“Succession” series creator Jesse Armstrong writes characters who aren’t equipped for their times – either their inflated egos make them see small slights as momentous personal challenges or their stunted emotional maturity and intellect make them exactly the wrong people to deal with an actual crisis. In the case of “Succession,” it’s often both, and the camera responds accordingly.
Director Mark Mylod and director of photography Patrick Capone have together helmed over 10 episodes of the series together — including Season 4’s Episode 1, “The Munsters,” Episode 3, “Connor’s Wedding,” and Episode 9, “Church and State” — and like to keep the audience just a couple seconds behind and constantly re-finding the characters and the shifting power dynamics of individual scenes. It makes “Succession” look the way it must feel for the Roy siblings: one giant clusterfuck after another.
The series’s 90-minute finale is nigh, and the boardroom battle between “the Roy boys...
Director Mark Mylod and director of photography Patrick Capone have together helmed over 10 episodes of the series together — including Season 4’s Episode 1, “The Munsters,” Episode 3, “Connor’s Wedding,” and Episode 9, “Church and State” — and like to keep the audience just a couple seconds behind and constantly re-finding the characters and the shifting power dynamics of individual scenes. It makes “Succession” look the way it must feel for the Roy siblings: one giant clusterfuck after another.
The series’s 90-minute finale is nigh, and the boardroom battle between “the Roy boys...
- 5/27/2023
- by Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
It feels weird to spoiler warn something “Succession” has built towards and hinted at since the pilot. But spoilers abound!
Death comes for us all, even for Logan Roy (Brian Cox). The inescapability of that truth, as much as any tears, denial, guilt, and/or panic, is what makes Episode 3, “Connor’s Wedding,” so affecting. The rhythm of the edit and, as director Mark Mylod put it, the “sadism” of the camera reinforces that reality, refusing to let the Roys beg, browbeat, or weasel their way past the one force even Logan couldn’t cow: time.
Mylod and cinematographer Patrick Capone hammer home the helplessness of this moment and the illogical gravity of grief by delivering maybe the fullest version of the visual and dramatic approach that has made “Succession” so remarkable. They, veteran camera operators Gregor Tavenner and Ethan Borsuk, and the shows’ actors stress-tested the series’ preference for...
Death comes for us all, even for Logan Roy (Brian Cox). The inescapability of that truth, as much as any tears, denial, guilt, and/or panic, is what makes Episode 3, “Connor’s Wedding,” so affecting. The rhythm of the edit and, as director Mark Mylod put it, the “sadism” of the camera reinforces that reality, refusing to let the Roys beg, browbeat, or weasel their way past the one force even Logan couldn’t cow: time.
Mylod and cinematographer Patrick Capone hammer home the helplessness of this moment and the illogical gravity of grief by delivering maybe the fullest version of the visual and dramatic approach that has made “Succession” so remarkable. They, veteran camera operators Gregor Tavenner and Ethan Borsuk, and the shows’ actors stress-tested the series’ preference for...
- 4/10/2023
- by Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
Curated by the IndieWire Crafts team, Craft Considerations is a platform for filmmakers to talk about recent work we believe is worthy of awards consideration. In partnership with HBO, for this edition we look at how executive producer and director Mark Mylod, cinematographers Christopher Norr and Patrick Capone, and production designer Stephen H. Carter expanded the scope and cutthroat character psychology in Season 3 of “Succession.”
“Succession,” more than any television show in the last several years, has gotten tagged with the term “Shakespearean” — in part because that’s what people say when a show is meaty and good. But it’s also shorthand to describe the show’s blend of abusive family drama and exquisitely sharp humor, driven by both the writing and the show’s visual style. “Succession” not only dangles the question of who will Daddy Roy kiss but visually undercuts the privileged bubbles in which the Roys live.
“Succession,” more than any television show in the last several years, has gotten tagged with the term “Shakespearean” — in part because that’s what people say when a show is meaty and good. But it’s also shorthand to describe the show’s blend of abusive family drama and exquisitely sharp humor, driven by both the writing and the show’s visual style. “Succession” not only dangles the question of who will Daddy Roy kiss but visually undercuts the privileged bubbles in which the Roys live.
- 12/16/2021
- by Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “Succession” Season 3, Episode 2, “Mass in Time of War.”]
“He’s not infallible, Rome.”
“Yeah, sure, I just don’t think he ever fails or ever will.”
This is it. This is the deciding factor of the Roy-al Rumble — or this week’s round, at least. Shiv (Sarah Snook) and Roman’s (Kieran Culkin) contradictory back-and-forth about their father’s unconquerable nature so perfectly outlines the internal incongruity raging throughout “Mass in Time of War” that it’s amazing how far the Roy siblings are willing to go before, ultimately, shooting down Kendall (Jeremy Strong) and his passionate plea for a generational coup.
On paper, the strategy of the so-called “attention whore” should work. Logan (Brian Cox) has been labeled complicit in the company scandal by his own son. There are documents to prove it, and able (if not entirely willing) individuals to testify to their validity. Shareholders are spooked, and...
“He’s not infallible, Rome.”
“Yeah, sure, I just don’t think he ever fails or ever will.”
This is it. This is the deciding factor of the Roy-al Rumble — or this week’s round, at least. Shiv (Sarah Snook) and Roman’s (Kieran Culkin) contradictory back-and-forth about their father’s unconquerable nature so perfectly outlines the internal incongruity raging throughout “Mass in Time of War” that it’s amazing how far the Roy siblings are willing to go before, ultimately, shooting down Kendall (Jeremy Strong) and his passionate plea for a generational coup.
On paper, the strategy of the so-called “attention whore” should work. Logan (Brian Cox) has been labeled complicit in the company scandal by his own son. There are documents to prove it, and able (if not entirely willing) individuals to testify to their validity. Shareholders are spooked, and...
- 10/25/2021
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
It was the season finale that had everyone talking, with an ending that was both shocking and, in retrospect, a completely logical conclusion for Logan, Kendall, and the rest of the Roy family. Now climb aboard their $150 million yacht to find out how such a perfect episode of television was made.
Welcome to Deep Dive, IndieWire’s new crafts podcast and video series that takes a detailed look at an exceptional piece of storytelling. This week, we’re lifting the hood on Season 2, Episode 10 of “Succession” — “This Is Not for Tears” — with creator Jesse Armstrong, executive producer and director Mark Mylod, as well as seven more members of the creative team and cast.
In the podcast below, the filmmakers, along with actors Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong, pull back the curtain on filming the iconic “You’re Not a Killer” scene as well as Logan’s final smirk. Editor Bill...
Welcome to Deep Dive, IndieWire’s new crafts podcast and video series that takes a detailed look at an exceptional piece of storytelling. This week, we’re lifting the hood on Season 2, Episode 10 of “Succession” — “This Is Not for Tears” — with creator Jesse Armstrong, executive producer and director Mark Mylod, as well as seven more members of the creative team and cast.
In the podcast below, the filmmakers, along with actors Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong, pull back the curtain on filming the iconic “You’re Not a Killer” scene as well as Logan’s final smirk. Editor Bill...
- 8/25/2020
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
“Deep Dive” is a in-depth podcast and video essay series with the stars, creators and crafts team behind an exceptional piece of filmmaking. For this edition, the IndieWire Crafts team partnered with HBO to take a closer look at the Season 2 finale, Episode 10 of “Succession” — “This Is Not for Tears” — with creator Jesse Armstrong, executive producer and director Mark Mylod, actors Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong, as well as seven members of the crafts team.
It was the season finale that had everyone talking, with an ending that was both shocking and, in retrospect, a completely logical conclusion for Logan (Brian Cox), Kendall (Jeremy Strong), and the rest of the Roy family. Now climb aboard their $150 million yacht to find out how such a perfect episode of television was made.
In the podcast below, the filmmakers, along with actors Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong, pull back the curtain on filming...
It was the season finale that had everyone talking, with an ending that was both shocking and, in retrospect, a completely logical conclusion for Logan (Brian Cox), Kendall (Jeremy Strong), and the rest of the Roy family. Now climb aboard their $150 million yacht to find out how such a perfect episode of television was made.
In the podcast below, the filmmakers, along with actors Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong, pull back the curtain on filming...
- 8/25/2020
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
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