Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul were both extremely pretty-looking shows, but creator Vince Gilligan is looking to take things to the next level with Pluribus, his new sci-fi series on Apple TV. In a new behind-the-scenes Another Take video, Gilligan and actress Rhea Seehorn (who plays Carol) talk about one of the more striking scenes in the premiere episode and explain how everything came together.
You can check out the video for yourself down below or on Apple TV’s YouTube channel:
In Pluribus‘ first episode, when the virus outbreak first happens, we get a lovely shot of Carol getting into a truck and driving away in a panic once she realizes that the human beings are no longer, well, human. As she drives away, the camera is fixed on her face through the windshield. During this take, the audience gets to observe her facial expressions, and also take in what’s going on around her through the glass as people pop in and out of the frame.
It’s a truly remarkable shot, and in Another Take, Gilligan explains that they took a full day to rehearse the shot, and one entire night to actually shoot it. The vehicle was attached to a tow truck, so Seehorn wasn’t actually driving, as you might’ve already guessed. And in addition to that, the crew also built a rig to be attached to the vehicle, including a large screen that wrapped around the windshield to show Seehorn what her character would be observing around her. The reason why it was done this way was because it wouldn’t be possible to just film her through the windshield. There would be too many cameras, lights, and reflections.
With the rig, however, the camera could film her more naturally, while also giving her visual feedback and cues on what she’s supposed to be responding to at various points during the take.
So far, I’ve been thoroughly impressed with Pluribus‘ first two episodes. It’s still difficult to tell exactly where the show is going, but I’m a fan of its character work and subtle storytelling cues.
Pluribus is now available for streaming on Apple TV.
