10 Behind The Scenes Facts About Netflix's Mindhunter
The hit Netflix crime drama Mindhunter is one of the best shows out there, not only because of the brilliant performances from an amazingly talented cast, but because the series takes a novel, almost academic approach towards the fascinating study of criminal psychology.
Veteran director David Fincher is known for his intense repertoire of works in the thriller genre, with films like Se7en and Zodiac, both of which deal with serial killers, and the latter is actually based on the true story of the elusive Zodiac killer. Let us look at some of the behind-the-scenes tidbits of filming Mindhunter.
10 Holden Is Basically John Douglas
This is something most fans might know by now. The character of FBI Special Agent Holden Ford, played by Jonathan Groff, is based on the real-life retired FBI agent, John E. Douglas.
In fact, the series itself is based on the book "Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit," written by Douglas himself. This is not the first time that popular television has been inspired by John Douglas either. The characters of Mandy Patinkin and David Rossi in the popular crime drama/police procedural Criminal Minds are also rumored to have been based on Douglas, one of the pioneers of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit, now known as the Behavioural Analysis Unit.
9 Tench Is Based On Robert Ressler
Actor Holt McCallany has had a career-defining moment with his brilliant portrayal of FBI Special Agent, Bill Tench. Tench played a pioneering role in developing the BSU, having been associated with it from before Holden himself.
Tench's character is based on another founding father of criminal profiling, Robert Ressler, who is credited with coining the term 'serial killer' for multiple murderers. For those who remember, it was Tench who was shown to have suggested the term while discussing the subjects of their research with his colleagues.
8 Hours Of Rehearsal
Fincher is apparently an extremely meticulous director who knows exactly what he wants from his actors, down to the details of their character and looks.
In an interview, Holt McCallany stated that the cast managed to rehearse their scenes extensively before filming which is unusual for television in general. They also did script reading where they discussed every minute details about their character's journey.
7 Groff Smiled Too Much
Jonathan Groff has stated how he was told off by Fincher for being unaware that he was smiling all the time. Holden, as fans would know, is an uptight person, to say the least, with a subtle running gag in the episodes being that he needs to loosen up more.
Groff mentioned that Fincher had warned him about Holden being overly serious. The director would remind him before the cameras rolled and the actor had to get into his character's demeanor in time for filming.
6 Plane Scenes Are All Sets
Holden and Tench are shown to fly a lot from this place to that, to get to the subjects of their interviews and at times, like in the case of the infamous Atlanta Child Murders, they had to spend a lot of time in Atlanta while the investigations were on.
The plane scenes, especially in season 1, are integral to some of the conversations between the two FBI agents. The actors have stated that the seats on the plane are nothing but a sound stage, which is used repeatedly to shoot the various times the two are journeying home or onto their next killer.
5 Kemper's Preschool Teaching Days Came In Handy
Cameron Britton, who does a phenomenal job as the spine chilling serial killer, Ed Kemper, used to be a preschool teacher before he turned to acting. Of course, to see their kids' preschool teacher acing it as one of the most horrific serial killers in history might not be very pleasant for parents, but Britton mentions that his time as a teacher actually helped him prepare for his role.
Britton stated in an interview that he had to develop a serene demeanor to deal with emotionally intense kids with special needs. Ironic as this might sound, Britton drew from this ability to block all emotions while handling his students to essay the role of the emotionally detached, remorseless murderer.
4 Wendy Is Fictional
Anna Torv plays the researcher Wendy Carr, who joins the FBI's BSU on a permanent basis to facilitate and offer insight into the work undertaken by Holden and Tench, as they develop a whole new discourse about the criminal mind.
However, for those who don't know, Carr's role was actually created for the series, as the book did not mention such a character. Torv mentioned that she actually read the book after being cast for the role, to figure out where her character stood in the scheme of things.
3 McCallany Put On Weight
Holt McCallany had worked with Fincher earlier in the films Aliens 3 and the cult classic, Fight Club. However, the Netflix crime drama is the actor's first significant lead role.
Naturally, McCallany took pains to get into his character the best he could. It is said that he put on 25 pounds to get Bill Tench's slightly bulky appearance right.
2 The Use Of CGI
The subtle use of CGI in a deglamorized period drama, such as this, is commendable. There were several scenes that were digitized unobtrusively to authentically capture the look and the feel of the place and the time.
CGI was used to add buildings and background locale that suited the historical period that the series is based in, i.e. the 1970s and 80s. The car accident that Holden and Tench find themselves in in season 1 is also digitally added, with the cast and crew filming only the impact of the accident.
1 Hours Of Prosthetics
The series has done a remarkable job getting the actors who portray real-life murderers to look very similar to the real ones. From Ed Kemper to Charles Manson and Wayne Williams, the makeup department excelled in getting the look just right.
Holt McCallany has stated that these actors undergo hours of prosthetics to get into their character and recreate the look. In a series directed and produced by David Fincher, it is hardly surprising that the best efforts are taken to get the details as historically accurate as possible.
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