All language subtitles for Showrunners.The.Art.of.Running.a.TV.Show.2014.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-monkee

**

**

(J.J. Abrams)
THE SHOWRUNNER
OF A SERIES IS RESPONSIBLE

FOR THE CREATIVE DIRECTION
OF THE SHOW,

KEEPING SCRIPTS AND EPISODES
COMING IN ON TIME,

DEALING WITH NOTES,

TRYING TO KEEP
THE WHOLE DAMN THING AFLOAT.

(Joss Whedon)
BEING A SHOWRUNNER
IS UTTERLY CONSUMING.

YOU'RE EDITING AND WRITING

AND DOING A HUNDRED
DIFFERENT THINGS AT ONCE.

IT'S DRAINING, IT'S AWFUL--
I MISS IT TERRIBLY.

(Jeff Pinkner)
SHOWRUNNER IS A FAIRLY
NEW TERM OF ART.

IN THE FORMER DAYS,
IT WAS THE HEAD WRITER,

THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER.

BUT AS THE SHOWS HAVE
BECOME MUCH MORE CINEMATIC

IN THEIR SCOPE AND INTENTION,

THE JOB HAS BECOME
MUCH MORE COMPLICATED.

AND YET, WE'RE EXPECTED TO
DELIVER A SHOW EVERY SEVEN DAYS.

(woman)
SHOWRUNNING IS INCREDIBLY
BRUTALLY HARD,

AND YOU CAN'T REALLY
LEAN ON ANYONE,

BECAUSE PART OF THE JOB

IS BEING THE BROAD
SHOULDERS OF THE SHOW.

THIS IS A CRAZY,
CRAZY, FUCKING JOB.

IT'S A REALLY COOL ONE,
BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

IT'S LIKE A CONTROLLED PLANE
CRASH EVERY WEEK.

IT'S A BILLION DECISIONS
A DAY.

YOU'RE THE GUY THAT HAS TO
DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

THEY ONLY BRING YOU QUESTIONS.

WHEN YOU'RE A SHOWRUNNER,

YOU'RE GETTING SQUISHED BY
THE NETWORK AND THE STUDIO.

YOU'RE FEELING PRESSURE
FROM THE CREW ON UP.

PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU AND YOU
THINK, "OH, YOU'RE THE BOSS--

YOU HAVE NOTHING
TO WORRY ABOUT."

YOU'RE WORRYING ABOUT
ALL OF IT.

(Ronald D. Moore)
PART OF THE JOB
OF THE SHOWRUNNER

IS TO SET THE TONE
FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

MANY A TIME, I'VE BEEN
STANDING ON A SET

WHERE WE'RE AT SOME CRISIS,
AND IT'S LIKE,

"OKAY, WE GOTTA DO THIS
AND THIS AND THIS."

AND PEOPLE ARE LIKE
THIS, AND I'LL SAY, "BUT...

"WE'RE NOT CURING
CANCER HERE, GUYS.

THIS IS A TV SHOW."

IT IS, AT THE SAME TIME,
THE BEST AND THE WORST JOB.

YOU CAN'T IMAGINE QUITTING,
AND AT THE SAME TIME,

IT'S A JOB THAT'S EXHAUSTING
TO THE CORE OF YOUR BEING.

AND I ALWAYS SAY
IT GIVES YOU THE THING

OF WALKING AROUND AND SAYING,
"I HAVE SUCH A BAD BACK

FROM UNLOADING
ALL THIS GOLD BULLION."

(Jeff Melvoin)
MOST SHOW AREN'T SMASH HITS.

84% OF NEW SHOWS IN AMERICA
FAIL.

SO, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY,
YOU BEAT THE ODDS

BECAUSE IF YOU STAY IN THE RACE
LONG ENOUGH, YOU'RE GONNA WIN.

AND IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF
HOW YOU CAN STAY IN THE RACE.

**

THE SHOWRUNNER IS THE LIFE
BLOOD OF A TELEVISION SHOW.

IT'S A COLLABORATIVE
ART FORM.

BUT YOU STILL NEED THAT ONE
CENTRAL VOICE THROUGH WHICH

ALL THE MARVELOUS CREATIVE
CONTRIBUTIONS ARE PROCESSED.

(Steven S. DeKnight)
THE AGE OF WRITERS
AND SHOWRUNNERS

BEING ANONYMOUS IS--
IS OVER.

**

(Hart Hanson)
MY DAY HAS THE SAME SHAPE.

THERE'S A CERTAIN RHYTHM TO IT
THAT CAN CHANGE DAY TO DAY.

IF I HAVE WRITING TO DO,
I COME IN EXTREMELY EARLY.

MORNING.

BECAUSE AROUND ABOUT
9:00 OR 9:30,

I'M GOING TO BE TALKING TO
PEOPLE MORE THAN I'M WRITING.

OH, THAT WEIGHS A TON.

YOU ALWAYS HAVE,
SAY, SIX EPISODES

AT SOME STATION
IN THE PROCESS,

SO YOU'VE GOT ONE THAT YOU'RE
FINISHING THE FINAL MIX ON

AND GOING TO LOCK
AND HOPEFULLY PUT ON THE AIR,

AND THEN YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE
PITCHING STORY IDEAS,

SO YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING TO TEND
TO ON EACH ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

ONE OF THE DOWNSIDES OF
BEING A SHOWRUNNER IS THAT

IF YOU'RE DOING IT CORRECTLY,
EVERYONE THAT YOU'VE COME

INTO CONTACT WITH--
ACTORS, THE OTHER WRITERS,

THE OTHER PRODUCERS,
THE NETWORK, THE STUDIO--

YOU KNOW THAT THINGS
ARE GOING WELL ON YOUR SHOW,

IF EVERYBODY'S JUST
A LITTLE ANNOYED WITH YOU.

SHOWRUNNING, I THINK,
IS LIKE PAINTING A PAINTING

WHILE WRITING A NOVEL,
WHILE DOING YOUR TAXES.

IT'S VERY, VERY, YOU KNOW,
RIGHT BRAIN, LEFT BRAIN, BOOM.

"HOUSE OF LIES" CAME
FROM A BOOK BY MARTIN KIHN

ABOUT MANAGEMENT CONSULTING
AND WHAT A SCAM IT IS.

IT FELT VERY RELEVANT TO ME.

WELL, WHEN YOU GET TO
THE POINT OF MAKING A SHOW,

IT'S PRETTY SEXY
IN ITS OWN WAY.

I GET TO MAKE
A HALF-HOUR PILOT.

IF, GOD WILLING, THE--
THE SHOW GETS PICKED UP,

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY
HOW I'LL WORK IT.

I WANNA WRITE
AS MUCH AS I CAN OF IT.

THE SHOWRUNNING PART,
THE ADMINISTRATIVE PART--

IT'S REALLY, UH,
NOT FOR ME, IN A WAY.

AS SOMEBODY WHO'S A WRITER
AS MUCH AS ANYTHING,

THAT'S THE REASONS THEY
LET ME DO ANY OF THE STUFF

THAT I DO,
IS THAT I CAN WRITE OKAY.

WHEN I MOVED TO NEW YORK,
TRYING TO WRITE PLAYS,

JOANNE WOODWARD AND
PAUL NEWMAN SAW MY FIRST PLAY

CALLED "DIARY FROM AVENUE B."

JOANNE FOUND SOMETHING IN IT
THAT SHE LIKED.

THEY WERE JUST DEAD SET
AGAINST ANY OF THEIR PROTÉGES

GOING TO HOLLYWOOD, MOVING TO
L.A., WRITING FOR FILM,

ACTING IN FILMS, UM,
DOING TELEVISION ESPECIALLY.

THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY AGAINST
IT-- OF COURSE, ALL OF US HAVE.

PART OF WHAT
THE SHOWRUNNER HAS TO DO

IS HEAD IN FOUR DIFFERENT
PLACES AT THE SAME TIME.

YOU'RE IN A CONSTANT
SITUATION OF FEELING

LIKE YOU'RE DOING,
UH, NOT A GOOD ENOUGH JOB.

THE IDEA FOR "MEN OF
A CERTAIN AGE" CAME FROM

WHEN RAY ROMANO AND I
WERE BOTH BETWEEN PROJECTS.

AND HE, UH, HE WAS KIND
OF STILL IN THE WAKE

OF "EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND,"
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT HE WAS
SUPPOSED TO DO NEXT.

AND AS WE STARTED CONVERSING,
IT WAS ALL EXISTENTIAL

MID-LIFE CRISIS STUFF THAT WE
WERE BOTH GOING THROUGH.

THE MORE WE TALKED,
THE MORE STORIES WE HAD

AND THE MORE IT FELT LIKE,
WELL, THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD

BE WRITING ABOUT BECAUSE
A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN RELATE

TO THIS,
AND IT WORKED OUT VERY WELL.

WE WERE EXTREMELY HAPPY

WITH ALL OF OUR EPISODES
IN THE FIRST SEASON.

WE FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT,
WE DID A GOOD SHOW

SO LET'S JUST GET IT OUT THERE
AND SEE IF PEOPLE LIKE IT.

AND PEOPLE LIKED IT.

WE FEEL THE SAME WAY
ABOUT THIS SEASON.

THIS SEASON, PEOPLE
ARE STILL TRYING TO FIND IT.

**

IF YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER ONLY
ONE THING, IT'S FOUR WORDS.

QUALITY SCRIPTS ON TIME.

IF YOU DON'T
HAVE QUALITY SCRIPTS,

THEN WHAT'S THE POINT
OF DOING ANY OF THIS?

BUT IF QUALITY SCRIPTS
DON'T COME ON TIME,

YOU'RE GONNA BE OFF THE AIR.

IF YOUR SCRIPT IS LATE,
IT'S NOT ENOUGH

TO SIMPLY SAY,
WELL, IT'S GOOD.

I DON'T CARE OF IT'S
THE FOURTH DAY OF PREP.

YOU GOT 180 PEOPLE THAT ARE
TRYING TO DO THEIR JOB,

AND YOU'VE JUST MADE THEIR JOB
SO MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.

YOU'VE MADE YOUR BUDGET SOAR
AND WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE,

ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL,
WHEN THE NETWORK AND THE STUDIO

LOOK AT THE HOT COSTS AND
LOOK AT WHAT THE SHOW HAS DONE,

THEY'LL SAY,
EITHER WE WANNA BE

IN BUSINESS WITH THAT PERSON
AGAIN OR WE DON'T.

NOTHING WILL GET YOU OUT OF IT
QUICKER THAN ARROGANCE,

IGNORANCE AND BEING, UH, OVER
BUDGET AND BEHIND SCHEDULE.

YOU KNOW, STUDIOS
TEND NOT TO LIKE THAT.

(Robert King)
I THINK THERE IS
A RENAISSANCE GOING ON IN TV.

I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF
SO MUCH OF FEATURE WRITING

HAS GONE DOWNHILL,

AND THE MIDDLE CLASS OF FEATURE
WRITING HAS DISAPPEARED.

SO, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO REALLY FELT FRUSTRATED,

COME TO TV AND GO, "OH, MY GOD,
WHO GAVE US ALL THIS FREEDOM?"

IT MIGHT BE LESS MONEY BUT, WOW,
I HAVE STORIES I WANNA TELL.

I'M GONNA TELL THEM.

AS DIFFICULT AND AS TIME
CONSUMING AND AS STRESSFUL

AS IT CAN BE, I MEAN, CREATIVELY
TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW,

TELL THESE STORIES AND UH, HAVE
THE CONTROL OVER IT THAT I DO,

UH, IS, IS SUCH A RARE THING.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE GREAT WRITERS

WHO REALLY DON'T NECESSARILY
ENJOY THE PROCESS.

AND I REALLY DO--
I LOVE THE FIRST DRAFT

AS MUCH AS I LOVE
THE REWRITES.

THE IDEA OF REALLY
HAVING THOSE CHARACTERS

COME ALIVE IN MY HEAD

AND HEARING THE WORDS IS JUST--
IT'S-- IT'S THE RUSH FOR ME.

YOUR AMBITION EVERY TIME
YOU'RE MAKING AN EPISODE

IS FOR IT TO BE THE BEST EPISODE
THAT YOU'VE EVER MADE.

BUT THE REALITY
OF THE SITUATION IS,

WE'RE WRITING A SCRIPT
EVERY TEN DAYS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE BEGAN TO
REALIZE LIKE, EVERY EPISODE

IS NOT GONNA BE A HOME RUN.

AND WE STARTED LOOKING
AT THE SEASONS AS A WHOLE,

AS OPPOSED TO A SORT OF EPISODE
BY EPISODE ANALYSIS.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE
LEGACY OF THE SHOW IS GONNA BE,

THERE'S SIX SEASONS UP
ON A SHELF

AND YOU CAN WATCH 'EM
ONE AFTER THE OTHER.

SO THE BAD EPISODES ARE GONNA
COME OUT IN THE WASH,

AND THE GOOD EPISODES ARE ALSO
GONNA COME OUT IN THE WASH.

ALL THAT'S GONNA MATTER IS,
YOU KNOW,

WHAT ARE THE PEAKS AND VALLEYS
OF THE STORYTELLING AS A WHOLE?

(Pinkner)
WRITING 22 EPISODES
OF A TELEVISION SHOW

IS A HEAVY ENDEAVOR,
AND ANYBODY WHO CAN DO IT

ON THEIR OWN,
MORE POWER TO THEM.

BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY INTERESTED
IN DOING IT ON OUR OWN.

WE'RE INTERESTED IN
HAVING A FAMILY OF WRITERS

WHO ARE ALL CONTRIBUTING
TO MAKE THE SHOW SOMETHING

THAT COLLECTIVELY,
WE'RE ALL PROUD OF.

AND HOPEFULLY,
BY THE TIME IT GETS ON AIR,

EVERYBODY FEELS THAT PART OF
THEM IS IN THAT EPISODE.

PART OF THEM IS IN IT--
YEAH, WE DON'T REALLY CARE--

I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF
SHOWRUNNERS THAT ARE

VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THEIR
NAME'S ON EVERY SCRIPT

AND WHILE IT'S OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO COME UP

WITH THE STORIES, YOU KNOW,
UM, ON A CONSISTENCY

AND A THROUGH LINE OF WHERE
WE'RE GOING,

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT
IMPORTANT FOR US

TO HAVE OUR NAMES
ON THE SCRIPTS SO MUCH.

IT'S KIND OF MORE IMPORTANT
THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE,

OKAY, THOSE GUYS ARE
THE ONES BEHIND THE SHOWS.

JOHN, WHY DON'T YOU
JUST HEAD FOR...

CAN YOU GET AS FAR
AS THE END OF ACT TWO?

YEAH, I CAN.

CAN YOU GET AS FAR
AS THE END OF ACT THREE?

I CAN GET TO THE MIDDLE
OF ACT THREE.

I WANTED TO
JUST HEAR ACT FOUR.

(all laughing)

GO, JOHN.

WE'RE REALLY GONNA
COME BACK TO THE NEW SEASON,

PICKING UP WHERE
EVERYONE'S STORY WAS.

IN OTHER WORDS,
WE'RE GONNA FIND BRENNAN--

THIS IS FULL OF SPOILERS--
I'M A LITTLE HESITANT TO SPEAK.

DON'T HESITATE-- GO AHEAD.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE SPOILERS.

THIS IS GONNA
COME OUT AFTER WE--

IT'S A RICH STEW OF SPOILERS.

(laughter)

SO, UH, BRENNAN
IS ON THE RUN STILL

WITH HER DAUGHTER CHRISTINE.

UM, BOOTH DOESN'T
KNOW WHERE BRENNAN IS.

HE IS LOOKING FOR HER.
SO WE'RE GONNA PICK UP ON...

(Hanson)
99% OF THE AUDIENCE,
THEY DON'T KNOW MY NAME.

THEY DON'T KNOW THAT PEOPLE
WRITE IT, EVEN.

I MEAN, MY FATHER
WAS ON SET ONCE AND, UM,

MY DAD HAS WATCHED TV SINCE
THEY MADE TV-- HE LOVES IT.

FIRST TIME HE SAW MY NAME ON TV,
HE HAD A LITTLE WEEP.

AND HE'S A LOGGER.
HE'S NOT A WEEPY GUY.

HE WAS STANDING WATCHING EMILY
SAY ONE OF HER, YOU KNOW,

SCIENTIFIC THINGS ABOUT THE
BONES, SOMETHING I'D WRITTEN.

AND HE TURNED TO ME AND SAID,

"WOW, HOW DOES SHE
COME UP WITH THAT STUFF?"

AND I THOUGHT,
"THAT'S MY DAD."

THAT'S, NINE-- THAT'S THE
AUDIENCE IS-- ARE THOSE PEOPLE

WHO DON'T KNOW
HOW THE SOUP IS MADE.

UM, AND THEN THERE'S A SMALL--
UH, A VERY SMALL, UH, PORTION

OF THE AUDIENCE THAT THINKS
THEY KNOW HOW THE SOUP IS MADE

AND HAVE-- GIVE YOU ADVICE ON
HOW MUCH SALT TO PUT IN.

AND I THINK THEY SHOULD BE
IGNORED, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT--

NOT THAT THEY'RE STUPID
OR ANYTHING.

SOME OF THEM ARE STUPID.

SOME OF THEM ARE VERY,
VERY SMART.

BUT THEY SHOULD BE IGNORED

BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT
YOUR AUDIENCE.

ONCE THE WHOLE STORY
IS WRITTEN DOWN,

WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT
THE PERSONAL STORIES ARE.

THEN WE TRY AND SMOOSH THOSE
TOGETHER INTO AN OUTLINE.

AND GENERALLY, THE WRITE--
WHOEVER THE WRITER IS,

WILL, UH, WRITE THE OUTLINE.

IT'S BREAKING DOWN
EACH ACT INTO SCENES,

AND JUST GIVING YOU
A SHORT DESCRIPTION

OF WHAT EACH SCENE IS.

JUST SO YOU KNOW WHAT
THE END OF THE ACTS ARE

AND WHAT HAPPENS IN EACH ACT.

IT'S FOR THE NETWORK AND THE
STUDIO TO SAY, "OKAY, LET'S GO."

AND SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON
MORE OR LESS THE SAME PAGE.

AND THEN IT'S OFF TO DRAFTS
WE GO,

AND IT JUST GOES THROUGH
THE SAME, UH, PROCESS.

THE TRUTH IS, THERE ARE
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CAN WRITE

WITH A VERY DISTINCTIVE VOICE

WHO WOULD BE ABSOLUTE ABJECT
FAILURES AS SHOWRUNNERS,

BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE
CREATING TELEVISION,

YOU'RE TRYING TO CREATE
SOMETHING UNIQUE AND DO IT

FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT
OF MONEY

AND WITHIN A CERTAIN
PERIOD OF TIME.

AND WHEN YOU THROW IN THOSE
TWO COMPLICATING FACTORS,

YOU REALLY SEPARATE
THE REAL SHOWRUNNERS

FROM THE GREAT WRITERS.

(Whedon)
THE PHILOSOPHY OF MY ROOM FOR
THE WRITERS HAS ALWAYS BEEN

FALL IN LOVE WITH MOMENTS,
NOT MOVES.

A MOVE IS, "OH, MY GOD,
IT WAS HIS EVIL TWIN."

EVIL TWIN GIVES YOU NOTHING,

UM, UNLESS THERE IS SOME
EXTREMELY RELATABLE THING

THAT EVERYBODY HAS GONE THROUGH
IN REGARDS TO AN EVIL TWIN

THAT YOU CAN MINE,
AND THAT'S YOUR MOMENT.

UM, WE WILL PROTECT MOMENTS
AT ALL COSTS.

I WILL GIVE UP A GOOD MOVE
IN A HEARTBEAT.

IT'S VERY HARD.

MOST WRITERS ARE TAUGHT,
JUST KEEP IT GOING

TILL YOU GET TO THE END.

WHEW, WE GOT THROUGH
ANOTHER ONE.

AND THEN SHOOTOUT
AT THE WAREHOUSE.

AND, UH-- AND BELIEVE ME,
I'VE DONE MY SHARE

OF SHOOTOUTS AT WAREHOUSES,
I'M SORRY TO SAY.

EVERY SHOW NEEDS TO
HAVE A SEPARATE INTENT.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO SEE,
WHAT IS THE BIG MOVIE MOMENT,

WHETHER IT'S EMOTIONAL,
WHETHER IT'S FUNNY,

WHETHER IT'S ACTION--
WHAT'S THAT THING

WE'RE LEADING UP TO THAT--
THAT, YOU KNOW,

THAT HITS YOU IN THE HEART?

THE WRITERS OF MY SHOWS AND
STAFFS, THEY'RE MY FAMILIES.

YOU WANT THEM TO BE PARTNERS
AND NOT JUST, UH, SCRIBES.

FRANKLY, IF YOU'RE LUCKY,
YOU GET TO, UH, TAKE EACH STEP

ALONG THE WAY, AND I DID FROM
ASSISTANT TO STAFF WRITER.

AND THEN YOU GET
A STORY EDITOR.

AND THEN EXECUTIVE STORY EDITOR
AND CO-PRODUCER

AND SUPERVISING PRODUCER
AND CO-EP AND THEN, UH,

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, AND THEN
SHOWRUNNER IF YOU GET A SHOW.

UH, FOR ME, EVERY ONE OF THOSE
STEPS, UH, IS IMPORTANT.

YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW,

AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES
GET A LITTLE BIT GREATER.

**

DAVE COBB,
WRITER'S ASSISTANT.

TODD HELBING,
STORY EDITOR.

AARON HELBING,
STORY EDITOR.

MISHA GREEN,
STORY EDITOR.

BRENT FLETCHER,
CO-PRODUCER.

JED... (laughing)

(all laughing)

JED WHEDON, CO-PRODUCER.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS ROOM IS
THAT THERE'S NO POWER PLAYS.

THERE'S NO-- NOBODY'S TRYING
TO GET OVER ANYBODY ELSE.

I'VE BEEN ON SHOWS WHERE IT'S
VERY CLEAR THAT THERE WAS.

I AM THE KING--
LET'S NOT FORGET THAT.

BUT BESIDES THAT,
EVERYBODY'S EQUAL.

EVERYBODY-- ME AND THE LITTLE
KING WILL BROACH NO DISSENT.

WHEN I GRADUATED FROM UCLA,
I THOUGHT,

OKAY, SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR,
I'LL, YOU KNOW,

GET MY CAREER GOING
AND BREAK IN.

AND DURING THAT TIME,
I GOT A JOB

AS A ENGLISH AS A SECOND
LANGUAGE TEACHER

AT A JAPANESE SCHOOL
IN VAN NUYS.

BUT I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,
SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR.

SIX AND A HALF YEARS LATER,
I COULD NOT GET ARRESTED.

UM, EVERYTHING I TRIED,
UH, NOTHING HAPPENED.

WE'LL GET, UH, THE FULL OUTLINE
BY THE 22ND OUT TO EVERYBODY.

UM, NOTES OR NO NOTES,

I WANNA SEND YOU OUT
THE SCRIPT ON THE 23RD.

AND THEN WE ARE IN THE END
GAME OF THE FINAL EPISODE.

I'M SURE EVERYTHING
WILL BE GREAT.

THEY'LL LOVE IT.

I WAS 33 BEFORE I HAD MY FIRST
PROFESSIONAL WRITING JOB.

AFTER FOUR SEASONS
ON THIS TEEN SEX COMEDY,

I WAS DESPERATE TO GET INTO,
LIKE, MAINSTREAM NETWORK.

I TOOK MY FAVORITE
SHOW ON TV AT THE TIME,

"BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER,"
AND I WROTE A SPEC.

THAT GOT INTO JOSS WHEDON'S
PEOPLE'S HANDS,

AND I SPENT THE NEXT, I THINK,
EIGHT WEEKS CHEWING MY NAILS.

AND THEN I FINALLY
GOT A CALL

THAT JOSS WHEDON
WANTS TO SEE YOU.

THAT WAS WHEN I FELT LIKE MY
CAREER HAS REALLY STARTED.

DURING THE DARK DAYS, THE
THOUGHT WOULD PASS MY MIND

ABOUT GIVING UP,
BUT HONESTLY,

IT WAS THE ONLY THING I FELT
REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT.

IT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT I
THOUGHT I COULD DO REALLY WELL.

PART OF
THE MAIN JOB DESCRIPTION

IN THE WRITER'S ROOM IS,

YOU'RE THE GUY THAT HAS TO COME
IN AND SHIT ON EVERYBODY,

WHICH I ACTUALLY
HATE DOING...

BUT ARE VERY GOOD AT.

UH, WELL,
YOU KNOW, I TRY--

I TRY TO DO IT WITH
A WINK AND A SMILE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
I'VE SEEN GO HORRIBLY AWRY

WITH OTHER SHOWS IS
TO NOT MAKE A DECISION.

UM, YOU NEED TO MAKE A
DECISION-- WHETHER IT'S GOOD,

WHETHER IT'S BAD, WHETHER
EVERYBODY AGREES WITH IT,

YOU GOTTA MAKE A DECISION.

THERE ARE TWO APPROACHES

I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
ABOUT WHEN YOU DO TV.

ONE IS, TO NOT KNOW IT ALL
WHERE YOUR SHOW IS GONNA GO.

AND THEN, I WOULD SAY
THE OTHER WORRISOME THING

IS TO REALLY THINK YOU DO KNOW
WHERE YOUR SHOW IS GONNA GO.

WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, THERE
ARE SOME SHOWS WHERE THEY GO,

"WE HAVE A FIVE-YEAR PLAN.

WE KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN."

WELL, I'M ALWAYS
SUSPICIOUS OF THAT,

BECAUSE THESE IDEAS ARE
REALLY HARD TO COME UP WITH,

AND IF YOU COME UP WITH
FIVE SEASONS' WORTH OF IDEAS

IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS,
THEN MY GUESS IS,

THEY AREN'T THE GREATEST
IDEAS IN THE WORLD,

BECAUSE, I KNOW
THE SHOWS I'VE WORKED ON,

IT'S TAKEN US A LOT LONGER
TO WORK IT OUT.

AT THE SAME TIME, IF YOU
DON'T HAVE ANY PLAN AT ALL,

AND YOU'VE GOT A PILOT

THAT MAKES AN ENTERTAINING
HOUR OF TELEVISION

BUT YOU DON'T REALLY
KNOW WHERE IT LEADS

AND WHERE IT GOES TO,

I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE
IN BIG TROUBLE.

MY JOB, WHEN I'M PRODUCING A
SHOW THAT I HAVEN'T CREATED,

IS TO HELP THE CREATOR AND
THE SHOWRUNNERS DO THEIR JOB.

BUT PEOPLE LIKE JONAH NOLAN WHO
CREATED "PERSON OF INTEREST,"

SOMEONE WHO HAD DONE SUCH
INCREDIBLE WORK IN FILM

AND WAS JUST DYING TO TELL
THE STORY AS A TV SERIES,

AND ALONG WITH GREG PLAGEMAN,

DO AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB
RUNNING THAT SERIES.

MY JOB IS TO REALLY KIND OF
SUPPORT THEM IN WHAT THEY NEED.

SO, RATHER THAN BEING
SOMEONE WHO SORT OF CALLS THEM

AND STARTS TO MANDATE STUFF
OUT OF THE BLUE, YOU KNOW,

I WOULD MUCH RATHER
BE SOMEONE WHO IS THERE

WHEN THEY NEED ME TO BE THERE,

BUT NOT SOMEONE WHO IS
TRYING TO IMPOSE IDEAS ON THEM,

BECAUSE REALLY,
IT'S THEIR SHOW.

A SHOWRUNNER FRIEND OF MINE
WHO ASKED ME

WHEN I WAS PITCHING THE SHOW
IN THE FIRST PLACE,

HE'S LIKE, "YEAH,
WHAT'S EPISODE SIX?"

THAT WAS THE BIG QUESTION--
LIKE DO YOU HAVE A FRANCHISE?

IS THERE AN IDEA THAT'S
DURABLE WITH THE SHOW?

AND I THINK YOU AND I
HAD TO GENERATE--

WE WERE IN NEW YORK-- AND THE
PILOT WAS A FUCKING DISASTER.

I MEAN, FRONT TO BACK,
ACROSS THE BOARD,

IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW,

ANYTHING THAT COULD GO WRONG
WENT WRONG.

WHAT DID YOU GUYS
COME UP WITH?

WHAT ARE YOU,
WHAT ARE YOU...

(Jonathan Nolan)
THE LARGER QUESTION OF,
ARE YOU GONNA BE ABLE

TO TELL A STORY OF THE WEEK
AND A BIGGER STORY.

FOR ME, IT WAS ANSWERED IN
EPISODE SEVEN.

I THINK THAT WAS THE DEFINING
MOMENT FOR US IN THE SEASON.

WE'RE COMING TO IT SAYING,
WE'RE GONNA GET FUCKING BORED

IF IT'S JUST GONNA BE
THIS EVERY WEEK.

THAT'S NOT WHAT WE SIGNED ON
FOR, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANTED.

AND THE ONLY WAY FOR PEOPLE TO
REALLY FEEL LIKE THE SHOW

HAS ANY STAKES
IS FOR OUR GUYS TO LOSE,

FOR OUR GUYS TO FUCK IT UP.

...BETWEEN A STAND-ALONE...

THERE WAS SOME RESISTANCE
TO IT, BUT THERE WAS NO WIN

AT THE END OF THE SHOW,

WHICH IS THE NETWORK'S
BIG THING, IS LIKE, WELL...

OUR GUY LOST.
IT'S A KNOWN GOAL.

YEAH-- BUT THE TWIST
WAS SO GREAT,

AND THAT THREW DOWN
THE GAUNTLET

AND SAID THAT'S THE KIND
OF SHOW WE'RE GONNA BE.

AND THAT WAS THE CLOSEST WE HAD
TO SORT OF A CREATIVE ARGUMENT

WITH THE NETWORK--
NOT TO TALK OUT OF SCHOOL.

(Matthew Carnahan)
I THINK WE WERE SUCCESSFUL
IN THE PILOT

IN MAKING EXACTLY
WHAT WE WANTED.

YOU KNOW, WE MADE A THING
THAT'S REALLY FUNNY,

REALLY WICKED,
REALLY FILTHY,

AND MANAGED TO
TAKE A GOOD SWING

AT THE FINANCIAL SERVICES
BUSINESS WHILE WE DID IT,

WHICH WAS REALLY FUN.

IF I COULD KEEP THAT KIND OF
BALANCE GOING WITHIN THE SHOW

AND NOT JUST GO FOR
THE POO JOKES EVERY TIME--

ALTHOUGH,
LOVE A GOOD POO JOKE--

THEN WE'LL HAVE WON.

WE HAVEN'T BROUGHT
ANY SCRIPTS IN YET.

WE'RE JUST BRINGING-- WE BROUGHT
OUR FIRST OUTLINE IN YESTERDAY,

WHICH WAS KAREN'S,
WHICH WAS AMAZING.

WE'RE WORKING ON EPISODE SEVEN
SO YOU WANNA JUST KEEP, UH...

(Carnahan)
ONE HAS HIGH HOPES.

I WANNA MAKE
A GREAT PIECE OF WORK.

UM, WHETHER I CAN ACCOMPLISH
THAT, I HAVE NO IDEA.

MATT CARNAHAN HAS
A GREAT SENSE OF LANGUAGE.

I LIKE THE COMBINATION OF
PROFANE AND SOULFULNESS.

IT HAD ELEMENTS OF SATIRE
ABOUT AMERICAN BUSINESS

THAT SORT OF FELT LIKE UNIQUE
TERRITORY FOR COMEDY.

ALL OF OUR SHOWS
RUN SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY.

NEIL JORDAN WRITES ALMOST ALL
THE SCRIPTS OF "THE BORGIAS."

TOM KAPINOS WRITES ALL THE
SCRIPTS OF "CALIFORNICATION."

I THINK, IN TRUTH, "HOUSE OF
LIES" IS STILL DEFINING ITSELF.

IT'S RUN MORE TRADITIONALLY

WITH A SHOWRUNNER
AND A WRITING STAFF.

YEAH, JOB SECURITY IS A PUNCH
LINE IN OUR PROFESSION.

OUR ENTIRE WELL-BEING
IS IN JEOPARDY.

WE DON'T OWN
THE WHITE BOARDS.

YOU KNOW, THEY CAN
CART 'EM OFF TOMORROW.

(all laughing)

I HAD NO REAL CAREER PATH
PLANNED OUT, I WAS JUST--

MY CAREER STRATEGY WAS,

IF YOU OFFERED ME A JOB,
I WOULD TAKE IT.

SO YOU LOOK AT MY RESUME, AND
IT'S JUST ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I DON'T THINK YOU COULD FIGURE
OUT WHAT I WAS DOING.

THAT WAS A REALLY
TOUGH SHOW FOR ME.

THAT IS NOT MY WORLD,
NOT MY MILIEU.

I WROTE THREE OF THEM,
AND I THINK, CONSISTENTLY,

THEY ARE LIKE THE LOWEST RATED
FAN FAVORITES IN THE SERIES,

AND I TOTALLY-- YOU KNOW,
I COP TO THAT FREELY-- I JUST--

YEAH, I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
WRITING THAT SHOW.

THE MAIN THING THAT DAVID TRIED
TO IMPRESS UPON US AS WRITERS

WAS TO ALWAYS BE ENTERTAINING.

I ACTUALLY HAVE A SIGN
IN MY OWN WRITER'S ROOM

THAT JUST SAYS,
"BE ENTERTAINING."

SO, IF YOU THINK ABOUT
"THE SOPRANOS,"

IT WAS FUNNY, IT WAS VIOLENT,
THERE WAS GREAT MUSIC,

THERE WAS ACTION, THERE WAS
JUST A LOT GOING ON THERE.

SOMETHING THAT YOU'D JUST ALWAYS
KEEP IN MIND, YOU KNOW,

FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU'RE
PUTTING ON A TELEVISION SHOW.

NO MATTER WHAT ELSE I DO
IN MY CAREER,

THAT WILL BE THE EXPERIENCE THAT
I COMPARE EVERYTHING ELSE TO.

(Moore)
I STARTED DATING THIS GIRL

WHO WORKED AT "STAR TREK:
THE NEXT GENERATION."

AND SHE SAID, UH, YOU KNOW,

I COULD PROBABLY GET YOU
A TOUR OF THE SETS.

TURNS, IN RETROSPECT, THAT THAT
WAS THE KEY MOMENT OF MY CAREER,

BECAUSE I JUST DECIDED,
WHAT THE HELL,

I'M GONNA WRITE A SPEC SCRIPT
CALLED "THE BONDING."

THERE WAS THIS YOUNG MAN
WHO WAS GIVING ME THE TOUR,

AND I CONNED HIM
INTO READING IT,

AND IT TURNED OUT,
HE LIKED IT.

AND HE WAS ONE OF GENE
RODDENBERRY'S ASSISTANTS.

AND HE GAVE IT TO THE LATE
MICHAEL PILLER, WHO BOUGHT IT.

AND THEN I GOT THIS CALL
ONE DAY, JUST SAYING,

"I NEED A STAFF WRITER. CAN
YOU START WORKING TOMORROW?"

AND I SAID, "YES,"
AND SHOWED UP AND...

I WAS THERE TEN YEARS.

WHEN I STARTED
AT "STAR TREK,"

IT REALLY WAS THE FULFILLMENT
OF A LIFELONG DREAM.

I WAS A VERY SERIOUS
TREKKIE AS A KID.

I LOVED THE OLD SHOW.

AND THEN I KILLED KIRK.

I CO-WROTE "GENERATIONS"
AND KILLED MY CHILDHOOD HERO.

I MEAN, I LITERALLY KILLED
MY CHILDHOOD HERO.

I WEPT WHEN I WROTE IT.

IT STILL MOVES ME
WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT.

I DON'T KNOW ANYONE ELSE
WHO HAS THAT EXPERIENCE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TAKE IT IN
AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS

FOR MY LIFE, WHAT IT SAYS
ABOUT ME, YOU KNOW, WHAT--

WHAT INSIGHT
IT GIVES INTO MY SOUL.

YOU KNOW. IT'S A--
IT'S A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

THAT I DON'T QUITE
KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH.

(Janet Tamaro)
I NEVER THOUGHT
I'D BE WRITING TELEVISION.

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT JOURNALISM,
WHAT DREW ME TO IT

IS EVENTUALLY
WHAT REPELLED ME FROM IT.

WHAT GOT TO ME ABOUT
COVERING REAL EVENTS IS,

THAT BODY ON THE FLOOR
DOESN'T GET BACK UP.

AND IT GOT TO BE RELENTLESS

AND-- AND REALLY
PROFOUNDLY DISTURBING.

IN OCTOBER OF 1977...

I WAS DOING A THIRD
SCHOOL SHOOTING,

AND I JUST HAD THIS MOMENT
WHERE I WALKED AWAY,

AND I JUST THOUGHT,
I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE.

YOU SAID THAT YOU CRIED ABOUT
SHOOTING LARRY FLYNT.

AND THAT WAS
THE MOMENT I THOUGHT,

WELL, THEN WHAT THE HELL AM I
GONNA DO WITH MY LIFE?

BUT WITH THAT
VERY FIRST SCRIPT,

IT WAS LIKE A WHOLE NEW WORLD
OPENED UP FOR ME AND I THOUGHT,

I GET TO FICTIONALIZE
ALL THESE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN.

REPORTING LIVE
FROM LOS ANGELES,

I'M JANET TAMARO FOR ABC NEWS.

(Mike Royce)
AS A FORMER STANDUP COMIC,
I THINK THAT COMEDY

IS HARDER THAN DRAMA--
I'LL JUST SAY IT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE WRITING,
IT'S LIKE EIGHT HOURS

OF BEING IN A HOLE AND THEN, OH,
OH, OH, HERE WE GO, YOU KNOW?

I MEAN, SOMETIMES
THERE'S DAYS OF,

OH, ALL RIGHT, GREAT,
YOU KNOW?

BUT SOMETIMES
THERE'S DAYS OF, LIKE,

I DON'T KNOW, MAN,
I JUST DON'T KNOW.

NOTHING IS HAPPENING--
YOU KNOW, THIS IS HORRIBLE.

AND IT SEEMS TO NOT MATTER

HOW OFTEN YOU CAN CONQUER
A WRITING PROBLEM.

THE NEXT TIME
THERE'S A WRITING PROBLEM,

THAT BECOMES THE ONE
THAT WILL KILL YOU.

WHEN YOU'RE DONE
WITH WRITING,

YOU HAVE THE,
"I'M AWESOME" FEELING.

LOOK AT WHAT I DID--
OH, MY GOD.

OF COURSE, I'VE HAD THAT

AFTER WRITING, LIKE,
A ONE-LINE EMAIL, TOO.

WOW, THAT WAS PITHY--
WHEW, WOW, NICE WORK.

(Bill Prady)
I THINK THE CHALLENGE THAT
COMEDY PRESENTS

THAT DRAMA DOESN'T

IS MOVING PEOPLE INTO
RIDICULOUS SITUATIONS.

OUR SLANG IN THE ROOM IS,
YOU HAVE TO CLOSE

ALL THE OTHER DOORS SO THAT
THE ONLY DOOR AVAILABLE

TO THIS CHARACTER
IS THE DOOR

THAT LEADS TO THE BIG BLOCK
COMEDY SCENE YOU WANNA DO,

AND THAT'S DIFFICULT.

THE MORE EPISODES YOU WRITE,

THE MORE STORIES YOU'VE
TOLD AND CAN'T TELL AGAIN.

AND THAT BECOMES HARDER
WITH EVERY EPISODE.

IT'S HARDER ON THE SECOND
EPISODE THAN ON THE FIRST,

HARDER ON THE THIRD
THAN THE SECOND.

BUT THE STORYTELLING WITHIN
THE EPISODE DOESN'T CHANGE.

YOU HAVE TO GET TO THE POINT
WHERE THE AUDIENCE WOULD SAY,

YOU KNOW WHAT?

IF I WERE IN THAT SITUATION,

DAMN IT, IF I WOULDN'T
DO THE EXACT SAME THING.

(John Rogers)
THE SHOW WAS REALLY
BORN OF THE FACT

THAT COMMON HEIST SHOWS,
I FELT,

WEREN'T DOING WHAT
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO,

WHICH IS TO GIVE YOU
THE MAGIC TRICK.

THEY WERE BEING
HIGHLY SERIALIZED.

CHRIS WAS TALKING ABOUT
"ROCKFORD FILES."
YEAH.

AND WHERE WERE THE SHOWS
LIKE "ROCKFORD FILES"

THAT WAS GOOD,
SMART, CRIME DRAMA

THAT YOU COULD WATCH
WITH YOUR DAD?

RIGHT, AND IT SEEMED LIKE
THERE WERE A LOT OF SHOWS

ABOUT SERIAL KILLERS
ON THE AIR.

PROBABLY MORE SERIAL KILLERS
HAVE BEEN CAPTURED

ON NETWORK TELEVISION
THAN EVER EXISTED.
IN ONE SEASON.

IN ONE SEASON,
YEAH, THERE IS--

AS FAR AS
AMERICA IS CONCERNED,

SCRAGGLY WHITE LONERS
ARE ROAMING THE STREETS,

UH, DROPPING
BAROQUE CLUE PATHS

IN THE PATH OF
PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS.

TALKING TO SOME
OF MY FRIENDS

WHO WRITE ON MORE
TRADITIONAL PROCEDURALS,

ONCE THEY HAVE AN ARENA
WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE--

IT'S A MURDER AT A CIRCUS.

IT'S A, YOU KNOW, MURDER
AT A MICROCHIP PLANT.

THEY'RE IN HEAVEN, BUT IT'S
FINDING A NEW CLUE PATH

THAT THEY
HAVEN'T DONE BEFORE--

THAT'S WHAT THEY SPEND
THE BULK OF THEIR TIME ON.

AND FOR US, THE CLUE PATH
IS THESE-- IS THE HEIST.

YEAH, AND THE CON.
AND THE CON.

I HAD LUNCH
WITH AN EX-FBI AGENT

AND WE WERE
STRUGGLING WITH, UH,

WHAT ARE WE STEALING
THIS WEEK?

THIS IS SORT OF
THE ENDLESS STRUGGLE.

HE SAID, UM, "UH, WELL,
YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR ABOUT

"CALIBRATION WEIGHTS FOR
CENTRIFUGES TO MAKE NUCLEAR--

UH, TO MAKE NUCLEAR WEAPONS?"

AND I WAS LIKE, "I WANNA
KISS YOU ON THE MOUTH."

(laughing)

IF YOU WEREN'T ARMED RIGHT NOW,
I WOULD KISS YOU ON THE MOUTH.

YOU'RE TELLING ME
THAT A TINY WEIGHT THIS BIG

COULD CALIBRATE A CENTRIFUGE
TO MAKE NUCLEAR WEAPONS

FOR A ROGUE STATE AND YOU HAVE
TO STEAL THIS TINY ITEM?

THAT'S THE SIZE OF SOMETHING
YOU PUT IN A BELT POUCH

ON SOMEONE WHO IS RAPPELLING
THROUGH A CEILING.

THAT'S PERFECT!

(Tamaro)
SOMEBODY SAID,
WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?

WHY DID YOU
WANNA DO THIS SHOW?

I THOUGHT ABOUT, WELL,
I DIDN'T WANNA DO AN ADAPTATION,

AND IT'S AN ADAPTATION.

I REALLY DIDN'T WANNA DO A
PROCEDURAL, IT'S A PROCEDURAL.

I REALLY DIDN'T WANNA DO
A MYSTERY, IT'S A MYSTERY.

I KNEW I WANTED TO DO HUMOR
BECAUSE I LIKE TO BE FUNNY.

I HOPE I AM FUNNY--

I HOPE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE
LAUGHING AT MY JOKES.

BUT I THINK WHAT IT WAS ABOUT
FOR ME ON A DEEP LEVEL

AND THIS IS WHERE-- WHY
WRITERS PICK STUFF THAT--

THAT--
THAT THEY RESPOND TO.

I HAD-- MY BEST FRIEND
OF 16 YEARS

HAD BEEN KILLED IN A--
IN A-- IN AN ACCIDENT.

(exhaling)

(interviewer)
IF YOU DON'T
WANNA GO THERE...

YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY, I DON'T
GO THERE ON THE SHOW, UM...

BUT I DO.

THIS RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THESE TWO WOMEN

WHO WERE REALLY DIFFERENT
WAS IN SOME WAYS

MY RELATIONSHIP
WITH MY BEST FRIEND.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S-- IT'S
HORRENDOUSLY AWFUL THAT, UM,

YOU KNOW, MY LIFE,
MY PERSONAL TRAGEDY BECAME FUEL

FOR THIS SHOW, BUT I THINK
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS TO WRITERS,

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY
NOBODY WANTS TO BE MARRIED

OR RELATED TO A WRITER--

UH, EVEN A TELEVISION
OR FILM WRITER,

BECAUSE YOUR LIFE DOES,
IN FACT,

INFORM THE KIND OF
WRITING THAT YOU DO.

(Michael Wright)
THIS MIGHT BE MUCH DEBATED
IN THIS DOCUMENTARY,

BUT I DO THINK THAT GOOD
CREATIVE EXECUTIVES DO MAKE

AN IMPORTANT
CREATIVE CONTRIBUTION

TO THE SUCCESSES OF THE SHOW.

IT'S NOT ABOUT TELLING
SOMEBODY HOW TO WRITE IT.

IT'S ABOUT GIVING THEM
GOOD COUNSEL.

I TEND TO WORK VERY DIRECTLY--
I HAVE A LOT OF OPINIONS

AND FEELINGS OF WHAT
I THINK IS-- IS INTERESTING,

WHAT I THINK IS BORING,
WHAT I THINK IS, UH, FRESH,

WHAT I THINK HAS BEEN DONE
BEFORE, AND I COMMUNICATE IT.

I'M VERY CLEAR--
IT'S THEIR SHOW,

AND I TEND TO
WIN THE BUDGET WARS,

THEY WIN THE CREATIVE WARS.

THERE'S NO SHOW THAT GOES ON
OUR AIR WHERE WE DON'T HAVE

GENERAL CONSENSUS BETWEEN
THE WRITER, SHOWRUNNER,

THE LEAD ACTORS,
AND THE NETWORK.

WHEN THERE'S NOT CONSENSUS,

THAT'S WHEN YOU
MAKE CRAPPY TELEVISION.

(chatter)

(director)
ACTION!

(Rogers)
THE THING WE KIND OF BEAT
INTO THE YOUNG WRITERS

WHEN THEY START IS, IS THIS
THE HILL YOU'RE GONNA DIE ON?

BECAUSE THIS ARGUMENT
YOU HAVE IS THE ONLY ONE

YOU'RE EVER GONNA
HAVE A SHOT AT WINNING,

SO MAKE SURE IT'S THE ONE,
BECAUSE AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW,

IF YOU JUST START FIGHTING 'EM
ON EVERY SINGLE THING,

YOU BECOME THE PROBLEM
IN THE ROOM.

AND THEY WRITE THE CHECKS
AND THEY PAY THE BILLS.

AND BY THE WAY,
SOMETIMES THERE'S NO WAY

TO GET OUT OF IT.
RIGHT.

A LOT OF TIMES--
AND SOMETIMES
IT IS THE HILL YOU WANNA DIE ON.

I MEAN, IF THAT'S REALLY
WHAT THE EPISODE IS ABOUT

AND TO TAKE THE NOTE

IS GONNA UNDERMINE
EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW--

DON'T NOT HAVE A HILL.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH,
YOU WANNA HAVE A HILL.

YOU WANNA HAVE
SOME INTEGRITY,

BUT MAKE SURE
IT'S THE HILL, YEAH.

WORKING ON "DIRT"
WAS ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

IT WAS
A DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE.

IT WAS AN ENLIGHTENING
EXPERIENCE

BECAUSE
COURTNEY'S CHARACTER

WASN'T EVEN IN THE SCRIPT
WHEN I WROTE IT.

THE NETWORK REALLY WANTED
A FEMALE-DRIVEN SERIES

SO I CREATED
THIS CHARACTER FOR COURTNEY.

(exhaling)

UM... SO IN A WAY, MY INITIAL--
MY ORIGINAL VISION

WAS COMPROMISED
FROM THE TIME I SAID OKAY.

SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS GOING,
OKAY, I'LL DO THAT.

AND FROM THERE,
IT DETERIORATED.

IT WAS CHALLENGING AND JOHN
LANDGRAF AND I, THE HEAD OF FX,

WE WENT AT IT--
WE REALLY STRUGGLED.

AND IT WAS-- IT WAS A REALLY--
IT WAS ULTIMATELY

AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT

AND REALLY REWARDING
CREATIVE PROCESS.

I FEEL LIKE THE PILOT I GOT TO
MAKE WAS AMAZINGLY COOL.

THE FIRST SEASON
I GOT TO MAKE WAS REALLY COOL.

THE SECOND SEASON, HE JUST SAID
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.

AND I FELT LIKE
IT WASN'T SO GOOD.

I'VE NEVER SEEN
THE SECOND SEASON OF "DIRT,"

UH, NOR DO I WANT TO.

I'VE PROBABLY SPOKEN OUT
AGAINST THE BEHAVIOR

OF THE PEOPLE
AT THE TOP IN THE NETWORKS

TWO OR THREE TIMES
IN MY CAREER,

AND NOW I FIND RECENTLY
THAT I HAVE A REPUTATION.

I'VE GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT SHIRTY
AND I'VE GOTTEN INSISTENT

AND I'VE DRAWN THE LINE.

BUT THE MOMENT YOU FORGET THAT
THE EXECUTIVE YOU CAN'T STAND

MIGHT BE THE ONLY PERSON IN
THE ROOM WHO HAS THE RIGHT IDEA

ABOUT HOW TO FIX SOMETHING,
YOU'RE GONNA LOSE.

I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO
TREAT ANYBODY LIKE YOUR ENEMY

UNLESS THEY ARE ACTIVELY
TRYING TO DESTROY YOU,

WHICH OCCASIONALLY
DOES HAPPEN.

THERE ARE THOSE KIND
OF PEOPLE OUT THERE,

BUT THERE ARE NOT MANY.

I AM AND ALWAYS HAVE TRIED

TO BE A COMPANY MAN.

AND YET, NOW I FIND THAT
I'M THIS HOT-HEADED MAVERICK.

WHICH IS AMAZING,
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,

I'M AFRAID OF FOUR-YEAR-OLDS.

**

GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING.

(Hanson)
THE WORST POINT FOR NOTES
IS BEFORE YOU'RE ON THE AIR,

AND EVERYBODY THINKS THEY KNOW

HOW THE PUBLIC IS
GOING TO REACT TO A SHOW.

OR IF A SHOW IS DOING
KIND OF MIDLING WELL, MIDDLING

WHICH IS WHAT "BONES" DID,
BY THE WAY--

IT DID MIDDLING WELL--
IT WAS NOT A HIT.

WE WERE LIKE A WEED
THAT YOU COULDN'T KILL,

AND THEN WE GOT A LITTLE LOVE
AND DID QUITE WELL.

THE WRITERS MEETING IS FOR
THE DIRECTOR TO GIVE NOTES

ON THE SCRIPT, UM,
AND SAY WHAT WORKS

OR DOESN'T WORK FOR
HIM AND HER, SO...

(Milan Cheylov)
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TOO,

BECAUSE I CAN
HAVE IDEAS IN PREP,

BUT I NEED TO KNOW THAT THESE
GUYS-- THAT WE'RE ALL IN SYNC

AS WE PUSH FORWARD,
AS WE CONTINUE TO PREP, UH,

IN TERMS OF MAKING THE SHOW
THAT THESE GUYS ENVISION,

THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO SEE
AT THE END OF THE DAY.

UH, THE SCRIPT
IS CURRENTLY 60 PAGES?

52.
52?

52 MINUTES.
52 MINUTES.

OH, IS IT READY?

I WOULDN'T TOUCH IT.
I WOULDN'T GO ANY SHORTER.

FIRST OF ALL, IT'S NOT...
SO PLOT DRIVEN.

THAT THIS IS MORE THAN
ANY WE'VE HAD,

IT SHOULD NOT BE TRIMMED
THAT MUCH.

I GOT TWO NOTES FRIDAY
FROM THE NETWORK

WHICH I THOUGHT
WERE REALLY-- WERE GOOD.

UM, AND I DON'T MEAN
TO SOUND SURPRISED...

(Ali LeRoi)
WHAT TAKES A SINGLE EPISODE
OF NETWORK TELEVISION

SO LONG TO GET PRODUCED
IS THE MEETINGS.

THERE'S LOTS OF MEETINGS.

THE SINGLE DUMBEST NOTE
I'VE EVER GOTTEN WAS--

WE WERE DOING
"EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS,"

AND WE HAD AN EPISODE WHERE
CHRIS HAD GOTTEN A FEVER

AND A FLU OR SOMETHING--
IT WAS AT CHRISTMAS,

HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL,
AND HE WAS HALLUCINATING

THAT HE WAS TALKING TO A GUY
WHO WAS BASICALLY SANTA CLAUS.

AND THE NOTE CAME DOWN
FROM THE NETWORK,

"DOES SANTA CLAUS
HAVE TO BE SO OLD?"

(Mike Kelley)
ONE OF THE FUNNIER NOTES
I EVER RECEIVED

WAS RIGHT AFTER CBS
PICKED UP "SWINGTOWN."

AND I WENT TO THIS MEETING,
AND LES, LES MOONVES, UM--

GOD HELP ME, UH,
IF HE'S WATCHING THIS--

LES MOONVES TELLS ME THAT HE--
YOU KNOW, HE LOVES THE SHOW.

AND WE GOT ALMOST THROUGH
THE WHOLE MEETING.

HE SAYS, "I GOT ONE NOTE."
I SAID, "WHAT?"

AND HE GOES,
"I DON'T THINK THE NEIGHBORS

SHOULD SLEEP TOGETHER."

I SAID, "YOU DON'T
THINK THE NEIGHBORS

SHOULD SLEEP TOGETHER?"

AND HE SAID, "NO."

"WELL, IT'S CALLED
'SWINGTOWN.'

"IT'S ABOUT SWINGERS
IN THE '70S.

LIKE, WHAT DO YOU
WANT THEM TO DO?"

HE SAYS, "WELL, THAT'S WHY
YOU'RE THE WRITER."

I CAN'T BELIEVE
I'LL NEVER WORK AT CBS AGAIN.

(laughing)

YOU KNOW, I HAVE
A VERY DARK SENSIBILITY.

LIKE, WHAT I FIND ACCEPTABLE,
90% OF THE POPULOUS

DOES NOT FIND ACCEPTABLE.

AND I'VE HAD TO
LEARN THAT THE HARD WAY.

SO I NEED SOMEBODY
SOMETIMES TO SAY,

"HEY, DUDE,
THAT'S TOO MUCH.

"LIKE, THAT'S-- THAT DOESN'T--
NOT ONLY DOESN'T THAT

SERVE THE STORY, BUT IT'S
JUST TOO OUT THERE,"

SO I CAN TAKE A STEP BACK AND
GO-- SO IT'S NOT A REACTION

LIKE, FUCK YOU,
THAT'S MY VISION.

IT'S LIKE I CAN THEN TAKE
A STEP BACK AND GO, ALL RIGHT,

WELL, YEAH, MAYBE--
MAYBE THAT IS TOO MUCH.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE DON'T
REALLY NEED TO SEE

THE BALLS
BEING HACKED OFF THE CLOWN.

PERHAPS WE TELL IT
ON THE FACE.

(Moore)
IT WAS A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT
THAT THAT PILOT DIDN'T GO.

AND THE SCRIPT
WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED,

BUT THE WB
WAS VERY DIFFICULT.

THERE CAME THIS MOMENT
WHERE THEY WANTED

A DIFFERENT VERSION
OF THE SCRIPT.

AND THEY HAD BROUGHT IN ANOTHER
WRITER OVER MY OBJECTIONS,

WHICH IS-- IN RETROSPECT,

I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE
I ALLOWED THAT TO HAPPEN.

BUT AT THAT POINT, I WAS VERY
YOUNG, IT WAS MY FIRST PILOT.

AND WE WERE NOW ABOUT A WEEK
AWAY FROM SHOOTING.

AND THE SCRIPT CAME IN AND I
HATED IT-- IT WAS TERRIBLE.

AND I JUST SAID,
I WON'T SHOOT THE SCRIPT.

AND SO THE NETWORK SAID,
"YES, YOU WILL."

AND WE HAD THIS BIG UGLY
CONFERENCE CALL ABOUT IT.

AND, UH, THERE WAS THIS MOMENT
ON THE CALL

WHERE THE NETWORK SAID,
"WELL, IF THAT'S HOW YOU FEEL,

THEN MAYBE WE SHOULD
JUST SAY GOODBYE."

AND I REALIZED, WELL,
THIS IS IT, THIS IS THE MOMENT.

THEY'RE GONNA CALL
YOUR BLUFF ON THIS.

AND I SAID, "THEN, OKAY,
LET'S DO THAT."

AND THEN THEY SAID, "FINE,"
AND THEY HUNG UP.

AND THEN,
HUNDREDS OF PHONE CALLS,

LIKE EVERYONE'S
CALLING EACH OTHER.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE HE SAID THAT,
HE'S NOT REALLY SERIOUS..."

EVERYONE WAS REALLY, REALLY
UPSET, BUT I REALLY WAS SERIOUS.

I WASN'T GONNA
SHOOT THAT SCRIPT.

AND, UH,
THE WHOLE THING FELL APART,

AND IT COST A COUPLE MILLION
DOLLARS AND, UH,

IT WAS A DISASTER AT THE TIME.

IT WAS A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT
TO ME,

'CAUSE I WAS VERY
ATTACHED TO THOSE BOOKS,

AND I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GONNA
DO JUSTICE BY THESE BOOKS.

AND MY AGENT AT THE TIME,
WHETHER HE BELIEVED IT OR NOT,

SAID, NO, NO, THIS-- YOU KNOW,
BELIEVE ME, PEOPLE LIKE IT

WHEN YOU SAY NO
AND YOU'LL GET A REPUTATION

AS SOMEONE WHO HAS INTEGRITY
AND, DAH-DAH-DAH.

I CHOSE AT THE TIME
TO BELIEVE THAT.

**

(Nolan)
WE ALWAYS WANTED TO
REWARD THE VIEWERS

WHO WATCHED WEEK TO WEEK,
BUT NOT PUNISH ONES

WHO WERE COMING
NEW TO THE SHOW.

THAT KIND OF SELF-CONTAINED
STORY OF THE WEEK

JUST SO HAPPENS TO LINE
UP REALLY-- REALLY NICELY

WITH THE KINDS OF PROCEDURAL
BASED EPISODIC CRIME SHOWS

THAT CBS KNOWS HOW
TO MAKE REALLY WELL,

AND THEN BEYOND THAT, THE
STORY THAT WE WANTED TO TELL

IS THIS LARGER NOVEL-LIKE
STORY THAT'S SIMILAR

TO THE SHOWS THAT ARE
FLOURISHING RIGHT NOW ON CABLE.

AND I THINK THE NETWORK
KNOWS THAT, YOU KNOW,

THE AUDIENCE'S TASTES
ARE CHANGING.

IF YOU LIKEN
THE PROCEDURAL--

WHICH WE'VE NEVER THOUGHT OF
AS A FOUR-LETTER WORD,

WE'VE ALWAYS
KIND OF EMBRACED THEM.

I GREW UP WATCHING
"MAGNUM, P.I." AND "MIAMI VICE"

AND "HILL STREET BLUES" AND
ALL THESE AMAZING SHOWS.

BUT, THE SHOWS THAT ARE
FLOURISHING RIGHT NOW

ARE THESE SERIALIZED
NOVEL-LIKE SHOWS ON CABLE.

BUT, BROADCAST WAS ALWAYS
CAPABLE OF DOING BOTH.

SO, IT'S A DIFFERENT
WAY OF DOING IT.

YOU STILL HAVE
A MASSIVE, MASSIVE AUDIENCE,

FAR BIGGER, UH, THAN CABLE,
WATCHING BROADCAST TELEVISION.

WE REGULARLY HAVE
14-15 MILLION PEOPLE

WATCHING OUR SHOW,
WHICH DWARFS

ANY OF THE AUDIENCES
OF THESE CABLE SHOWS.

THERE'S THAT "TOM AND JERRY"
CARTOON EFFECT,

WHERE IT'S LIKE IF TOM
GETS BLOWN UP BY DYNAMITE

AND THEN YOU FADE TO BLACK,
AND THEN YOU COME UP,

AND THEN HE'S JUST
CHASING JERRY AGAIN,

IT'S NOT AS INTERESTING
TO ME AS TOM

GETS BLOWN UP BY DYNAMITE
AND NOW IN THE NEXT SCENE

HE'S IN THE HOSPITAL
REHABILITATING,

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE HE WENT WRONG.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW,
I DO FEEL LIKE

LIFE IS SERIALIZED,
LIFE IS NOT A PROCEDURAL,

AND THEREFORE, THAT'S THE
KIND OF STORYTELLING

THAT I LIKE TO WATCH, AND
IT'S THE KIND OF STORYTELLING

THAT I LIKE TO WRITE.

THAT BEING SAID,
I THINK THAT, UM,

IT'S UNFAIR TO CATEGORIZE
SHOWS AS PROCEDURAL

OR SERIALIZED, OR ONE
WORKING BETTER THAN THE OTHER.

I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT
NETWORKS LIKE TO DO.

BUT, AT THE END OF THE DAY,
IF YOU PUT SOMETHING COOL

IN FRONT OF THEM,
THEY DON'T CARE

WHETHER IT'S A SERIALIZED
OR A PROCEDURAL

OR A MARRIAGE
OF BOTH, YOU KNOW?

I THINK THERE ARE SHOWS
LIKE "THE GOOD WIFE" NOW

THAT ARE PROCEDURAL SHOWS,
BUT ARE ACTUALLY

STEALTH SERIALIZED
SHOWS, AND THAT'S WHY

THEY'RE GETTING NOMINATED
FOR EMMYS.

(Robert King)
WE WOULD AGREE THAT
IT'S A BIT OF A--

A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.

THERE ARE CERTAIN ELEMENTS
THAT WE HAVE TO SATISFY

TO BE ON CBS,
TO BE SHOW THAT HAS

A STORY THAT WE TELL WITHIN
THE EPISODE, HAS CASES.

AND SO, IT'S PARTLY THAT,

AND PARTLY CHARACTERS
THAT WEAVE THROUGH IT.

WE DON'T DO A LOT OF
JUST CHARACTER SCENES

OR JUST PERSONAL SCENES,

THAT THE PERSONAL TENDS TO
COME ON THE PROCEDURAL PLOT.

WE DO 23 EPISODES A YEAR.

THESE OTHER SHOWS
DO 13 A YEAR.

I WOULDN'T CALL IT
BITTERNESS ON OUR PART

THAT WE HAVE TOWARDS CABLE--
CABLE IS VERY MUCH

THE GRASS IS GREENER
ON THAT SIDE.

**

I HOPE I'M AT HBO
FOR MY ENTIRE CAREER.

UM, I MEAN, IT'S JUST
BEEN THE BEST PLACE

I'VE EVER WORKED FOR
SO MANY DIFFERENT REASONS.

CREATIVELY, IT'S GREAT.

I MEAN, I COULD THEORETICALLY
WORK AT A NETWORK.

I WOULD NEVER SAY NEVER,
BUT I KNOW--

I KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.

THAT'S ONE OF THE GREAT
THINGS ABOUT WORKING

FOR HBO, THEY LET
YOU DO YOUR JOB.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT TO SAY
THERE AREN'T CONVERSATIONS.

THERE ARE, BUT THEY'RE
NEVER MANDATES,

AND THEY'RE NEVER--
THEY'RE NEVER NOTES

THAT ARE BORN OF COWARDICE,
WHERE THEY'RE AFRAID

TO ALIENATE PEOPLE OR
OFFEND PEOPLE, OR YOU KNOW--

'CAUSE THEY'RE
NOT TRYING TO SELL

COMMERCIAL AIRTIME
OR PRODUCT.

SO, IT'S BASED ON, JUST DO
THE BEST SHOW YOU CAN DO.

(DeKnight)
WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT
OF FREEDOM ON PREMIUM CABLE.

SO, GOING BACK TO NETWORK
TELEVISION WOULD BE DIFFICULT

ON A CREATIVE LEVEL.

THE TRADEOFF, OF COURSE,
IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY

THAT YOU CAN MAKE ON
22 EPISODES OF A SHOW

IN NETWORK IS
PHENOMENALLY LARGE.

UH, MUCH LARGER THAN
I MAKE ON THIS SHOW.

BUT, I DO HAVE THAT--
THAT TASTE OF THAT FREEDOM.

AS MUCH FREEDOM AS
YOU DO HAVE IN CABLE

COMPARED TO NETWORK,
YOU KNOW, THE NETWORK IS--

YOU KNOW, THEY WERE
UP MY ASS

DURING THE PILOT
PROCESS, YOU KNOW,

AND REALLY, YOU KNOW,
MICROMANAGING

PRETTY MUCH
EVERY DETAIL.

BECAUSE THAT'S--
THAT'S THE TIME

THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY
HAVE THE MOST INPUT, YOU KNOW?

AND-- AND NOT THAT IT--
NOT THAT IT FUCKED ME UP

OR STRAYED-- OR MADE ME
STRAY OFF MY VISION.

BUT, THEY'RE VERY ENGAGED
AND VERY HANDS ON.

UM, BUT THE GOOD THING
IS THAT ONCE THE SHOW

GETS ESTABLISHED AND--
AND YOU EARN THEIR TRUST,

THAT THEY HONOR THAT.

IT'S NOT LIKE
GROUNDHOG DAY EVERY SEASON,

LIKE YOU GOTTA PROVE
YOURSELF AGAIN.

I PERSONALLY DON'T
SEE AS BIG A DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN NETWORK AND CABLE
AS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE.

AND I ALSO THINK SOME
OF THESE CABLE CHANNELS

HAVE KIND OF PERPETUATED
THIS MYTH THAT ARTISTS

HAVE COMPLETE FREEDOM
AT THESE NETWORKS.

AND YET, I'VE TALKED TO
PEOPLE AND HEARD ABOUT

NOTES CALLS AT
THESE NETWORKS.

SO, I'M NOT SURE THAT'S
EXACTLY IT.

I THINK IT'S A
CASE BY CASE SITUATION.

DOES THE NETWORK TRUST
YOU TO DO THE JOB?

IF THEY DO YOU'RE GONNA
GET A LOT OF FREEDOM.

IF THEY SENSE A
VOID IN LEADERSHIP,

THEY'RE GONNA RUSH IN
TO FILL IT,

NO MATTER WHAT
NETWORK IT'S AT.

**

(overlapping chatter)

HELLO.

UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE
A SET OF, UH--

'CAUSE WE HAVE
A QUARTET PLAYING.

PIANO, CELLO,
VIOLIN, VIOLA.

ONCE WE GET THE OKAY
TO BOOK THEM,

THEN I'LL GET
SIZES TO YOU.

'CAUSE WE'LL HAVE
THE STAND-INS.

(Carnahan)
I THINK BETWEEN
CASTING THE NEXT EPISODE,

BEING ON SET FOR THE
EPISODE YOU'RE SHOOTING,

BEING IN THE WRITER'S ROOM

DEALING WITH BUDGETS
AND EVERYTHING,

I WOULD SAY THAT
SHOWRUNNING IS AS MUCH

A FEAT OF CHOREOGRAPHY AS
IT IS OF ANYTHING ELSE.

I HAVE AN AMAZING NON-WRITING
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER,

JESSIKA BORSICZKY,
TO JUST UNDERSTAND

ADMINISTRATING PEOPLE
AND BUDGETS AND HOT COSTS

AND ALL OF THAT STUFF

THAT I KIND OF
GLAZE OVER AT.

(Melvoin)
THE SKILL SETS
TO BE A GOOD WRITER

AND TO BE A GOOD MANAGER ARE
ALMOST DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE.

I THINK WRITERS TEND TO
BE SKEPTICS, CRITICS.

THEY'RE FUELED BY ANGER, UM,
BY A CURIOSITY, BY OUTRAGE.

WHEREAS WHEN YOU'RE MANAGING,
YOU HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT

ASPECTS OF PRODUCTION
TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT.

THE WRITERS ARE YOUR
MOST IMMEDIATE,

BUT THEN YOU'VE GOTTA
DEAL WITH ACTORS,

AND YOU'VE GOTTA
DEAL WITH YOUR DIRECTORS,

AND YOU'VE GOTTA DEAL
WITH EVERYBODY ELSE.

THOSE SKILLS ARE NOT INNATE.

STEADICAM,
IN-CAMERA FREEZE.

YEAH, WE'LL GET THAT EITHER
RIGHT BEFORE OR RIGHT AFTER

WE GET THE WALKING IN MASTER.

(Melvoin)
WHEN YOU SPEND A LOT OF
TIME JUST TRYING TO STEER

YOUR OWN BOAT AS A WRITER,
THE IDEA NOW THAT

YOU HAVE TO BE DOING
ALL OF THESE OTHER TASKS,

IS UM-- CAN BE
OVERWHELMING.

A LIST OF THE
ORDERED BREAKAWAYS,

AND SEE IF WE'RE IN
THE BALLPARK.

ONE OR TWO...

SHOWRUNNING HAS THIS KIND OF
GLAMOROUS PATINA TO IT.

YOU KNOW, THE GUYS
WHO RUN LOST, AND YOU KNOW,

IT SORT OF SEEMS LIKE
ONE FABULOUS PARTY

OF, YOU KNOW, BEING CREATIVE
AND FOOLING THE PUBLIC,

AND BEING,
YOU KNOW, BRILLIANT.

FOR ME, A LOT OF IT IS THE
GRIND OF SELLING THE SHOW,

PITCHING THE SHOW,
GETTING THE OUTLINE APPROVED,

GOING TO SCRIPTS,
HANDING IN A DRAFT.

IT'S JUST A FUCKING GRIND,
IS THE TRUTH.

**

BECAUSE WE'RE DOING
A PERIOD PIECE,

EVERYTHING IS EXPONENTIALLY
MORE COMPLICATED

AND TIME CONSUMING.

UH, EVERY ACTOR, EVERY EXTRA
NEEDS A HAIRCUT.

EVERY SET HAS TO
BE DRESSED.

I MEAN, I'M TALKING ABOUT
LOCATIONS PARTICULARLY.

IF YOU'RE DOING A
CONTEMPORARY SHOW,

YOU JUST PULL UP AND SHOOT.

THIS, WE PULL UP,
IT TAKES THREE DAYS

TO GET A SIMPLE
STREET SCENE READY.

AIR CONDITIONERS, LIGHTS THAT
AREN'T CORRECT, DOORKNOBS.

I MEAN, EVERY LITTLE THING
HAS TO BE CHANGED AND FIXED.

THIS IS THE SCOPE
OF THIS THING.

OUR NETWORK HOUR OF TELEVISION
IS 43 MINUTES LONG.

AN EPISODE OF OUR SHOW
IS TYPICALLY BETWEEN

55 AND 60 MINUTES-- THAT'S
DAYS AND DAYS OF EXTRA WORK.

SO, IT ALL ADDS UP TO A MUCH
GREATER SHOOTING SCHEDULE.

(Prady)
THERE ARE SIX TYPICAL DAYS
IN THE PRODUCTION

OF A FOUR CAMERA,
HALF HOUR TELEVISION COMEDY.

FIVE OF THEM ARE YOUR
FIVE PRODUCTION DAYS.

AND THE SIXTH
IS A HIATUS.

WE PRODUCE 24 EPISODES
IN THE COURSE OF A SEASON,

AND WE DO THEM IN BLOCKS.

A BLOCK OF THREE IS
THREE EPISODES ON,

AND THEN A WEEK DOWN
FROM PRODUCTION.

DURING THOSE DOWN WEEKS,
YOU CATCH UP ON SCRIPTS.

YOU START WRITING SCRIPTS
BEFORE THE--

BEFORE YOU START SHOOTING--
SO WE START SHOOTING IN AUGUST

BECAUSE AMERICA NEEDS NEW
TELEVISION IN SEPTEMBER.

AND IN ORDER TO START
SHOOTING IN AUGUST,

THE WRITERS START
WORKING IN JUNE,

AND WE WRAP IN APRIL.

AND, UM, I THINK THAT IF YOU
WOULD BRING IN SCIENTISTS

TO STUDY THIS,
THEY WOULD DISCOVER

THAT HUMAN BEINGS HAVE
EXACTLY ENOUGH ENERGY

TO ACCOMPLISH
90% OF THAT SCHEDULE.

AND THE LAST 10% OF IT
IS A BATAAN DEATH MARCH

TO THE WRAP PARTY.

MIRROR MY SITUATION EXACTLY.
RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

I JUST MEAN, YOU ARE
MARRIED WITH KIDS.

(phone ringing)

THERE SHE IS.

AH, SHIT.
(laughing)

THAT'S MY WIFE TELLING ME
I HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.

(overlapping chatter,
laughter)

IF THIS SHOW GOES
DOWN THE TUBES,

YOU GOTTA MAKE A LIVING
RIGHT AWAY SOMEWHERE.

THAT'S FOR YOU GUYS.

'CAUSE I GOT A LOT
OF MONEY, SO I DON'T CARE.

(laughter)

WELL, WHILE WE'RE ON THE
SUBJECT, WE MIGHT NOT BE IN

THIS ROOM FOR SIX,
SEVEN MONTHS FROM NOW.

NINE-- NINE MONTHS.
RIGHT.

WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A TALK
ABOUT THAT, BUT YEAH.

THAT IS A...

WE MET WITH A COUPLE
NETWORKS, AND THEN TNT--

WHEN WE MET WITH
MICHAEL WRIGHT

AND THE WAY HE TOOK TO IT AND
THE WAY HE RESPONDED TO IT,

WE JUST FELT, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS A GOOD FIT, YEAH.

THE MAIN THING IS THEY--
THEY HAVE THEIR OPINIONS

AND SOMETIMES WE DISAGREE,

BUT THEY DON'T COME DOWN
WITH AN EDICT.

THE CRITICS HAVE BEEN HELPFUL,
'CAUSE WE GOT GREAT REVIEWS.

OH YEAH.
SEASON ONE.

THEN WE GOT EVEN BETTER
REVIEWS THIS SEASON.

IF THAT DOESN'T
HAPPEN, MAYBE THEY--

NO, OF COURSE.
THEY STICK THEIR HAND
IN THERE MORE, YEAH.

I CAN SPEAK FOR HIM--
I CAN SAY WHY

HE'S BEEN IN A HIT SHOW,
AND THEN ANOTHER SHOW.

SO, YOU'RE ASSUMING
THIS SHOW IS A HIT.

(laughter)

THERE'S A NUMBER
AT WHICH YOU SURVIVE,

AND THERE'S A NUMBER AT
WHICH YOU DON'T SURVIVE.

UM, YOU GET FEEDBACK--
IT'S CALLED RATINGS.

WE RESPECT THAT
ASPECT OF THE BUSINESS

AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT
THE NETWORK HAS TO MAINTAIN

A CERTAIN NUMBER OF
EYEBALLS ON THEIR SHOW

OR ELSE YOU'RE GONE.
WE GO TO A BUNCH OF PEOPLE

AND ASK THEM TO GIVE US
A COUPLE MILLION BUCKS A WEEK

TO TELL OUR LITTLE
PRETEND-Y STORIES.

THAT-- THE IDEA THAT
THEY SHOULD DO THAT

WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED
IS MADNESS

RIGHT.
YOU KNOW?

IT'S OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY.

THERE'S STOCKHOLDERS
OUT THERE SOMEWHERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD
INVEST IN TELEVISION NOW,

THAT'S A HORRIBLE IDEA.

IF YOU PAY TOO MUCH
ATTENTION TO THE THINGS

THAT ARE COMPLETELY
OUT OF YOUR CONTROL,

LIKE WHEN THEY'RE AIRING YOU,
WHEN THEY'RE PREEMPTING YOU.

HOW MANY PEOPLE
WATCHED THAT NIGHT,

OR WHETHER OR NOT IT WENT
UP OR DOWN FROM LAST WEEK.

IF YOU START DOING THAT,
THEN YOU START LOSING

CONTROL OF THE THINGS
THAT ARE WITHIN YOUR GRASP.

ALL I CAN DO IS TELL
A BETTER STORY.

OBVIOUSLY, IF THERE'S
A CLEAR DROP-OFF,

THEN YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THAT.

BUT, I DO READ
OTHER PEOPLE'S RATINGS.

(laughing)

THE THING THAT MEN DO--
WOMEN DO THIS, TOO--

BUT I DON'T TEND TO DO THIS--
THEY FOCUS ON THE NUMBER.

"WHAT'S THE NUMBER GONNA BE,
WHAT'S THE NUMBER?"

AND I POURED MYSELF INTO IT,
ABOUT IT, MIDNIGHT,

THE NIGHT THAT WE AIRED,
I COULDN'T EVEN WATCH IT

ON BROADCAST TELEVISION--
I SHOULDN'T TELL ANYBODY THAT.

I DIDN'T WATCH MY
OWN SHOW AIR.

I'VE BEEN ON SO MANY
FAILED, CANCELLED SHOWS.

AND I JUST THOUGHT, "OH, GOD,
PLEASE BE GOOD ENOUGH

TO STAY ON THE AIR."

I WENT TO BED, AND YOU KNOW,
SIX HOURS LATER,

MY HUSBAND IS POKING ME AND
HE HAS HIS COMPUTER WITH HIM,

AND HE SAYS, "I THINK YOU
WANT TO GET OUT OF BED."

AND I HAD, OF COURSE, SLEPT
THROUGH THE EARLY NIELSEN

AND ALL THE PHONE CALLS
AND THE TEXTING.

AND I SAID, "NO, I DON'T
WANNA KNOW, I DON'T WANNA KNOW,"

WHICH IS VERY
COWARDLY OF ME.

AND HE SAID, "YEAH, I THINK
YOU MIGHT WANNA KNOW

YOU'RE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL SHOW
ON-- IN BASIC CABLE HISTORY."

AND I SAID, "FUCK YOU,
THAT'S NOT FUNNY!"

WHICH IS NOT NICE OF ME
TO SAY TO MY HUSBAND.

I REALLY THOUGHT
HE WAS KIDDING.

AND I LOOKED AT IT
AND I STARED AT IT.

AND I'M NOT BEING
HUMBLE HERE, I THOUGHT,

"HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?
HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?"

(overlapping chatter)

(Whedon)
YOU DON'T GO INTO A TV SHOW
EXPECTING GOOD HOURS.

YOU GO INTO A TV SHOW
EXPECTING THE WORST.

SOMEBODY IS ALWAYS
STAYING UP.

I THINK THERE ARE A LOT
OF SHOWS WHERE EVERYBODY
IS ALWAYS STAYING UP.

FOR THE LONGEST TIME--
REALLY UNTIL--

BECAUSE OF THE FAMILY,
I COULDN'T, I WAS, YOU KNOW,

FIRST IN AND LAST OUT.

AND IF YOU'RE DOING THAT,
I THINK PEOPLE

ARE A LITTLE MORE FORGIVING.

THE FIRST YEAR OF "BUFFY"
WAS LIKE, UH, WAS LIKE

EVERYBODY WAS ON ECSTASY,
EVERYBODY HATED EVERYBODY,

EVERYBODY LOVED EVERYBODY,
AND NOBODY WANTED TO GO HOME.

THAT WAS HOW I
DESCRIBED IT.

AND MY WIFE JUST
QUIETLY SAID,

"I THINK THE CREW
WANTED TO GO HOME."

THERE'S A PART OF ME
THAT HAS A VERY, VERY FOND

SENSE OF NOSTALGIA
FOR THE SHOW.

BUT, THE WEIGHT OF--
FOR THOSE SIX YEARS,

IT NEVER LEFT ME.

IT WAS ALL THAT
I THOUGHT ABOUT.

WHEN I WOKE UP IN THE MORNING,
I REALIZED THAT I HAD BEEN

THINKING ABOUT IT
THROUGH THE NIGHT.

I BASICALLY PROPOSED MARRIAGE
IN MAY, RIGHT AFTER THE PILOT

WAS PICKED UP,
THINKING THAT THE SHOW

WOULD PROBABLY BE CANCELLED
AFTER A FEW EPISODES.

AND THEN I GOT MARRIED 3 DAYS
AFTER THE SEASON ONE FINALE.

AND THEN I HAD MY SON
RIGHT AROUND THE TIME

THAT LOCKE AND JACK WERE
GOING INTO THE HATCH.

SO, THOSE ARE--
THE FACT THAT I--

THE BENCHMARKS OF MY LIFE
ARE MEASURED BY THE SHOW.

SHOULDN'T IT BE
THE OTHER WAY AROUND?

I DID "LOST" FOR SIX YEARS
AND THAT WAS ALL I DID.

MY FRIEND, HEATHER,
WAS AN EXECUTIVE AT ABC.

AND SHE CALLED ME ON
A FRIDAY NIGHT,

AND SHE SAID, "DO YOU WANNA
MEET WITH J.J. ON MONDAY?"

AND I SAID, "YES," AND IN
SAYING YES TO THAT QUESTION,

I BASICALLY, COMPLETELY
CHANGED MY DESTINY.

AND-- AND IF I HAD SAID YES,
AND THEN HEATHER HAD SAID TO ME

"LISTEN, THIS IS GONNA BE THE
NEXT SIX YEARS OF YOUR LIFE,

"IT IS GOING TO DEFINE YOU.

"THE WORD NEXT TO
YOUR NAME WHEN YOU DIE

"IS GOING TO BE 'LOST'--
NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO,

"IT'S GOING TO SAY
'LOST' WRITER, YOU KNOW,

UM, HOW DO YOU FEEL
ABOUT THAT?"

I WOULD HAVE SAID, "FORGET IT,
I'M NOT TAKING THE MEETING."

THE BURNOUT RATE FOR
SHOWRUNNERS IS 100%.

100% OF THE PEOPLE
WHO DO THIS

STOP BY THEIR
MID TO LATE 50s,

WHETHER IN SUCCESS
OR FAILURE.

SO THAT'S THE PROBLEM--
IT'S TOO GOOD TO QUIT,

AND IT'S TOO HARD TO DO.

IF YOU SAID TO THEM,
THE ONLY WAY

THAT I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO
PRODUCE THE NEXT EPISODE

IS ON A HOSPITAL GURNEY WITH
AN IV RUNNING INTO MY LINE,

THEY WOULD SAY, "GREAT,
WHAT KIND OF GURNEY

"DO YOU LIKE, 'CAUSE HERE
ARE THREE CHOICES.

AND WHAT WOULD YOU
LIKE IN THE IV?"

(Robert King)
THERE'S SO MUCH LITERALLY
TO DO EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

IF WE DIDN'T HAVE
EACH OTHER TO DO IT,

I THINK WE'D GO CRAZY.

AND THERE ARE SHOWRUNNERS--
SINGLE SHOWRUNNERS

THAT RUN MULTIPLE SHOWS,
AND I-- I LITERALLY

HAVE NO IDEA HOW THAT...

I ACTUALLY THINK
THAT YOU CAN'T.

I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO
HAND IT OFF TO SOMEONE...

WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE
CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS,

IF YOU GUYS WANNA
LEAVE FOR A MINUTE.

YEAH, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE SAY
THEY CAN RUN MORE THAN ONE SHOW.

I ACTUALLY DON'T
THINK YOU CAN

WITHOUT GIVING UP
ON ONE OF THEM.

I MEAN, I'D LOVE TO
KNOW HOW THEY DID IT.

THE YEAR I HAD
THREE SHOWS, UM,

I HAD A LOT OF FOCUS.

56 EPISODES,
DID THEM ALL.

I DON'T WANT TO
DO THAT AGAIN.

BUT, THERE WAS
A GRANDEUR TO IT,

BECAUSE IT WAS THE
LAST YEAR OF "BUFFY"

SO I COULDN'T DROP
THE BALL THERE.

IT WAS THE FIRST YEAR
OF "FIREFLY,"

SO I COULDN'T
DROP THE BALL THERE.

AND IT WAS THE FOURTH YEAR
OF "ANGEL" WHERE I THOUGHT

EVERYBODY KNOWS I'M GONNA
DROP THE BALL HERE,

SO I CAN'T DROP THE BALL
HERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE

THEY'LL BE LOOKING FOR IT.

AND THE EMOTION THAT WE WERE
GOING THROUGH ON "FIREFLY,"

WHICH WAS TERRIBLE
BUT SO BONDING.

THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF,
ONCE YOU GET THEM ALL SPINNING

THEY KIND OF BALANCE
A LITTLE BIT.

YOU CAN GO FROM HERE
TO HERE TO HERE A LITTLE BIT.

BUT, ONLY FOR A CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF TIME,

AND THEN YOU DIE
OF EXTREME OLD AGE.

**

PLEASE TELL ME
YOU GOT A WARNING.

WHAT IS THIS?
A DOCUMENTARY FILM.

(laughing)

(Hanson)
IF A SHOW IS IN ITS
THIRD YEAR, IT'S A HIT.

YOU CAN REPLACE
BEHIND THE CAMERA.

YOU CAN NOT REPLACE IN FRONT
OF THE CAMERA.

SO, IF THERE'S A HUGE FIGHT,
IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING ALONG

AND IT COMES TO
WHO'S GONNA STAY,

THE ACTOR WILL PROBABLY WIN.

THE BOCHCO QUOTE I HEARD
WAS "THE FIRST YEAR,

"THEY WORK FOR YOU,
SECOND YEAR, YOU'RE PARTNERS.

AND THE THIRD YEAR,
YOU WORK FOR THEM."

(overlapping chatter)

THIS IS DRESSED UP.
MONITORED.

THIS IS SUCH A GOOD IDEA.

YEAH NEW SHOE--
ARE THOSE NEW SHOES?

ARE THOSE YOUR...
LOOK HOW NEW THEY ARE!

THEY'RE TRIPLE-TIED!

YOU'RE TRYING
TO LOOK DECENT.

TRIPLE-TIED,
THOSE ARE TRIPLE-TIED.

UH-HUH, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT HE USUALLY LOOKS LIKE.

(interviewer)
OH, OKAY, OKAY.

WHEN I'M DEALING WITH MY CAST,
THE OCCASIONAL HOT TEMPERS

IS IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID.

IF YOU'RE LUCKY,
THE ARGUMENTS THAT YOU HAVE,

IT'S ALL BASED IN CHARACTER
AND STORY

AND TRYING TO DO THE BEST
SHOW THAT YOU POSSIBLY CAN.

I TRY TO FOCUS ON
WHAT'S CONSTRUCTIVE,

'CAUSE GENERALLY,
THERE'S A NOTE TO BE HAD

INSIDE-- INSIDE A VICIOUS
THROWDOWN ARGUMENT.

I REALLY, YOU KNOW, TRY TO
NOT BRING POISON ONTO MY SET.

AND IF AN ACTOR HAS A
REPUTATION OF BEING POISON

I DON'T BRING 'EM ON,
I DON'T CARE

HOW FUCKING
GOOD HIS WORK IS.

I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY
UNDERMINING THE ENERGY

THAT WE HAVE ON THE SET
THAT ULTIMATELY FEEDS

THE WORK AND--
AND WHAT THE SHOW IS

AND HOW-- AND HOW PEOPLE
PERCEIVE THE SHOW.

ACTION!

HE THREATENED HER
IN FRONT OF YOU?

(Shawn Ryan)
WE WERE CASTING
THE "SHIELD" PILOT.

I WAS VERY PROUD OF
THAT SCRIPT.

AND THEN ACTORS STARTED TO COME
IN AND READ FOR VIC MACKEY.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
IT DIDN'T SOUND SO GOOD,

AND I STARTED TO GET REALLY
DEPRESSED ABOUT IT.

AND I REMEMBER ONE DAY,
I TURNED TO CLARK JOHNSON,

OUR DIRECTOR, AND I SAID,
"MAYBE THE SCRIPT

ISN'T AS GOOD
AS I THINK IT IS."

AND I REMEMBER THE NEXT DAY,
MICHAEL CHIKLIS CAME IN,

AND HE SAT DOWN,
AND HE HAD ABOUT A SIX

OR EIGHT MINUTE AUDITION

THAT JUST FROM BEGINNING
TO END, HE WAS VIC MACKEY.

AND HE GOT UP AND HE
LEFT THE ROOM,

AND I TURNED TO CLARK AND
I SAID "NO, I'M A GREAT WRITER."

(laughing)
AND IT'S A-- IT'S A
GOOD EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW,

WHEN YOU-- YOU FEEL SO GREAT
WHEN YOU FIND THAT ACTOR

THAT JUST EMBODIES A ROLE.

CUT!

DON'T HAVE TO BE
SO MEAN, BOOTH!

IT'S THEIR JOB TO DO
WHAT'S WRITTEN FOR THEM.

AND OF COURSE, THEY'RE
INVESTED IN THEIR CHARACTERS

IN A WAY THAT WE'RE JUST NOT

BECAUSE THEY SPEND
ALL THEIR TIME WITH IT,

WHEREAS WE'RE SPENDING TIME
WITH SEVEN CHARACTERS

AT A MINIMUM.

ON BIG THINGS, LIKE WHETHER
OR NOT THE CHARACTER

SHOULD BE IN A RELATIONSHIP,
WELL, WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING.

MM-HMM.
AND THEY DON'T.

THEY TRUST US.
WHEN THEY GET A SCRIPT,

USUALLY WE'LL GET
A PHONE CALL

OF THEM SAYING,
"WOW, THIS IS WILD.

I MEAN, HOW AM I
SUPPOSED TO DO THIS?"

YOU KNOW, AND YOU'RE LIKE,
"WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK?"

AND THEN THAT'S WHEN
THE CONVERSATION BEGINS.

OUR LEAD ACTRESS, FOR EXAMPLE,
SHE'S HIT THESE CHALLENGES

THAT EVEN OURSELVES,
WE'RE LIKE,

"WELL, THIS IS GONNA
TAKE A LONG CONVERSATION."

BUT, I MEAN, LIKE NOTHING--
"OKAY, GUYS, THAT SOUNDS GREAT,

YOU KNOW, LET ME TAKE
A CRACK AT IT."

AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST
SITTING HERE FLABBERGASTED

BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE
ASKED SOME QUESTIONS.

**

(Jason O'Mara)
IN TELEVISION, YOU'RE GONNA
HAVE A LONG RELATIONSHIP

WITH THE PEOPLE
THAT YOU'RE IN BED WITH.

AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS
NEED TO FUNCTION

OR YOU WON'T HAVE A SHOW.

IN THE PAST, I'VE EITHER
CALLED OR EMAILED A SHOWRUNNER

AND GONE, "LOOK,
THERE'S SOMETHING HERE

"THAT I DON'T NECESSARILY
AGREE WITH.

"I'D LOVE TO TALK
TO YOU ABOUT IT.

"IS IT SOMETHING WE'LL JUST
LIVE WITH FOR THIS EPISODE,

"OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT
WE'LL HAVE TO LIVE WITH

IN THE FUTURE?"

AS AN ACTOR, YOU ARE THE
GUARDIAN OF YOUR CHARACTER.

SO, YOU DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY
TO BE ABLE TO SAY,

"I DON'T THINK MY
CHARACTER WOULD DO THAT,"

OR "I WOULD LOVE IT IF
MY CHARACTER DID THIS."

UM, YOU CAN SAY
WHAT YOU WANT.

YOU ARE THE GUARDIAN
OF YOUR CHARACTER.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE SHOWRUNNER
HAS-- HE'S THE BOSS.

HE'S THE BOSS MAN, AND HE
HAS THE ULTIMATE SAY--

OR SHE HAS THE
ULTIMATE SAY

TO DECIDE WHETHER YOUR
CHARACTER WOULD DO THAT,

REGARDLESS OF WHAT
THE GUARDIAN THINKS.

THERE'S A TENDENCY
IN NETWORK TELEVISION

BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE AND THE
TIME CRUNCH THAT YOU'RE UNDER,

IS THAT NO MATTER
WHAT SCENE COMES THROUGH,

THEY JUST WANT YOU
TO DO IT.

DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S
GOOD OR BAD, JUST DO IT.

AND I CAN'T WORK THAT WAY.

SO, IT ENDED UP THAT
I WOULD STOP PRODUCTION

FOR 30 MINUTES,
SOMETIMES FIVE OR TEN,

AND WE WOULD SIT DOWN AND WE
WOULD BASICALLY REWRITE

THE SCENE RIGHT THERE
ON THE SET.

MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HANK
IN THE BEGINNING

WAS VERY, VERY ROCKY.

HE WAS 32 YEARS OLD.

HE WAS A BABY AND HE'D
NEVER DONE IT BEFORE.

CONSEQUENTLY, YOU KNOW,
HE MADE ALL THE MISTAKES

THAT YOU MAKE WHEN YOU'RE PUT
UNDER THAT KIND OF PRESSURE.

I KNOW I DROVE HIM CRAZY,
BECAUSE I WOULD GET A SCRIPT--

AND MY PEOPLE SKILLS WERE NOT
PARTICULARLY GOOD AT THE TIME.

AND I WOULD WALK IN AND I
WOULD GO, "THIS IS SHIT.

THIS IS-- WHY, THIS DOESN'T
MAKE ANY SENSE."

BUT, TO HIS CREDIT,
HANK WROTE THE BEST EPISODES

OF THE ENTIRE SERIES
IN HIS THREE YEARS

THAT HE WORKED ON THE SHOW.

HE CAME TO ME AT
ONE POINT AND HE SAID,

"YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO LEAVE
AT THE END OF THIS SEASON,

AND I'M GOING TO
DO ANOTHER SHOW."

HE SAID, "QUITE HONESTLY,
WHEN I SEE YOUR NAME

COME UP IN MY PHONE,
I GET THE HIVES."

(laughing)

I LOVED HIM
FOR HIS HONESTY.

AND ACTION.

EVERY WEEK,
WE WALTZ INTO COMPANIES

JUST LIKE THIS ONE AND TELL
THEM HOW TO FIX THEIR SHIT.

NOW, IN THE CASE OF
GALWEATHER-STEARN

IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION

THAT THERE IS A
SEXUAL HARASSMENT ELEMENT.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT?
DO TELL, OBI-WAN.

SEXY, RIGHT?

OH!

(laughter)

HOW'S THAT SOUND,
JEANNIE?

LET'S DO THIS.

(director)
CUT-- GOOD.
GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.

ONE ADJUSTMENT,
LET'S GO AGAIN.

WHICH IS AT THE BEGINNING...

(Kristen Bell)
MATT IS INTERESTING

BECAUSE YOU DON'T GET
A SENSE OF WHO HE IS,

BECAUSE HIS WORK
IS PERVY.

HE HAS A DARK BLACK SOUL.

HE HAS GOT MUD RUNNING
THROUGH HIS VEINS,

AND I DON'T KNOW
WHERE IT COMES FROM.

BECAUSE THEN, WHEN YOU
INTERACT WITH HIM,

HE'S SO GENTLE AND
HE'S SO SOFT-SPOKEN

AND HE'S SO KIND,
BUT I THINK HE'S GOT

A LOT OF DARK STUFF
INSIDE HIM

THAT HE GETS OUT
IN HIS WRITING.

(Carnahan)
I LIKE COMING UP WITH AN IDEA

AND THEN GETTING TO
DIRECT THAT THING.

SOME PEOPLE REALLY
DON'T LIKE THAT.

I MEAN, TOM KAPINOS,
WHO DOES "CALIFORNICATION",

I TALK TO HIM,
AND HE'S NOT

THAT INTERESTED IN
THE DIRECTING PART.

...DOES NOT WORK HERE,
I WILL NOT ACCEPT IT.

YEAH, ROUND FUCKING TWO!
PLEASE, GO.

I THINK ONE OF THINGS WOMEN HAVE
TO DO IS STEP UP AND DIRECT.

AND ALL MALE SHOWRUNNERS
THAT I KNOW OF

EVENTUALLY DIRECT
THEIR OWN EPISODES.

AND THERE ARE NO
QUESTIONS ASKED.

YOU KNOW, THAT GUY'S BEEN
WRITING, SO OF COURSE

HE'S GONNA DIRECT
THE SEASON OPENER.

I HAVE TO STEP UP
AND DO THAT,

BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE IT
THAT THERE IS MORE SCRUTINY.

I THINK THERE IS MORE
SCRUTINY ON WOMEN.

I THINK IT'S MUCH HARDER
FOR WOMEN IN THIS BUSINESS

THAN IT WAS IN NEWS.

AND I FIND MYSELF
DOING THAT THING

I THINK THAT IS
UNIQUELY FEMALE, WHICH IS,

"THEY ALL THINK I'M A BITCH.
THEY ALL HATE ME."

MEN DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT.
I'VE WORKED FOR MEN,

THEY DON'T THINK-- THEY DON'T
GO HOME AND BE LIKE STEWING.

"OH GOD, THEY THINK
I'M AN ASSHOLE."

I DO.

THE FIRST PEOPLE IN,
YOU KNOW, IF ALL THE SHOWRUNNERS

ARE WHITE GUYS, IF ALL THE
EXECUTIVES ARE WHITE GUYS,

AND THE FIRST BRIGADE OF
WHOEVER THE MINORITY ARE,

IS THE FIRST GROUP OF WOMEN--
OF COURSE TINA FEY IS BRILLIANT.

'CAUSE SHE HAS TO BE.

OF COURSE, LENA DUNHAM
IS BRILLIANT.

SHE HAS TO BE.

WHATEVER PEOPLE MIGHT THINK
ABOUT ME ONE WAY OR THE OTHER,

I'M GOOD AT THIS,
I HAVE TO BE.

THE ONLY PROBLEM,
IF THERE IS A, UH,

GENDER OR A RACIALLY-BASED
COMPONENT

TO WHO GETS LET IN THE ROOM,

IT'S THE DECISION MAKER
BELIEVING SOMEHOW

THAT BECAUSE
YOU'RE A BLACK GUY

YOU CAN'T WORK WITH
DREW CAREY,

BECAUSE HE'S A WHITE GUY.

DO I WANNA GET
THE BLACK AUDIENCE?

ABSOLUTELY, BUT I'D JUST LIKE
A SHOT AT THE AUDIENCE, TOO.

**

I THINK ATTENDING COMIC-CON
IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT,

ESPECIALLY FOR A
GENRE SHOW LIKE "SPARTACUS".

THE FIRST TIME WE CAME HERE,
THE RESPONSE WAS FANTASTIC,

AND IT REALLY HELPED
LAUNCH THE SHOW.

(people cheering)

THIS IS A LITTLE BIT LIKE A
ROCK CONCERT FOR A SHOWRUNNER.

(cheering, applause)

WRITERS ARE OUT IN
THE FOREFRONT NOW,

JUST LIKE ACTORS
AND DIRECTORS.

PEOPLE, MORE THAN EVER,
UNDERSTAND

HOW SHOWS
ARE CREATED.

AND YOU REALLY NEED TO
NOT ONLY PROMOTE YOUR SHOW,

YOU NEED TO REPRESENT
YOUR SHOW.

(laughter)

SHOWRUNNERS WERE KIND OF
INVISIBLE UP UNTIL NOW,

UP UNTIL WE
BRANDED OURSELVES.

YOU KNOW, THE OLD ADAGE IS
THERE'S ONLY ONE THING WORSE

THAN BEING TALKED ABOUT, AND
THAT'S NOT BEING TALKED ABOUT.

AND SO, YES.
DO I NEED A PUBLICIST? YES.

DO I NEED TO TWITTER? YES.
DO I NEED TO BRAND MYSELF? YES.

DO I NEED TO BE KNOWN AS
J.T. INSTEAD OF JANET TAMARO?

YES, I PROBABLY DO.

(Moore)
I THINK THAT GIVEN THE
ONLINE FANDOM COMMUNITY,

THAT PEOPLE NOW HAVE
A PLACE TO GO TO

TO SORT OF IMMERSE
THEMSELVES IN THE UNIVERSE

OF A SHOW THAT
THEY REALLY LIKE.

ON A CERTAIN LEVEL,
YOU KIND OF REQUIRE

THE SHOWRUNNER TO BE PRESENT
IN THAT VENUE IN SOME FASHION.

BECAUSE THE SHOWRUNNER
ULTIMATELY IS THE ONE

WHO HAS THE ANSWERS TO THE
QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE.

SO, THERE'S PROBABLY A
CERTAIN RISE IN CELEBRITY

THAT GOES ALONG WITH
THE SHOWRUNNER.

(Whedon)
WHEN I STARTED OUT, THE IDEA
OF AN INTERNET COMMUNITY

WAS A VERY, VERY FRESH IDEA.

AND THE FACT THAT I WAS ABLE
TO WADE INTO THE MIDDLE OF THAT,

AND SO WERE MY WRITERS,

AND WHEN I WANTED TO,
MY ACTORS,

THAT WAS A NEW PHENOMENON.

AND TO BE ABLE TO WRITE AND
HAVE PEOPLE RECOGNIZE YOU,

AND BE ABLE TO
SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT IT,

IS MORE THAN A WRITER
USUALLY GETS.

(Lindelof)
I THINK THE INTERNET HAD TO
EXIST IN ORDER TO SORT OF

CREATE THE STORY
OF THE SHOWRUNNER.

CAN YOU IMAGINE IF DAVID LYNCH
HAD AN INTEREST IN

AND ACCESS TO THE INTERNET
WHEN "TWIN PEAKS" CAME ALONG?

I THINK THAT DAVID LYNCH
ABSOLUTELY WOULD HAVE BEEN

COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY
WITH HIS FANS.

PEOPLE WOULD HAVE
KNOWN MUCH MORE.

THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREATER
SENSE OF AUTHORSHIP THERE.

(Abrams)
THE INTERNET WAS
SORT OF JUST BECOMING

A THING WHEN WE WERE
DOING "FELICITY".

YOU KNOW, ON SPECIALTY WEBSITES
WE WOULD SORT OF SEE

EARLY STAGES OF CONSENSUS

OF WHAT PEOPLE WERE
THINKING OF EPISODES.

AND IT REALLY DID
BECOME CLEAR TO ME

THAT THIS WAS--
TV WAS BECOMING

A LITTLE BIT LIKE THEATER,

WHERE YOU WOULD
PERFORM SOMETHING,

AND ALMOST IN REAL TIME,
YOU'D BE HEARING

THE LAUGHTER
OR THE APPLAUSE,

OR THE ABSOLUTELY PAINFUL
DEAFENING SILENCE.

AND WHAT WAS KIND OF GREAT
WAS YOU COULD USE THAT

AS ONE OF YOUR TOOLS.

**

(Jane Espenson)
I LOVE TWITTER, I FEEL
LIKE I WAS BORN TO TWEET.

IT'S A WAY FOR ME TO SORT OF
LET PEOPLE KNOW WHO I AM.

YOU CAN TELL WHEN THE FANS
ARE TRACKING THE STORY.

YOU CAN TELL
WHEN THEY'RE CONFUSED.

YOU DON'T WANT
CONFUSED FANS.

YOU CAN TELL WHEN THEY'RE BORED.
YOU DON'T WANT BORED FANS.

SO, IT DOES GIVE YOU A WAY
TO TAKE THE TEMPERATURE.

BUT, TWITTER CAN BE
KIND OF DANGEROUS.

IF THE WRITERS OF "CHEERS"
HAD HAD TWITTER,

THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN
BESIEGED BY PEOPLE GOING

"GET SAM AND DIANE TOGETHER."

AND YOU KNOW, LIKE,
SOMETIMES WHAT THE FANS WANT

IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT
THEY REALLY WANT.

(DeKnight)
VERY RARELY DO I INTERACT WITH
THE VERY NEGATIVE CRITICISM.

BUT, SOMETIMES THERE'S
SOMETHING SO EGREGIOUS

THAT I JUST HAVE
TO COMMENT.

AND I'VE GOTTEN INTO
A DUSTUP TWICE NOW

THAT I CAN THINK OF
WHERE I FOUND OUT LATER

I WAS ACTUALLY IN
A YELLING MATCH

WITH LIKE A 12-YEAR-OLD.

SOME SHOWS ARE MUCH BETTER
SUITED TO A DIGITAL PRESENCE

TO A WEB PRESENCE
THAN OTHERS.

"LOST" IS PROBABLY
THE BEST EXAMPLE.

"LOST" FOUND ITSELF RIDING
THIS WAVE WHERE SUDDENLY

THEY REALIZED PEOPLE
WANTED MORE INFORMATION,

AND THEY WERE VERY SAVVY
ABOUT IT, AND THEY BEGAN

TO CREATE ALL SORTS OF
BRANDED MERCHANDISE,

NOT JUST ON THE WEB-- THEY
ALSO HAD A GAME AND A BOOK.

BUT, AT ONE POINT,
CARLTON CUSE SAID, "YOU KNOW,

"SOMETIMES I DON'T FEEL
LIKE A SHOWRUNNER,

I FEEL LIKE
A BRAND MANAGER."

(Lindelorf)
THERE WAS THIS DEMAND
FOR US TO CONSTANTLY GET OUT

AND EXPLAIN THINGS.

AND WE FELT LIKE IF WE
DENIED OUR AUDIENCE,

IF WE BASICALLY SAID, "SORRY,
THE SHOW SPEAKS FOR ITSELF,

AND WE'RE NOT GONNA
TALK ABOUT THE SHOW AT ALL,"

THAT ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE
HURT THE SHOW.

AND SO, BY MAKING
OURSELVES SORT OF AVAILABLE,

ULTIMATELY SOMETIMES TO
CRITICISM AS WELL AS PRAISE

OR QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING,
WE FELT THAT

THAT WAS IN THE BEST
INTEREST OF THE SHOW.

THAT EVOLVED TO, BY THE END
OF THE FIRST SEASON OF THE SHOW,

CARLTON AND I WERE ASKED
TO DO A SPECIAL

WHERE WE EXPLAINED
"HERE ARE ALL THE THINGS

THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN
ORDER TO ENJOY THE FINALE."

SO, SUDDENLY, I'M JUST
A WRITER

WHO OCCASIONALLY DOES
INTERVIEWS WITH THE PRESS.

AND THEN I TURN ON ABC,
AND THERE'S MY UGLY BALD HEAD,

YOU KNOW, TRYING TO EXPLAIN
WHAT THE BLACK ROCK IS.

AND CARLTON AND I
JUST TURNED TO EACH OTHER

AND SAID "HOW THE HELL
DID THIS HAPPEN?"

**

(overlapping chatter)

(Espenson)
WE ARE AT THE FOREFRONT
OF A NEW ERA,

AND IT IS AN ERA WITH SOME
REALLY DISTINCT DIFFERENCES

FROM THE WAY TV HAS
BEEN DONE BEFORE.

WHEN WE STARTED "HUSBANDS",
MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS,

"OKAY, WE PUT THIS UP ON
THE WEB, WE DEMONSTRATE

THERE'S AN AUDIENCE FOR THIS,
AND THEN TV WILL WANT IT."

NOW, I REALIZE, LIKE, NO,
WHY WOULD WE WANNA GO THERE,

WHEN WE'VE DEMONSTRATED
THERE'S AN AUDIENCE FOR IT

RIGHT WHERE IT IS?

RIGHT NOW,
WHAT THE INTERNET

IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING
IS GROWING.

WHAT TV IS CAPABLE OF
HOLDING ONTO IS SHRINKING.

BUT, THEY HAVEN'T
MET IN THE MIDDLE

IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY.

AT SOME POINT, I THINK
THEY WILL HAVE TO.

I FEEL LIKE
WHAT I DO IS SECURE

IN THAT I'M A WRITER,
FIRST AND FOREMOST.

I'M GONNA WANT TO WRITE
SOMETHING FOR SOMEBODY

AND SOMEONE'S GONNA
WANNA MAKE IT.

YOU KNOW, AND IF I AM
WRITING FOR SOMETHING

THAT'S JUST ON THE INTERNET,
AND WE'RE PERFORMING

LIKE JUST ON
SOMETHING.COM,

IF I'M HAPPY DOING IT
AND I CAN FEED MY FAMILY,

I'M HAPPY DOING THAT, TOO.

(Espenson)
WE CAN DO IT IN THE WAY
THE CONSUMER MOST WANTS IT.

GET IT DIRECTLY TO THEM,
THEY CAN HELP US FUND IT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE
INVESTED IN A BIG TV SHOW.

WEBSHOW, YOU'RE
INVESTED IN IT,

JUST-- WHICH IS
FANTASTIC.

THE PROFUSION OF PLATFORMS
OF CHANNELS OF DISTRIBUTION,

IT'S ALL KIND OF EXPLODING,
AND IT USED TO BE

THAT YOU COULD UNDERSTAND
I THINK THE TELEVISION UNIVERSE

AS A SOLAR SYSTEM, AND THE SUN
WAS BROADCAST TELEVISION--

THE THREE OR FOUR NETWORKS--
AND EVERYTHING ELSE

WAS A SATELLITE THAT
TRAVELED AROUND THE SUN.

AND THAT CLEARLY NO LONGER
IS THE MODEL.

THE SUN HAS EXPLODED.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF LITTLE
SOLAR SYSTEMS BEING SET UP,

AND THE IDEA THAT WE'LL
EVER HAVE A COHERENT WHOLE

LIKE THAT AGAIN,
I'M NOT SURE WE WILL.

**

(TV)
...RIGHT NOW-- THERE HE IS.

HE'S UP THERE IN HIS PRIVATE
G-6 AND HE'S COMING HERE,

TO OUR TINY COMPANY
UP IN HIS FAT FUCKING BELLY.

SO, WHAT WE NEED
TO DO, DOUGLAS,

IS WE NEED TO GET ADAM???

IT'S A LITTLE BIT HEARTBREAKING
BEING IN THE EDITING ROOM,

BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY
SO MUCH YOU CAN MAKE BETTER.

THERE ARE REALLY
SO MANY THINGS

THAT YOU HAVE TO BE ON TOP OF
ON THE DAY THAT YOU'RE SHOOTING

THAT YOU JUST, YOU KNOW,
PAY FOR IN THE EDITING ROOM.

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT
THE IDEA OF BREAKING IT UP

INTO TWO SECTIONS,
ONE AFTER TEN

AND ONE AFTER 13?

'CAUSE I WATCHED IT
LAST NIGHT LIKE A, YOU KNOW,

LIKE A THIRD GRADER--
NO, IT WAS TOTALLY...

I WAS LIKE,
"WOW, THAT'S COOL!"

'CAUSE I'VE BEEN WRITING
SO MANY EPISODES,

I HAVE NOT SPENT
ENOUGH TIME IN HERE.

SO NOW, I'M DOING A LOT
OF CATCHING UP.

(TV)
JUST LIKE THIS ONE, AND TELL
THEM HOW TO FIX THEIR SHIT.

WELL, THIS WEEK IT'S US.
RIGHT, JEANNIE?

BOTH "THE CHICAGO CODE" AND
"TERRIERS" BEING CANCELLED

WERE HARD, IN THAT I THOUGHT
WE'D MADE GOOD SHOWS.

I GET THAT IF YOU MAKE
SOMETHING THAT ISN'T GOOD,

IT'S-- IT'S GONNA FAIL.

THE HARD THING ABOUT
HOLLYWOOD IS THAT GOOD THINGS

CAN FAIL, TOO.

WHEN "THE SHIELD"
WAS IN THE MIDDLE

OF ALL ITS CRITICAL ACCLAIM,
I KNEW THAT NOT EVERYTHING

WOULD GO THAT WAY.

SO, FOR ME, I WAS LIKE,
OKAY "THE SHIELD"

KIND OF GIVES ME PERMISSION
TO FAIL AT THIS POINT.

AND FAIL, I DID.

(laughing)
UM...

YOU KNOW, I MADE THE SHOWS
I WANTED TO MAKE.

WE HAD A HORRIBLE
NAME FOR "TERRIERS".

WE NEVER COULD PROPERLY
EXPLAIN TO AN AUDIENCE

WHAT THAT SHOW WAS GONNA BE.

"CHICAGO CODE"
CERTAINLY HAD ITS SHOT.

GOT A BIG PREMIERE, THE NIGHT
AFTER THE SUPER BOWL.

GOT A LOT OF ADS
DURING THE SUPER BOWL.

I CAN'T SAY THAT
ANYBODY SCREWED US.

SELF DOUBT CREEPS IN,
NOT ABOUT MY ABILITY

TO MAKE WHAT I THINK
A GOOD SHOW IS,

BUT WHERE ARE MY TASTES
ALIGNING UP TO AMERICA'S TASTE?

I'VE LEARNED THE LESSON
AS A SHOWRUNNER

THAT YOU CAN CONTROL
THE THINGS YOU CAN CONTROL.

AND UNFORTUNATELY,
YOU CAN'T CONTROL

300 MILLION PEOPLE
AND WHAT DIAL--

YOU KNOW, WHAT CHANNEL THEY
TURN THE DIAL TO EVERY NIGHT.

ANY TIME YOU DO ANYTHING
AND YOU PUT IT OUT THERE

AND IT FAILS, UH,
IT'S OF COURSE

A DEPRESSING THING.

"UNDERCOVERS" IS AN ESPECIALLY
PAINFUL DISAPPOINTMENT.

I SORT OF DID THE SHOW
BECAUSE I WANTED TO

DO WHAT THE STUDIO
THAT I WORK WITH WANTED.

THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A SHOW
THAT WAS IN THAT VEIN.

AND THAT'S NOT REALLY
A GOOD REASON TO DO IT.

SECONDLY, I REMEMBER BEING
AT THE EMMYS ONE YEAR

AND JUST SEEING AN
AMAZING ARRAY OF WHITE PEOPLE.

IT WAS JUST REALLY THE WHITEST
ROOM I'D EVER SEEN.

AND THE IDEA OF, WELL,
IF WE'RE GONNA CAST THIS SHOW,

MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK FOR ACTORS
OF COLOR, LIKE, WHY NOT?

WHAT KILLS ME IS,
INSTEAD OF IT BEING A SHOW

THAT SAID "LOOK, YOU KNOW,

LEADS OF COLOR
EQUALS SUCCESS,"

IT WAS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE
OF THAT NOT WORKING.

(kids playing)

SOME SHOWS YOU DO,
IT'S JUST A JOB.

THIS IS LITERALLY MY LIFE.

IT'S EXTREMELY PERSONAL.

PEOPLE SEEM TO LIKE IT
WHEN THEY SEE IT.

SO, IT'S FRUSTRATING
THAT YOU FEEL LIKE

IF YOU COULD JUST
GET IT IN FRONT OF PEOPLE,

I KNOW WE DID A GOOD JOB,
YOU KNOW,

YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE IT.

**

THAT WAS THE PARTY STORE
BACK THERE.

AND THIS IS, UH,
ANDRE BRAUGHER'S

CHARACTER'S HOUSE,
AND LISA GAY HAMILTON,

WHICH I GUESS THEY STILL HAVE
MOST OF THE SET DRESSING UP.

WE WRAPPED THE DAY
AFTER OUR SHOW PREMIERED.

SO, WE HAD THE PREMIER
ON DECEMBER 6TH,

AND I WAS DRIVING TO
THE SET ON DECEMBER 7TH

FEELING REALLY GREAT 'CAUSE
THE PREMIERE WAS REALLY GOOD.

IT'S GONNA BE THE LAST DAY
WITH THE CREW WHERE WE ALL

GET TO HAVE A GOOD TIME
AND I WAS REALLY HOPING

TO GET SENT THE RATINGS
ON MY PHONE,

AND THAT I COULD GO,
"OH, LOOK, HEY,

WE DID GREAT, EVERYBODY!"

AND, SO WE'RE WORKING
FOR A FEW HOURS,

AND THEN THE RATINGS CAME IN.

AND I LOOKED AT
MY PHONE AND SAID,

"I'M NEVER GONNA SEE
THESE PEOPLE EVER AGAIN."

(laughing)
'CAUSE IT WAS--

IT WAS NOT--
NOT VERY GOOD.

UM, SO THEN, I RECOVERED.

(laughing)
AND, UH...

WE'RE NOT DEAD, BY ANY STRETCH
OF THE IMAGINATION.

WE'RE PROBABLY
GOING TO BE OKAY.

BUT, IT WAS-- IT WAS
A BAD NUMBER.

IT WAS A VERY BAD NUMBER.

AND IT-- IT FEELS BAD,
BECAUSE YOU--

EVERYBODY ON THE SHOW
WORKED SO INCREDIBLY HARD,

AND THEY'RE HELPING YOU MAKE
THE THING THAT YOU WANNA MAKE.

AND ALL YOU WANNA DO IS
GIVE THEM GOOD NEWS.

AND SO, YOU'RE JUST-- IT WAS
A HUGE WHOLE SEASON OF WORK

COMING DOWN TO
ONE STUPID EMAIL

GOING, "WELL, SORRY,"
YOU KNOW?

I MIGHT LOVE A SHOW,
AND JUST WANT SO BADLY

TO BELIEVE THAT IT
CAN MAKE IT.

BUT, THE PEOPLE WITH WHOM
I WORK WILL CORRECTLY

(chuckling)
AND USUALLY GENTLY,
SAY TO ME,

"HEY, LOOK AT THIS.

NO, WE KNOW YOU
BELIEVE IN IT, BUT..."

AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE
THIS BECOMES A BUSINESS,

AND THE RIGHT BUSINESS
DECISION AFTER THAT POINT,

THERE'S A LOT OF
MONEY INVOLVED.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, "THAT
DIDN'T WORK," IT HURTS.

AND THAT'S THE SINGLE
WORST PHONE CALL.

AND IN THIS CASE, TO HAVE
TO CALL A SHOWRUNNER

WITH WHOM YOU'VE FORMED
A RELATIONSHIP, AND SAY,

"HEY, ROAD'S OVER.
WE TRIED.

YEAH, WE'RE CANCELLING IT."

IT SUCKS, YOU KNOW?

**

(man)
ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR
THE CAST AND CREW OF "FRINGE".

(cheering)

**

YEAH, WHEN IT'S OVER...

I'LL-- I'LL BE SAD.

IT'S GONNA BE
VERY DIFFICULT.

IT'S LIKE YOU'RE GIVING AWAY,
YOU KNOW, AN APPENDAGE.

BECAUSE IT IS A
VERY GOOD SOURCE

OF COMMUNICATION
FOR ME, YOU KNOW?

AND UM, I'M GONNA
MISS HIM.

SO, I FIND MYSELF,
EVEN RIGHT NOW, UM,

YOU KNOW, REWRITING SCENES
THAT ARE PERFECTLY GOOD.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE-- 'CAUSE
IT'S NOT THE SAME FEELING.

LIKE, IN ANY OTHER
SEASON, YOU'RE LIKE,

"OH! OKAY, NEXT,
YOU KNOW, FINISHED,

STAMP, YOU KNOW, GONE,"
YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU GET

TO EDIT IT AND YOU SEE IT AND
THEN IT GOES ON THE AIR.

YOU'RE KIND OF RELIEVED,
TO BE HONEST,

THAT THE NEXT SCRIPT
HAS BEEN FINISHED,

BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT'S ALWAYS
CREEPING BEHIND YOU GOING,

"I'M GONNA CATCH YOU,
I'M GONNA CATCH YOU."

UM, THERE'S NONE OF THAT
THIS YEAR, THAT'S ALL GONE.

AND IT'S ALL, UM,

"OH, THIS IS SO
TERRIBLY SAD."

**

(Lindelof)
WE HAD THIS VERY PROFOUND
MOMENT OF REALIZATION,

WHICH IS THE SAME YEAR THAT
WE WERE GONNA DO OUR END POINT

WAS THE YEAR THAT THE
"SOPRANOS" FINALE AIRED.

SO, CARLTON AND I BOTH
WATCHED THE "SOPRANOS" FINALE

AND WE WERE IN NEW YORK
AT THE TIME, AND WE HAD

A SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT
THE NEXT MORNING.

AND, WE JUST WERE
COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY

BY HOW AWESOME THE
"SOPRANOS" FINALE WAS.

AND THE NEXT MORNING, WE GOT UP,
WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT,

AND THEN WE WENT INTO THIS ROOM
WITH ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE,

AND WE WERE LIKE, "DID YOU
SEE THE 'SOPRANOS' FINALE

LAST NIGHT?"
AND THEY WERE LIKE,

"YEAH, WASN'T IT A COP-OUT?"

AND WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER
AND SAID "WE'RE FUCKED."

AS FAR AS GETTING
BACK INTO TV,

I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A
CERTAIN LEVEL OF EXPECTATION

THAT IS DEFINITELY GONNA BE
PLACED ON WHATEVER I DO NEXT.

WHEREAS BEFORE, I THINK I WOULD
HAVE BEEN A LITTLE MORE

FOOT-LOOSE AND
FANCY FREE AND SAID,

"OH, LET'S TRY THIS OUT,"
OR "LET'S TRY THAT OUT."

NOW, I'M LIKE-- I'M KIND OF,
YOU KNOW, HOLDING MYSELF

TO A VERY HIGH STANDARD
FOR WHAT IS GONNA BE THE IDEA

THAT I KINDA TAKE
AND RUN WITH.

EVERY PROJECT THAT SUDDENLY
WE'RE INVOLVED IN,

OR THAT I SAY YES TO,

IS POTENTIALLY ANOTHER,
YOU KNOW, HOUR I'M SPENDING

NOT WITH MY FAMILY,

YOU KNOW, ANOTHER HALF HOUR
OR WHATEVER.

BUT, THERE'S A WONDERFUL
THING ABOUT RUNNING A SERIES.

IT'S AN EVOLVING,
ORGANIC, LIVING THING.

BEING A PRODUCER BUT
NOT A SHOWRUNNER,

I CAN KIND OF FROM AFAR
OBSERVE THIS THING,

AND AT TIMES, BE GRATEFUL THAT
I'M NOT HAVING TO DO THAT.

BUT, I WOULD BE LYING
TO YOU IF I DIDN'T SAY

I MISS THAT JOB, AND BEING
THERE AND DOING THAT.

AND SO, ONE DAY,
I WOULD LOVE

TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AGAIN,
IF THEY'LL HAVE ME.

(Kelley)
THE FUN OF TELEVISION IS
THAT IT WORKS AT SUCH A PACE

THAT YOU WRITE SOMETHING ON,
YOU KNOW, THE FIRST OF THE MONTH

AND THEN IT'S AIRING
IN A MONTH.

IT'S VERY--
YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE--

I MEAN, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
ARE SEEING IT.

IT'S THAT URGENCY
THAT'S SO EXCITING

AND-- AND RARE FOR ANYONE
TO BE ABLE TO DO.

AND SO, YEAH, I DO--
I DO LOVE WHAT I DO.

THERE'S TIMES WHERE I WISH
I COULD SLEEP A LITTLE MORE.

IT'S HARD, YOU SACRIFICE A LOT

WHEN YOU ARE IN CHARGE
OF SO MANY THINGS.

AND ULTIMATELY, I WOULD LOVE
TO BE ABLE TO GIVE AWAY

SOME OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES
OR SHARE THEM A LITTLE BIT

BETTER THAN I DO ALREADY.

AND I THINK THAT FOR
A LOT OF SHOWRUNNERS,

RIGHT OR WRONG, THE AMOUNT
OF CONTROL THAT YOU HAVE

IN THESE SITUATIONS
IS WHAT MAKES THINGS

FEEL SPECIAL TO
AN AUDIENCE.

(Chris Downey)
IT USED TO BE THAT
YOU'D GET THE SHOW

UP UNTIL YOU WANTED TO
PUT A GUN IN YOUR MOUTH,

AND THEN YOU WOULD FIND
THESE MAGICAL SHOWRUNNERS

WHO WOULD COME IN
WHO WERE KIND OF--

WE LIKE TO CALL THEM SORT OF
LIKE HOSPICE WORKERS,

WHO KIND OF LIKE
FEED THE SHOW

AND GIVE IT
PAIN RELIEVING MEDICINE.

OH, OH, OH, IS THAT
SEASON SEVEN?

THAT IS SEASON SEVEN, ISN'T IT?
THAT'S RIGHT, YEAH!

IT'S PALLIATIVE OF CARE
FOR YOUR SHOW AS IT SLOWLY--

THE LIFE EBBS FROM IT,
AND THEN IT DIES.

AND NOW, I THINK
THERE'S A LOT MORE

CRADLE-TO-THE-GRAVE
SHOWRUNNERS.

YOU TRY TO MAKE THEM
TILL YOU THINK

MAYBE YOU CAN'T MAKE
ANY MORE GOOD ONES.

YEAH, OR YOU KNOW-- LOOK,
OR PEOPLE STOP WATCHING.

**

AT ONE POINT EARLY ON
IN MY CAREER,

I WAS WORRIED THAT
I HAD RUN OUT OF IDEAS.

YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT,
WELL, WHAT IF THAT'S IT?

WHAT IF THE WELL
IS DRY?

TEN, ELEVEN YEARS LATER,

I'M FACED WITH
THE OPPOSITE PROBLEM,

IS I HAVE SO MANY PROJECTS
UP ON MY PROJECT BOARD,

THAT I LOOK AT THEM AND
REALIZE I'M GONNA GO TITS UP

BEFORE I GET ALL THIS
STUFF OUT THERE.

THEN I STARTED THINKING,
WELL, THERE'S NOTHING TO SAY

THAT I HAVE TO DO
ALL OF THIS.

I WOULD LOVE TO FOLLOW THE
PATH OF-- OF A J.J. ABRAMS.

HE'S SOMEONE THAT I
DEFINITELY LOOK UP TO,

ON NOT ONLY A CREATIVE LEVEL,
BUT ON A BUSINESS MODEL.

TO GET TO A LEVEL
WHERE YOU CAN HAVE

MULTIPLE SHOWS
ON TELEVISION,

WHERE YOU CAN CO-CREATE
SHOWS WITH THE WRITERS

YOU'VE WORKED WITH
AND LOVE,

AND YOU CAN ALSO
HAVE A FEATURE CAREER.

I THINK THAT IS-- THAT IS
THE IDEAL THING TO SHOOT FOR.

WHAT, ARE THESE FANS?

(overlapping chatter)

IT IS AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT
BUSINESS TO BREAK INTO,

ESPECIALLY FOR
PEOPLE LIKE ME.

I DIDN'T GROW UP IN HOLLYWOOD.

I GREW UP IN A TINY LITTLE
TOWN IN SOUTH JERSEY.

I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN FURTHER
FROM THE HOLLYWOOD DREAM.

UH, BUT I HAD ALWAYS
WANTED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

AND, YOU KNOW,
IT'S KIND OF A--

ALMOST A 1940'S
"GEE WHIZ" KIND OF SPEECH,

BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU
FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS

AND YOU NEVER GIVE UP,
YOU WILL GET WHAT YOU WANT.

IT MAY NOT BE HOW
YOU EXPECT IT.

IT MAY NOT BE IN THE
TIMEFRAME YOU EXPECT IT.

BUT, YOU WILL MAKE IT.

(cameras clicking)

WHEN I WAS FRESH OUT OF COLLEGE,
I REMEMBER A JOB INTERVIEW

WHERE SOMEBODY SAID
"WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF

IN FIVE YEARS?"
AND I THOUGHT,

YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW
WHAT I'M HAVING FOR LUNCH.

SO, THAT'S NOT A QUESTION
I'LL ANSWER.

WHERE DO I SEE MYSELF?
WHERE DO I SEE THIS SERIES?

I THINK THAT THIS IS
A SERIES THAT HAS

THE ABILITY TO
GO FOR A LONG TIME.

TNT IS A GREAT NETWORK
TO BE ON.

AND THEY'RE NOT LOOKING TO
KNOCK YOU OFF THE CHESS BOARD.

I'M VERY HAPPY TELLING
THESE STORIES RIGHT NOW.

BUT, I THINK,
IF YOU SAID TO ME,

"YOU'RE GONNA DO THIS FOR THE
NEXT EIGHT YEARS OF YOUR LIFE,"

I WOULD THINK, "REALLY?"

AND I SHOULD BE GOING
"OH, YAY!"

THAT'S WHERE I SHOULD BE,
AND MAYBE AFTER I'VE HAD

SOME SLEEP AND
A VACATION I'LL THINK,

"YEAH, EIGHT MORE YEARS!"

BUT, RIGHT NOW, I'M THINKING
"NO, EIGHT MORE YEARS?

DO YOU KNOW
MANY THAT IS?"

WHEN THE SHOW GOT
CANCELLED, UM,

THERE WAS A VERY
PROTRACTED PERIOD AFTERWARDS

WHERE I BOTH WAS HAPPY

TO HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT
TO DISTRACT ME

AND I WAS HAVING
A LOT OF TROUBLE

FORGETTING
"MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE".

I WAS WRITING MY PILOT,
AND AT THE SAME TIME,

I'M ON THE PHONE
TRYING TO SEE

IF "MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE" CAN
GO TO ANOTHER-- ANOTHER NETWORK.

IT'S LIKE YOUR GIRLFRIEND'S
IN A COMA,

BUT THEY'RE GOING, "HEY,
YOU WANNA GO ON SOME DATES?"

AND WHEN YOU'RE ON THE DATE,
I GUESS AT SOME POINT,

YOU FORGET MAYBE
FOR A FEW MINUTES,

AND THEN YOU COME
BACK HOME AND GO,

"OH, STILL IN A COMA.

"IT'D BE NICE IF YOU
GOT OUT OF THE COMA

SO I DON'T HAVE TO
GO ON THE DATES."

I DON'T KNOW WHY I JUST
DID THAT AS WOODY ALLEN.

IT WAS REALLY--
PLEASE CUT THAT, ALL OF THAT.

(laughing)

I WENT INTO MY DEAL
WITH 20TH CENTURY FOX.

THEN THAT STARTED.

SO, THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF,
"OKAY, TIME TO MOVE ON."

**

HERE'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

I'M OLD, I'M 53.
NO ONE WILL CALL ME.

NO ONE WILL WANT ME
TO BE A SHOWRUNNER.

AND THEN THE QUESTION WILL BE
WILL I GO WRITE A BOOK?

WILL I GO WORK FOR
ONE OF THE PEOPLE

WHO HAVE COME UP PAST ME?

I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER
TO ANY OF THOSE THINGS,

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW,
I CAN NOT SEE PAST CHRISTMAS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M SUPPOSED
TO BE AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR

IN CANADA, AND I'M
ALREADY HAVING MORE FUN

THAN-- THAN I WAS
SUPPOSED TO.

**

FIRST OF ALL,
I WANT A SHOW

WITH AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN
LEAD TO DO WELL.

ESPECIALLY DON CHEADLE,
'CAUSE HE--

NOBODY DESERVES
IT MORE THAN HIM.

THEN I'D LIKE TO KEEP MAKING
THE SHOW, 'CAUSE IT'S--

I FEEL LIKE IT'S FUN
AND IT'S GOOD.

AND, YOU KNOW, I HOPE
PEOPLE WILL WATCH IT.

SO, UM...

YEAH, I'M NERVOUS,
FOR SURE.

(overlapping chatter)

THANK YOU.

I'M SO EXCITED TO BE
SHOWING YOU GUYS THIS SHOW.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT
I WANTED TO MAKE A SHOW

ABOUT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS,
I DIDN'T--

BUT, UM, WE'VE TRIED
VERY HARD TO HIDE THAT FACT

IN THE MARKETING OF IT,
AND ALSO HIDE THE FACT

THAT IT'S ABOUT
RICH ASSHOLES.

NO OFFENSE TO
ANYBODY IN THE ROOM.

I'M EMBARRASSED TO SAY THAT
I FEEL GREAT ABOUT IT.

I USUALLY WANT TO
PICK THINGS APART.

BUT, I ACTUALLY REALLY
FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.

(applause)

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
MAKING THE SHOW

IS ENCOUNTERING
MYSELF EVERY DAY

AND WHAT I'M CAPABLE OF,

AND KIND OF STRETCHING THE
LIMITS OF WHAT YOUR TALENT IS

AND WHAT YOUR
EXPERIENCE IS.

AND THANKFULLY, I'VE DONE IT
A COUPLE TIMES,

SO I-- I'VE MADE
A LOT OF BIG MISTAKES.

AND SO, I CAN-- THINK I'VE
LEARNED A LOT FROM THOSE.

THIS IS A MAJOR
TIME COMMITMENT.

IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW,
A BIG CHUNK OF MY LIFE

FOR THE LAST YEAR.

BUT, I WOULD
HAPPILY DO IT AGAIN

IF I GOT THE CHANCE,
FOR SURE.

IT'S AMAZING TO GET TO JUST
DO IT RIGHT ONCE, YOU KNOW?

IT'S AMAZING,
TOTALLY WORTH IT.

**

**