Taking it to Extremes

by Vincent Misiano (Director, episode six)

I was really pleased to get the call to do “Crash.” I’ve made my living, happily, on network television with its own set of rules and restrictions, directing shows like “Medium,” “Prison Break,” and “The West Wing.” I was thrilled to step across the aisle and work on “Crash”—a cable TV series that has as many or more challenges, and explores far more extreme aspects of the human experience more explicitly and in greater detail. 

The cast was wonderful...from legendary veterans like Dennis Hopper and Eric Roberts to the long list of young and gifted actors in the company. Every show has a culture and this group embraces the challenge of this material. The material is very brave in its exploration of interesting ideas and edgy subject matter. I guess I’m saying that the scripts are very high risk. They’re a challenge to both the actors and directors, but if, together, you can find the right interpretation, the results can be exhilarating.   

All actors have different styles. Eric Roberts is a workhorse who will do scenes again and again, as long as you will let him, and deliver something different each time. Dennis Hopper gives a concise performance very quickly. The young actors I worked with were a delight. Ross McCall (Kenny Battaglia) is easygoing. Moran Atias (Inez) is disciplined and deep into her character. Jake McLaughlin (Bo) is a guy’s guy, strong and no nonsense. Ross was a bit like the better angel of the character he plays, and Dana Ashbrook (Jimmy) couldn’t be more different from his character. 

The episode I directed was a little unusual for “Crash.” Several of the established characters—like Ben (Dennis Hopper) and Inez (Moran Atias)--are showing different sides of themselves than they have shown before. Their characters are given new and interesting opportunities for change. The question is will they step up? Will they take the chance? Other characters, like Bo (Jake McLaughlin) and Jimmy (Dana Ashbrook), continue on the trajectory they’ve been on, with new and dramatic turns on the way. Then there’s Owen (Keith Carradine), who joined the “Crash” cast in my episode, and took on an assignment that was particularly challenging with a grace and confidence that I found inspiring. And Death costarred in this episode. Several of the characters “crash”ed with the reaper in interesting ways. I won’t say anymore about that! 

So much of television focuses on youth. The casts of most shows are young. On network TV, even Supreme Court justices are young, far younger than they are in real life! In some ways, this is easier for the director. Younger actors--and this is a gross generalization--are more malleable. “Crash” has a strong young cast, but it also has several more mature characters played by grown ups. I think this is great. It’s honest and inclusive. But approaching actors with the history and talent and experience of those I directed on “Crash”—like Dennis Hopper, Eric Roberts, Keith Carradine, and Peggy Lipton—well, I admit I was intimidated. Dennis is a brilliant director himself, for god’s sake—movies like Easy Rider and Colors.

But all of them were accessible and willing and anxious to do good work, and I think they trusted me to guide the process. I hope the result reflects their talent and commitment.