83
wrote three hour-long spec scripts before pitching the series, conceiving of
the season as a whole rather than through a pilot.
111
The three creators co-
wrote every script, and the Wachowskis directed most of the season’s
episodes. While a few basic cable and premium cable outlets will also allow
some creators to write and/or direct multiple episodes, the creators’ season-
level approach to storytelling further contributed to Sense8’s unique authorial
voice. They structured and wrote the season as three four-hour acts, a
creative decision that influenced the production process and united the
season under a singular vision.
112
Rather than assigning directors to
individual episodes, directors would be in charge of specific locations, given
that Sense8 was shot on location in nine different cities.
113
Even in locations
that they did not direct, the Wachowskis would collaborate with the attached
directors, even stepping in to direct action sequences.
114
Supervision over
these action sequences represents an essential component of the
Wachowskis’ authorship, seeing as their films are known for their innovative
action scenes. Because of the long-term storytelling techniques encouraged
by the Netflix model, the creators of Sense8 exercise a form of authorship
that is unconventional for both film and television.
111
Cynthia Littleton, “Wachowskis Shopping Their First TV Series,” Variety, October 2, 2012,
http://variety.com/2012/tv/news/wachowskis-shopping-their-first-tv-series-1118060175/.
112
Casey Rackham, “’Sense8’ Explained: Not TV, Not a Movie… It’s ‘Some Weird New Thing,’”
Zap2it, June 5, 2015, http://zap2it.com/2015/06/sense8-explained-not-tv-not-movie-some-weird-new-
thing/.
113
J. Michael Straczynski, Twitter Post, June 8, 2015, 10:13 PM,
https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/608139836961099776.
114
Nick Newman, “John Toll Talks Adjusting for the Small Screen, ‘Sense8,’ the Wachwoskis, and
More,” The Film Stage, November 24, 2015, http://thefilmstage.com/features/john-toll-talks-adjusting-
for-the-small-screen-sense8-the-wachowskis-more/.