The Directing of Nip & Tuck

Nip and Tuck happens to follow the unofficial official school of film directing in Hollywood.
By that, I mean that, in the serial, we can see what were typically used to seeing in feature films.
Close shots, giving the camera works an effect of submersion, typically used for cutting edge
action movies, mostly dynamic editing together with mostly telescopic lenses it makes for
what one could call the Scott directing school. This is only emphasized by the directors
obviously developed skill in capturing interesting moments in a way thats highly compatible
to the directing we mostly see in commercials.

This serials choice of weapons, when it comes to directing, is presumably chosen for its
ability to emphasize the primary idea of the serial: enforcing the material values, personified in a
repairmans approach to human beings.
The directing of the serial can be said to have two objectives: stylization, and making it seem
realistic, convincing.
The first is achieved by using whats considered a popular, late 20th century camera directing.
Depth blur, using masks and intensely stylish photography. The cheesiness is avoided by what
makes this serial successful as much as it is.
And that is the means to achieve the second objective. The serials got a plethora of means to
serve this dramaturgical function in a seamless, realistic, believable way.
And theres a variety of means by which its done. Point by point.

The cinematography avoids cheesiness by combining artificial lighting with believable

situations. In fact, casting and acting combined not only makes up for the feeling of unrealism
it creates a whole other context for the serial: the unrealistic, questionable, artificial seems
undeniable. And that is Nip&Tucks strength. Among the cinematographical touches is the strong

emphasis on the back lighting. My guess would be that its meant to, subtly, point the curves of
the characters making them seem even more like manikins.

The cast. The cast underlines the whole basic idea Most of the cast are, or could be, models.
Being presentable in the way they are, they epitomize the mythology of the subject: champions
of perfection seeking. And with the audience being acquainted with the inside story of the
whole plastic surgery world, the cast being models gains a whole other dimension we are
aware of their faults, their insecurities and start seeing them as uncompleted projects, instead
of the outsiders delusions the audience usually comes across when watching pretty actors.

The acting is the typical under-acting weve gotten used to in Hollywood.

The first thing we can point out is that its pacing is slow. Very slow. It creates an interesting
effect: besides being able too see each of the characters very closely, we can see their moves
which goes with the whole humanistic theme of the serial quite well since it is about the
human body from the start.