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Daniel Attias Director Show responsibilities: Directed episode 7, season 2, "Back to the Garden." Education: UC Berkley, undergraduate; UCLA Film Graduate School HBO.COM: What particular challenges (if any) did you encounter on this episode? Dan Attias: Maybe the most challenging aspect for me was how many scenes and storylines there were to interweave and, at the same time, to invest with the sort of emotional depth they each deserved. Claire's story, in particular, involved her exposure to a whole new world, which, we hoped, would expand the way she views herself and the possibilities for her life. The challenge there was to present Aunt Sarah's bohemian universe as new, different, somewhat comical, yet compelling and life-affirming. It would be easy simply to make fun of the aging hippies who come for the weekend, but we wanted to do more than that. While they certainly have a comical side, they also embody an emotional freedom which has been sadly lacking for Claire in the Fisher household. So I tried to resist lapsing into complete caricature and to give these people strength wherever I could. HBO.COM:Were there any special shots or camera moves that you used? Dan Attias: Generally I like to avoid shots that call attention to themselves, because I think they remove the viewer from the story. But sometimes they can serve story, as in Keith's dream sequence near the beginning of the show. The scene begins, as is typical in "SIX FEET UNDER", with the viewer not aware that what he is seeing is a dream. Keith answers the door to find David soaking wet from the storm outside. They have an emotional outpouring of their own, ending in mutual confessions of love and a passionate kiss. I chose to begin the sequence very realistically. When they come together in an embrace, and their emotions take over the moment, the camera begins to move around them and accelerate into a swirling 360-degree shot. I hoped that this would generate in the viewer a lush, romantic feeling that he or she might think was a little odd, even cliched. I actually wanted this to remove the reader from what they thought was the story, so that they might receive a pay-off when they learn in the next cut that this was all Keith's dream -- where emotions do take on a life of their own and depart from conventional reality. By swirling the camera, I hoped to create subjectively for the viewer a little of Keith's inner dream state. HBO.COM: Did you use any color or special effects filters in this episode? Dan Attias: This would be a choice made by the talented director of photography, Alan Caso. HBO.COM: How do you go about planning to direct an episode? Dan Attias:There's a great deal that takes place during preparation to direct an episode, but the rule is always to immerse myself as deeply as I can in the story I am telling. Each moment is a piece of that story, and the challenge then is to find the best way to realize each moment in the telling. Ways to do that include how I choose to shoot the scene (close or wide angles, high or low, off-axis or not), what intention and subtext I suggest to the actor, where we choose for a location (or what part of a given location I choose to see), how that location might be enhanced by the production designer. With characters and conflicts as subtle and complex as those in "SIX FEET UNDER", the director must make sure he or she understands the conflict in a deep way so that he or she can communicate the subtleties to the actors, the cameraman, and everyone else. HBO.COM: Why did you want to work on "Six Feet Under"? Dan Attias: It is simply one of the very best written and acted shows on television, and is therefore a great pleasure to direct. HBO.COM: "Six Feet Under" has a very collaborative feel with rotating directors and writers...How is this experience different than other shows you have worked on? Dan Attias: Most other shows have rotating directors and writers as well. What distinguishes this show, to my mind, is that the material is so rich, the conflicts so interesting, and the characters so multi-dimensional. In addition, it is such a pleasure to work in the non-network TV format, which requires commercial breaks and rigid time requirements. HBO.COM: What is your favorite TV show besides "Six Feet Under"? Dan Attias: "The Sopranos," no question! |
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