- 17 hours ago
'Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat' director Jake Szymanski sat down with THR's Executive Awards Editor Scott Feinberg to chat all about the Prime Video series in a Directors in Focus conversation.
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00:00How did this crazy concept even come about?
00:03You know, we ended up saying The Truman Show a lot,
00:05but this season I realized I was like,
00:08I started thinking about The Game with Michael Douglas,
00:10which is a much darker, more mean-spirited version,
00:13but I was like, this season felt that intense
00:15of how much we were doing it.
00:17How did it come about?
00:18You know, I think the idea,
00:21because, you know, some of our producers,
00:22Dave Bernard and others,
00:25and then Nick Hatton, Todd Shulman,
00:30who came from the Sasha world,
00:31so they had some experience with some hidden camera stuff,
00:35and I think the initial idea was,
00:38what if instead of a couple hours,
00:40there was a big storyline that someone kind of had to,
00:43we didn't take the wraps off of the production for weeks,
00:47for days or weeks,
00:49and Dave Bernard, one of our producers,
00:51produced my mockumentaries I did with Andy Samberg
00:55back in the day for HBO called
00:57Seven Days in Hell and Tour to Pharmacy,
00:59and so he knew I kind of,
01:01I come out of two worlds.
01:03I got my start working in comedy
01:04and working in the documentary space,
01:06so I love a mockumentary,
01:07and he knew I had experience in that,
01:10and he knew I use improv a lot,
01:13even in my scripted stuff,
01:15and so when they were kind of going to take this on,
01:17he's like, it's a long thing,
01:18and we want to do this,
01:19and so that's how I got involved,
01:22he called me for this to kind of know the genre,
01:25be able to think on your feet,
01:26but that was the initial thing of like,
01:28what if it's a really long con, right?
01:30And my initial reaction was like,
01:33no way,
01:34I don't want to torture someone for three weeks,
01:36and it was like, no, no, no,
01:37the idea is it's a hero's journey.
01:40Celebrate someone,
01:40never punch down all that,
01:41and that got me very interested
01:43as far as a challenge,
01:45and that's kind of was the initial idea
01:47of how we wanted to approach the show.
01:49I mean, and the stakes obviously
01:52can't be much higher
01:54from a production point of view
01:55because you could get to the last thing
01:58that you're hoping to address,
01:59and the whole thing can still fall apart,
02:01so I just, I guess,
02:02I wonder in season one,
02:04it seemed,
02:05the stakes must have seemed to you
02:06and certainly to the viewer
02:07pretty insanely high,
02:10and the whole thing tricky
02:11in the sense that you're,
02:13you know,
02:14you've got a jury together for a while,
02:17but at least in that case,
02:18they didn't,
02:19they're not supposed to have,
02:20nobody's really supposed to have
02:21previously known each other.
02:22Which is a huge help.
02:23I was going to say,
02:25and you're,
02:25and it's a pretty confined space
02:27for the most part, right?
02:29This time,
02:30can you,
02:31if anyone hasn't yet seen the season,
02:33can you set the scene
02:34of who the main characters are
02:37and where physically
02:39you've dropped them all?
02:41Well, sure,
02:42the,
02:43this season takes place
02:45in a small family business
02:47that makes hot sauce,
02:49Rockin' Grandma's Hot Sauce,
02:52and what,
02:54only,
02:55that name could only be written,
02:56let's be honest,
02:56that's the first giveaway,
02:58but,
02:59but,
03:00and then we hire a temp,
03:01Anthony,
03:02he's our non-actor,
03:03he's our real person
03:04who doesn't know
03:05we're making a TV show,
03:06and he gets hired as a temp
03:08to help out in the office,
03:10and then he gets taken
03:11on the company retreat
03:12because they have a retreat
03:14at a secluded retreat center,
03:16but it,
03:17it also has to feel
03:18like a nice place
03:19that a company
03:19would have a retreat,
03:20so,
03:21you know,
03:22I think there was
03:22about 15 acres of space
03:24and 12 buildings
03:26that he could explore
03:27and,
03:27uh,
03:28a lot of different events,
03:30uh,
03:30that,
03:30so the world
03:31was really big,
03:33but not only that,
03:34it was like,
03:35to hire this guy
03:37in a real way
03:37and to make it believable,
03:39we also had to build out
03:40an entire company
03:41and an office,
03:42and he worked at the office
03:43for two days
03:44before taking him
03:45on the retreat,
03:46so it's a very flopped way,
03:48like,
03:49in a,
03:49in a typical TV show
03:51or movie,
03:53you immediately
03:53get shut down,
03:54you're like,
03:54you can't put that amount
03:55of the budget
03:56into the opening scene,
03:58uh,
03:58there's no reason
03:59to spend that much money
04:00on the office,
04:00we're only in it
04:01for four minutes
04:02of the show,
04:04and,
04:05you know,
04:06then you have to go like,
04:07no,
04:07you have to treat it all
04:08at the same level
04:09because you're not just
04:11creating a narrative
04:12or a story,
04:13you have to create
04:13a reality
04:14for the person
04:16as well,
04:16and that's the only way
04:17we can play out
04:19our story.
04:19Well,
04:20and the other thing
04:20for him to believe
04:21this is all real
04:22is that they,
04:23the other people
04:24on the retreat
04:24supposedly have worked
04:25together for years
04:26and know each other
04:27well and same jokes
04:29and all of that,
04:30so,
04:31uh,
04:31talk about
04:32I mean,
04:33I'm sure this
04:33was also the case
04:34with season one,
04:35but you assemble
04:36everybody else
04:37well ahead of time.
04:39What,
04:39how does that process
04:40work and,
04:41um,
04:42you know,
04:43how much are you
04:44telling them
04:45or,
04:46or,
04:46you know,
04:47seeking specifically
04:48in terms of,
04:48of filling those parts
04:50versus tailoring
04:51those parts
04:52to the people
04:53who you
04:54bring in?
04:56uh,
04:56it's,
04:57it's really both
04:57um,
04:58and casting
04:59is one of my
05:00favorite,
05:00favorite aspects
05:01of this show.
05:02We have an
05:02incredible cast
05:03um,
05:04and same
05:05with season one,
05:06both season one
05:07and season two,
05:07our cast
05:08features a lot
05:09of kind of
05:10unsung heroes
05:11who maybe haven't
05:11been in a lot
05:12of stuff yet
05:13because they
05:14can't be recognized,
05:15right?
05:15Um,
05:16so it's a great
05:16showcase for a lot
05:17of very,
05:18very talented
05:18actors as well.
05:20But yeah,
05:21the big difference
05:21for season two
05:22is,
05:23we had to do
05:24a lot more
05:24rehearsal with them
05:25because,
05:27like you said,
05:28they had been,
05:29supposedly been
05:30working at this
05:30company together
05:31for,
05:31some of them
05:32for over 20 years.
05:34And so,
05:35there's a lot
05:36of real casual
05:37stuff,
05:38like,
05:39weirdly enough,
05:40the,
05:40the thing that,
05:41like,
05:42will break our show
05:43or break a reality
05:45is,
05:45is less like,
05:46hey,
05:47we're going to
05:47take you on a
05:48giant company retreat
05:48and now you're
05:49in charge of it.
05:50Yes,
05:51we have to do
05:51a lot of work
05:52to,
05:52to make that real.
05:54But that,
05:55that thing,
05:56the big idea is,
05:57okay,
05:57that's what someone's
05:58here to do.
05:58I guess they're
05:58here to work.
05:59The weird things
06:00that can break
06:01our show
06:01is,
06:02like,
06:02someone going,
06:03like,
06:04uh,
06:05yeah,
06:05in one scene
06:06going,
06:06like,
06:06oh,
06:06I know all about
06:07that.
06:07I,
06:07I moved houses
06:08two years ago
06:09and,
06:10uh,
06:10I,
06:10I love my new,
06:11I love having a lawn
06:12now.
06:13And then someone
06:14they've supposedly
06:15worked with
06:15for 20 years,
06:17a couple hours later
06:18talking to a guy
06:19going like,
06:19oh,
06:20they live in an
06:20apartment.
06:20I think they've
06:21lived there
06:21for the whole time.
06:22And like,
06:23just a random
06:24character detail,
06:26that would actually
06:26be so weird
06:27to a real,
06:28like,
06:28all of a sudden
06:29all your spidey
06:30senses would go up
06:31about,
06:31how do these
06:32co-workers
06:32who've known
06:33each other
06:33for 20 years,
06:34not,
06:35why are they lying
06:36about where they live?
06:36Especially as other
06:38crazy shit is
06:39increasingly happening
06:40around them.
06:41So it's the,
06:42we had to be
06:42really careful
06:43about the little
06:43stuff this time.
06:44And actually,
06:46our actors,
06:46uh,
06:47we put them
06:48in a small
06:49business setting
06:49and we actually
06:50had them give,
06:51uh,
06:51PowerPoint presentations
06:52about who their
06:53characters were
06:54as they continued
06:54to develop them
06:55and explain
06:56where they went
06:57to college
06:57and where they
06:58got their degrees
06:58and when they
06:59had met each
07:00other character.
07:00So we obviously,
07:01you know,
07:01we worked with
07:02them on that
07:03and then we
07:04repeated it so
07:05often to ingrain
07:06it into their
07:06Well,
07:06I heard,
07:07I don't,
07:07I may,
07:08obviously,
07:09uh,
07:09please correct
07:10this if it's
07:10wrong,
07:10but they never
07:12were actually
07:12introduced to each
07:13other by their
07:13real name?
07:15We,
07:15they,
07:16that's also
07:17what they wanted.
07:17Yeah.
07:18So they had,
07:19they had all
07:20seen season one
07:21and in season one
07:22we did have a slip
07:23up where one
07:24of our actors
07:25called another
07:26one of our actors
07:27by their real name,
07:28mentioned the real
07:29name and we
07:31worked past it,
07:32didn't end up
07:32being a thing,
07:33but everyone
07:33was very nervous.
07:34A lot of these
07:34actors knew that
07:35story.
07:36And we kind
07:37of said,
07:37I said like,
07:38you know,
07:38I suggest that
07:40you guys don't
07:42necessarily become
07:42best friends in
07:44real life with
07:45your real names
07:47because you don't
07:48want to slip up.
07:49You know what I
07:49mean?
07:49Like,
07:49let's get
07:50noticed.
07:50And they all
07:50went,
07:51a lot of actors
07:52went,
07:52no one tell
07:52me your real
07:53name.
07:53I only want
07:54to know your
07:54character name
07:55because they
07:55didn't want to
07:56slip up in the
07:57back of their
07:57head.
07:58And it's really
07:58easy to do.
08:01I mean,
08:02one of our
08:02guest stars in
08:04one of our
08:04episodes of season
08:05two is the
08:05comedian Lisa
08:06Gilroy.
08:07She was also in
08:07season one.
08:08She's amazing.
08:09She's hilarious.
08:10She was playing a
08:11character that was
08:12giving a seminar
08:13and she was in
08:14character,
08:15in character,
08:15we're rehearsing,
08:16we're rehearsing.
08:16I got it.
08:17I got it.
08:17I know.
08:18She created the
08:19character.
08:20She created the
08:21name.
08:22Fine.
08:23First thing she
08:24did when Anthony
08:24walked in was
08:25say,
08:25hi,
08:25I'm Lisa,
08:26which was not
08:26her character's
08:27name.
08:27Because that's the
08:28most natural thing
08:29in the world to
08:29do, right?
08:30And it's fine.
08:31He didn't know
08:32who she was
08:32either way.
08:33But that's so
08:34easy for you to
08:36do on set,
08:37with your cast,
08:38with people you're
08:39spending a lot of
08:40time around.
08:40Sorry,
08:41this is a very
08:41long way to say
08:43it might sound
08:44crazy,
08:45but yeah,
08:46most people did
08:47not know each
08:48other's real
08:48names.
08:48They only knew
08:49their character
08:49names.
08:49And it really
08:51helped.
08:51We had no
08:52slip-ups,
08:52and that's how
08:53everyone wanted
08:54it.
08:54I guess from a
08:56directing standpoint,
08:59normally, you know,
09:01you're going to
09:01obviously have
09:02multiple takes,
09:03you're going to
09:03be able to
09:05tinker with
09:06performances.
09:07For you,
09:08it seems like,
09:09and we'll talk in
09:10a moment about how
09:11you wound up with
09:12Anthony and why
09:13that was so
09:14important,
09:15but most of
09:19the work with
09:20the actors had
09:21to, I assume,
09:22be done before
09:23Anthony was ever
09:24there.
09:24It's not like,
09:25because they were
09:26all actually,
09:27at the end of
09:27the day,
09:28staying at the
09:30retreat, right?
09:31Yeah,
09:31they all stayed there.
09:31It's not like you
09:32can pull somebody
09:33aside and say,
09:34you know,
09:34do more of this
09:35or whatever.
09:35So during rehearsals
09:37were so pivotal,
09:38right?
09:39Yeah,
09:39I mean,
09:39I think with any
09:40production,
09:41prep and rehearsal
09:42time is hugely
09:43important.
09:44incredible,
09:45like so necessary
09:46on this show.
09:47You have to.
09:48And we have to
09:48rehearse it many,
09:50many times over
09:51and we rehearse
09:51it many ways
09:52because we're
09:52never sure,
09:54while we do
09:54have these
09:56really funny
09:57scripts and we
09:58have all the
09:58story beats we
09:59have to hit and
10:00we rehearse that
10:01and plan that,
10:01but we kind of
10:02plan for like
10:04our five most
10:05likely reactions we
10:06think we're going
10:07to get from
10:07Anthony.
10:08And we rehearse
10:08it a lot of
10:09different ways.
10:10So I kind of
10:10call it like
10:11directing by flowchart.
10:12It's a lot of
10:13like we have
10:14one to two
10:15places we want
10:16to end up on
10:16the bottom,
10:17hopefully.
10:18We know where
10:18we're starting
10:19and it's like
10:19if he says
10:20this,
10:21go here.
10:21If he says
10:21no,
10:22go here.
10:22And we're
10:23all trying to
10:23get back to
10:24the goal of
10:24our scene.
10:25But we rehearse
10:26every bubble
10:27in that flowchart
10:27so that people
10:29know what to
10:29do based on
10:30where we think
10:31he will go.
10:32Okay,
10:33so season
10:34one you had
10:35Ronald as
10:36the unwitting
10:37hero,
10:37right?
10:39In this
10:39case,
10:41how do you
10:42even know
10:42that the
10:43guy that
10:43you're,
10:44I mean,
10:45what was the
10:45outreach that
10:46brought in
10:47Anthony and
10:47others to
10:48you?
10:49And how do
10:50you know
10:50that that,
10:51was there a
10:51way to make
10:52sure that
10:52that person
10:53had not,
10:53was not
10:54familiar with
10:54Jury Duty
10:55season one?
10:56Because it
10:57could,
10:57that could be
10:58a problem.
10:59Well,
10:59I will say,
11:00I can't give
11:00away all of
11:01our secrets,
11:01but I will
11:03say the good
11:04thing about
11:04season two
11:05being a
11:06job interview
11:07is there's
11:09room for a
11:10lot more
11:10interviews.
11:12And I
11:13will just
11:14say Anthony
11:14probably had
11:15the most
11:16thorough job
11:17interview in
11:18the history
11:18of temp
11:20jobs of
11:21all time,
11:22yes.
11:23And what
11:24specifically,
11:25I mean,
11:25how many
11:26people did
11:26you see
11:27before you
11:28chose Anthony?
11:29Well,
11:30I think there
11:31were almost
11:3210,000 people
11:32that applied.
11:35I did
11:35not see
11:3610,000 people,
11:37but one of
11:37our amazing
11:38producers,
11:38Alexis San
11:39Pietro,
11:39who kind of
11:39heads up
11:40that department,
11:42you know,
11:42you start
11:43getting favorites
11:43and it leads
11:44to about,
11:45I'd say there
11:45ends up being
11:46like a top
11:4650,
11:4760,
11:4870,
11:48a big group
11:49that you go
11:49like,
11:50there's a lot
11:50of potential
11:51here,
11:51let's start
11:52looking at
11:52these people.
11:54And what
11:55were you
11:55looking for?
11:57Well,
11:58it's a lot
11:58of things,
11:59but obviously
11:59we're looking
12:00for good
12:01people.
12:02we're looking
12:03for people
12:03who can
12:04be kind,
12:05who,
12:07you know,
12:07are good
12:08people,
12:08but also
12:08like,
12:09who have
12:09a confidence
12:10in themselves,
12:11a confidence
12:12that they
12:12know how
12:13to act,
12:14because part
12:15of our
12:16goal is,
12:18you know,
12:19we have
12:20some crazy
12:20characters that
12:21are going to
12:22be doing a
12:22lot of crazy
12:22things around
12:23you,
12:23and we've
12:23kind of
12:24written this
12:24show with
12:25the hope
12:26and expectation
12:26that you
12:27will kind
12:27of be the
12:29compass to
12:29go,
12:29hey,
12:30maybe you
12:31shouldn't do
12:31that,
12:31maybe you
12:32should do
12:32this.
12:33That's what
12:33a lot of
12:33the show
12:34is based
12:34on.
12:35That's how
12:35we get
12:35through our
12:36stories.
12:37And so
12:38we're looking
12:39for people
12:39who we
12:39think have
12:40that,
12:40who can
12:41be outgoing,
12:43who will
12:44be okay
12:44being on
12:45camera,
12:47and who
12:47ultimately,
12:48you know,
12:48we're also
12:49looking for
12:49people that
12:51we think
12:51will enjoy
12:51this,
12:52because the
12:53show really
12:53doesn't work
12:54if we get
12:54to the end
12:55and reveal
12:55this,
12:55and they
12:56go,
12:56what?
12:56Why did
12:57you do
12:57this?
12:57I don't
12:58like this.
12:59And you
12:59kind of
13:00want it
13:00to,
13:00you know,
13:01we're
13:01throwing a
13:01surprise
13:01party for
13:02someone,
13:02really.
13:03That's how
13:04we talk to
13:05the actors
13:05about it,
13:05talk to
13:06the crew
13:06about it,
13:06and you
13:07want someone,
13:08you know,
13:08I'm sure
13:08some of us
13:09have friends
13:09who don't
13:10like surprises.
13:11Some of us
13:11have friends
13:11who do
13:12like surprises.
13:12So we're
13:12trying to
13:13pick the
13:13people that
13:13like surprises.
13:14And can
13:14you,
13:15you mentioned
13:15that it
13:16has to
13:16be somebody
13:16that would
13:17be comfortable
13:17on camera.
13:18They may
13:19not know
13:19how many
13:20cameras you
13:20guys have,
13:21but can
13:21you explain
13:22again,
13:22if somebody
13:23hasn't yet
13:23caught up
13:24with the
13:24show,
13:25just what
13:25was the
13:25reason that
13:26a camera
13:27or interviews
13:28or whatever
13:28might,
13:29might be part
13:30of this guy's
13:31experience?
13:32Well,
13:33for this,
13:34for both of
13:35our seasons,
13:36they are,
13:37they think
13:38that there is
13:38a documentary
13:39taking place.
13:41And,
13:43you know,
13:43the documentary,
13:45as we kind
13:46of shaped it
13:47in season
13:47one,
13:49is a
13:50pretty low
13:50rent,
13:51boring
13:52documentary.
13:53You know,
13:53it's a
13:53very small
13:54crew,
13:55both season
13:56one and
13:56season two,
13:57they only
13:57thought there
13:57was about a
13:58five person
13:58crew working
13:59on this
13:59documentary,
14:00and we
14:01hide the
14:01other 80
14:02people that
14:02are working
14:03on the
14:03show.
14:04So they're
14:05only familiar
14:05with a very
14:06small kind
14:07of PBS,
14:08probably going
14:09to be boring,
14:09never going to
14:10be seen
14:10documentary.
14:12And they
14:13also don't
14:14think the
14:14documentary is
14:15very much
14:15about them.
14:16That's the
14:17other thing.
14:18Like,
14:18the documentary
14:19is there for
14:19the company,
14:20their attempt.
14:21So we have
14:22to do a lot
14:23of work for
14:24our little
14:24documentary crew
14:26that seems
14:26like they're
14:27making this
14:27fake documentary
14:28about everything
14:28but him.
14:29And also,
14:30though,
14:30just to state,
14:31there are
14:31times where
14:32we see
14:33talking head
14:34in character
14:35interviews with
14:36the others,
14:37even when he's
14:38not present.
14:38So they're
14:39not only
14:39performing
14:39for him.
14:41Right?
14:41Like,
14:42they're...
14:42Yes,
14:43that's correct.
14:44And sometimes
14:44he is...
14:46My favorite
14:47is when we're
14:47getting all of
14:48our mockumentary
14:49sitcom talking
14:50head moments
14:51and he is
14:52there.
14:52And sometimes
14:53we try to
14:53show you,
14:54like,
14:54oh,
14:55they're doing
14:55this interview
14:55but he's
14:56actually just
14:57off camera.
14:58So a lot
14:59of times it
14:59is for him,
15:00even if he's
15:01not in the
15:01shot.
15:02But other
15:02times,
15:02yeah,
15:03we're still,
15:04you know,
15:04we're making
15:05a sitcom where
15:05our star doesn't
15:06know they're
15:06in the show.
15:08And it's
15:08not totally
15:09out of left
15:10field,
15:10right?
15:10Because one
15:11of your
15:12key collaborators,
15:13Lee Eisenberg,
15:14was on the
15:15office.
15:15Lee and Gene
15:16come from the
15:17office and
15:18were writers and
15:19producers there
15:20for a long
15:20time and
15:22they're the
15:22creators of the
15:23show and wrote
15:23the pilots.
15:24I guess one
15:25question,
15:25and it's possible
15:26that this was
15:27addressed in the
15:28show and I'm
15:29forgetting,
15:30but like,
15:31most of us,
15:32if we're thrust
15:33into a new
15:34group of people,
15:35one of the
15:36first things you
15:36do is,
15:37what's your
15:38Instagram,
15:39what's your
15:39Facebook,
15:40whatever,
15:40to go and
15:42whatever.
15:44How did you
15:44keep Anthony
15:45from using
15:48his,
15:48or even
15:49Google,
15:49to learn a
15:50little bit
15:50about these
15:50people that
15:51he's now
15:51surrounded?
15:52Well,
15:54the scene
15:55did not make
15:55the show,
15:56but obviously
15:57this family-run
15:58hot sauce
15:59company takes
16:00their treat
16:00pretty seriously.
16:02And Doug
16:03Sr.,
16:04the patriarch,
16:05was pretty
16:05old school,
16:06so this was
16:06a digital
16:07detox retreat.
16:08And there
16:09was an
16:09entire hour-long
16:10seminar about
16:11the power of
16:12giving up your
16:12phone.
16:14And everyone
16:15put their
16:16phone in a
16:17locked chest
16:18for the two
16:20weeks they were
16:21there,
16:21and he went
16:23along with it
16:23and also did
16:24that.
16:26And by the
16:27way,
16:28also had access
16:28to a landline
16:29and communication
16:31with the outside
16:32world,
16:33but just
16:33not something
16:34that he
16:34could constantly
16:35be checking
16:35things.
16:37So another
16:38key distinction
16:39between season
16:39one and season
16:40two,
16:40season one,
16:41one of the
16:42jurors,
16:43one of the
16:43group,
16:44was a
16:44celebrity,
16:45James Marsden.
16:46Season two,
16:48there is not
16:50a celebrity
16:51embedded within
16:52the core group,
16:53but you do
16:53still bring
16:55in one.
16:55Can you talk
16:56about how you
16:57arrived at
16:58a cameo
16:59by Sia?
17:01International
17:02pop superstar
17:02Sia?
17:04Well,
17:05some of our
17:06producers had
17:07a relationship
17:07with Sia,
17:08new Sia,
17:08which was
17:09great,
17:09and luckily
17:10she ended
17:11up being a
17:11big fan of
17:12season one.
17:13So because
17:13season one had
17:14been out and
17:14she had seen
17:15it and was
17:15a fan,
17:16she was very
17:17excited to
17:18come help us
17:18out.
17:19And she was
17:20kind of our
17:21first choice
17:21anyway,
17:23for those of
17:23you who don't
17:24know,
17:24and I hope
17:24I'm not
17:24spoiling anything,
17:25but she
17:26ends up
17:26coming to
17:26the company
17:27talent show
17:29to perform
17:31through a
17:32series of
17:32events.
17:33And so
17:35that's how
17:35she got
17:35involved.
17:36She was
17:36so game
17:38and she
17:39put in an
17:39earwig just
17:40like a lot
17:41of my other
17:41actors so
17:41that I
17:42could talk
17:43to her
17:43from the
17:44control room,
17:44but she
17:45barely needed
17:46it.
17:46She's very
17:46good at
17:47being Sia
17:47with strangers
17:50and she
17:51was really
17:52game for
17:52everything we
17:53had planned.
17:53The hardest
17:54part about
17:54getting a
17:56celebrity to
17:56do this
17:57show is
17:58normally if
17:59you have a
17:59celebrity cameo
18:00on a show,
18:01you do
18:02whatever you
18:03can to
18:03change your
18:04show's
18:04schedule to
18:05match the
18:05celebrity's
18:06schedule.
18:07You're like,
18:07we'll shoot
18:08out of order,
18:09you can shoot
18:10at night,
18:10we'll pretend
18:10it's at
18:11daytime,
18:11whatever.
18:11If you'll
18:12just come,
18:12just give
18:13us an
18:13hour,
18:13great.
18:14But for
18:14this,
18:15she had
18:15to be on
18:15Rockin'
18:16Grandma's
18:16schedule.
18:17The talent
18:17show.
18:18The talent
18:18show,
18:18because it
18:19wasn't like
18:20the company
18:21could stop
18:22working in a
18:23way that,
18:23you know,
18:23she had to
18:24fit our
18:24reality.
18:25And so
18:25she was
18:26gracious enough
18:27to come
18:27do that
18:28for us.
18:28So people
18:29might assume
18:30because of
18:30the dynamics
18:33of this
18:33particular show
18:34and this
18:34type of
18:35a show
18:35that,
18:37you know,
18:38there are
18:38not some
18:39of the
18:39things that
18:39there would
18:40be with
18:40other shows
18:41like makeup
18:42or stunts
18:44or choreography
18:45or other
18:45things.
18:46In the
18:46final episode
18:47of the season,
18:48you guys
18:48break down
18:49how that
18:50was executed,
18:51but can you
18:51just give us
18:52a little...
18:52Yeah,
18:53so something
18:54like that,
18:54I mean,
18:56it's pretty
18:56simple when
18:57you're in
18:57the writer's
18:57room to
18:58write that,
18:59well,
19:00they're at
19:00a duck
19:00cathel on
19:01with weird
19:01games,
19:01that's all
19:02that.
19:03It's pretty
19:03easy to
19:03write like,
19:04oh,
19:04and she
19:04hits Elizabeth
19:05and Elizabeth
19:06gets a
19:06bloody nose.
19:08When you
19:08can call
19:09action and
19:09cut and
19:09set up your
19:10shots,
19:10that's really
19:10easy.
19:11This became
19:12like one
19:12of the
19:12trickiest
19:13things of
19:14like,
19:14okay,
19:15how are
19:15we going
19:15to give
19:16our
19:16actress a
19:17fake
19:18bloody
19:18nose
19:19in front
19:20of someone
19:21and have
19:22them not
19:23know that
19:24it's fake.
19:25They have
19:25to think
19:25it's real.
19:26So this
19:26is like one
19:26of those
19:27big moments
19:27that we
19:28spend a lot
19:28of time
19:28on because
19:29the whole
19:30show could
19:30fall apart.
19:32And so we
19:33rehearsed it
19:34a lot.
19:34We had our
19:34stunt
19:35coordinator not
19:35only rehearse
19:36the movement
19:36of it,
19:37but then the
19:37big thing
19:38became the
19:38special effects.
19:40And so
19:41that's
19:42Elizabeth.
19:42She's the
19:43CEO of
19:44the evil
19:45company who's
19:45coming in
19:46to buy
19:46Rockin'
19:47Gramma's.
19:47And you
19:49can see when
19:49she gets
19:50hit,
19:50she goes
19:50over to
19:51her assistants
19:51who offer
19:52her a
19:52Kleenex.
19:53And they
19:54had to
19:54work with
19:55our effects
19:56team.
19:56And the
19:57Kleenex is
19:58hidden squirt
19:58of blood that
19:59they're going
20:00to put a
20:00Kleenex up,
20:00and they're
20:01going to
20:01deliver the
20:02blood,
20:02but it has
20:03to be the
20:03right amount
20:03of blood.
20:04It also
20:05can't spray,
20:07like it has
20:07to look like
20:08it's coming
20:08from her nose,
20:09right?
20:09So this has
20:10to happen,
20:11and it also
20:12has to happen
20:12quickly and
20:13in time.
20:14The other
20:14big thing
20:15we're worried
20:16about for
20:16that is that
20:18he's going
20:18to rush
20:18over and
20:19try to help
20:20her,
20:20because he's
20:20the temp.
20:21He's been
20:21helping everyone
20:22all week.
20:23Now,
20:24luckily for us,
20:25he was
20:25celebrating very
20:27heavily that
20:28Elizabeth won,
20:28but if you
20:30notice,
20:30the blocking
20:31of that
20:32scene,
20:33we had to
20:33get all
20:34the other
20:34actors ready.
20:35He's in the
20:36middle,
20:36and there's
20:37a crowd
20:38around him,
20:38and that
20:39doesn't happen
20:39naturally.
20:40That's planned
20:41out really
20:42specifically to
20:43create barriers
20:44so that he
20:45can't get over
20:46there quickly,
20:47and then we
20:47have a backup
20:49plan for if
20:50he does come
20:51over there
20:51while one of
20:53her assistants
20:54is applying
20:54the blood,
20:55the other
20:55assistant was
20:56going to go
20:57block him
20:57and say,
20:58leave us
20:59alone,
20:59please leave
20:59us alone,
21:00don't come
21:00and try to
21:01block him.
21:02But again,
21:02that's kind of
21:02the flow chart,
21:03like what if
21:04this,
21:04what if that.
21:06And so there's
21:07a lot of
21:07layers.
21:08And by the way,
21:09the stunt was
21:10hard enough for
21:11them to get
21:11right.
21:11And again,
21:12it's a stunt
21:13hit.
21:14Normally,
21:14and we do,
21:15you sell it
21:16with angles in
21:18your camera.
21:19This has to be
21:20real.
21:20It has to be
21:21real to him.
21:21So even the
21:22angle he's at
21:23in relation to
21:24the stunt,
21:25we had to work
21:25really hard to get
21:26him in the
21:26right spot.
21:27So the hit
21:27would seem a
21:28lot more
21:28violent than
21:29it was.
21:30I mean,
21:32for those of
21:32you who've
21:32been on set,
21:34you can see a
21:35stunt that you're
21:35like, well,
21:36this is never
21:36going to,
21:37thank God we
21:37get to edit
21:38this up because
21:38this doesn't
21:39look real at
21:40all.
21:40And then it
21:40looks a lot
21:40better in the
21:41edit room.
21:41So this had
21:42to be both.
21:43This had to
21:43look real in
21:44the show,
21:44but had to
21:44look real in
21:45real life.
21:45It was very
21:46tricky.
21:49So one thing
21:50that I think
21:50would help
21:51people to
21:51appreciate just
21:52how much
21:52you guys had
21:53to go
21:55through after
21:56the fact to
21:57put this
21:58together into
21:58the eight
21:59episodes of
22:00Lou.
22:02How many
22:03hours of
22:04footage was
22:05captured?
22:07Oh, that's a
22:08good stat, but I
22:09don't remember.
22:09I think it's
22:10like 3,500
22:11hours maybe or
22:12something like
22:12And you had
22:13how many
22:13cameras going,
22:14including the
22:14ones that are
22:14hidden in a
22:15garbage can?
22:15I think we
22:16had 48
22:18cameras going
22:19on this
22:20season.
22:21And I will
22:22say that's
22:23more than
22:23season one
22:23because we
22:24had more
22:24space.
22:25And it also
22:26wasn't enough.
22:26We're still
22:27moving cameras
22:28throughout the
22:28day.
22:29So some of
22:29those cameras
22:30are locked,
22:30but some of
22:31it we know
22:32like, hey,
22:32in an hour
22:33he's going to
22:34be at the
22:34seminar over
22:35here.
22:35Let's get
22:35cameras back
22:36over there.
22:36And there's
22:37way, obviously,
22:39you know,
22:40not just a
22:41ton of
22:44hours of
22:45footage that
22:45we're not
22:45seeing, but
22:46even whole
22:47events that
22:48you guys
22:49fake put on
22:51that we
22:52only know
22:53about.
22:53How did
22:53that happen?
22:54I mean,
22:55credit to
22:57our writers
22:58room for the
22:58reality that's
22:59created.
22:59It's not only
23:00the show that
23:00you see, but
23:02keep in mind,
23:02if you had
23:03met Anthony
23:04in the middle
23:04of this and
23:05asked him,
23:06how is this
23:07temp job?
23:08How is this
23:08retreat going?
23:09He would have
23:10probably told
23:10you it was
23:11pretty boring.
23:12But we're
23:13taking only the
23:15best four
23:15hours to
23:16make the
23:17show out
23:17of.
23:17And in
23:18order to
23:18get those
23:19four hours,
23:19we have to
23:20create the
23:21other 80
23:22hours that
23:23he's going
23:24to kind of
23:25live through
23:27and not
23:28think much
23:28of the
23:29other stuff.
23:30You know
23:30what I mean?
23:30So there's
23:31a ton of
23:31work in
23:32writing that
23:32goes into
23:33that.
23:34He had a
23:35ton of
23:35seminars and
23:36guest speakers
23:37and it's
23:38all part of
23:39creating the
23:39reality of a
23:41small business
23:42having their
23:43big, it's a
23:44very important
23:45retreat to
23:45them.
23:45It's a big
23:46retreat.
23:48And you
23:48have to build
23:49that reality.
23:50You can't
23:50just build
23:52the scenes
23:53for the
23:53show.
23:54You have
23:54to build
23:55the other
23:55scenes for
23:56his real
23:56life around
23:57that show.
23:58So you're
23:59doing a lot
23:59of extra
23:59work in
24:00order to
24:01get the
24:01show.
24:01And with
24:02the cameras
24:02and stuff,
24:03like I said,
24:04for that
24:04scene with
24:05our stunt,
24:06because that
24:07was an event
24:08for the
24:08company,
24:09the documentary
24:10crew was there
24:10that day.
24:11So there
24:11were three
24:12camera people
24:13that he
24:14could see
24:14that could
24:15film that.
24:16That's part
24:16of the
24:17blocking that
24:17we have to
24:17figure out.
24:18But they're
24:18out there.
24:19He doesn't
24:19think that's
24:20weird.
24:20For the
24:21proposal scene
24:22that you
24:22saw, where
24:24one of the
24:25co-workers,
24:26played by
24:27Ryan Prez,
24:27is proposing
24:28to someone
24:28who he's
24:29never been
24:29on a date
24:30with, and
24:31just think
24:31about how
24:32good of
24:32actors they
24:33are to
24:34pull that
24:34off and
24:35still be
24:35real people
24:36to him.
24:37That's crazy.
24:38That's one
24:38of the craziest
24:39things we
24:39actually did
24:40in the
24:40show.
24:41But in
24:42that scene,
24:43there are
24:44no cameras
24:44around to
24:46what he
24:46thinks.
24:47That's a
24:47100% hidden
24:48camera.
24:49And you
24:50have to
24:50plan that
24:50scene, and
24:51you have to
24:52get all the
24:52shots you
24:53want to get
24:54with all
24:54hidden cameras.
24:55So that's
24:55why we
24:56might have
24:56seven hidden
24:57cameras there,
24:58because we
24:59don't get to
24:59go back and
25:00cover it again.
25:00You need to
25:01get every angle
25:02you do.
25:02So it all
25:03affects his
25:03perception, but
25:04in a big
25:05private romantic
25:06moment like
25:06that, the
25:09head of HR
25:09wouldn't have
25:10invited the
25:10documentary crew.
25:11So we cover
25:12it without
25:12that.
25:12And that's
25:12another reason
25:13why he
25:14doesn't even
25:14think cameras
25:15were there
25:15for that.
25:15So that's
25:16one of the
25:16less suspicious
25:17things that
25:17happened.
25:19When Anthony
25:19once or twice
25:21makes a
25:21comment,
25:23basically like
25:24you couldn't
25:25make this
25:26stuff up,
25:26or this would
25:27have to be a
25:28TV show or
25:28something, are
25:29you cheering
25:30or panicking?
25:32Both.
25:34We definitely
25:35the room
25:36gets really
25:36quiet when
25:38he says it.
25:39But you
25:39know, Ronald
25:40said similar
25:40things on
25:41season one.
25:41And I think
25:42on season one
25:43we were a
25:43lot more
25:43panicked that
25:45the jig was
25:46up.
25:46And I think
25:47we kind of
25:47learned that
25:48I don't think
25:48he actually
25:49meant both
25:51Ronald or
25:51Anthony.
25:52I don't think
25:52he meant,
25:53oh, I think
25:54there's a TV
25:55show filming
25:56that is about
25:56me.
25:57I think he
25:58meant, wow,
25:59some of this
25:59is so wild.
26:00It's like
26:01reality TV.
26:02You know what
26:02I mean?
26:02And once you
26:03realize that,
26:05it weirdly
26:06becomes a sign
26:07that it's
26:07working.
26:08You know what
26:08I mean?
26:09It actually
26:09becomes a sign
26:10that he's
26:10buying in
26:11and accepting
26:12that strange
26:13things are
26:14happening.
26:14Now let's
26:15just say
26:16that it
26:18did accidentally
26:19blow up
26:20midway through
26:21or in this
26:22case there
26:22was something
26:23with notary
26:24that almost
26:25blew it,
26:26right?
26:29How catastrophic
26:30would that be?
26:31Like how much
26:31money?
26:32It would be
26:33horrible.
26:34It would be
26:34horrible.
26:34Like would
26:35you have
26:36just abandoned
26:36the show
26:37or would
26:37you have
26:37to do
26:37another?
26:38Was the
26:39plan, the
26:39backup plan
26:40like we got
26:40another guy?
26:41I'm starting
26:41to sweat just
26:42you asking
26:43this question.
26:44I mean, credit
26:45to Amazon
26:46for making
26:47season one
26:48and season
26:49two and
26:50kind of the
26:50deal is like
26:51we don't know
26:52if we can do
26:53it every time,
26:54right?
26:54We got better
26:55at it.
26:55We think we
26:55can do it,
26:56but there's a
26:56major risk
26:57factor and that
26:57is why we're
26:59all very nervous
27:00making it.
27:00And you also
27:01can't make a
27:02pilot.
27:02You have to
27:03try to make
27:03the whole thing.
27:04Right?
27:07What would
27:08we do?
27:08I don't know.
27:09You hope by
27:09that point
27:10we've figured
27:11out, but yes,
27:11we almost blew
27:12it on the
27:13last day.
27:13We almost
27:14blew it about
27:15three hours
27:16before the
27:17reveal and it
27:19was one of
27:20the worst
27:20experiences of
27:21our professional
27:22lives.
27:23And luckily we
27:24got past it.
27:24I don't know.
27:25You know what
27:25we did?
27:25We built in
27:26a release
27:27valve early
27:28in the show
27:29where in
27:30episode one
27:31there is a
27:32moment where
27:34one of our
27:35characters kind
27:35of gives him
27:36the option to
27:36bow out.
27:37You know what I
27:38mean?
27:38Kind of says
27:38like, if this
27:39isn't for you,
27:40I'll support you
27:41and like help
27:41you leave this
27:42job.
27:44And that was
27:45kind of for two
27:45reasons.
27:46One, it was
27:46kind of like if
27:47someone isn't
27:48ready for this
27:49after that proposal
27:50and meeting these
27:51characters, let's
27:52not risk it.
27:53Let's get them
27:54and seeing
27:55someone who
27:55opts in and
27:56says, no, I'm
27:57in, let us
28:00know that maybe
28:01there was less
28:01risk moving
28:02forward.
28:03And so that's
28:03part of the
28:04reason we did
28:04that as well.
28:06Last thing is
28:07when you guys
28:09imagine this
28:10before there
28:10was ever
28:11Anthony, you
28:13had an
28:13end point, a
28:14desired end
28:15point in mind.
28:16What did you
28:16hope would
28:17happen there?
28:17And then how
28:18did it differ?
28:21The goal for
28:22the entire
28:23season was
28:25that we
28:26thought was
28:26crazy was
28:28can we
28:29get him
28:29to run
28:31in and
28:31stop the
28:31deal, right?
28:32He's a
28:33temp.
28:38He's only
28:38known these
28:39people for
28:39two weeks.
28:43So the
28:43entire season
28:44was built
28:44towards this
28:45moment.
28:46And when
28:47we were
28:49brainstorming
28:49this season
28:50and saying
28:50like, oh,
28:52he stops
28:52the deal
28:52and we
28:56were thinking
28:57like 80s
28:57movies, like
28:58tropes this
28:59happens in.
29:00And I was
29:01kind of like,
29:02yeah, in the
29:02craziest version
29:03you'd actually
29:04have him run
29:04into a
29:05conference room
29:05and slap
29:06the pen
29:06out of his
29:07hand.
29:08And so for
29:09some reason
29:10that became
29:11the goal.
29:13And literally
29:14the actors at
29:15the end made
29:16hats that said
29:16slap the pen
29:18because that
29:18was our
29:19mantra.
29:19The entire
29:20show was
29:20slap the
29:21pen.
29:22And you
29:22think about
29:23the end of
29:23Tommy Boy
29:24or Goonies,
29:25right?
29:26They have to
29:27go and stop
29:27the contract.
29:28That was the
29:28goal.
29:29The whole
29:29season was
29:29built towards
29:30that.
29:30And we
29:31had this
29:31huge farcical
29:32up and down
29:33the mountain
29:33thing.
29:34I mean,
29:34you can see
29:35we have
29:35jokes, right?
29:36Like someone's
29:37rolling out a
29:37banner that
29:38says, we
29:38have a deal.
29:40And that's
29:41what Dougie
29:41crashes through
29:42to like make
29:44Anthony the
29:44only one to
29:45go in there.
29:45So it's
29:47scripted and
29:48it's comedy and
29:49it's great.
29:49And honestly,
29:51the moment
29:51Anthony walked
29:52in the door,
29:53we said we
29:53did it.
29:54It almost
29:54didn't matter
29:55what happened.
29:57The goal was
29:58completed.
29:58He went in
29:59there.
29:59He's going in
30:00there to stop
30:01the deal.
30:01He has
30:02completed his
30:03hero's journey.
30:04That's the
30:04moment we all
30:05celebrated.
30:06And then
30:06Anthony started
30:07talking to
30:08Doug.
30:08and giving
30:09that speech
30:10and he kept
30:12going and
30:13kept going
30:13and said
30:14father to
30:15father and
30:16stood up to
30:16Elizabeth.
30:18And I
30:18started telling
30:19Doug, I
30:19started saying
30:20keep saying
30:22you're going
30:22to sign.
30:22It turned
30:23into how
30:24much will
30:25he push
30:25back?
30:26And poor
30:26Doug.
30:27He knows
30:28this guy
30:28just won.
30:29He just
30:30did the
30:30best thing
30:30in the
30:31world.
30:31And I'm
30:31telling him
30:32keep trying
30:32to sign
30:32it.
30:33Keep
30:33trying to
30:33sign it.
30:34And
30:35Anthony
30:37gives a
30:38speech
30:38speech that
30:39no one
30:39could have
30:40written.
30:40Because he
30:41brings so
30:41much of
30:41himself and
30:42his own
30:42humanity to
30:43that moment.
30:44And it
30:45goes from
30:46big comedy
30:47at the top
30:48of the hill
30:48with a guy
30:49eating crab
30:49legs saying
30:50yeah stop
30:50the deal.
30:51To like
30:53we're all
30:53watching it
30:54crying.
30:55And it's
30:55like a
30:55real human
30:57moment.
30:57Like drama
30:58playing out in
30:59the boardroom.
31:00It's just
31:00like it
31:02both was our
31:03plan and it
31:03exceeded our
31:04plan.
31:04And like
31:05we were in
31:06the control
31:06room just
31:07like crying
31:08and flipping
31:09out and
31:09jumping up
31:10and down
31:10like not
31:10knowing what
31:11to do.
31:11He really
31:12just he's
31:12the best
31:13guy.
31:13He gave
31:14us the
31:14best possible
31:16version of
31:17a climax to
31:18our show that
31:18we could have
31:19hoped for.
31:19That's great.
31:21Well
31:21yeah please
31:23one last
31:24question and
31:24I don't want
31:25to you know
31:26trigger panic or
31:28anything here but
31:29have you started
31:30thinking about
31:31another season?
31:32Well I will
31:34say it took
31:35I think it's
31:35three years
31:36between season
31:37one and season
31:37two and
31:38mainly after a
31:39season's done we
31:40all just go like
31:41we're never doing
31:41that again.
31:42That was too
31:42hard.
31:44And you know
31:45season two came
31:45about because we
31:46found an idea that
31:47we kind of thought
31:47was worthy and
31:48thought challenged
31:49us in the right
31:49way that could
31:50take it to the
31:50next level so I
31:52think we would
31:52have to find that
31:53in order to start
31:54thinking about
31:55season three.
31:56Awesome.
31:56Well thank you so
31:57much and
31:57congratulations on
31:58season two.
31:59Appreciate it.
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