Daryl Dixon director Daniel Percival talks about the hallucinations in the season finale

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As a devoted fan of “The Walking Dead” universe, I must say that the recent season finale of “Daryl Dixon” under the skilled direction of Daniel Percival was nothing short of breathtaking. The way he masterfully weaved together the emotional turmoil of our beloved characters with the high-octane action was truly a sight to behold.

In an exclusive chat, teammates from ‘Winter is Coming’ sat with director Daniel Percival, who helmed ‘The Walking Dead’: Daryl Dixon’s season finale. This comprehensive interview delves into the crucial aspects highlighted in the final episode of the season titled “Au Revoir Les Enfants,” which paves the way for the upcoming third part. To read the entire conversation, follow the link provided below.

In the thrilling climax of season 2 for the Daryl Dixon spinoff, Daniel Percival took the helm. He’s the same director who guided episodes 2 and 5 this season, as well as four from the first season’s premiere. This finale was an outstanding hour, filled with a variety of emotions and impressive narrative progression.

In this episode, it’s revealed that Ash (Manish Dayal) and Laurent (Louis Puech Scigliuzzi) left France using Ash’s airplane; their intended destination is the Commonwealth. On the other hand, Fallou (Eriq Ebouaney) chose to remain in France, where he found a new love named Akila (Soraya Hachoumi). Additionally, this tale took us on an exhilarating trip through the Chunnel.

Romain Levi’s character, Codron, along with Daryl, portrayed by Norman Reedus, and Carol, played by Melissa McBride, experienced mind-bending illusions triggered by an overwhelming amount of bat droppings, or guano. This thrilling series of events not only captivated the audience but also delved into each character’s emotional turmoil.

During an interview with WiC, Percival delved into the process of filming pivotal moments for each character, which were highlighted in the scenes discussed. Carol grapples with PTSD following her daughter Sophia’s demise in season 2 of “The Walking Dead.” Daryl has yet to confront the loss of Isabelle (portrayed by Clémence Poésy), while Codron struggles with the death of his brother Michel (played by Paul Deby) from season 1 of this series.

In the course of their hallucinatory experiences, every character embarked on a unique, individual odyssey. Percival designed each scene distinctly to reflect the characters’ personal journeys. This diversity was achieved during filming itself, rather than in post-production, by skillfully employing various lenses and cameras.

Codron’s hallucinations involved a lens shudder, a vibration like the aftershock of a punch, which requires a lens that sits in a small cradle of springs.

Daryl’s were warped and distorted. For this we used specially molded sheets of plexiglass that you hold directly in front of the lens (which we first used for his hallucinations in Ep 1 season 1).

For Carol, we used something affectionately called a ‘lens baby’, which works like an old style bellows lens. Where getting the point of focus requires moving the lens forward and backwards. The effect is a very shallow depth of field with moving points of focus.

Daniel Percival

Don’t miss the entire interview with Daniel Percival via Winter is Coming.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3

In simple terms, the next season of “The Walking Dead” focusing on Daryl Dixon (Daryl) commences soon after he and Carol travel through the Chunnel to England. The showrunner, David Zabel, hinted that the initial episode will introduce Stephen Merchant, portraying a captivating character. Additionally, before they reach Spain, where the third season is filmed and set, they plan an intriguing detour.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon returns to AMC and AMC+ exclusively in 2025.

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2024-11-15 20:39