But he wasnt expecting to be so struck by the script for Long, Long Time.
It was two actors in a strawberry patch, falling into them and eating them.
It couldnt have been simpler, and yet it was huge.
From left: Offerman as Bill and Bartlett as Frank.Liane Hentscher/HBO
It was epic and intimate, all at the same time.
The scene in the strawberry patch was designed around the weather, says Bolter.
We knew, if it were a sunny day, wed get this beautiful, low sun.
And we got lucky.
Bolter says working onThe Last of Usinvolved ceding control to the environment wherever possible.
You find yourself doing a lot to make it look like youve done nothing, he explains.
There are times when, as visual storytellers, you have to bring a lot to the party.
Hoar remembers that particular moment.
We shot with three cameras, as live, and they didnt do it too many times.
Of course, we knew he had the survivalist edge for Bill, no question.
In a very meta way, he just helped that performance out, I think.
The other thing I got really into was reaction videos on YouTube, laughs Bolter.
So, its interesting to watch people react to it with no filter.
Theyre not thinking about the fact that the filmmakers are going to be watching them.
Theyre just sitting down and watching it.
You see people read those visual cues in real time, and thats been incredibly satisfying and interesting.
I keep sending them to Peter all the time.
