Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle in Pen15 Season 2 Photo: Lara Solanki/HuluThe hilarious Hulus sublime Pen15 turns the most incongruous humor into a riveting, relatable comedy. The half-hour series was created by Maya Erskine Anna Konkle and Sam Zvibleman. Konkle and Erskine play their middle school 13-year-old selves. The show's cringe factor is heightened by their unnervingly accurate performance. Pen15 explored the emotions of Maya's and Anna's growing-up, from pursuing crushes to learning the pros and cons of playing in school plays, to briefly believing that they were witches in episode three of Vendy Wiccany.AdvertisementZvibleman, Konkle and IndieWire recently spoke out about how the episode subtly addresses mental illness as Maya (and Anna) escape their parents' constant arguing by visualizing themselves as powerful beings. The A.V. The A.V. Club interviewed Zvibleman about Vendy Wiccany's filming, his discoveries about his craft, Pen15's critical success, and Emmy buzz.The A.V. Club: Vendy Viccany, one of The A.V. This episode is Club's favourite of 2020. It is beautiful and quite a departure from the normal episodes. How was it to set it up?Sam Zvibleman : It was an honor to direct an episode that allowed us to play with different genres. We were given witchy themes for the episode, so we had to experiment with shadows, dark tones, and darker colours. It was also exciting to get out in the woods. Our shooting is usually done in bedrooms, Anna and Maya's homes or classrooms. Andy, our Director of Photography, and Roger, the Assistant Director, worked hard to plan the day so we could get the beautiful backlight for the girls as they cut through the trees in each scene. It worked beautifully. Sometimes magic happens when you cast a spell and other times you need to plan it. Both were possible. The results are very pleasing to me.The A.V. Club: Why did the team choose to have you direct all episodes of Pen15 season 2 instead of season 1, where you had directed only four of the 10 episodes?Sam Zvibleman (Sam Zvibleman): This was because I was writing episodes with the team, and I knew the show very well. It felt like we achieved everything we had hoped for in the second season. The episodes had to be edited very quickly. From the time we shot the episodes to the time they were due to air, we had such a fast turnaround that I had to edit them quickly. This allowed me to trust that we wouldn't have to reedit anything and that it would be exactly what the writers had in mind. In season one, I had filmed four episodes. I felt stronger, more confident, and was keying in. We had to stop. So I did all episodes to help me find my rhythm. The episodes got stronger. We were firing on all cylinders.Dylan Gage and Maya Erskine in Pen15's Opening Evening Photo by Erica Parise/HuluAdvertisementAVC: Was it different this time to be a director, from the beginning to the end?SZ: It was terrifying. It was difficult because we didn't know if anyone would ever see the first season. The budget was so small that no one, except a few Hulu employees, was paying much attention to what was happening. It became a huge success, which was quite shocking. It has so many fans now and I was able to make season two. I didn't want it to be ruined by anyone. It was clear to me that Anna and Maya had to focus on the truth in every scene.AdvertisementSeason two was so difficult to film. Our filming schedule called for us to begin filming on a Monday. However, we were forced to move to another location for episode one. The fires destroyed our main locations for the Pool party. Also, the house that was to be used for everything Maura (Ashlee Grubbs), was not allowed to film. The schedule was completely flipped. It happened again when Santa Ana winds decimated one of our woods locations. It was difficult at the beginning because we were constantly being thrown curveballs. It was difficult because we didn't prepare those scenes. It was a free fall. Things settled down, and Andy, who is also a best friend, was able to get on the same page with me and understand what we wanted from this season. It should feel like an album and be a little different from the first season. This was my way to relieve the pressure.AVC: What were your goals when you were filming?AdvertisementSZ: I wanted Anna and Maya to behave naturally in front of the camera. It was less important that the camera move be controlled and it be about the truth of each scene. There will be moments when aesthetics can take over. I was careful to choose when it was about visual storytelling. This helped to make some moments shine. Anna and Maya's performances are the show's strength, this was clear to me. So I just wanted each one of them to do their thing.AVC: What have you learned about the art of directing this show, particularly with season two?AdvertisementSZ: I storyboarded nearly every shot in the first season with photos. There was so much to do this season that my hand would swell if I attempted to do it all. This season, I wanted to take a different approach and discover things in the moment. Anna and Maya may not see a shot the way I intended and want to make it their own. I decided to take a different approach this season by playing jazz and finding more opportunities to shoot in the moment. It helps me have an idea, finish on time, and be efficient. However, I have a lot of experience. It's almost like bootcamp. I can problem solve and find interesting moments to capture. There are often unexpected events that happen while filming. I now have the ability to both plan ahead and execute intentional visualization. I also have a different style that allows me to watch things unfold and discover the best.Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine at Pen15's Vendy Viccany. Photo by HuluAdvertisementAVC: How do you bring out the cringe element of your show as a director?SZ: It's funny, but Anna, Maya and I have never used the term cringe until other people pointed it out. In awkward moments, we were always searching for the truth. It is how we see the world and live our life. The truth is sometimes hard to find, but we were always looking for it. It's real because it's hard. It's uncomfortable because it's real. I am always trying to find new ways to tell stories that are different from what I have seen before. One example would be episode seven, Opening Night. Anna helps Maya recall her lines and you would cut to the audience. Everyone behind the scenes is relieved and the show continues. My way of viewing it is to show the play behind it. It became an opera. Although it is strange, it comes from an expressionist place without being traditional. Because it stands out, that's what excites me.AdvertisementAVC: Pen15 has been critically acclaimed and is getting lots of awards buzz. Which episode was your favorite as a director? Would you submit it for Emmy consideration.SZ: I am proud of the work that we did. Even now, the other stuff seems strange and unbelievable. It was not possible to have a huge premiere with people laughing, crying, reacting or applauding. The finale, Opening Night, as well as episode six, Play, truly represented the show's potential in terms of its diversity, strangeness, drama, emotions, and dance. I'm proud of all that we did and it really was a huge swing artistically and stylistically.
