“Severance” fans can never say the twisty AppleTV+ sci-fi series didn’t return from its three-year hiatus with a running start. Indeed, few TV images of late have been as indelible as Mark S. (Adam Scott) frantically speeding through Lumon’s maze of white hallways in a two-minute-long sequence that opened Season 2 and appeared to be done in one continuous take.
But whereas most viewers really just wanted to know where the heck “innie” Mark was going, a select few honed in on the movement itself. “The running community on social media was loving it because it was this major cultural moment,” Jason Fitzgerald, a longtime running coach and host of the Strength Running podcast, tells us. “Running doesn’t get a lot of representation except for action movies.”
His initial feedback? “I thought Adam Scott did a pretty good job,” he says. “I don’t think anybody expected to be looking at an Olympic athlete running up and down a hallway in a suit and dress shoes. So I really don’t have too many critiques of his form.” (Well, except one: “It did seem at certain moments that he was sitting back a little and not fully up and engaged in a more athletic posture.”)
How to Get Cast on ‘Severance’Scott has said he didn’t physically prepare for the literal heart-pounding scene, which was actually a combination of 10 shots filmed over a period of five months. Instead, he studied a star known for having a go at it in his filmography. As he recently told director Ben Stiller on “Severed: The Ultimate Severance Podcast,” “Anyone that wants to train for running of any kind, just watch Tom Cruise.”
Fitzgerald, however, respectfully disagrees. Actors can definitely fake it—but even a little bit of physical practice can go a long way. He tells Backstage how to go the distance for any role.
What should ideal onscreen running look like? Upright and relaxed?
Definitely upright. But being relaxed is a more interesting answer. In the “Severance” clip, Adam Scott is actually running at different speeds—he’s jogging, running, and sprinting. So he had varying levels of relaxation in his form, depending on whether he was changing speeds or directions. I really liked that.
He didn’t have the benefit of wearing sneakers, either.
I think that might have contributed to his posture. Dress shoes have a more elevated heel, making it hard to run in. You’re not going to have an aggressive athletic posture.
So if you’re not a natural runner, how do you make it all look convincing?
It comes back to what kind of running you are trying to portray, as well as what speed. If you’re going at a really good clip for a short distance—this is Tom Cruise or the T-1000 character in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”—you want to have a more rigid and robotic stride. You should have that really high-knee drive and arm swing. At slower jogging speeds, everything is just more muted because you’re not going through that bigger range of motion. So you want to look relaxed. You don’t need those high knees.
What about facial expression?
That depends on the context and what’s going on in the scene. Anything artistic, I’d leave up to the actor.
To prepare, should an actor immediately step up their running game?
It’s a good idea if you want your form to look as authentic as possible. Start running a couple times a week, just to develop some efficiency and get comfortable with it. And from the practical side of things, if you’re going to run in a lot of takes, you should be in good shape.
Roughly how many miles a week are we talking about here?
I would focus more on the frequency rather than the total volume. One 20-mile run a week won’t be as helpful as five four-mile runs a week. And then sprinkle in a couple of sprints at the end of the run.
What if you don’t have the time or inclination to run five times a week?
Even running 20 minutes a day, three times a week is OK. Just a small amount of work gives you confidence. You know, muscle memory is a big part of developing efficient mechanics. So, like any skill, the more you practice it, the better you get at it.
‘Severance’ CD Rachel Tenner on Working With Ben Stiller + What They Look for in the Audition RoomWhat if you just study Tom Cruise, like Adam Scott did? Is he the ultimate role model?
Is Tom Cruise really good at running onscreen? Yes. Is he the model look of a former track star? I have to say no. He looks like a former ball player—he’s in shape but doesn’t always have the mechanics down.
Can you watch a movie or a TV show and spot bad running?
I can. Bad running is not just bad form, because maybe the character is supposed to have bad form. That makes sense to me. But there can be a big disconnect if a character is supposed to be an amazing athlete and it’s obviously not true. I’m looking at mechanics—like if the movement patterns are bad.
Then what’s your model for the best onscreen running?
I choose Forrest Gump. That long coast-to-coast running sequence starts with Forrest [Tom Hanks] getting off his porch and just taking off in a flat-out sprint. I really appreciated his form and overall effort, and it made sense to me as a runner and a coach. Then he runs across the country for a long time, and it’s evident that the effort is congruent with his goal. Forrest is a very competent runner!
Our Expert: Jason Fitzgerald is the host of the Strength Running podcast and the founder of the Strength Running training network. A 2:39 marathoner, he’s coached thousands of runners to faster finishing times and fewer injuries with his results-oriented coaching philosophy.
