The Genius behind “True Detective”

Since early 2014, the popular HBO show “True Detective” has received a lot of positive attention. It has been praised by critics from Utah to the East Coast who say it’s one of the strongest American television programs currently running. With so many mediocre shows on television these days, “True Detective” offers a refreshing take on the life of crime by offering intense story writing, convincing dialog and amazing cinematography through video production. 

The cinematography in “True Detective” will make any professional video production company in Utah excited. A lot of effort and planning goes into their cinematography techniques, but in the end it’s all worthwhile because it adds a special kind of realism that is hard to come by these days. Here are a couple cinematography tricks that make “True Detective” stand out from the rest. 

Tracking Shots

Adam Arkapaw, the show’s director of photography, sure knows how to nail the tracking shots. These shots are usually hard to execute and it takes the most skilled cinematographers in video production to make it look good. 

One of the most iconic tracking shots that stands out to TV viewers in Utah and nationwide is six minutes long and involves main actors Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson breaking in a Louisiana home. If you haven’t seen it, be sure to check it out.

Time Usage

Another trick that Arkapaw uses is time management. He goes above and beyond when it comes to using time wisely by requiring a little extra effort from the video production team. 

According to Arkapaw, “The main challenge was always time. In a film, you might be accustomed to shooting two to three minutes of screen time a day. On ‘True Detective,’ we were shooting five to six minutes every day. Basically, your time to devise, prepare and execute your work is cut in half.”

It is directors like Adam Arkapaw that restore faith in the world of television. Video production companies throughout the world can use “True Detective” as a source of inspiration.

Ian Francis writes for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. He writes for many other clients as well.