‘I was really worried about San Junipero’ – Charlie Brooker on pushing the Black Mirror envelope Charlie Brooker has never worried about causing offence when writing his acclaimed genre-defying TV show, Black Mirror. “We opened with […]

Charlie Brooker has never worried about causing offence when writing his acclaimed genre-defying TV show, Black Mirror.

“We opened with the Prime Minister f**king a pig,” he deadpans. “So…”

Brooker and Black Mirror executive producer, Annabel Jones, discussed what goes into the making of the programme at Edinburgh International TV Festival today.

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They also premiered the first trailer for the show’s upcoming fourth season.

‘We can’t tell you what’s going on’

While Brooker and Jones were unwilling to give too much away about season four, they did reveal that the series contains the shortest Black Mirror episode to date, and one installment features an idea pitched to Brooker by Penn Jillette, one half of magician duo Penn and Teller.

The new series continues the Black Mirror tradition of stand-alone episodes, making it difficult to advertise without giving one of Brooker’s signature twists away.

“It’s quite hard to promote an anthology show,” Brooker admitted.

“We can’t tell you what’s going on.”

The 50 second long trailer shares episode names (Crocodile, Arkangel, and Hang the DJ, to name a few) and offers glimpses of new Black Mirror worlds.

Jesse Plemons appears momentarily in a Star Trek-like universe. A woman is chased by a robot, all in black and white.

There are, as always, new terrifying technological gadgets you should pray never get made in real life.

Finding the right unpleasant situation

Brooker’s dark and at times controversial show recently made the move from conventional TV to Netflix (after two seasons and a Christmas special on Channel 4).

But very little about the way the episodes are conceived has changed.

“It usually tends to stem from a comic ‘What if?’ idea,” Brooker revealed.

“If I get enthused about an unpleasant situation, that’s when I want to write about it.”

That’s how the aforementioned pig scenario that unfolds in the first Black Mirror episode, The National Anthem, came about.

“I started thinking about the idea of Jack Bauer in an episode of 24 being blackmailed into f**king a pig. That’s where it came from.”

‘San Junipero was a nice trap’

The National Anthem may have been shocking to many, but one of the most talked about episodes of Black Mirror to date is undoubtedly San Junipero, from the most recent third season.

Ultimately a love story with science fiction elements, the unusually touching installment split Black Mirror fans down the middle.

Some loved a break from the programme’s usually unsettling endings, while others hated the change.

Brooker, it seems, holds the episode close to his heart, and mentioned it often during his Edinburgh appearance.

“I was really worried writing San Junipero,” the creator admitted.

“It broke all the rules we had established – it was a conscious decision to change the series.”

Brooker and Jones had experimented with the tone of the series more – making certain episodes happier, or comedic – particularly since the move from Channel 4 to Netflix.

According to Brooker, six “downers” (or depressing episodes) is too much for any viewer.

“Every show that I’ve done starts with a character in a trap, who stays in the trap. San Junipero was a nice trap.

“It proved to me that you can do an uplifting episode of Black Mirror.”

Using music as inspiration

According to Brooker, he wrote the script for San Junipero in just four days. His record is two or three.

The memorable ’80s soundtrack used on San Junipero was inspired by Brooker’s 1987 running playlist

“It’s kind of like automatic writing. But there’s a lot of self-hatred that goes into it.

“I try to imagine the finished episode, and then write it.”

The satirist admitted that he struggles with writing TV sequences that involve multiple logical parts (such as Black Mirror’s police procedural, Hated in the Nation), and much prefers big emotional speeches that will eventually be delivered by one of his characters.

“I try not to think too much about them, and just write it in one go,” he said.

When particularly stuck with an idea, though, Brooker uses music to inspire him.

“I now go for a run – like a f**king prick – and listen to music, and you see scenarios.”

In fact, the memorable ’80s soundtrack used on San Junipero was inspired by Brooker’s 1987 running playlist.

A ‘pedantic’ approach

Once the writing process is complete, Brooker and Jones oversee every aspect of the production from start to finish, acting as showrunners.

The pair describe themselves as “pedantic”, and have always preferred to be hands-on for every step of the way when it comes to Black Mirror.

After writing comes casting, set and graphic design, filming and editing – and each episode is treated as a mini film, with its own director, actors and shooting schedule.

The programme films one episode at a time, so that Brooker and Jones can be on set and know everything about the production.

Better suited to Netflix

“Because we have to build these worlds, you have to be able to explain it, and defend it,” said Jones, explaining why she and Brooker immerse themselves so deeply in the creative side.

And creative freedom is still well and truly in the hands of the creators in this case, even after Black Mirror’s move to Netflix.

According to Jones and Brooker, Netflix are involved, but don’t nitpick, and the creators feel that the programme might actually be better suited to the streaming platform than traditional TV.

“Black Mirror is more of a word of mouth show,” said Jones.

“People find it eventually, over time. Netflix is the home of that.”

The length of episodes can vary far more, too, according to Brooker, and the show doesn’t have to fit in with a channel’s programming.

Plus, there are no viewing figures hanging over your head.

“It is great to not have to worry about numbers – you just fail on your own terms,” joked Brooker.