Black Mirror season 7 director reveals filming secrets behind emotional new episode
New episodes of Black Mirror are landing on Netflix this April.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine.
Paul Giamatti is standing in a Shepperton studio, poring over some old polaroids.
It's not, perhaps, what one would expect for the filming of an episode of the tech-savvy Black Mirror, the often bleak dystopian anthology series created by screenwriter Charlie Brooker. But don't be fooled - there's still a sci-fi twist in this tale.
In the episode, one of six due to be released this year, Giamatti's character Philip is informed of the death of an ex-partner, and asked for stories of her younger years to be included at her memorial service.
All he can offer are buried memories and old polaroids - but with the help of an immersive Artificial Intelligence (played by Patsy Ferran), he's able to step into those photos, with the images of gigs, rooftop parties and hotel rooms from decades ago coming to life around him.
Behind the scenes, it was co-directors Chris Barrett and Luke Taylor who had to make the immersive photos look convincing. "We wanted things to be tangible," says Taylor. "If the actors couldn't reach out and touch it, it wouldn't be connected to Philip's memory. The more real things felt, the more they actually would be."
Rather than take the easy route of computer-generated imagery, the figures in the photos are dancers, prepped by acclaimed movement coach Polly Bennett. Positions were held for several minutes during filming as Giamatti and Ferran explored the space, with the physical photo itself taken at the end to avoid changing how the scene would be shot.
"Polly was responsible for how good it looks," says Barrett. "If you or I were to freeze, we'd probably strike a pose, but she helped the dancers move... and then pause. It wasn't so much about being frozen but about capturing a moment in time."
The directors also had to dodge their instincts to frame that all-important final image perfectly. "We wanted the photos to feel candid and captured," says Taylor. "It should look like someone's just gone: click!"
The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here.
Black Mirror season 7 will stream on Netflix from 10th April 2025. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
