New TV director? – IMDb (press release)

an homage to the cinema of a new adventure and youth films of the 80s “Stranger Things” is well positioned to succeed.

Shows this epic literature of our time. While movies often stopped in mid-stride, they go farther and still move the limit of what the mainstream permitted. It happens that they are afraid of what awaits us in the next episode.

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An undoubted hit TV show years in almost all over the world turned out to be “Stranger Things “. Referring to the cinema of a new adventure and youth films of the ’80s series has all the advantages to be successful among critics and audiences. You can read it in the key of nostalgia generation of today’s thirties, aesthetics pastiche of film culture quote and remix. In this production, however, it is a specific dimension, which I would like to draw attention – it is a sign of a new trend in modern television: series directing. Those in which standing behind the camera for each segment director (or – as in this case – their duet) is the main creator of the series, will make key decisions and selling their name.

Revolution writers

It is a phenomenon on television fairly new. Movie series revolution of the beginning of the century was a revolution of producers and writers. Names standing for the major serials turn of the century remained showrunnerzy – combining in his projects as a producer and main writer. They were responsible for the shape of the whole, induced the topics, style, the evolution of the form. Sometimes, in key moments of the series, they stood behind the camera (creator of the “The Sopranos” David Chase personally directed two episodes – the first and last), but in general the work on the plan gave to others. The director remained at the same time in a “man for hire.” When untwisted already been episodic production machine, set the style, character set, did not have much field for the participant’s own intervention.

Jacek Dukaj set once the thesis that series play at the beginning of the twenty-first century a similar role as a novel in the nineteenth century. Become “the default form of the story of the world,” the great, epic realistic figure, able to give paradoxes, contradictions and tensions inhabited by reality. In fact, it’s hard for a better story about America early age than “The Sopranos” or “The Wire” . In the event such a great, epic narrative, it is natural that the special role writers, opowiadaczom, the creators of history. It’s their job carrying the most important series of the current golden age of television.

Serial author

is quite different in the case of “Stranger Things” . The entire series of “spina” showrunner not a classic, but the duo directors, standing behind the camera in every episode. Although the brothers Dufferowie responsible for the overall conduct of the plot, the scenarios under their supervision preparing as many as five different writers – working here as “persons for rent.” And it’s not in the script lies the greatest strength of the show. You can even say that in some places it has a hole and could be better polished. Traci is a completely importance to the leading advantages of this project: masterfully constructed mood, the visual (pictures, set design, costumes), efficiently ogrywanych film references, refined style in every shot, from the opening sequence capable melt the heart kinofila. For all of these issues in the film corresponds to the general director, not a writer or producer.

Romantic aura, the emphasis on the visual, staging strangeness and horror, love to have fun with film clichés provoked comparisons “Stranger Things” “Miasteczko Twin Peaks” – David Lynch TV series of the early 90s between the two productions is, however, an important difference, Lynch in his series occurred in a fairly classic role of showrunner, directed by “only” 6 out of 30 episodes. In a similar manner they were entering besides TV – also after the revolution of episodic turn of the millennium – with other well-known film makers. Martin Scorsese was one of the originators of the series “Vinyl” , but he only directed the pilot. Creators “House of Cards” often reach for highly recognized directors of cinema – David Fincher, Joel Schumacher, Agnieszka Holland – none of them can be considered “author” of this production. “Stranger Things “, in turn, is the original project of two directors, guardians behind the camera over the whole movie series. The television is a novelty.

enter directors

Although not the only such case. “Directorial” television series was also the first season “Detective” . Behind the camera in each episode stood Cary Joji Fukunaga – formerly an independent, realistic drama about immigrants trying to enter the US from Central America (with the motive of gang culture in the background) “Sin Nombre” and romantic adaptation “Jane Eyre” . Of course, the “Detective” not have been possible if not for the man behind the writer Nic Pizzolatto – and you can argue whether he is not the right author. However, the figure watching over the whole season, the director helped build a unique mood of each section, give the whole a uniform style, influencing the viewer before it starts to spin to any story. That keeps its course directorial hand enabled it certainly sort out the complicated, meandering narrative.

^{“Detective”}

ran out of everything in the second season of “Detective” , where the directorial chair attendance up to six people. Relating earlier successes in the document (creator of the “Armadillo. The war is in us” Janus Metz Pedersen), popular cinema (known franchise “The Fast and the Furious” Justin Lin) or TV (working m. in. by “Game of Thrones” Jeremy Podeswa). The second season turned out to be much less successful than the first. Critics had a sense that the new season is drifting aimlessly, he lacks discipline, cohesion and internal tensions. Is it resulted from weaker than in the first season of scenario? He was certainly weaker. But it can cause disappointment stuck in a departure from the director’s approach to the show, the lack of one, embracing the style and narrative whole person, able to deploy in the life of our very own vision?

Another example directing the show can be a project “The Girlfriend Experience” . It bears the same title as the film Steven Soderbergh in 2009. Besides the title and the type of heroine – a young, attractive, luxurious call girl – little of it, but it connects. The series is the work of two women, who played the role of scenarzystek and directors of the production – Lodge Kerrigan and Amy Seimetz. Both had earlier account independent productions and work for television (Kerrigan among other things, the “investigation” ).

The series follows the story of law students from Chicago, which would earn some extra money for a student budget, begins hanging out with the money from wealthy clients. The new job gives her financial success, but also forces you to leave behind the old life: family, friends and professional ambitions. The great advantage of the production is that it tells the whole story without appearing frequently on such topics of moral panic. Directing look at the cool world of Chicago one of the richest per cent – where, thanks to his sexual attractiveness enters heroine – from a distance, without emotion and easy preaching attitude. Retain great loyalty to her character, presented not as a Passive victims or immoral person, but as an intelligent, conscious woman who rationally take a number of decisions, which effects, however, will have to strictly measure. Such an approach would not have as a chance novel, if not brilliantly led and played the role of a girl in the implementation Riley Keough. The young actress is building her very economical means, but there is a completely convincing from start to finish attracts attention cameras and spectators. Keeping actors and building a distanced, cool style is remarkably directorial prerogative. In the “The Girlfriend Experience” are crucial to the success of the show.

mentioned here Soderbergh also gave tempted possibilities offered by the “author”, “TV director.” In 2014, he stood behind the camera all the episodes of the first season of the show “The Knick” – presenting the work of doctors in the title New York hospital at the beginning of the last century. “The Knick” owes much to the well-written characters, epic worldview presented in a word – working writers. We have a black doctor who goes to the hospital, where the majority of his colleagues to remember racists; boldly experimenting with new techniques in surgery doctor addict (great Clive Owen), in debt with the mafia director, caring primarily about how to pay off debts; Finally, all the brutal economics of health care in the United days of Teddy Roosevelt: dependent on philanthropy barons of industry, seeking patients with middle-class, the absolute poor. Soderbergh brings this story extra quality. Stages it visually inflated, Baroque, and at the same niegubiącym in manieryzmach style. This allows the camera to a freedom of movement and the quirky television shots, all illustrated by mail (not related in any way with the world depicted), trance music, narration and odrealniającą broadcasting its hallucinatory dimension. Some scenes, like the one depicting a drunken fist fight black doctor accidentally hooked the bar man or that of a sermon charismatic preacher could decorate any festival production.

Revolution strikes for the second time?

Trade press, always looking for new products and breakthroughs, writes about “television director,” it will be the the same revolution for the present television, which for the 90s revolution was personified by such titles as “the Wire.”

James Majmurek

Trade press, always looking for news and breakthroughs , he writes about the “television director,” it will be the same for the current revolution of television, which for the 90s revolution was personified by titles such as “the Wire” . As the first wave of episodic TV revolution brought great written stories and a whole host of prominent writers, so the second open no doors talented directors, bringing a small screen on the new visual sensibility. Creating a series working not just characters and narrative, but also the mood, music, form, style, visual side. Is that a fact?

I would say that even though the change is made, it can be questioned whether it is really so groundbreaking. None of these my “directors” series not have been possible if not for the great production was well done screenwriters. On the other hand, we can also mention completely “niereżyserskie” series, as strongly affecting our mood, style, visual values. One might mention at least “Crime Story” , manufactured already in the 80s by Michael Mann, or – more of the things our contemporaries – “Hannibal” . Although the series by Bryan Fuller worked several directors, it is not in modern television production more precise edge design, working every sensory detail, detail of costume and set design.

But certainly – as you can see after I have given above examples – directing the approach television does not matter. Looking for new ways to attract viewers stations will run next directorial projects, selling their productions names which have earned a name for itself in the cinema, often festival and artistic circulation. Even if not every such experiment is successful, as the recipient can only gain in this.