PRE-PRODUCTION: Crew Selections

The Crew for any production are just as important if not more so than the Cast. It is necessary to have the right crew selection that will deliver the intended style, and themes for the series but above all else, convey the story to the audience in the most creative and thought provoking way possible. A suitable Screenwriter, Director, 

Cinematographer, Editor and Composer have all been selected for this production based on their own working styles and history in the industry. 

Director - John Fawcett

A Director of film and television will direct the making of the film and bring the screenplay to life. A Director will bring their visual style and personal signature to the production, which is why choosing the right Director is very important. 

John Fawcett

The Director I have chosen to direct Motherhood is John Fawcett. He is a Canadian Director and Producer, working in Film and Television. He is most known for his work on BBC America’s series ‘Orphan Black’.

The decision to crew him to direct the series was based on the visual side of it more than anything else, and his distinct style that he would bring to the project. He is also suitable as he has worked in Television predominately, including productions of similar genres/themes, and would therefore be able to convey the story to audiences in a creative, dynamic way. Fawcett’s visual style in Orphan Black was a significant influence for the visuals in this production, and so would be ideal to deliver the appropriate lighting/colour and framing decisions to suit these creative choices.

Screenwriter - Chris Chibnall

Chris Chibnall

Chris Chibnall is an English Screenwriter best known for his Science Fiction series Torchwood, a spin off of Doctor Who and for writing the Crime Drama series Broadchurch. Choosing the right Screenwriter for a Television series could make or break the story and the way it is received by audiences. Therefore it is important to choose someone with the right background of work to assess their suitability. Having worked on some heavily action-packed series including Doctor Who which is full of monsters and jaw dropping moments, Chibnall has the right level of creativity. Motherhood also handles the theme of child abduction and the process of losing a child. The script he wrote for Broadchurch not only told those moments in a really emotive way, connecting to audiences but stayed true to the realities of it which is really important for this series.

Cinematographer - Jeff Cronenweth

Jeff Cronenweth

Jeff Cronenweth is an American Cinematographer, known for his work as DoP alongside David Fincher in Fight Club and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. He is suitable for this role as he is renowned for his lighting choices, often working with dimly lit, low-key lighting to emphasise shadowing, obscuring the imagery and creating a cinematic, dynamic result. The shot types used in Fight Club including high and low angle close ups has influenced the framing decision and shot types for Motherhood, which Cronenweth will be able to replicate. Based on his work and the work of the Director chosen for this production, their visual styles compliment each other, which should make working together harmonious.

Editor - Dean Zimmerman

Dean Zimmerman

Dean Zimmerman is an American Editor, who has worked on numerous Films and Television series including Stranger Things and The Internship. He is the son of Don Zimmerman who is an Academy Award nominee for his editing work on the film Coming Home. The choice to crew Zimmerman as the Editor for this production was largely based on his work in Stranger Things. His timing of cutting the clips fits with the mood and tone of the scene with long, slow cuts for calmer scenes, and sharp, quick cuts for more lively, action based scenes. This is really effective in Stranger Things and is ideal for this production as it would require the editing style to set the mood for the scenes, evoking lots of contrasting emotions.

Composer - Bear McCreary

The Composer for the series’ soundtrack will be Bear McCreary who is an American Composer. He is best known for his work on The Walking Dead and Outlander. 

Bear McCreary

His choices for the Walking Dead soundtrack in particular reflect the mood of the series and create tension and drama. The opening title sequence for the Walking Dead has some really simple imagery just of the sets used for the series. However, the soundtrack is fast paced, almost having a suspenseful element to it, dramatising the otherwise simple imagery.

For Motherhood, the soundtrack should have energy as it is a thriller series, however, it should have an unnerving quality to it that keeps the audience on their toes. McCreary’s work on 10 Cloverfield Lane which is a Psychological Thriller has a soundtrack that competently reflects the balance of energy and harrowing suspense.

Production Designer - Diane Lederman

Diane Lederman is a Production Designer, most known for working on The Americans and 13 Reasons Why. She states research as the key to good production design, often utilizing the cast members to find out what’s most suitable. Rather than use an image of her, the examples below show some of her set design on 13 Reasons Why, showing a bedroom and a high school hallway. When describing what it was like to dress the bedroom sets, she said that it was essential to get the opinions of the cast as to what their characters rooms would look like to make them feel like it is their own. The interiors of both Vivian’s house and the Adams’ house are key elements to convey the right message of the series, and enhance the visual style. The hallway here would be ideal for the looming hallways at the Police Department. 

13 Reasons Why Bedroom Set

13 Reasons Why Hallway Set