PRODUCTION SEVERANCE
going on company retreats to bringing in a full-blown marching band, Lumon loves a healthy dose of wholesome fun. For the sequences involving music (as in Defiant Jazz and Cold Harbor ), Gagné had the help of lighting console programmer Kevin Casaletta, who ensured the lighting cues matched the camera movements and cast choreography. “It took months to create these lighting effects,” she stresses. “It was really tricky.” Although these effects were largely captured in camera, some scenes required enhancements in post. For instance, Season 2 opens with Mark sprinting through the hallways of the severed floor, the camera twisting and turning on a remote head while a jazz beat plays in the background. This sequence was partially filmed in front of a screen, with Scott running on a treadmill. Similarly, the crew frequently I SAW THE SYNOPSIS, and it was obvious THAT IT WAS THE EPISODE I was meant to do ”
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT What started as a shot in the dark has grown into a streaming sensation. Severance has amassed not only a large following but also one that’s curious, engaged and always searching for clues. “That’s what fuels a lot of the crew,” Gagné reveals. “We get excited about it. We talk about Easter eggs all the time.” She adds that the art department is especially hard-working. “All the props are so amazing I almost feel bad if I don’t show them. Sometimes I’m just creating shots to make sure they’re included.” Serving as DOP on Seasons 1 and 2, Gagné has been defining the Severance look from the very beginning. “It’s the kind of project where you get to show your chops and try things out. That’s such a beautiful luxury in TV,” she admits, “and it really shines when you see it.” Severance is streaming on Apple TV+
removed walls and ceilings to get a wider angle or bird’s-eye view, as they were shooting the severed floor on set builds. When they weren’t on-set, they were out on location – from Fogo Island in Newfoundland (Salt’s Neck) to upstate New York (Woe’s Hollow) to northern New Jersey (external shots of the Lumon building). To maintain that oppressive coldness and austerity, the VFX team added snow in post, making the cast and crew’s lives a bit easier. They also kept to a cooler palette, using primary colours – but mainly greens and blues – in the overall production design and the grade. Gagné views the ‘restricted’ palette as reflecting Mark’s emotional ‘restraint’ and aloofness. “He’s not seeing everything; not opening up his heart,” she says. In Chikhai Bardo , she introduces reds – representing passion – which becomes even more symbolic in the Season 2 finale.
SETTING UP AND SETTING DOWN Much of the show is spent setting up major plot reveals, which is facilitated by a versatile set build that can be taken apart
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