ABSTRACT
Kurt Kuenne begins by describing the shadowing process on The Blacklist, the first TV show he ever directed. That leads to a discussion of the show’s three-camera approach pioneered by producing director Michael Watkins, and an explanation of the seven-day preproduction period and the nine days of production. Kuenne explores the challenges of shooting on a show where the script is constantly being rewritten and most of the shooting is done on location with only one standing set. He explains the differences between his relationships with cast and crew on his features and on television, and how he works with actors to make sure the intention of the scene is always coming across authentically. He discusses casting guest stars and making the most of his schedule, and how his background as an independent filmmaker came in handy when needing to move fast and cheaply. Kuenne then describes the four-day editing process and what he took away from the experience that might help on his independent feature work, closing with a summary of what it was like to return to The Blacklist for his second episode.
