The guild awards season is upon us. And the contenders range from established series that have an Emmy track record to brand new shows that next year may very well be up for consideration by the Television Academy for the first time.
This SHOOT Preview delves into a small sample which reflects that mix. This time around we sound out some select artists behind: House of the Dragon (HBO), recipient of nine Emmy nominations last year (winning for costume design); and a pair of new entries–The Day of the Jackal (Peacock), and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (Netflix).
The latter has gone beyond whatโs typically on a producerโs wish list such as critical and commercial success, connecting and resonating with an audience, and serving as a spark for thought and conversation. Created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the limited series has gone a substantive step further, making a societal impact by helping to gain momentum for the movement to free Erik and Lyle Menendez, the brothers convicted of murdering their parents Jose and Kitty Menendez in 1989. The brutal killings and sensationalized courtroom drama dominated the headlines back in the day–and now once again the case has come to the fore with more weight given to the allegations that the brothers were sexually abused by their father. Menendez family members have come out in support of the brothers (with some, though, denouncing the streaming series). Lobbying efforts for the brothersโ release from prison have intensified. The office of newly elected Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman–who defeated DA George Gascon in November–has a meeting slated for January 30-31 to consider a motion asking for parole and/or a reduced sentence. The brothers have thus far served some 34 years in prison. The reopened case has also garnered the attention of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
This second installment of the true crime anthology series Monsters (the first centering on serial killer and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer) stars Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle Menendez, and Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez. Portraying parents Jose and Kitty Menendez are, respectively, Javier Bardem and Chloรซ Sevigny.
The series has been praised for its role in helping to resurrect a case by raising public awareness of circumstances that might not have been properly considered during the original trial proceedings. At the same time, many folks have noted that there are other cases worthy of scrutiny that have fallen by the wayside–lacking the benefit of a high profile TV show to drum up interest.
Either way, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story underscores the power of storytelling–in this case sharing a story thatโs tragically all too real. During a Netflix panel discussion last month in Hollywood, Murphy said that he and co-creator Brennan were โvery proudโ that the limited series helped launch a conversation that has gotten the wheels of justice to turn in response. He further credited the cast and crew with breathing life into the story. Among those he cited were fellow panelists including Koch, Chavez, Bardem, Sevigny, casting director Tiffany Little Canfield, production design Matthew Flood Ferguson, costume designer Paula Bradley, head of the hair department Karen Bartek and head of the makeup department Miho Suzuki.
Murphy shared that while he tried to define as much as possible up front for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, at the same time he realized the essential need for artists to do what they do best. He made sure to give his collaborators the freedom to โinterpret it the way you want to,โ giving them โa lot of agency to try things.โ
Production designer Ferguson has enjoyed a fruitful collaborative relationship with Murphy. Itโs a relationship that dates back to Fergusonโs days as a set decorator when he worked in that capacity on the Murphy-directed film Running With Scissors and then such Murphy series as American Crime Story and Ratched, as well as the pilot for Pretty/Handsome. Ferguson got to team with acclaimed production designer Judy Becker on American Crime Story and Ratched. On the latter, Becker had to move onto another project with Ferguson stepping in for her as production designer on the last three episodes. On the heels of that came Fergusonโs first full-fledged production design gig on Murphyโs limited series, Hollywood. In 2020 Hollywood landed Ferguson his first career nominations for an Emmy and an Art Directors Guild (ADG) Excellence in Production Design Award. Since then, Ferguson has taken on the first two iterations of Monsters: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, and The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
Koch noted that the cast and crew bonded during the production of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, helping him to take on the most difficult aspects of his performance as Erik Menendez–perhaps most notably exemplified in episode five during which he talks with legal counsel Leslie Abramson (played by Ari Grayner) about how his parents locked him up and his father abused him. The emotional damage is raw and lasting. At one point, Erik shared that his father just loved Lyle. It was only when he was being abused that Erik felt โloveโ from his dad. Erik added that his mother was aware of what was happening and let it persist. Erik affirmed that he has been a broken person ever since. Koch added that he has been nurtured, energized and supported by performers not only in scenes with him–but also acting talent out of the cameraโs range who were right there just off the set to give him responses in real time that positively impacted his performance. Koch related that he was the only person to see the performance off camera from Sevigny or Grayner–but that dynamic was right there with him and proved invaluable.
Bardem said that among his biggest takeaways from Monsters was the reaffirmation that โa lack of love can perpetuate pain for generations.โ
As for the ultimate takeaway, that has not yet been written. The limited series concludes with the jury deciding that the brothers should be sentenced to two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole. By the end of the episode, Erik and Lyle Menendez are on their way to prison.
In real life, though, another ending might be written.
And on a more mundane level, the jury is still out on whether or not performances on-camera, off-camera and behind the camera for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story will be recognized by varied guilds and associations this awards season.
Jim Clay
Faced with the daunting challenge of meeting the high bar set by the iconic Game of Thrones, production designer Jim Clay by all measures was up to the task with his season one work on its prequel, House of the Dragon. Underscoring his success was not only an Emmy nomination last year for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More) on the strength of the seriesโ first episode (titled โThe Heirs of the Dragonโ) but also a nod for the Art Directors Guildโs Excellence in Production Design Award. He shared the Emmy and ADG Award nominations with supervising art director Dominic Masters and set decorator Claire Nia Richards. Now Clay is once again in the awards season conversation for season two.
Seemingly making Clayโs performance thus far all the more remarkable is the fact that he hadnโt seen Game of Thrones prior to garnering the opportunity to work on House of the Dragon. He rapidly got up to speed but in retrospect observed that not being familiar with Game of Thrones from the outset in a way was โan advantage. I came to it with a fresh perspective, an appetite, a fresh visionโ for a show set some 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, telling the story of House Targaryen.
For the first season of House of the Dragon, Clay noted that he had to make the audience–particularly Game of Thrones fans–feel they were stepping into โfamiliar territory,โ that they still were part of the same saga. At the same time, though, he had to create โnew territory.โ The challenge was meeting Game of Thronesโ fans expectations while also providing them with something unexpected.
And in a sense Clayโs approach to season two entailed straddling the same fence–having continuity from season one of House of the Dragon but creating new worlds, new sets for new situations written by showrunner Ryan J. Condal for the second season. Condal of course teamed with Game of Thrones guru George R.R. Martin to create House of the Dragon.
Thereโs also the balancing act of dovetailing with multiple directors. For season two, Clay production designed for five directors over some 36 weeks of shooting. The experience, he observed, is akin to doing multiple feature films with different directors. He credited Masters with doing a masterful job of coordinating this logistically, handling โa real juggling act,โ keeping the production design, art decoration and set decoration departments in โcomplete harmonyโ–and maintaining that dynamic from one season to the next.
Staying harmonious was made easier by the strong collaborative bond that Clay enjoys with Masters and Richards. Clay began teaming with Masters some 15 years ago. They first worked together on Shanghai, a show on which Masters first served as art director and then supervising art director.
Masters in turn had previously worked with Richards and suggested that Clay connect with her. They did on the acclaimed Belfast from writer-director Kenneth Branagh. Clay said that Masters and Richards have proved invaluable over the years, particularly in helping the production designer fulfill his desire to help โcreate the psychological climateโ for a story. Mastersโ administrative and creative prowess in tandem with Richardsโ meticulous set decoration–spanning a range of minor and major components–have contributed greatly to realizing that desired climate.
Integral to House of the Dragon, continued Clay, is the โreliability of the team,โ which includes Masters and Richards, and the โgenerousโ support from HBO in terms of budgetary resources to create ambitious worlds. Itโs a brand of world building thatโs a 24/7 proposition with an ensemble of talent in terms of construction and decoration this is โresilient and unrelenting.โ
Two other worlds have also come together for Clay who prior to House of the Dragon was best known for his feature work, including for such films as director Alfonso Cuaronโs Children of Men and Branaghโs Murder on the Orient Express for which the production designer earned ADG Award nominations in 2007 and 2018, respectively.
Asked how his feature experience has informed his streaming/TV endeavors and vice versa, Clay observed, โThe way the business has evolved, from features to streaming channels, those worlds have merged into one. I donโt think we differentiate [between the two] any more. We treat this [House of the Dragon] like a feature film–that was part of the brief from Ryan and HBO. We want to bring a feature film sensibility to the small screen. Itโs all very much merged now. Thereโs much more streaming work than feature films now. But we still work in the same way.โ
Clayโs body of work over the years includes more with Branagh–namely the adaptation of Eoin Colferโs young adult fantasy novel, โArtemis Fowl,โ and Death on the Nile. For Belfast, Clay received nominations for the Criticsโ Choice Award for Best Production Design, and the British Independent Film Award (BIFA) for Best Production Design.
Clay has also teamed with directors Richard Curtis on Love Actually, Woody Allen on Match Point and You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Chris and Paul Weitz on About a Boy, Atom Agoyan on Feliciaโs Journey, Neil Jordan on The Crying Game, John Madden on The Debt, Mike Newell on Great Expectations, and Simon Curtis on Woman in Gold.
Dale Elena McCready
Cinematographer Dale Elena McCready, BSC, NZCS was immediately drawn to the prospect of taking on the modern retelling of author Frederick Forsythโs thriller, โThe Day of the Jackal.โ This streaming iteration on Peacock (and Sky in the U.K.) appealed to her on several levels, including a cast headed by Oscar-nominated Eddie Redmayne as the infamous assassin, and Latasha Lynch as his pursuer, British intelligence agency operative Bianca Pullman whoโs obsessed with bringing him to justice.
The opportunity to lens select season one episodes of The Day of the Jackal came about in part due to the collaborative connection McCready developed with one of its directors, Paul Wilmshurst, on Belgravia: The Next Chapter.
Based on his positive experience with her on that show, Wilmshurst gravitated to McCready for episodes six, seven and eight of The Day of the Jackal. McCready added that they both had the good fortune to connect for the first time with 1st assistant director Shelley Lankovits. McCready related that she, Wilmshurst and Lankovits developed a working rapport and rhythm, mapping out in prep what they intended to do in order to realize the vision for episodes they teamed on. Wilmshurst and McCready found a kindred spirit in Lankovits which fueled an approach that was bold and of high energy, simpatico with the showโs top-drawer cast and writing.
McCready also had a foundation to build on, furnished by cinematographer Christopher Ross, ASC, an Emmy nominee earlier this year for Shลgun. Ross lensed the first three episodes of The Day of the Jackal, setting a tone and style. McCready described his work as โgorgeousโ yet still open-ended enough to afford subsequent cinematographers the opportunity to put their own creative stamp on the series (which was recently picked up for a second season).
McCready noted that sheโs had the proverbial shoe on the other foot in the past, having shot the initial episodes of a show while leaving room for others to come up with their own new wrinkles in later episodes. In that scenario, McCready is appreciative of cinematographers who โtake what I established, develop it further and run with it.โ For The Day of the Jackal, McCready sought to reach the level Ross attained in the first three episodes and build on what โhe lined up for us.โ
Affording some additional creative latitude for McCready was the fact that her block of episodes for The Day of the Jackal was quite different from the first block delivered by Ross. There was the opportunity for McCready to drive the story onwards; a prime example being episode eight which takes us back to the origin of The Jackal. Hearkening back to The Jackalโs past–and benefiting from Redmayneโs nuanced performance–McCready had varied moments when she could break from the style of the show, such departures being what she described as โgreat funโ for an artist.
Rossโ influence, though, was a constant factor. From a technical standpoint, his choice of camera, the Sony VENICE 2, remained in place throughout season one, coupled with ARRI ALFA lenses.
In the bigger picture, McCready shared that the series โinvigorated my idea of leaning into the bolder, somewhat more stylized choicesโ that Ross set up–with the added joy of putting her โon twists on things, tooโ
McCready described The Day of the Jackal as being โa stylish, fun yet dark show thatโs human at the same time.โ
