S23 - Ep 3 - The Bikeriders - Assistant Directing

Staging motorcycle clubs on film is no small feat — especially when the bikes, the actors, and the period details all have to ride in sync.

This week on Below the Line, 1st Assistant Director Don Sparks and Key 2nd Assistant Director Pete Dress join Skid to talk about building Jeff Nichols’ The Bikeriders, the period feature starring Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy.

On the call sheet for today’s conversation:

• Shooting in and around Cincinnati, Ohio to capture a 1960s Rust Belt look the camera could believe
• Managing a 41-day schedule on a modest budget, with both ADs heavily involved in prep and problem-solving
• Creating a motorcycle “boot camp” to get actors licensed and camera-ready on period bikes
• Insurance hurdles, safety protocols, and staging massive group rides — including the final pack ride of 30+ motorcycles
• How Jeff Nichols personally matched bikes to characters and remained a constant collaborator with cast and crew
• Navigating period authenticity challenges, from sourcing cars to designing original biker patches that avoided conflict with real clubs
• Favorite moments on set, from Norman Reedus’s temperamental bike to watching Hardy and Comer deliver “a master class” in acting

What stands out in this episode is the sheer scale of logistical detail — and how the AD team turned it into a smooth-running engine, balancing authenticity, safety, and storytelling at every turn.

🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on The Bikeriders. For more, visit belowtheline.biz.