In a distinctive marketing move, Apple has generated buzz around its acclaimed Apple TV+ series, “Severance,” by featuring the fictional Lumon Terminal Pro on its online store. This comes on the heels of the season two finale, and the announcement of a season three. The Lumon Terminal Pro, a vintage-styled computer central to the show’s narrative, has been presented with Apple’s standard product photography and marketing language. However, it is a fictional product, and is not available for purchase.
The Lumon Terminal Pro, with its large trackball and monochromatic monitor, mirrors the computers used by the “severed” employees of Lumon Industries within the show’s dystopian setting. The inclusion of this fictional product on Apple’s online store serves as a unique promotional strategy, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
Alongside the fictional product, Apple has also released behind-the-scenes content detailing the production of “Severance.” This provides insight into the creative process of the show’s creators, including writer Dan Erickson, director and producer Ben Stiller, cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné, and supervising editor Geoffrey Richman.
In Apple’s “Stories” series, Stiller and Richman discuss the technical aspects of bringing “Severance” to the screen. Richman emphasizes the importance of his Mac setup in facilitating the editing process, particularly during the complex season two finale.
“For the finale, there was a lot of experimenting with structure and testing out different ideas about how to play out different scenes,” Richman explains. “It was a constant flow of ideas and my Mac setup allowed for such a smooth experience.”
One of the significant editing challenges involved the marching band sequence. Richman describes the process of syncing approximately 70 different angles and takes, utilizing a multicam clip with banks of nine views. This setup allowed for real-time playback and efficient selection of desired shots.
Richman’s editing workflow involves a combination of iMac and Mac mini, with the latter running Avid video editing software from a post-production facility. He also utilizes a MacBook Pro for on-location work and collaboration.
“I can work on my laptop and I can work on my iMac, and I can work at the post facility or I can work at Ben’s office,” Richman says. “And as long as I’m logged into my account, everything I do shows up everywhere.”
Richman highlights the seamless integration of Apple’s devices, which allows for a flexible and efficient workflow. He collaborates closely with Stiller and composer Theodore Shapiro, emphasizing the crucial role of music in enhancing the show’s narrative.
“Music is such a big part of enhancing the show,” Richman explains. “You can actually shift a scene into a darker tone based purely on the music. Even though everything about the scene would otherwise look pretty light, the music can bring you into the way a character is feeling as opposed to what you’re seeing onscreen.”
The season two finale’s marching band scene presented a significant editing challenge, requiring precise synchronization of visual cuts and musical compositions. Richman utilized his Mac setup to manage the complex footage and explore various editing possibilities.
“Those were definitely scenes where I was jotting down notes on my iPhone and then — to get a different perspective — I’d work on my MacBook Pro, sketching ideas while sitting on my couch or in bed, before bringing those thoughts back to my iMac,” Richman says.
While the Lumon Terminal Pro remains a fictional product, the behind-the-scenes content highlights the real-world tools and processes used to create “Severance.”
