Dispatches From the Set – Greg Nicotero (Executive Producer and Special FX Makeup Designer)
Greg Nicotero, the Executive Producer and Special FX Makeup Designer for AMC’s The Walking Dead, talks about new zombie tricks for Season 4 and bowling with Norman Reedus during the off-season.
Q: You directed the Season 4 Premiere episode. What is it like to be back?
A: What’s nice about the first episode is that they always supersize it and give you an extra day, because they know that the script is going to be insanely filled with great drama and great action, and we certainly didn’t skimp on anything in this one.
Q: Sounds like there’s a lot going on in Season 4…
A: The story arcs and the script this season are astoundingly detailed, and every single nuance is there for a reason. It’s really fascinating when you step back as a director and you deconstruct a script in your head. When you’re shooting this scene because, for example, Hershel says one word, then the next cut has to feature what he’s saying, that intent follows through.
Q: The weather has been really rainy in the South. How has that affected shooting?
A: As a matter of fact, one of the locations that I picked for the first episode, our first day of shooting, the place was underwater. So we literally had to scramble and pick a new location… They had Porta-Potties and all this stuff set up for where the crew was going to be, and I guess they floated away. [Laughs]
Q: What are the challenges of directing the Premiere?