Posts Tagged mad men

Winner of 2009 and 2008 Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series, Mad men has received critical acclaim since its premiere in 2007, and this mini documentary by the guys at FilmFreakCentral.net showcases some examples of the cinematography techniques used by Matthew Weiner and his directors.

Being a period drama set in the 1960s, the directors avoided steady-cam and hand held cameras, opting for dolly shots, as these newer methods did not feel appropriate to the show’s time period.

The use of the pull-outs and push-ins are used heavily to fit the characters into the context of the scene, especially so with the main character Don Draper. The pull-outs are used quite often to box the characters into the angles of the set, such as door frames, walls or mirror reflections, giving a sense of loneliness.

Perhaps the most effective are the numerous shots from behind Don Draper, where the camera is looking over his shoulder at the rest of the scene. This shuts the audience out which builds on his mysterious character, only revealing his face in full camera in times of chrisis.