I was always nervous to watch the show Breaking Bad because of the contents of it. I am the more animated movie/tv show type of person, so when my boyfriend brought up watching the show, I was a little hesitant. He’d seen it multiple times, so he knew what was in it already. For me that helps a little, cause if there’s specific moments he knows I won’t like, he’ll tell me when to look away. He’ll sometimes even describe what’s happening.
But that’s not why I’m writing this.
When you watch the show, each shot has a purpose. Each detail, each lingering second, it all connects. Pieces of media like that are always so impressive to me. The creator and the team all put so much work into making sure each second counts. And it for sure shows.
When working on a film, you have to be sure the shot is set up exactly how you want it before you start rolling. The director and crew know exactly what shots they want and why they want them. Everyone makes sure that they communicate with each other so they can get the best shot possible in as little time as possible.
The writing team seem to enjoy working with the actors as well. Bryan Cranston, the actor for Walter White, seemed to study his character a lot before filming. That helps the actor get into character easier as soon as they say action. They know how the character is feeling, what they’ve gone through, so that way it just looks natural. The actor who plays Jesse Pinkman, Aaron Paul, is described to have a rubber face and body that can do anything you write down (J. Roberts, The Making of Breaking Bad). When you have good actors, that automatically makes the shooting even easier. And when the two main actors get along?
Bryan and Aaron seemed to get along just as well off set during filming. Now granted I can only watch content for season one since that’s the only season I’ve watched all the way so far. But if they got along while filming season one, I can assume they got along the rest of the time too! It looked like they had so much fun, and that adds to the genuineness of the show.
Breaking Bad is a series about a 50 year old chemistry teacher who is trying to make most of the time he has left. When the doctors find something in his body that could shorten it, he works with a former student to make the money he needs to support his family. The first season is only 7 episodes long, each episode averaging about 45 minutes. Seasons 2-5 contain 13 episodes, with the episodes around the same length. As of writing this, I am 3 or 4 episodes into season 2, and the story just keeps developing. The characters keep on growing, and the show is not disappointing.
The creator of Breaking Bad, named Vince Gilligan, actually created whole storyline around the show. It includes Breaking Bad itself, a spin-off series titled Better Call Saul, and a movie titled El Camino. The spin-off dives into a character seen in BB, and also works as a prequel to the show. The movie follows a main character a good few years after the series finale. They’re all in one spot on Netflix. Vince was also a writer on the X-Files, another well known show.
Being in a moviemaking class again is honestly making me watching movies and tv shows differently. Not in a bad way, of course! I think a better way to word it is I watch them with a new perspective. I don’t just watch and listen. I analyze the shots, I recognize eyelines and certain setups, I can appreciate post production editing!
I know I love animated movies and shows, but I feel like I’m starting to appreciate live action more, thanks to Breaking Bad.
Sources Used: Vince Gilligan IMDB, The Making of Breaking Bad Season One
Coley Rose's Corner 