from these shadows, we loved our Venetian blinds on Breaking Bad. Who doesn't? You think of all the great Warner Bros. gangster movies of the '40s. All those shadows of Venetian blinds cutting across Sam Spade's office? Steal from the best! Besides, we were on stage, so there's not much outside that window. I don't think we had the time or money to put up a Translight. The final close-up for Anna in the series— and beautifully lit as always, thanks to our DP Michael Slovis and gaffer Steve Litecky. Right on cue, that tear fell down her cheek. Despite all my talk of pre-planning and the importance of doing one's homework, there were plenty of happy accidents on Breaking Bad. A word about wardrobe: Our characters were strictly middle-class folks on a budget, and a larger theme of our series was that a serious lack of money will motivate people to do a great many things. It was always a challenge for our wonderful costume designers, Kathleen Detoro and then Jennifer Bryan, to make these actors look good while dressing them in clothes from Target and Walmart. Although to be fair, making the actors look good wasn't necessarily the point. Walt gives the tiniest nod goodbye to his wife and exits frame right, headed to his destiny—which involves a whole lot of machine gun rounds. It was the quietest of quiet moments before the storm, but there's an ocean of feeling between these two characters. "Less is more" is a pretty good philosophy. The audience wants more here. But just because an audience wants something, it doesn't mean they'll be happy if you give it to them. If Bryan and Anna had gone bigger with their emotions, this scene would have had much less impact. I love their restraint in this moment. These two actors are the best special effect a director could hope for. ® 11 12 13 14 11 12 13 14