In an exciting new episode of FSB, we join Professor Saurez and co-hosts Shamus Lobene and Michael Allchin for a thrilling conversation with film and television director, Colin Bucksey. With an impressive lineup of credits, including the hit AMC series Breaking Bad and FX’s Fargo. Bucksey deals us into all the industry secrets, including his time as a director on sets, the key to well-written scripts, and the truth about working in large collaborative environments like sets.

Meet Our Guest

Colin Bucksey

Colin Bucksey is a director who has directed for some of the biggest TV shows of all time. Among his numerous credits are Miami Vice, Fargo, NCIS, Burn Notice, and Breaking Bad. His work has earned him many awards, including an Emmy. Along with this, the Breaking Bad Episode Phoenix, in which he directed, is named by The Ringer as one of its best episodes.

Questions Asked:

What has it been like to move through different formats over your career (2:24)

How have you had to adjust to working with more people? (5:36)

How do you handle the balance of being a director? (7:38)

Do you ever get the chance to adjust the script with the writer? (9:41)

What do you think defines a good script? (12:32)

Where do you think sensibilities have changed in regards to what you have worked on? (14:49)

What are the golden rules for new directors? (16:13)

Why do TV shows not stick with one director? (18:20)

How do you maintain continuity? (21:13)

What are your first steps when receiving a script? (23:28)

How many times do you read a script before shooting? (24:45)