Craig Mazin

You do crave a moment where it focuses down to two of them, where everything shrinks down to one act of desperation and one moment where a person faces death in the eye in a personal way. So there's that moment in Saving Private Ryan where one soldier is being slowly stabbed to death by another. And it is this moment.

You do crave a moment where it focuses down to two of them, where everything shrinks down to one act of desperation and one moment where a person faces death in the eye in a personal way. So there's that moment in Saving Private Ryan where one soldier is being slowly stabbed to death by another. And it is this moment.

very personal, intimate act of violence that is so lonely and quiet as compared to the noise and chaos of war. And I thought it was important to see Tommy face death that way.

very personal, intimate act of violence that is so lonely and quiet as compared to the noise and chaos of war. And I thought it was important to see Tommy face death that way.

Both of you gestured to me. I gestured to Neil because it comes from the game. I mean, there's this great moment in the game. We really just expanded on this small moment. You're playing as Abby and you come across frozen bodies. And it's scary. In part because you're not sure, why are all these bodies here?

Both of you gestured to me. I gestured to Neil because it comes from the game. I mean, there's this great moment in the game. We really just expanded on this small moment. You're playing as Abby and you come across frozen bodies. And it's scary. In part because you're not sure, why are all these bodies here?

And we expanded on this and had set up a little bit of a discussion, even all the way back in, all the way back one episode prior, Maria's got a hunch. She's got a feeling. And... They've already heard, as we hear from Jesse in the beginning of the episode, people have found infected that are now alive, hibernating or keeping warm underneath a layer of frozen infected covered by snow.

And we expanded on this and had set up a little bit of a discussion, even all the way back in, all the way back one episode prior, Maria's got a hunch. She's got a feeling. And... They've already heard, as we hear from Jesse in the beginning of the episode, people have found infected that are now alive, hibernating or keeping warm underneath a layer of frozen infected covered by snow.

So they're not sure how many of them are out there. Could be 30, could be 1,000 is what Jesse says. And of course, Ali's like, 1,000, right, sure. Well, Abby finds them. And her arrival triggers some movement under the snow, and then out they come.

So they're not sure how many of them are out there. Could be 30, could be 1,000 is what Jesse says. And of course, Ali's like, 1,000, right, sure. Well, Abby finds them. And her arrival triggers some movement under the snow, and then out they come.

Yes, and I love working on those shots with Weta because one of the things they're really good at, and I always ask for this, is the first instinct is they pour out and they run down the hill. And my first instinct is they pour out and start falling. They run into each other. They lose their footing. There's no careful planning or thought. These are not stalkers.

Yes, and I love working on those shots with Weta because one of the things they're really good at, and I always ask for this, is the first instinct is they pour out and they run down the hill. And my first instinct is they pour out and start falling. They run into each other. They lose their footing. There's no careful planning or thought. These are not stalkers.

And so there's a messiness to it and a brutality. And again, a total lack of concern for each other. It's all about getting that one. And it leads to a sequence that we really looked for fidelity to the game. And that is when Abby gets into this mining plant and that fence goes in.

And so there's a messiness to it and a brutality. And again, a total lack of concern for each other. It's all about getting that one. And it leads to a sequence that we really looked for fidelity to the game. And that is when Abby gets into this mining plant and that fence goes in.

Yeah, there's something wrong with us.

Yeah, there's something wrong with us.

Yeah, that was like, that's an easy one, right? Like, part of the fun of this for me is that as many questions as I ask and as many levers as I, you know, play around with, and I'll say, Neil, what if we do this? Or what if we do this? Or here's a crazy idea. There are some things where it's just full clarity. Oh, we're doing that. And we don't need to screw that. I mean, that's, it's gorgeous.

Yeah, that was like, that's an easy one, right? Like, part of the fun of this for me is that as many questions as I ask and as many levers as I, you know, play around with, and I'll say, Neil, what if we do this? Or what if we do this? Or here's a crazy idea. There are some things where it's just full clarity. Oh, we're doing that. And we don't need to screw that. I mean, that's, it's gorgeous.

And the way she's rescued and discovered by Joel, it's just, you know... Keep it. It works. It's great.

And the way she's rescued and discovered by Joel, it's just, you know... Keep it. It works. It's great.