Hannah Quinn interview (continued)
Origins
Hannah's parents are Dubliners who moved to Connemara, Co. Galway, Ireland, in the early '70s where they set up a small community cInema for local people in their converted knitting factory home. You'd think that Hannah wanted to start a career in film and TV as soon as she could, but it was the opposite, "I was NOT interested," Hannah said, "my father was a filmmaker and my eldest brother was an A/D (assistant director). After I left school in 1990, I did a course in bilingual secretarial skills and went to Paris for a year. When I came back I got a job as secretary at the Galway Film Fleadh coordinating the short films. I really liked that and then got a job in admin at the Galway Film Centre where I coordinated film foundation courses. I then worked as a production runner on a TV series called Amazing Love Stories in the early 90s."
Director, Hannah Quinn. Photo courtesy of H. Quinn. All Rights Reserved.
What led you to the path of becoming a Director?
"My actual love for working on films started when my brother got me a day working as a Trainee A/D on a feature film called Frankie Starlight. I loved getting the Extras ready through costume, make up and hair early in the morning and then setting them in the background of the shots. I continued working as an A/D directing Extras for the next 20 years, moving from trainee to 3rd A/D, 2nd A/D and 1st A/D, but it never occurred to me that I actually could be the Director. I just thought that was for the guys and gals who were much more creative than me."
For the past 5 years, Hanna's been at the helm of several film projects as Director, "I realized I had accumulated all these invaluable skills from working on countless productions as an AD. I saw a play my sister-in-law, Liz, had written and thought it would make a brilliant, short film. The following year I adapted it for the screen as my first short film, My Bonnie. It had an extraordinary impact on me as a Director."
Is there a Director you've worked with in the past that inspired you?
"Ridley Scott had the most profound effect on my visual interpretations of narrative. Not just because I love all of his work, I was lucky enough to work on his films -- Gladiator, Black Hawk Down and a few days on The Martian. I got to learn first-hand how hard he works at staging and lighting to make his scenes have the utmost visual and narrative impact. I also worked on Children of Men where Chivo Lubezki's penchant for long, continuous shots showed me how endless ideas were possible."
Hannah has worked alongside some of the best directors in the business but she's also created her own directorial style that's evocative. In collaboration with her husband, cinematographer Tim Fleming, Hannah's projects have taken visual flight. "[Tim] has shot most of my work and he has an incredibly technical and creative eye for lighting and staging. He understands me when I frustratingly say I want a wide and a close up shot all at the same time. We've both worked on My Bonnie, Smithy & Dickie, The Stranger, Fate: The Winx Saga and the current series we're filming in Manchester called Intergalactic, a 10-part series for SKY TV about a women's prison breakout in space. I'm directing episodes 9 and 10."
The Stranger
Adapted from Harlan Coben's book, The Stranger was expanded into 8 episodes and produced by Nicola Shindler's mega production company, Red Production Co. The series has become a hit with Netflix viewers.
How did you get involved in the series?
Hannah: "My agent, Claire Best, got me a meeting with the producers because I had directed 3 episodes of a successful VMTV series called Blood on Channel 5 in the UK and became a big hit there. Blood got on the radar of Nicola Shindler of Red Productions so I got to pitch for The Stranger and got hired!"
I follow Nicola Shindler on social media because I don't want to miss any new projects she's working on. I mean, she's produced many brilliant TV series like Happy Valley, Safe, The Five and others.
Hannah: "Nicola is a powerhouse. She has a Lifetime Achievement Award from BAFTA and she's all about empowering women," said Hannah, "she always came up with great ideas for The Stranger because she structures stories so well. Brilliant producer! I want to work with her again."
I hope so too. Perhaps A DS Griffin series with Siobhan Finneran reprising her role? Possibilities are endless and Hannah is very much in demand to direct various TV and film projects. Do you have a clone or doppleganger to help you with all these projects?
(Hannah laughs heartily), "I've been a busy girl in the last couple of years! It's been amazing."
How did you decide what episodes to direct out of the 8 episodes in The Stranger?
Hannah: "The lead director, Daniel O'Hara had already done another Harlan Coben adaptation, SAFE, and they were looking for another director for the middle block of The Stranger. When I came on board our episodes needed a few really cool set pieces, including the demolition of Killane’s house, the bridge and the train station so that was exciting for me”.
Actor Stephen Rea, Hannah Quinn and Lead Director Daniel O'Hara. Photo courtesy of H. Quinn. All Rights Reserved.
The episodes in the series are so cohesive and it doesn't seem they had two different directors.
Hannah: "They liked the ideas I pitched because they were similar to the ideas Daniel O'Hara pitched".
People who've seen the entire series have been discussing the bar scene [Episode 4 with Adam and Sally] on social media. It's so great the way you crafted that scene between Adam Price and Sally Prentice. This is where he realized what a naughty man he had been. To think he was shaming his father [played brilliantly by Anthony Steward Head] for his affairs.
Hannah: "The cool thing about more women getting behind the camera and on screen is that we can have a say in reducing the gratuitous violence and pornographic aesthethic that is awash on our screens”.
Which is great because there is no need for it to move a story forward. Before I watched The Stranger I was hoping it wouldn't have extreme violence or sex.
Hannah: "I have two sons so for me it's very important for them to see better stories and from women’s perspectives of the world. That's why directing is really interesting for us now because we don't have to shoot gratuitous sex scenes. We can just go 'nah, no thanks we'll have, you know, better sex' ".
Sexyyy!
Hannah: "Yeah, we love sex and a lot of it is on the mind for us, obviously. Danny Brocklehurst had written the bar scene with glimpses of intimacy rather than full on sex, that felt more tantalizing. "
Oh it was and it brings me to my next question: did Adam and Sally have sex? Did they cross that line?
Hannah: "You know, right up to that VERY day [filming the bar scene] we were still arguing 'Did they or didn't they?'. All the women were saying, 'HE EFFING DID IT! '.
What did Harlan Coben or Richard Armitage say?
Hannah: "Harlan and Richard would say, 'NO [Adam] didn't do it' and all the women would say 'yes he did! '. Adam led Sally on, he made her believe they were a couple. All of us said that he [Adam] did it because he had invested emotionally and intimately. It was really important for [Sally], she knew that he was invested. Then Adam just chucked her aside and that's what happens in affairs. It's NOT ok and this is why it has to be Sally's impression that this was love. We had to show that and we did. On the day we rehearsed the scene we talked about it with Camilla (who played Sally Prentice)."
Camilla and Richard had great onscreen chemistry, by the way. So great together in this particular scene.
Hannah: "Yes, they were brilliant. Afterwards I asked [Richard] 'now do you think Adam did it?' and he said 'Yeah, he TOTALLY did! ' ".
Sally was drinking her wine and she was so gutted by Adam's words. When she left the bar, Adam shrunk in his chair and he had a guilty look on his face because he still felt desire for Sally. It was his "oh my god what did I do? oh crap!" moment. "
Hannah: "Yes and [Sally] had opened up her heart to him all over again! Camilla [Arfwedson] nailed that scene every time but it was a heart wrenching scene for a lot of us to watch."
I have to admit I did get a bit teary eyed at the end and I would have hated to be Corinne or Sally.
The Bridge
I want to talk about the Bridge scene where Adam, his sons and Martin Killane are looking for Corinne. There are many different camera shots. First, you feel as if you're there with them in the search for Corinne and then you have the bird's eye camera view over the bridge.
Hannah: "The camera shots are intimate and then it's Corinne's point of view [the birds eye view]."
It's true! So sad, she was already gone by then. It seemed as if she had committed suicide.
Tim Fleming, Hannah Quinn and their son, Eoghan Fleming (focus puller). Photo courtesy of H. Quinn. All Rights Reserved.
Hannah: "Yes and Corinne was being edged out and I just kept wanting to bring her back, to see her point of view: 'don't forget the women, remember Corinne, remember her story.' There are too many TV series and films that kill off women without recourse. With extra flashbacks we can be more sympathetic to her story, how integral she is to her family and friends and work, how much she is missed. 'Don't forget Corinne, don't ever forget Corinne'."
The Train Station
I loved how you directed the train station scene. You had several people looking for Corinne going all over the station. You had a shot here, then the other person on the other side.
Hannah: "For the Stockport Train station scene there were five platforms, we got incredible production value as usually there’s no way they're going to let you shoot on a live station. So I put together a shooting plan to shoot from 10 o'clock until 3 o'clock, keeping the crew really small, so we could get around quickly. Tim made it work with Steadicam and long lens on sticks and our wonderful A/D Tracy Chapman would move us safely from one platform to the next. AD's [assistant directors] would be with one actor over here, and another actor over there. Then we would shoot the scenes across platforms so the actors could see each other. My brilliant editor, Rachel Hoult put it together so well. "
Especially the bar scene. Great editing on the flashbacks between Adam and Sally.
Hannah: "Rachel loves that bar scene! She put it together and worked on it for days and nights. She would say 'don't touch it!' if I attempted to tweak it. It's her favorite scene ever. She edited episodes 4, 5 and 6 and she's got great energy and ideas. She just understands pace and I'm so lucky to have her. She's also editing Intergalactic as well."
That's wonderful! How long have you worked together?
Hannah: "Nicola [Shindler] & Richard Fee introduced us to work together on The Stranger."
Questions from fans of the series
Raven Grace asks: what would you recommend to people who want to work/study in production?
Hannah: "Get life experience, do everything. If you want to write scripts, read the scripts of the successful films or TV shows you’re watching to break them down and see how they're put together. Most well-known scripts are all online. Definitely work in cafes and bars, make friends with everybody. You never know who is going to give you the next job. Be nice to people. It's really horrible when people get nasty on shoots, life is too short. I like a happy set. The showrunner of my next series, whom I met with today, heard very good things about me from the producer who gave me my first production runner job in 1993. So that is really nice to hear."
Cyn asks: How was it working with Richard Armitage? Any funny behind the scenes moments?
Hannah: "Richard is brilliant, he's such a sweetheart. He loves his work and works really hard at it. He’s fun too. He got me to do the flossing dance! haha. But Richard loved the whole family dynamic playing a dad to the two boys, Misha and Jacob (who played Ryan & Thomas). They made themselves a real family by coming up with great ideas together. It was Richard's idea in the kitchen scene where Thomas is saying, 'I think Mom is having an affair' and Richard was saying, 'this is where he's trying to really be a comforting dad and I should be getting him milk and cookies.' This is what dad should do when mom is not there. And dad is always making Spaghetti Bolognese. Love that. Richard came up with great ideas all the time."
Spaghetti Bolognese? Yum!