Paris Photographer

Apple TV+’s Severance, directed in large part by Ben Stiller with cinematography by Jessica Lee Gagné, delivers one of the most visually arresting television experiences in recent years. The cinematography is not just a backdrop for the show—it’s a meticulously crafted psychological landscape that mirrors the fractured consciousness and sterile control of Lumon Industries.

Visualising Duality Through Space and Framing

At its core, Severance is a story of division—the severed self, split between work and personal life. The cinematography underscores this theme through composition and spatial design. Inside Lumon, the world is symmetrical, sterile, and claustrophobic. Long, static shots frame characters in oppressive settings, often isolating them in vast empty spaces or enclosing them tightly in geometric corridors. The camera lingers, uncomfortably still, reinforcing the inescapability of the characters' environment.

The framing often places characters at the extreme edge of the shot or dwarfs them within overwhelming architectural structures. This use of negative space heightens the sense of alienation and the insignificance of the individual within the corporate machine.

Lack of Colour

Though not black and white, the color grading of Severance is intentionally muted. The workplace is dominated by cool tones: sterile whites, institutional greens, and washed-out grays. These colors evoke a sense of emotional numbness and bureaucratic malaise. In contrast, the outside world—though still subdued—feels more alive, with natural lighting, warmer hues, and softer textures. This visual distinction helps viewers intuitively grasp the dissonance between the “innie” and “outie” lives of the characters.

Camera Movement as Emotional Guide

Severance uses camera movement sparingly and meaningfully. Long tracking shots often follow characters through the endless maze of identical hallways, intensifying the disorientation and tedium of Lumon’s corporate culture. When the camera does move more freely—like during moments of rebellion or revelation—it becomes almost jarring, signaling a rupture in the tightly controlled world.

Similarly, extreme overhead shots (a Lumon staple) serve as a constant reminder of surveillance and power. These shots reduce characters to pawns in a labyrinth, watched and manipulated by forces unseen.

Surrealism in the Mundane

One of Severance’s greatest cinematic accomplishments is its ability to make the ordinary feel surreal. Fluorescent lighting, outdated technology, and neutral office furniture are rendered uncanny through precise shot composition and pacing. There's a constant sense of being out of time and place, reinforcing the series’ Kafkaesque atmosphere. The banal becomes unsettling—not through spectacle, but through intention. I would also describe it as modern-day Lynchian.

Conclusion

The cinematography of Severance is a masterclass in mood and metaphor. Every frame serves the story's themes of alienation, identity, and corporate control. Through stark compositions, oppressive symmetry, and subtle movement, the series builds a visual world that is as intellectually rigorous as it is emotionally unnerving. It's not just how Severance looks that makes it stand out—it's how this look feels: sterile, watchful, uncanny, and deeply human.