Like each different enterprise, The Blacklist needed to shut down in March as a result of coronavirus pandemic. The NBC crime drama was midway by way of manufacturing on the 19th episode out of 22 in Season 7 when the order got here, however quite than scrap the episode and finish the season on an incomplete word, the producers got here up with a (graphic) novel answer: Half of “The Kazanjian Brothers,” which airs Might 15, is animated in a method harking back to a comic book e book and can convey the season to as pure a conclusion as potential, in line with creator Jon Bokenkamp and govt producer John Eisendrath. The Blacklist bosses instructed TV Information about how the sudden and unprecedented season finale got here collectively, from thought to execution.
Eisendrath stated he and Bokenkamp realized rapidly that their most suitable choice in lieu of their deliberate finale was determining a strategy to end Episode 19. They thought of a number of potentialities, together with a radio play-on-TV format, earlier than deciding on animation. “In these conversations, we reminded ourselves that the present in some ways, even the reside motion model, is sort of a graphic novel,” Eisendrath stated, with larger-than-life villains and an antihero on the heart. “And it simply made us suppose, properly, would not it’s nice if we may discover a strategy to really animate the parts that hadn’t been filmed?” They reached out to studios Sony and NBC, who supported the thought and hooked them up with an animation firm referred to as Proof. And so with no thought of what went into making an animated present, they dove into making 20 minutes of animated Blacklist with solely 5 weeks to do it. And so they’re proud of the way it turned out.
“I am positive I converse for lots of people once I say it exceeded our expectations by way of the completed product,” Eisendrath stated.
The Blacklist
Initially, the plan was to maintain it easy, with static panels and voiceover, however the animators at Proof had been in a position to animate the mouths transferring, no simple feat to nail in such a short while, so it ended up being extra lifelike than the producers initially envisioned. The actors had been despatched microphones and recorded their strains into an iPhone app. “You possibly can form of image the forged in all of their closets and pantries with their microphones doing their efficiency alone,” Bokenkamp stated. The audio recordsdata had been then despatched to the editors, who had been working at house, and the live-action and animated components had been reduce collectively.
Bokenkamp stated that Episode 19 did not need to be drastically rewritten to get it prepared to finish the season and be animated. “We realized that there was a chance to to make some changes throughout the animated sequences and to shift or perhaps speed up some story factors,” he stated. “However actually the episode is not that completely different than what we meant to go shoot with reside motion.”
The Blacklist
The adjustments largely contain utilizing the liberty afforded by animation to make moments larger than they might have been in reside motion. A dialog between Purple (James Spader) and Liz (Megan Boone) that was initially scripted in Purple’s house now takes place on the Nationwide Mall with the Capitol within the background, and a shootout in a motel has extra individuals. “We had been in a position to go nuts with it and actually lean into that graphic novel form of side,” Bokenkamp stated. “That was one of many issues that was actually thrilling as we had been discovering the episode. It wasn’t essentially what are the story factors which can be gonna change, however how can we make this actually feel and look just like the present whereas embracing this graphic novel alternate actuality.”
In step with the story not altering that a lot, the stuff that was deliberate for the remainder of Season 7 will largely roll over into Season 8, each time that occurs. “We had been actually excited concerning the season finale and the story factors and the turns throughout the mythology that had been developing, and I can not think about we’d simply jettison these,” Bokenkamp stated. A number of the plans might retooled indirectly, however the writers are actually forward of the sport after they reconvene to start out engaged on Season Eight in a number of weeks. “We’re ready to enter the writers’ room this season with some actually thrilling, large turns that will have been a terrific cliffhanger, however I feel are going to be a very unbelievable springboard for what occurs subsequent season,” Bokenkamp stated.
The Blacklist‘s James Spader and Megan Boone Reflect on the Show’s Journey Through 150 Episodes
The episode can even be the ultimate episode with Brian Dennehy, who had recurred on The Blacklist since Season three till his death last month. “We beloved having him on the present, and we had been all very unhappy about [his passing],” Eisendrath stated. They have not began eager about how his passing will have an effect on tales they may inform round his character, Dominic Wilkinson, who’s the daddy of this season’s antagonist, Katarina Rostova (Laila Robins), and Liz Eager’s grandfather.
They confirmed that the episode will finish with a tribute card for the late performing legend. “It is the least we may do to recollect him and and acknowledge his participation and his position on the present,” Eisendrath stated.
The Blacklist‘s Season 7 finale airs Friday, Might 15 at 8/7c on NBC.
The Blacklist