First establishing himself as an accomplished cinematographer–as underscored by an ASC Award win in 2009 for an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (“For Gedda”), and a pair of Emmy nominations in 2013 and 2016, respectively, for episodic lensing on Homeland (“Beirut Is Back”) and The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (“From the Ashes of Tragedy”)–Nelson Cragg has since settled nicely into the director’s chair thanks in part to series creator extraordinaire Ryan Murphy.
Cragg had shot several shows for Murphy and was looking to break into directing. Murphy gave him that opportunity with episodes of American Horror Story: Roanoke and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Then came additional directorial turns on installments of Murphy’s Pose and Ratched.
Cragg’s directing endeavors have since extended beyond Murphy shows, most notably multiple episodes of Them (which include the pilot and his serving as an exec producer on the series), Truth Be Told, and most recently The Boys (Prime Video)–specifically episodes 5 and 6 of season 3–which has him in the current Emmy and Guild Awards season conversation.
Garnering considerable attention has been episode 6, “Herogasm,” named after the annual superhero orgy event right out of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s comic book series on which the show–created by Eric Kripke–is based.
“Herogasm” puts the likes of Butcher (portrayed by Karl Urban), Hughie (Jack Quaid), MM (Laz Alonso), Annie/Starlight (Erin Moriarity), The Deep (Chace Crawford), Homelander (Antony Starr) and Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) in major mayhem, some immersed in while others are surrounded by X-rated behavior.
Cragg, the cinematographer turned director, was in 2021 nominated–as a director in tandem with DP Checco Varese–for a Camerimage Golden Frog Award in the TV series competition on the strength of the Them pilot.
Among his other lensing credits in years past were Breaking Bad, Flashforward, Halt and Catch Fire, and pilots for the series Terra Nova and Elementary.
This Chat Room interview was edited for clarity and brevity.
SHOOT: What drew you to The Boys? How did the opportunity emerge for you to direct two pivotal episodes in season 3?
Cragg: I went to USC where Eric Kripke also went. I didn’t know him well but I knew some of the same folks from around those years. I hadn’t talked to him for a long time. At the height of the pandemic, everything shut down. Production was just starting up in the new year [2022] and The Boys was looking to crew up.
I had a great call with Eric. We hit it off. I loved the gritty style of The Boys. I loved the idea of bringing that realism, kind of like what I shot as a DP on Homeland, to super heroes.
SHOOT: What was (were) the biggest challenge(s) that The Boys–particularly the “Herogasm: episode–posed to you as a director?
Cragg: For me the biggest challenge was getting the tone right. You have to treat the material so honestly and make it as real as you can.
People wearing superhero outfits and doing insane things–that material needs to be grounded so that it works emotionally, so that this story and this world work. People enjoy being in this world and respect the characters. We wanted to do fantastical episodes but still keep it emotionally real. It was challenging. How [in the “Herogasm” episode] do you do that when you’re in that room with 200 extras simulating sex?
SHOOT: Is it difficult as a director letting go of the cinematography since you used to be a DP? How did you go about working with cinematographer Dan Stoloff on The Boys?
Cragg: It is easy to let go. As a director you’re preoccupied with so many things. Dan is an amazing photographer. He has been with the show since season 1. He’s an incredibly nice man and a talented storyteller, easy to work with. He helped set and knows the tone of the series.
SHOOT: What was your biggest takeaway or lessons learned from working on The Boys? What do you feel you walk away with first and foremost from the experience?
Cragg: With all the spectacle of “Herogasm,” the fight sequences, my relationship with the actors was important. Jensen Ackles who plays Solider Boy was pretty much introduced in the previous episode. He didn’t get much screen time until episodes 5 and 6. It’s important to build relationships with actors.
We were in Toronto, quarantined [per COVID protocols]. We couldn’t leave, We couldn’t bring our family or friends. We were able to build relationships with the cast that you couldn’t have done in normal times. Because we were isolated up there, there was an intense kind of familial bond. It allowed us to go a little deeper with the actors and their characters than you would in normal television. We built interesting characters. Jensen’s character was built in a cinematic way. I love working with Eric Kripke. I love the cast. They delivered great performances.
SHOOT: Ryan Murphy gave you the opportunity to direct after you served as cinematographer for him on a number of series over the years. How did that all come about?
Cragg: It was after I had wrapped shooting on Ryan’s The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story that I was called into his office for a meeting. He asked me what I would like to do next.
I told him that I would like to direct shows for him. He was gracious enough to give me episodes of American Horror Story: Roanoke and The Assassination of Gianna Versace: American Crime Story to direct.
Later I directed episodes of Pose and Ratched for Ryan. And then I went on to shows for other producers like Them and The Boys.
