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Severance stored audiences riveted with the continuing story of Mark Scout (Adam Scott) and his life as a severed worker of the insidious firm generally known as Lumon Industries in Season 2 of Apple TV+‘s hit sequence. And whereas a lot of the story facilities round Scott’s character, it’s his onscreen spouse who received her second within the highlight because the present explored Gemma’s (Dichen Lachman) story within the pivotal seventh episode, “Chikhai Bardo,” directed by Jessica Lee Gagné.

It’s no shock that Gagné, who’s the present’s director of images, has acquired reward for her tv directing debut as viewers had been sucked into varied flashbacks of Gemma and Mark’s early romance pre-severance juxtaposed with the innie torture she was enduring on the decrease flooring of Lumon’s constructing.

Concerning the installment’s vital acclaim and fan-favorite standing, Gagné says, “I believe it’s all the time rewarding once you work so arduous on one thing and also you see that individuals really prefer it as a result of it’s not all the time the case. Filmmaking may be so heartbreaking.” There was additionally heartbreak onscreen for Mark and Gemma, whose battle to conceive a child gave the impression to be the catalyst for his or her present predicament, as Lumon took benefit of the couple’s trauma.

The revealing installment lastly answered the query of the place Gemma went after her demise was faked within the exterior world, and it reminded viewers of why her destiny is so tragic as we noticed her love story unfold prior to now. Gagné’s imaginative and prescient for the episode delivered one thing followers hadn’t seen on the present earlier than, with virtually filmed scene transitions, sequences shot on movie, and far more.

Beneath, Gagné opens up about her strategy of crafting the standout episode, working with Scott and Lachman to create an genuine onscreen dynamic, and far more.

How did Episode 7 land in your lap, and was it scary figuring out this episode needed to make audiences fall in love with Gemma?

Jessica Lee Gagné: It was positively annoying as a result of I knew that [Episode] 7 was there to cost the tip of the present. You wanted it to be good to have that dilemma. So it was a giant ask. And it’s not like you are able to do that a lot in a single episode, so each single factor was weighed, however then on the similar time, you didn’t need to make these flashbacks appear tremendous dramatic. They needed to really feel actual. So it’s simply the stability of actual life and emotion. That was the trickiest factor.

Initially, there was no script. Once I picked Episode 7, there was a synopsis, and I felt like this was the one for me. I’m actually fortunate being the DP on the present. I’m part of the whole lot. The truth that I’m there for a major period of time permits me to know the sequence as a complete. I had a particular reference to Episode 7 as a result of I additionally noticed a number of myself inside Gemma. So I felt like I may join with that, however I didn’t need to do two [episodes, which] was on the desk for a scorching minute. I simply wished to deal with [this episode] as a result of it was particular and felt prefer it was calling me.

Was there an pleasure in having the ability to capture a few of these hotter exterior moments between Mark and Gemma, that are so completely different in tone from the chilly company area of Lumon?

Effectively, that’s one of many causes I didn’t need anybody else doing it, as a result of I felt prefer it made probably the most sense after having been an enormous a part of creating the look of this present. It’s the previous, however I felt like I’d be capable of make one thing that was utterly completely different however someway labored throughout the world. The expertise and the sensation that you’ve once you watch Severance is that you just’re seeing life by Mark’s eyes, and these individuals which are severed, who’ve chosen to close part of themselves off. So it’s a really particular look. However then, in the event you return to earlier than he would’ve carried out one thing like this, the place he was residing his life with a much bigger vary of emotion, he would see the darkish and the sunshine and the total spectrum of shade. So the best way that we shot it was simply opening up the issues that he would’ve closed himself off to.

Do you know the place the story was heading for the remainder of the season whereas filming this episode?

I had an concept. It was not clear but. Severance has an fascinating course of in the best way it’s labored. It’s very natural, so that they go away area for issues to occur. I knew how I wished them to go away one another. To me, it was clear that this wasn’t going to be a contented ending. It was a real-life scenario. Probably the most bittersweet factor about dropping somebody is when issues aren’t excellent; to me, that expenses this character’s guilt on one other degree for Mark. She leaves, and so they don’t get that chance [to share a goodbye kiss]. To me, that’s life. So I knew how I wished the connection to finish in [Episode] 7, and I felt like that was the strongest setup, regardless of which resolution they had been going to go together with.

This episode has some unimaginable transitions that I do know had been carried out virtually. Was that scripted, or had been you in a position to provide you with concepts your self? 

I imply, being the cinematographer of the present, these are issues I thrive in, and we had had a style of all of that in Season 1. I very a lot assume when it comes to digicam, after I learn one thing, I’m seeing it, and concepts simply are available. What was superb about Episode 7 is that it’s a bit of bit completely different than how the remainder of Severance was made. I started working very intently with Mark Friedman, who wrote this episode. Dan additionally labored on it a bit of bit, but it surely was largely Mark and me doing it. I keep in mind a few of our first conversations about it when he was beginning to write it. We had been in his workplace, and he mentioned, “I’ve all these scenes, and my factor is just not transitions.” He was like, “I need you to assist me.” He knew that that’s my forte.

This episode begins at evening and ends with dawn for Mark as Devon sits by his facet. Was {that a} symbolic alternative?

I’m very conscious of the timeline of the final storyline of the present, and I play with that loads. Season 1, particularly, I used to be selecting what time of day we’d be on the home for the whole lot and ensuring it made sense. However for this particular episode, it was not written; it was what would make sense. Initially, I believe it would’ve all been set at evening, however I can’t affirm that as a result of I can’t keep in mind it. However no, it was not written as a metaphor in that sense. And even the photographs, once we see Gemma strolling within the library and her eyes flash, these weren’t written in. I simply wished him to have that first second when he noticed her initially.

What was it like collaborating with Adam Scott and Dichen Lachman to construct the sort of relationship between Mark and Gemma that followers will root for?

The blessing of Dichen and Adam is that they’re extraordinarily technical actors. So not solely are they nice actors, they’ll do very, very tough issues with cameras. We had been going to shoot this scene with a bathe rig in MDR, and it’s a must to act backwards. Principally, go from an MDR scene to a miscarriage scene backwards and don’t blink whereas this digicam’s flying in your face and rain is beginning to fall in your head. And MDR, he can try this, and there’s no problem there. However the funnest half was actually within the flashbacks to create a brand new feeling. Even the best way we labored on set was completely different than what we often do in Severance. A whole lot of the crew modified, and we went with a smaller crew, and we shot movie. So it had this essence and vibe that was completely different. They came visiting to the home that I rented for 2 years. The entire thing is magical.

I wished them to come back over for a day, and we frolicked and simply talked in regards to the scenes. We barely rehearsed them. It was only a read-through with a bit of intention. I believe as a result of we casually tackled it and so they knew the area they had been staying in, the place they had been preparing, was on this home, and it made it turn out to be their very own home. I believe that basically had an affect and took off a number of the heaviness.

Gemma’s innies are moved out and in of a number of completely different sorts of rooms all through the episode. Did you’ve a favourite? 

Effectively, we needed to combat to maintain all of them as a result of these units are so costly and so they’re carried out so properly. I’m glad that we pushed to maintain three. The airplane was tremendous arduous to shoot. That factor was constructed on an precise hydraulic set, and the digicam operator was on this factor that was shaking them round. And with the stunts, it was a really tough day. And on that very same day, we did the pullback shot on the sofa. So it was an enormous day. However I believe the Christmas room is my favourite set. I completely love the Christmas room. I received to DP all of the innie stuff… I gave a lot consideration to the lighting. I keep in mind I used to be so annoyed on the day I couldn’t get it proper, and I simply stored pushing and taking. I ate up my very own taking pictures time.

There are hints that Lumon is a part of Mark and Gemma’s journey from the second they met. Have been you actively working to showcase these Easter eggs or draw much less consideration to them? 

No, I believe that with Severance, there’s a second the place these followers or these individuals who watch the present and so they’re folding their laundry on the similar time, we’re not making the present for them. It’s a present that’s made for the individuals who do watch it twice and who do actually dangle in there and are on the lookout for these issues. I believe that’s what’s so particular about Severance, is the eye to element and that you could rewatch it a second time and a 3rd time and also you’ll see new issues. We didn’t need it to be apparent, but it surely was like using that line that was a priority as a result of we’ve to reply this query of, how did she get down there? And it’s additionally good to go away some thriller to it and go away individuals to have their very own interpretations of it.

Did you’ve any say on the prop card Gemma makes use of to explain Chikhai Bardo to Mark? It seems awfully consultant of the scenario he faces within the finale, preventing between his innie and outie self. 

That was one thing the writers wished to do from the start. In order that wasn’t one thing I had a lot say in. I don’t assume it was meant to seem like Adam, however who is aware of?

Was there something that made it into the episode that wasn’t scripted however was discovered throughout filming on the day? 

One is that I did a giant time-lapse sequence the place we undergo their life. It wasn’t written; it was simply that scene within the workplace. And for me, my primary concern was that individuals want to know how lengthy they’ve been collectively. We have to present a passage of time. A lot of this episode is in regards to the idea of time and the passage of time and the way time works, and I wished to do a time-lapse sequence. And I knew on set, you don’t have time to shoot these things. You simply don’t. Ben [Stiller] really got here to set once we had been doing a few of these scenes, and in between photographs, as I used to be engaged on setting stuff up, I’m like, are you able to simply go shoot them exterior with the Bolex? And he did a number of the stuff with them and the flowers with the tree.

And people sequences the place you see snow melting, and also you see deer, and also you see moons, that’s me taking pictures in my home with the Bolex. So I might really set it up on a tripod over a few days. And when it could snow, I might go and simply do random photographs the place you are able to do one body each time you press it. So I really shot these manually myself.

Severance, Seasons 1-2, Streaming now, Apple TV+