Pluribus: The Official Podcast

Episode: S1E4: Zetna Fuentes (Bonus Episode)
Date: November 25, 2025
Host: Chris McCaleb
Guest: Zetna Fuentes (Director, Episode 4)

Episode Overview

This bonus episode of Pluribus: The Official Podcast offers an in-depth one-on-one conversation between host/editor Chris McCaleb and Zetna Fuentes, the director of Episode 4 of the Apple TV series “Pluribus.” Speaking from London, Fuentes reflects on her experience joining an established creative team, crafting a pivotal episode that introduces a key new character, and pulling off complex, collaborative sequences. The discussion focuses on the director’s process, the importance of preparation, location challenges, unique casting stories—including working with Albuquerque’s real-life mayor—and advice for aspiring filmmakers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Joining a Well-Established Team

• Overcoming Intimidation:
  Fuentes discusses the anxieties and excitement in joining a creative team already bonded by years of collaboration, especially following episodes directed by the show’s creator and a writer/EP.
  • “You sure don't want to come in and mess it all up. It's been working for so many years, so well.” (Zetna Fuentes, 01:47)
• Welcoming Environment:
  She describes the warm reception from the crew, particularly Vince Gilligan’s supportive attitude, which helped her settle in.
  • “Vince was amazing... He was so nice and so warm and gave me a hug. I literally, I felt like, okay, this is gonna be fine.” (Zetna Fuentes, 02:25)

Directing in the Early Stages of a Show

• Limited References:
  As the show was in its first season, Fuentes had little finished footage or a fully constructed show world to reference during prep.
  • “It wasn't as if you're coming into a fifth season... So that's really exciting because you get to be a part of that process from the get go.” (Zetna Fuentes, 03:16)

Creating a Sense of Place (Shooting Albuquerque as Somewhere Else)

• Authenticity in World-Building:
  The episode’s opening introduces a major new character and is set in a locale that’s not actually Albuquerque, despite being filmed there. The team worked to craft a believable, immersive atmosphere.
  • “Everything, props, details. The actor, Rezka, he had so many ideas about what would be in that space... The texture, the weather, the everything about it. The trees.” (Zetna Fuentes, 04:48)

Location Scouting and Preparation

• Finding the Right Set:
  Fuentes is passionate about the prep process, especially for location scouting, highlighting the importance of serving the story through setting.
  • “Locations are a really, really big part of the process... hopefully always being led by who is the character, what is the story, and how is the location going to tell that story?” (Zetna Fuentes, 06:15)
• Shooting at Night:
  The inherent challenges of night shoots are met through multiple scouts, at different times of day, to plan logistics and lighting.
  • “You ideally want to go and get a really good look at the same time of day that you're going to be shooting.” (Zetna Fuentes, 07:59)

Unique Casting Stories

• Directing Albuquerque’s Mayor:
  A standout moment was directing Tim Keller, the real mayor of Albuquerque, in a scene.
  • “Working with Tim or Mr. Mayor was really, really fun. He was very cool and excited to be there. And it was not a simple scene.” (Zetna Fuentes, 08:21)
  • On the mayor picking up trash in a wide shot: “I literally remember thinking like, he really needs to look like he's actually doing the things that he's meant to be doing.” (Zetna Fuentes, 09:32)
• Casting Jeff Hiller:
  Fuentes was involved in casting the actor for a pivotal new role, recalling a collaborative and “old school” process, despite choosing off of tapes.
  • “It reminds me a little bit about how we used to cast before tapes came in, when you used to go into a room and work with the casting director... But this... we got to really collaborate.” (Zetna Fuentes, 10:31)
  • “Casting is... crucial. You want to ideally land on an incredible actor who's going to take that role and surprise you and do something really special with it. And Jeff crushed it.” (Zetna Fuentes, 11:40)

Crafting Complex Sequences

• The ‘Please, Carol’ Convergence:
  The episode’s climactic, multi-layered crowd sequence required meticulous planning, which Fuentes describes as both “exciting and terrifying.”
  • “The movie unfolds in my head... and then I think, can I do it? How are you going to do it?... Prep is everything.” (Zetna Fuentes, 12:12)
• Storyboarding and Digital Tools:
  The team took a hybrid approach to storyboard: traditional analog drawings and digital versions, enhancing flexibility and precision.
  • “Marshall actually did digital and that was amazing... I'd not worked like that... For me, like, I still have a script with—I use pencil and paper, and I love.” (Zetna Fuentes, 13:33)

The Importance of Rehearsals

• Choreographing Large Sequences:
  To direct the convergence scene, rehearsals were essential—not just for actors, but for the many background performers.
  • “A sequence like this for me is really crucial. If you can put the time in, in advance... Richard was amazing... as a choreographer, so smart and so in tune in terms of tone and the world.” (Zetna Fuentes, 15:11)

Advice for Aspiring Episodic Directors

• Humility, Preparation, and Collaboration:
  Fuentes’ closing advice emphasizes coming into an established creative environment with openness and readiness to learn, while still bringing a strong artistic perspective.
  • “Come in with that sort of gratitude, that optimism, your strong point of view, your take on the material, but definitely stay open to the team and what they've built for that time.” (Zetna Fuentes, 18:45)
  • “My advice would be soak it all up, like really listen, really appreciate the talent, the artistry, the hard work, the collaboration...” (Zetna Fuentes, 17:16)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Being Welcomed by Vince Gilligan:
  “When I saw him in the Production office... he was so nice and so warm and gave me a hug. I literally, I felt like, okay, this is gonna be fine. Everything's gonna be fine.” (Zetna Fuentes, 02:25)

• On the Thrill and Challenge of a Big Sequence:
  “How unbelievably exciting it is and how terrifying it is. The movie unfolds in my head, and I think about how it can play out and how magnificent it can be. And then I think, can I do it?” (Zetna Fuentes, 12:14)

• On Being a Guest Director:
  “You are the guest you're coming in. And my advice would be soak it all up, like really listen, really appreciate the talent, the artistry, the hard work, the collaboration...” (Zetna Fuentes, 17:16)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:09] — Zetna Fuentes joins from London; discusses joining the team.
• [02:25] — Warm welcome from Vince Gilligan sets collaborative tone.
• [04:38] — Directing the introduction of a new major character; shooting Albuquerque as another place.
• [08:14] — Directing Mayor Tim Keller of Albuquerque in a scene.
• [10:22] — Casting Jeff Hiller and the collaborative casting process.
• [12:12] — Preparing for and executing the “Please, Carol” convergence sequence.
• [13:33] — Storyboarding: using both traditional and digital methods.
• [15:11] — The necessity of rehearsals for complex crowd scenes.
• [16:37] — Advice for first-time episodic directors.

Closing Thoughts

This episode lifts the veil on an intense, artistically rich, and joyful period in the production of “Pluribus.” Zetna Fuentes shares how directorial prep, careful attention to collaboration, and a love of craft underpin the show’s success. Her practical, heartfelt advice provides an inspiring roadmap for directors stepping into unfamiliar but fertile creative territory.