Michelle MacLaren
Michelle MacLaren
Michelle Maxwell MacLaren is a television director and producer. She has directed episodes of The X-Files, Breaking Bad, Frank Darabont's The Walking Dead and HBO's Game of Thrones...
NationalityCanadian
ProfessionDirector
CountryCanada
became business cigarette holding hours job odd possibly pouring running sign sweeping
I did every odd job you could possibly imagine: Holding a sign in the rain for 14 hours straight, sweeping up cigarette butts, pouring coffee, running around - anything I could to be on a film set. I wanted to be in the business. So I'd say, 'You need that job done? Fine,' and I became indispensable to people.
dark drama gravitate love seem side toward
I seem to gravitate toward the dark side of things when it comes to directing. I love action, but I love the drama as well.
I always say that AMC hires filmmakers, and they let them be filmmakers.
directing love produce
I always say, 'I love producing, but directing is my passion,' and for a while, I had to produce to support my directing habit.
amazing experience honored
'Breaking Bad' was a magical, amazing experience. I'm honored to have been a part of it.
creates themselves
Every character a writer creates has some of themselves in it somewhere.
people produce
Vince Gilligan and AMC are really wonderful people to direct and produce for because they don't put the demands of any conventionalism on you.
Would I like to do a feature? Absolutely.
opportunity work
I've been very fortunate to have the opportunity to work on wonderful shows.
call directed director eight shooting time worked
After I directed for the first time, I wanted to call every director I'd ever worked with and apologize. In television you are tasked with shooting 42 minutes, or whatever, in eight days. That's not a lot of time.
Sometimes I forget to say 'cut' because I am so lost in the performance.
choose episode feeling great pick whatever
My feeling is, from when I started on 'Breaking Bad,' there's no reason to pick and choose because every episode is great. Whatever episode you get, you're lucky to do it.
almost approach god piece plot sequence sit step time
I approach an action sequence almost like a mathematical problem. Sometimes you get these action sequences that you read and go, 'Oh my God, this is huge, how do I do it?' and I go, 'Just a step at a time. Sit down and plot each piece of it out.'
bad breaking sergio shoot
In general, we like to shoot Breaking Bad like a modern day Western, and Sergio Leone is one of my all-time favorite directors.