ABSTRACT
Mark Pellington begins his interview by explaining the process he goes through whenever he gets a new piece of material, and discussing how he applied that process to the pilot for Blindspot. He then discusses his collaboration with showrunner Martin Gero and explains how he set the visual template for the show, creating a look that was replicable week after week. Pellington then explains why he prefers locations to sets, citing the example of a cramped Chinatown building in which he staged a fight scene. He elaborates upon that fight scene by explaining how he worked with the actors, stunt coordinator, and camera operator to stage it. He then explains why he alternates between a frenetic hand-held style and a more stable frame, citing Paul Greengrass as an influence. Pellington then goes into more detail about how he creates a style that other directors can follow in future episodes, and what kinds of rules he set for himself to follow. Pellington then discusses casting, and explains how and why casting on a pilot is different from that on an indie movie. He then discusses shooting the opening scene of Blindspot and the ongoing battle to make the most of time and money on a set. He concludes by saying that he doesn’t really distinguish between the various types of filmmaking he practices.
