The Walking Dead Season 5 is now filming and AMC has resumed their "Dispatches From the Set" special feature series. For the first Season 5 Q&A, they caught up with Gale Anne Hurd, who talked about shooting the premiere episode, keeping the show fresh and interesting, and she talked about "Skull Fridays":
via AMC: "Q: Season 5 is officially in production! How are things going on set?
A: Everything is fantastic! We’re knocking on wood — it’s been gloriously sunny and while it’s been hot, it at least hasn’t been too humid. So, Georgia is breaking us in a little slowly. It feels like being in elementary school the first day you’re back after summer break. Everyone is so excited and they’re hugging… we really do have one big family. We’ve already, not surprisingly, worked with a few walkers. We’ve really hit our stride now. All of our crew members are completely prepared, our cast is top-notch and confident, the scripts are coming in and we have such fantastic directors.
Q: What’s the biggest lesson you learned from Season 4 that’s being carried into Season 5?
A: I think we continue to learn not only how to do it well, but to make it better each season. We have a little extra time to shoot this premiere episode. One thing we learned is when we come back with a new season and we want to launch it right, we have enough time to do so.
Q: What’s most important to have in mind when trying to keep the show fresh and interesting?
A: The great thing is Greg Nicotero, our genius and Emmy-winning makeup effects artist, and his team at KNB EFX have something new up their sleeves every season with how they bring the walkers to life. They always manage to come up with something you’ve never seen before, and we try to surprise the cast with it also. So, they’re as surprised and shocked as the audience will be when they see the episodes.
Q: Have you developed an affinity for any specific The Walking Dead character after all these years?
A: Every season, it’s a little bit different. I’m very fickle. Last season, it was Carl because his story was so compelling. Carol’s journey has been a truly remarkable one and Rick is still the leader, even though he loses his way from time to time — but I think I want to be Michonne.
Q: How did this season’s zombie school go? Are you ever tempted to join in the fun?
A: My daughter was a walker on the first season and was able to die on camera, so one [walker] per family. We did have zombie school, as always. It’s our tradition and it’s how we determine which of the extras who are auditioning really fit in and can bring it. There were some standouts this season and we were impressed. I think there will be some new gruesome faces.
Q: Hershel declared Spaghetti Tuesdays last season. Are there any fun weekly rituals you guys have on set?
A: We do Skull Fridays. So, on set, you’ll find the crew wearing skull earrings or skull T-shirts — and I do tweet photos every Friday with a #SkullFriday hashtag. It’s been embraced by the fans, so they pay tribute as well and take photos of themselves and their kids and tweet those with the hashtag."
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To read the full feature, visit the official website for The Walking Dead TV series. Catch up on our previous coverage highlight, by checking out the following links:
Daily Dead's Official Podcast! Daily Dead's Official Podcast!
