PRODUCTION THE LAST OF US
“The story is grounded in the characters , in their humanity ”
Season 2 of hit survivalist show The Last of Us ushers its main characters into a new era, with higher highs, lower lows and bigger stakes than ever. DOP Catherine Goldschmidt, ASC, BSC discusses her work on the series, highlighting Through the Valley – the episode that changes it all. Major spoilers ahead!
WORDS KATIE KASPERSON IMAGES HBO, BTS TO HBO/LIANE HENTSCHER
W hen Naughty Dog and Sony Computer Entertainment released The Last of Us back in 2013, it was quickly deemed a masterpiece of narrative game design. Played in the third person, the video game combines cinematic visuals with exceptional storytelling, linking survivalist horror with emotionally driven characters. Namely, we follow Joel, a contractor turned rough-around- the-edges smuggler, and Ellie, a feisty teenager who’s mysteriously immune to the infection that’s ravaged their world. Ten years later, HBO released a television adaptation of the acclaimed game, starring Game of Thrones actors Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, respectively. The Last of Us faced a unique balancing act: raking
in a new fanbase of non-game players while satisfying those familiar with the story. While Season 1 follows the events of the original game, Season 2 picks up with The Last of Us Part II , introducing new characters and, more importantly, greater threats. DEAD END Unlike many adaptations, The Last of Us (television series) and The Last of Us (game series) are strikingly similar, not only in plot but also style. Some scenes are near-identical matches across the two media – but there were times when the crew decided to ditch the original IP for storytelling’s sake. One scene that contains such a discrepancy is Joel’s death, which closes out episode 202, Through the Valley . This
has come as quite a shock to many viewers – Joel is one of arguably two, maybe three main characters – but those who played the game knew to expect it. “Mark Mylod and I watched [the game] together,” says Catherine Goldschmidt, ASC, BSC, DOP on episodes 202 (which Mylod directed), 204 and 207. “In the game, when Joel dies, it’s a oner. Immediately, we thought, ‘we’re not going to do that’. That was an obvious one where we knew we would depart from how the game was shot.” Joel is killed in a cabin, just a little outside Jackson – the city Ellie, Joel, his brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and their loved ones have spent years rebuilding. Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) – whose father died at the hands of Joel in Season 1 – violently takes his life, putting an end
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