Movies - TV
Tony Gilroy Made Sure Andor's Action Scenes Always Had A 'Hook'
By ERNESTO VALENZUELA
The action in "Andor'' works on an emotionally engaging level due to the intricate “hooks” that lead into their sequences. Series creator Tony Gilroy deliberately elevates spectacle with character-centered tension, while at the same time exercising enough restraint to help make each individual set piece feel unique.
Gilroy talked with the official Star Wars website about how his experience with action taught him how to keep things engaging. "The key [...] is to have a very specific place and a very specific set of limitations to work against. The best action scenes are the ones that have the most character conflict in them … The overarching other part of it is an error," Gilroy said.
Gilroy co-wrote the screenplays for both the original "Bourne" trilogy starring Matt Damon and "The Bourne Legacy," which gives him a fundamental understanding of adding tension to a scene. He focuses on simple mistakes that can create tension through an unexpected problem for the main characters.
For example, consider the start of the prison breakout sequence in "Andor." "The key to that sequence is when the kid jumps up onto the railing, and it breaks from his weight," said Gilroy. "That little bit of reality, that mess up, that error, is the hook for me to get involved. You always have to have a hook. [...] It has something special about it."
Ultimately, the humanity at the center of "Andor" drives the action scenes and the series as a whole. The limitations Gilroy places on the show aren't only in terms of action but also world-building and character development, and it's this restraint that makes the series standout.