1 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: My name is Matt Soon. I was a camera operator. 2 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 1: I was a director of photography, and I was a 3 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: director of the TV show at the Office. Hello one 4 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 1: and all, thank you for joining me on another episode 5 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: of the Office Deep Dive. It is so great to 6 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 1: have you here. I am your host, Brian baum Gartner. 7 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: Now today we are diving deeper into our camera as 8 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: character mini series with a conversation with my dear, dear friend, 9 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: Matt Son. Matt was hired by Randall Einhorn as his 10 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 1: camera operator starting in season one, and then Matt went 11 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: on to replace Randall as our director of photography, and 12 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 1: then eventually, just like Randall, became a big time director. 13 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: In fact, he's so big. I had to travel to 14 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: New York to conduct this interview, which I would not 15 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:11,400 Speaker 1: do for just anyone. Let's be clear, And speaking of 16 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 1: New York. In my conversation with John Krasinski, who I 17 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:18,400 Speaker 1: also spoke to in New York, I explained that Matt 18 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: and I had a very special relationship on set. As 19 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 1: I told John, I thought of it like a quarterback 20 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,960 Speaker 1: and a wide receiver, where Matt would give me a 21 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: nod and I'd know he was going to toss the 22 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 1: camera to me for a button or a look of 23 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: some kind. And when I told John this, as you 24 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 1: may recall, John ripped me apart for saying that. But 25 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: let's just say in this interview, I get fully vindicated. 26 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: So take that, Mr Krasinski. Um. In addition to being 27 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: the quarterback to my wide receiver, Matt is an all 28 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: around fantastic guy, and he shared so many wonderful insights 29 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: about what made our show truly special. So sit back 30 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 1: and enjoy my conversation with the very wise, always correct, 31 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: never wrong John Matt Song, Bubble and Squeak. I love it, 32 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 1: Bubble and squeak on Bubble and Squeaker. Cook at every 33 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: month left over from the night before. Oh there is. 34 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: I was just reading your text messages. You you look 35 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 1: way way less haggard than Ram this full beautiful thing 36 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: like he's got. I think he's trying to emulate Larry 37 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: Charles right with the beard. No, you look very I mean, look, 38 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: you've got a directing. Actually, I remember that about you. 39 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 1: That was well, that was my differences. Yeah, when on 40 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: set you used to change wardrobe. Well for my directing. 41 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,639 Speaker 1: When you directed, you would dress up. That was your 42 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 1: signature thing. Well, no, it was so people would look 43 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: at me a little differently than the jeans and the 44 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: because I would get judged. Man, No, I mean you 45 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: never were Paul Feig though, of course not. Um are 46 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: you comfortable? Are you you need to? I noticed it 47 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 1: just jumping right into this are we because it doesn't 48 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: seem like what do you mean? I wanted just to 49 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: say hello. I know we're saying hello. There's nothing, there's nothing, 50 00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: No one has any control over us. Yeah. Um, it's 51 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: very good to see you, as always you It's been 52 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: too long, That's that's usually the case these days. I 53 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: saw John Salada. We I talked with her last week 54 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles. Oh did you interview her? And I 55 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: love her and we keep in touch. So do you? Yeah? Oh, 56 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,359 Speaker 1: good for you. Well, it's interesting because Jen and my 57 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: daughter have a relationship because my daughter is now thirteen. 58 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:27,840 Speaker 1: Both my kids were born during our time on the office. 59 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: I know, what was it that, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 60 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: So she's she's a big fan of the show. Now. 61 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: It's it's so funny because she's both my kids. My 62 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 1: my son has just started watching it, and and so 63 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: both of them are huge fans. And and it was 64 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: great to watch her see the show for the first 65 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: time because she was like, wait, it's Mindy, it's it's 66 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: b J, it's you know, all the people that were 67 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: over for our Halloween parties and that she had no 68 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: onceptob And then she was like, wait, I didn't know. 69 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 1: I didn't realize that. Yeah. Oh yeah. And my son 70 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: likes to tell people that, you know, he was on 71 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 1: an episode of the Office. Who was it? Who was 72 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: he again? So I think it was baby shower. Greg 73 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 1: asked both Mike sher and I if we could bring 74 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:27,040 Speaker 1: our babies to set, okay, because Steve needed to hold 75 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 1: a couple of babies, and our wives are in the 76 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 1: background of the shot and the kids Michael's Michael's holding 77 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:44,480 Speaker 1: the two babies, and you see, uh, Mike Sure's wife 78 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:46,799 Speaker 1: and you see my wife kind of in the background 79 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:51,359 Speaker 1: behind it. That's so cool. Yeah. So my son, my 80 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,919 Speaker 1: eleven year old son, likes to make the point that 81 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: he was on the Office. My gosh, that is crazy. Yeah, 82 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: it's funny. So you, um, let's go back to early 83 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: two thousand's you are well, you did the first two apprentices, 84 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: is that right? Season one and two? I did and 85 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: Survivor I did. Now when with Survivor, was that early 86 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 1: Survivor was before Survivor was was before the Apprentice, and 87 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 1: then before Survivor was Eco Challenge the Adventure Race. Okay, 88 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 1: now that you shot with Randall, I think Australia was 89 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 1: like the third season of the Eco Challenge and that's 90 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: where Randall, That's where Randall and I. So you found 91 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 1: Randall in a bush in Australia, I would say Mark 92 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 1: Burnett found him. And you were a camera operator. I 93 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: was a camera operator and then I started deepeeing reality stuff. 94 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: I was deepeing documentaries. I was doing low budget movies. 95 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,679 Speaker 1: So how did you get hooked up with the folks 96 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 1: from the office that was all? Randall? Randall? Yeah, Randall 97 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: got hired. I think Randall had some kind of relationship 98 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 1: or new or got to know Ben silver and Silverman, 99 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: and then I think it was Ben that brought him in. 100 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: And because Randall and I knew the dance and you know, 101 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: he was planning to operate, he wanted somebody that understood it, 102 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: brought me in and h yeah, we did it together. Now, 103 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: when you say do the dance, what do you mean? 104 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: So when with the particular style of show because it 105 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 1: was a mockumentary documentary. It was what we did in 106 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: the bush, you know, for survivor, for whatever, and your 107 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 1: storytelling from behind the camera, you're finding everything that you 108 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: need to to find, and a lot of times you're 109 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: by yourself, so you need to make it look like 110 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: there are multiple cameras covering a scene and you're you're 111 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 1: having to react quickly, you know, to catch the moments. 112 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 1: I think that was sort of what was brought into 113 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 1: the style of of The Office. I mean, it existed 114 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: in the style of the original version, but I think 115 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: we kind of honed it down. It was something that 116 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 1: Randal and I did anyway for our reality and documentary stuff. 117 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: So when you're shooting documentary reality type stuff, is anybody 118 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 1: prompting you about what to get or in theory, there's 119 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 1: a producer out there. But a lot of times when 120 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 1: someone talks in your ear, it's more of an annoyance. 121 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 1: It's it's all about having instincts and listening and being 122 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:35,839 Speaker 1: able able to kind of edit things within your head 123 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: and understand what shots you need to tell the story 124 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: interesting and on the show, you had earpieces on on 125 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 1: the Office at least part of the time. And I remember, 126 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 1: now you guys yanking them out. Now, why who was 127 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 1: talking to you on the office. Well, it depends upon 128 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: when when you ask that question, because there there would 129 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 1: be times where you know, we had I think we 130 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: had the smallest camera department in all of Hollywood. It 131 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: was you know, it was random myself, it was Chris. 132 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: It was ed for the first season, first two seasons. 133 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: I think we had a did and the theory with 134 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: it did what they would roll the iris, they would 135 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: control things. But the problem is is that Randal and 136 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: I kind of did all at ourselves. We were pulling 137 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: our own focus. We were changing the exposure and when 138 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:31,439 Speaker 1: you do a camera move, and that did is realizing 139 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 1: what it is and slowly doing pulling the iris. It's 140 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 1: not as quick as me knowing, Okay, I'm gonna throw 141 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:38,839 Speaker 1: to somebody over in the corner, and I see it's 142 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: darker over there, so I'm gonna open up my exposure 143 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:43,559 Speaker 1: and pull my focus and zoom in for the shot. 144 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 1: It's kind of multiple things going on at once. I 145 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: don't know if that answered your question. No, it does. 146 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: I mean it's also giving me a greater appreciation that 147 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: you kind of knew what you were doing, which until 148 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: this moment I didn't realize that you thank you. I 149 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: appreciate that. No, no, but that's interesting. So in a way, 150 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 1: because you guys were taking care of so much of 151 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: it yourself, other people were just kind of getting in 152 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: your way that you needed it to be more rugged, 153 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:14,439 Speaker 1: ragged or well. I mean that was the feel of 154 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 1: the show. I mean, we we we would lay out, 155 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 1: you know, you'd have a director come in and you 156 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: talk about the shot and it's the only you know, 157 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: there are very few shows that can on the same lens, 158 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,080 Speaker 1: start with a super wide lens and then zoom in 159 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 1: tight to someone's face in the first moment and do 160 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: a whip across the room to catch somebody else's reaction. 161 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,079 Speaker 1: You know. It's a plus for the show is that 162 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: it could look a little dirty and didn't have to 163 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: be perfect. I mean, I think we were good at 164 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:48,080 Speaker 1: what we did, but you could see, you know, when 165 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: things aren't you know, immediately in focus or you're missing 166 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: it and you're finding it. But it's all part of 167 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 1: you know, the show, right. Was it a conscious decision 168 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 1: by you? You're working in reality television? Did you want 169 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:04,440 Speaker 1: to be working in the scripted world or was this 170 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: just a job that showed up I was playing in 171 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 1: the scripted world. I would I would come in and 172 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 1: operate on Scrubs and a handful of other shows. I 173 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: was shooting scripted you low budget feature stuff, and I 174 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 1: enjoyed it and it was something that was interesting for me. Ultimately, 175 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: it came at the right time, you know. I ended up. 176 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 1: I got dangay fever on Survivor Thailand and that I 177 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: was sick for I don't know, like six months from that. It. 178 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 1: Ultimately it did two wonderful things for me. Number One, 179 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:53,600 Speaker 1: the girlfriend that I had that took care of me. 180 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: I realized I needed to propose to That was the 181 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: most important. Number Two is it sort of knocked me 182 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 1: out of reality television. I was supposed to go from 183 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 1: that Survivor to do the next season of The Amazing 184 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: Race because I was bouncing back and forth between five 185 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 1: and Amazing Race, and I physically couldn't do it because 186 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 1: I had no energy, I had no strength. And it 187 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: was a little while after that then I got the 188 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,440 Speaker 1: call from Randall that said, hey, do you want to 189 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 1: come and operate on this new show? And I jumped 190 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:32,439 Speaker 1: at the opportunity. You know, once you're working in a 191 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 1: particular field, you get kind of buttonholed into it and 192 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: it's what you get known for and it's where you 193 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:42,319 Speaker 1: end up. And you know, so it was nice to 194 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 1: break that gravitational pull in that direction and to get 195 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 1: into scripted um. He attributed this to Greg. But one 196 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: of the things that Randall talked about was this sort 197 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:59,319 Speaker 1: of adage, everything that makes it harder makes it better. 198 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,559 Speaker 1: There was originally Einstein or something, but it the idea 199 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: was Einstein, Greg Greg Einstein, Randolph. It's all the same 200 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 1: um that the idea that you didn't want to shoot 201 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 1: something perfectly, like having to fight through a pillar that 202 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 1: was in the middle of the room, or or even 203 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:24,679 Speaker 1: moving a plant over into the shots appear to make 204 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: it more difficult without a doubt. Well, and it's also 205 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 1: interesting because you know, after takes you would learn the 206 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 1: script and know when the line was. You didn't want 207 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:38,320 Speaker 1: to beat a whip to somebody who had a line. 208 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:41,599 Speaker 1: You wanted a reason to have to pan over to accounting, 209 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 1: to whip over to Stanley. You know, you needed that moment. 210 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 1: You didn't want to beat it there. But you know, 211 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 1: sometimes you did well. I remember actually, now that I'm 212 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 1: thinking about it, you guys would ask at times for 213 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: uh handles exactly, particularly if the line was short, without 214 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:05,840 Speaker 1: a doubt and a handle. It would just be something 215 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:11,200 Speaker 1: as simple as a H or Michael, yeah, just something. 216 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 1: And then it just gave us that excuse to do 217 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: that whip to that person, because a lot of times, 218 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:23,000 Speaker 1: you know, it's impossible to truly cover a true conversation 219 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 1: when you got six people talking, and when people talk 220 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: naturally and they're saying something as simple as why yes 221 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 1: or whatever, and you want to be able to get 222 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:35,680 Speaker 1: that and sell the joke. So just to have a 223 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: little handle on there, you know, gave us a fighting chance. Yeah, 224 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: I mean it was great because the camera was definitely 225 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: a character in the show and and it was great 226 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 1: to be a part of that. And it did you know, 227 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 1: there were there were scenes that were written as a 228 00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 1: spy shot, and there were scenes that were written you know, Okay, 229 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: the camera's obviously there, so you can feel free to 230 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: look at it. But there were also scenes that I 231 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 1: think we discovered once we shot them, what felt better 232 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: and what worked better. And you know, it might have 233 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:14,160 Speaker 1: started out as a spy shot and then someone was 234 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 1: caught and you saw that little look to Cameron, a 235 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: reaction and a change in a tone, and um for 236 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 1: a comedy, it was very different stylistically, and you know, 237 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: I think that the Brittish show was very different stylistically. So, 238 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, one of my proudest accomplishments is 239 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 1: being a part of this show that has, you know, 240 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: become so much more than I feel like it ever was. Now, 241 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: however many years it's been, you know, since it was 242 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 1: on the air, and that it still holds up and 243 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 1: that the joke still lands and that the comedy is 244 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 1: still there. Yeah. Do you remember you shot most of 245 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: the talking heads? Yes, that I did. Do you remember 246 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 1: the most difficult or some of the most difficult things 247 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 1: that you had to shoot from a standpoint of not 248 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: laughing or I'm fortunate that I am kind of a 249 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 1: laughing on the inside clown and I could keep it in. 250 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: And the good thing about breaking in a talking head 251 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: is the camera was on a tripod, not on my shoulder. 252 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 1: The bigger challenges was to break during scenes that we 253 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 1: were shooting and the cameras on my shoulder, and there 254 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: are some extra little shakes and giggles. Um. And there's 255 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: one particular scene that I remember, not a talking head 256 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 1: of of Steve Krill. I don't know what it was, 257 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 1: Steve Krell saying, ah, how Benjamin Franklin is a douche. 258 00:16:55,320 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: We had the Ben Franklin uh impersonator as a stripper. Yes, 259 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: and and I don't know what it was, but I 260 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: was in tears and I could not hold the camera 261 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: because I was giggling so much with that moment. And 262 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:15,120 Speaker 1: that was the one true time that I broke. Now 263 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 1: it was a regular thing, like Jens Alata broke a 264 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 1: lot when she did her interviews for the Talking Heads. Yes, 265 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 1: we discussed she having to be banished from the room. 266 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,199 Speaker 1: I often she would have to go out and and 267 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:32,239 Speaker 1: we'd give them another eyeline. Um. I feel like, you know, 268 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:39,439 Speaker 1: for Talking Heads, rain Dwight had the most ridiculous talking 269 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 1: heads of anybody and comedy and without a doubt, and 270 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,920 Speaker 1: those were the ones that I feel like not only 271 00:17:48,000 --> 00:18:13,640 Speaker 1: broke him, but broke everybody around him. Were you consciously, 272 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 1: I mean you talked about the camera being a character. 273 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: What characters did you like? Well? It was so funny though, 274 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 1: because I feel like I was so invested in so 275 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:27,200 Speaker 1: much of it, and and it became a thing that 276 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: it was like I knew that I could give you 277 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: a look and throw the camera your way, and you 278 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: were always there to give me a reaction. And and 279 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:42,639 Speaker 1: I recall that I could have a shot of John 280 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:45,920 Speaker 1: or of Michael, and I could just peek over and 281 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 1: catch your eye and give you that look and do 282 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:51,680 Speaker 1: a whip to you, and you would be there with 283 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 1: some kind of eye roll or giggle or something that 284 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:58,720 Speaker 1: would make me laugh. And it was a worse while 285 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 1: worthwhile moment, know, and I know that it wasn't everybody 286 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:05,640 Speaker 1: that I could do that with. And I know that 287 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 1: you and I had that relationship and and it worked well, 288 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: you know. And I know that the accounting department as 289 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: a whole, knowing your guy's backgrounds, I know you guys 290 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: always had your little bits that you did and that 291 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,399 Speaker 1: you worked really hard in trying to find those moments. 292 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 1: I mean, in the early days, you know, all those 293 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 1: other characters kind of blossomed into what they were. They 294 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: were all so minimal, and it was fun to find 295 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:42,119 Speaker 1: moments and to find stories that weren't necessarily there, and 296 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:45,399 Speaker 1: to make more out of a moment, and to be 297 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:47,959 Speaker 1: able to do it with just a look, you know, 298 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:51,159 Speaker 1: throwing the camera to you to get a giggle, and 299 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: then finding Angela being annoyed because you're giggling at whatever 300 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 1: Dwight is saying at the moment. It was priceless and 301 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:00,880 Speaker 1: it made it in and it was funny. Well, first 302 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 1: of all, I want everyone to know I did not 303 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 1: prompt him to say those things. This was that was 304 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:10,479 Speaker 1: a spontaneous thing. And I have told people that you 305 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: specifically we would do like the wide receiver quarterback nod, 306 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:17,920 Speaker 1: like I got you, got me, I got you, It's 307 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:23,120 Speaker 1: it's coming. I told John this story. He just railed 308 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: into me. He really like, We're like, we're having a 309 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,639 Speaker 1: great scene and now you want to take credit. But 310 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: you know what that that was my small contribution at 311 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: times too, without scenes well and when they couldn't get 312 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:37,200 Speaker 1: it together, that's it. Randall and I would have the 313 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 1: running joke that we would throw to John and he 314 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: would give us the number four, which was a particular 315 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:48,200 Speaker 1: look that he would give to camera nub four. We 316 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:50,919 Speaker 1: had it numbered, so there were a couple of looks 317 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 1: that were sort of the John looks, and and it 318 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,439 Speaker 1: depending on what the scene was, we would know this 319 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 1: is a Dwight moment. Up he's going to give us 320 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 1: the number four. I'm throwing to John there it is 321 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:04,879 Speaker 1: the number four. Well, and that's that's so funny because 322 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:08,639 Speaker 1: my really my question about that like the you know, 323 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 1: if the camera is a character, then obviously you're affecting 324 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:19,240 Speaker 1: that relationship, but also like, did you feel like Jim 325 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 1: was more simpatico with you know, the documentarian or oh 326 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:28,479 Speaker 1: without a doubt. So yeah, I think that Jim's character 327 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:31,919 Speaker 1: as a whole, more than anyone else, Jim was the 328 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 1: one that had the biggest relationship with camera. He was 329 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:40,359 Speaker 1: the one truly grounded, relatable person on the show, and 330 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:42,959 Speaker 1: he was the one that I think had the best 331 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: relationship with the crew and that he kind of knew 332 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 1: what we were going through and what we were dealing with. 333 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,679 Speaker 1: So you could always find Jim for a look or 334 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:59,400 Speaker 1: a nod and and you know, he got it right. 335 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:06,200 Speaker 1: So what was always discussed externally was the the character's 336 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 1: relationship to the camera and whether it was there or 337 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 1: it wasn't there, or was it seen or not seen 338 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: or were trying to hide from it or whatever? Was 339 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: there any discussion about you as the cameraman having an 340 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: opinion or having a perspective on what you were seeing. 341 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 1: I mean, I feel like our perspective came across in 342 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:35,359 Speaker 1: how we covered the situations, So I don't I feel 343 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 1: like we went into it with a plan. I think 344 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:41,160 Speaker 1: something kind of grew out of it. You know, there 345 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 1: were characters who almost never played the camera. I feel 346 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 1: like Mindy never really played. Yeah, like I did more 347 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:56,679 Speaker 1: than obsc I feel like, yeah, I mean Creed, no, Kate, No, 348 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 1: not really, Leslie. I mean I feel like they were 349 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:05,400 Speaker 1: aware but just doing their thing. You know. Michael would 350 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: get caught and he would catch the camera and see 351 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 1: the situation that he was in and feel caught. Jim 352 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:16,240 Speaker 1: seemed to always know where the camera was at all times. 353 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 1: Um Kevin seemed to be aware of the camera because 354 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 1: it was another kind of play toy for him. Dwight, 355 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:27,960 Speaker 1: it went kind of both ways. There would be times 356 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 1: where he would kind of try to present play to 357 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 1: the camera and other times where he would kind of 358 00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:39,160 Speaker 1: just get caught. Did you feel like how much did 359 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 1: you feel open to making suggestions on the show. Well, 360 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 1: what was interesting with the show is that that we 361 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: had we had great directors. We had a who's who 362 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 1: of directors come into the show. You know, when you 363 00:23:57,040 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 1: have Paul feig Kin, kopis Um, Harold Ramos, J. J. Abrams, 364 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 1: what was great. I mean, ultimately all of these directors 365 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: were my directing school and and my whole thing once 366 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:14,920 Speaker 1: I started directing on the show was that I throughout 367 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 1: my time there, I tried to pull something from each 368 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 1: of these directors to keep with me, whether it was 369 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,359 Speaker 1: a positive thing or a negative thing that I learned. 370 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 1: With all of these directors coming in, they all had 371 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:30,919 Speaker 1: such respect, which I'm thankful for for both Randall and 372 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 1: I to let us do our thing because we knew 373 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:38,959 Speaker 1: the show so well. And I think Charles McDougald might 374 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: have been sort of the only director that was so 375 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:45,480 Speaker 1: specific with his moves. You know, he had such a 376 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 1: vision of it that he would say, zoom into his face, 377 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:52,680 Speaker 1: down to the credit card, up to the computer, down 378 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 1: to the keyboard, right to his face. You know, he 379 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:58,600 Speaker 1: had these other times, you know, most of the directors 380 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 1: would say, well, yeah, just cover of this and make 381 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:03,840 Speaker 1: it feel you know, like the office, and Randal and 382 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:07,960 Speaker 1: I would do our thing. Okay. Quiz question Okay, you 383 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 1: have to answer honestly, what type of scene would cause 384 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 1: the biggest disruption in our work day or week. The 385 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 1: conference room scenes were the black holes scenes. I mean, 386 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:28,680 Speaker 1: they were brilliant for what it was. But when you 387 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:32,840 Speaker 1: got the entire cast sitting in chairs and you have 388 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 1: Michael Scott doing one of his bits, and depending on 389 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:39,959 Speaker 1: what kind of mood you were in, but depending on 390 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 1: what kind of mood John was in, who was messing 391 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:46,199 Speaker 1: with who it would it would decide if we were 392 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:47,959 Speaker 1: going to be there for hours or if we were 393 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:50,160 Speaker 1: going to get through it. You know. But constantly people 394 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:54,679 Speaker 1: were breaking, people were messing around, people were Yeah, it 395 00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:58,199 Speaker 1: was chaos. Okay, that's a good answer. You you failed 396 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: the quiz. Oh shit, really yeah. I have said that 397 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:07,880 Speaker 1: nothing could halt production like a Jim Pam scene. Oh see, 398 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:11,360 Speaker 1: I thought you meant an overall scene. Oh god, there 399 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:14,240 Speaker 1: would be all sorts of huddles and groups and clearings 400 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:16,720 Speaker 1: of sets when there would be like a Jim and 401 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:22,600 Speaker 1: Pam moment. I had a very specific Tom Waits impression 402 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:26,440 Speaker 1: that I would do, which would be something like there's 403 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:32,639 Speaker 1: a discussion at themonitor and the writers would get so 404 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: aggravated but it was true though the writers would get called, 405 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,719 Speaker 1: they would all come down, we would dissect the scene, 406 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:42,120 Speaker 1: we would rebuild it. It also don't depended on who 407 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 1: was directing and who had written it, you know, and 408 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 1: who was present at the time those early Jim and 409 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 1: Pam scenes where they were just starting or I mean 410 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:56,640 Speaker 1: the kiss, Oh my god, you know, we cleared set. 411 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:00,080 Speaker 1: I feel like for an hour and a half. I 412 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:03,040 Speaker 1: think that that Kim, because it was Kim coppas that 413 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:05,439 Speaker 1: was with them on set, and then just Randle and 414 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 1: I came in and we were shoved in corners just 415 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:10,399 Speaker 1: to see where we would get our shots from, and 416 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 1: we had our game plan and just getting to the 417 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:17,960 Speaker 1: point of rolling on that. Why do why do you 418 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:21,399 Speaker 1: think those were so important? Well, again, I think that 419 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:24,919 Speaker 1: their relationship was such a great thing, and it was 420 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 1: a slow burn early on, and they didn't want to 421 00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 1: go too far too fast, and they wanted to keep 422 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:34,439 Speaker 1: it grounded and they wanted to keep it real. And 423 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 1: I think that it was finding that exact tone that 424 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:44,399 Speaker 1: kept everybody happy, that kept their relationship, you know, on point, 425 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:48,159 Speaker 1: to give it that slow build. And the great thing 426 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 1: about their relationship is it felt real and it felt grounded, 427 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:59,639 Speaker 1: and it wasn't one of these ridiculous, romantic, silly things 428 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:02,240 Speaker 1: that you seeing a lot of shows that just happens. 429 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:07,240 Speaker 1: It was a slow burn that basically grew fruits of 430 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:10,960 Speaker 1: their labor. Right. But you guys, I mean, it's occurring 431 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:13,879 Speaker 1: to me right now. You guys were so instrumental in 432 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:17,959 Speaker 1: telling that story because it really was just about you 433 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 1: guys finding very very small moments. Because they were so small, 434 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:27,879 Speaker 1: they were super charged, right, And and with that, the 435 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:31,639 Speaker 1: cameras were always hidden. It was always at the end 436 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,199 Speaker 1: of the lens. You know, you would you would be 437 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 1: so still that the only movement in the camera would 438 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 1: literally be your heartbeat. Yeah, I mean, I think that 439 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 1: those moments were so well written and so well acted 440 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:49,800 Speaker 1: that it was easy for us, being hidden, to tell 441 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 1: our side of that story. And then you got to 442 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 1: tell like a fun love a couple of fun love 443 00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 1: stories with Dwight and Angela and Kelly and Ryan, which 444 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:03,800 Speaker 1: kind of the opposite and and and just the same 445 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: with with Ellie and Andy. Yes, you know, there were 446 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 1: a lot of relationships that that blossomed within that that office. Um, 447 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 1: anything specifically different about how those things were, I mean 448 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: the Dwight and Angelo was really about, uh, you know, 449 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:26,400 Speaker 1: trying to like fight hunt them down sort of like 450 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:30,080 Speaker 1: you know, maybe some pairing on Survivor, right, And that 451 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: one was specifically fun just because of who those characters 452 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 1: are and how they dealt with each other, and and 453 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 1: it was it was wonderful in its own right. And 454 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: then you know, Mindy and and Ryan was its own 455 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:51,920 Speaker 1: dysfunctional relationship that you know, had other echoes of based 456 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 1: on reality kind of moments that were kind of fun 457 00:29:57,200 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 1: to to to be aware of, sort of like with 458 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:04,160 Speaker 1: the with the Ryan and Kelly stories. When I would 459 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:07,240 Speaker 1: we would be reading an episode and a table read, 460 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 1: and I would sort of immediately go and be like, 461 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:12,880 Speaker 1: who wrote this episode? Again? Okay, all right, I see 462 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: where this one's coming from. Well, I had heard that 463 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:20,400 Speaker 1: there were sometimes where when those two were fighting in 464 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 1: real life, that the writers would come together and make 465 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 1: sure that there was some scene that they were making 466 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:30,360 Speaker 1: out on set just to kind of poke the bear. Yeah, well, 467 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:33,880 Speaker 1: that sounds like it, like like Mike Sheer playing most 468 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:37,680 Speaker 1: which which well in that first season where they made 469 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 1: him grow the beard and keep it, I remember we 470 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:43,760 Speaker 1: had there was like a we didn't get a shot, 471 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 1: or we needed him with the beard and he had 472 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:48,680 Speaker 1: to wear it to the Emmys or something ridiculous. Do 473 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: you remember that, man? No, I have some vague recollection 474 00:30:53,200 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 1: of it. Randall leaves. Randall left, uh and I became 475 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:23,719 Speaker 1: the DP and Sarah Levy came in. Sarah Levy was 476 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:29,719 Speaker 1: a camera operator and she came in and day played 477 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:32,400 Speaker 1: with us when Randall was still around. But she was 478 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:34,640 Speaker 1: also just a great fit for the show. So it 479 00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:37,600 Speaker 1: was perfect to get her in. You know, right now, 480 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:42,600 Speaker 1: Sarah's doing she did Captain Marvel. She Yeah, she works 481 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:45,760 Speaker 1: all the time. She's a rock star. Yeah. Was it 482 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 1: a big change for you taking over that role on 483 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:51,560 Speaker 1: the show or not really? I mean I was fortunate 484 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:54,480 Speaker 1: enough that I knew the show so well and had 485 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 1: worked so closely with Randall that I felt like, you know, 486 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:00,880 Speaker 1: I was, I was ready and it was an easy 487 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:06,239 Speaker 1: transition to make. But then you start directing. Actually that 488 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 1: was before Randall left that I got my first opportunity. 489 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:13,040 Speaker 1: You got your first opportunity during Happy Hour? Was it 490 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:16,480 Speaker 1: happy Hour or was it? It was? It was Happy Hour? Sorry, 491 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:19,280 Speaker 1: because they the name changed at some point in time. 492 00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:22,120 Speaker 1: It was Date Mike, but it got changed to Happy Hour. 493 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:26,160 Speaker 1: Happy Hour was the episode and that was in season six. 494 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 1: How did you feel about that? Was that? Was that 495 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 1: something you'd always wanted to do? It was something I 496 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:34,960 Speaker 1: was interested in doing. Um. Greg gave a number of 497 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:39,680 Speaker 1: us our first true opportunities to direct. He gave Randall 498 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:43,440 Speaker 1: the opportunity that Randall took and ran with. Uh. He 499 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 1: gave it to Dave Rogers, editor, to Claire Scanlon who 500 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,800 Speaker 1: was an editor. But I feel like Greg gave us 501 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:56,640 Speaker 1: all these opportunities that helped step us all to you 502 00:32:56,680 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 1: know where we are now as directors. UM. I was 503 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 1: thrilled to get the opportunity to direct. It was great 504 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 1: being on this show because I felt like I had 505 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:13,400 Speaker 1: so much support from the cast because they all knew me. 506 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:16,680 Speaker 1: I you know, I always got some level of ship 507 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:21,600 Speaker 1: from somebody, but I felt super supported and um it 508 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 1: was also a great episode because we spent so much 509 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:29,400 Speaker 1: time out of the office and I think we were 510 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:34,440 Speaker 1: in a what's the arcade name the two names the Dusters. 511 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 1: It was like that, yeah, but it was a David 512 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:40,120 Speaker 1: Buster was the David Busters up at Universal and but 513 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:44,640 Speaker 1: the name it ended up going with was sid and Dexter's, 514 00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:49,440 Speaker 1: which are the names of my kids. Well, I pitched it. 515 00:33:49,560 --> 00:33:52,880 Speaker 1: They were kind enough to accept it, which was kind 516 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:59,520 Speaker 1: of fun. Um, what's so great about this episode to 517 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:04,680 Speaker 1: me is that you know, he's getting set up by 518 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:09,640 Speaker 1: Jim and Pam with one of Pam's friends, and he's 519 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:15,960 Speaker 1: so sweet and genuine to this woman until he realizes 520 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:19,160 Speaker 1: that he's on a date, and then he goes back 521 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:22,080 Speaker 1: to his car and he puts on his kangle hat 522 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:28,280 Speaker 1: on backwards and he becomes date Mike. He becomes this horrible, 523 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:32,399 Speaker 1: horrible other person that he that Michael Scott believes is 524 00:34:32,640 --> 00:34:34,720 Speaker 1: what he needs to be to make this date work. 525 00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:40,360 Speaker 1: And he causes a huge scene and you know, everything 526 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:42,960 Speaker 1: with this woman that Pam has trying to set him 527 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:45,759 Speaker 1: up with goes to pot but he ends up ultimately 528 00:34:46,680 --> 00:34:49,880 Speaker 1: making an impression with the manager of the bar and 529 00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:53,680 Speaker 1: gets a phone number, so he leaves thinking he succeeded. 530 00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 1: So it was ultimately a win from Michael in a 531 00:34:57,080 --> 00:35:03,040 Speaker 1: very sad waystrous way. Right. Um, Well, you mentioned people 532 00:35:03,080 --> 00:35:06,880 Speaker 1: who Greg gave an opportunity to direct, and the support 533 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:09,640 Speaker 1: that you felt from the actors because you were a part. 534 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:13,520 Speaker 1: But you know, he also gave Steve an opportunity and 535 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:20,000 Speaker 1: John and Rain and myself an opportunity to direct, and 536 00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:24,480 Speaker 1: I think we felt so at ease because of the 537 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:29,200 Speaker 1: support that you gave. On the other side of it 538 00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:33,279 Speaker 1: was uh kind of a yeah. We kind of helped 539 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:38,520 Speaker 1: each other out without a doubt. You know, the the 540 00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:40,920 Speaker 1: the the show was like a family because there were 541 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:43,759 Speaker 1: so many people that were on the show for so 542 00:35:43,840 --> 00:35:48,920 Speaker 1: many seasons, and you know, to spend that much time 543 00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:55,000 Speaker 1: with that many people, to have lunches with everybody day 544 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:58,200 Speaker 1: in and day out, to be trapped on our small 545 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:02,240 Speaker 1: set day in and day out, you have no choice 546 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:08,280 Speaker 1: but build a friendship, right and I you know, it's 547 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:11,239 Speaker 1: it's the most fortunate experience I've ever had and I 548 00:36:11,280 --> 00:36:15,040 Speaker 1: think I will ever have in TV. You know, it 549 00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:19,640 Speaker 1: has truly given me everything else that has come since, 550 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:23,920 Speaker 1: and it has set me up to deal with everything 551 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:26,880 Speaker 1: that I've dealt with and taught me, you know, to 552 00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:32,960 Speaker 1: get to watch actors who start out as kids and 553 00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 1: nuancet to become huge mega celebrities, and junior high kids 554 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:45,120 Speaker 1: today are binge watching it, you know, day in and 555 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 1: day out. It's amazing. I I love the fact that 556 00:36:49,239 --> 00:36:52,480 Speaker 1: my dad has all of the swag that I got 557 00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:55,759 Speaker 1: from the show. Your dad, I gave all my stuff. 558 00:36:55,800 --> 00:36:58,799 Speaker 1: So he wears the jackets, he wears the hats, and 559 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:02,720 Speaker 1: you know, my dad is eighty six. He goes out 560 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:07,160 Speaker 1: to the store whatever was wearing an Office season two 561 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:10,880 Speaker 1: season three jacket or hat, and no matter where he goes, 562 00:37:11,080 --> 00:37:13,919 Speaker 1: he gets stopped and somebody's like, wow, did you work 563 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:17,360 Speaker 1: on the Office, and and it makes him laugh and 564 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:21,399 Speaker 1: he makes him proud and uh, yeah, it's funny. When 565 00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:26,800 Speaker 1: did you here that Steve was leaving? Do you remember, Oh, boy, 566 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 1: did you when you realized that he was leaving and 567 00:37:31,719 --> 00:37:36,120 Speaker 1: we went and we shot Goodbye Michael? Do you remember 568 00:37:36,239 --> 00:37:41,160 Speaker 1: emotions that came up again? Because I'm not only a 569 00:37:41,239 --> 00:37:43,640 Speaker 1: laughing on the inside clown, I'm also a crying on 570 00:37:43,680 --> 00:37:46,960 Speaker 1: the inside clown. So it was a running joke on 571 00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:51,600 Speaker 1: set to guess who was going to cry next on 572 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:55,640 Speaker 1: during that week, because boy, it was. It was contagious 573 00:37:55,760 --> 00:37:58,399 Speaker 1: and it just went around and there was a lot 574 00:37:58,480 --> 00:38:01,280 Speaker 1: of emotion and all I were members going, man, we're 575 00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:04,719 Speaker 1: never going to get through this week. It was the 576 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:07,040 Speaker 1: end of an era, you know, the fact that he 577 00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:09,080 Speaker 1: was leaving, and it was one of those things that 578 00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:14,120 Speaker 1: there was that level of unsure nous of wondering what 579 00:38:14,239 --> 00:38:17,200 Speaker 1: happens now? You know, is this ship just going to 580 00:38:17,360 --> 00:38:20,560 Speaker 1: immediately sink as soon as he steps off of it? 581 00:38:20,719 --> 00:38:25,080 Speaker 1: Or can it continue to sail? Well? You you directed 582 00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 1: the next episode after he left Inner Circle with Will. 583 00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:34,160 Speaker 1: Do you remember any specific I don't know, pressure that 584 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:37,279 Speaker 1: you felt or I hadn't realized that that was the 585 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:40,719 Speaker 1: one after he left. Yeah, what a horrible thing to 586 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:43,239 Speaker 1: do to me, Probably just because no one else was 587 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:46,239 Speaker 1: willing to take that episode. Yeah, it was all on 588 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:51,600 Speaker 1: my shoulders. How was that directing that right after Steve left? Well, again, 589 00:38:51,840 --> 00:38:54,839 Speaker 1: it was it was that whole thing that the show 590 00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:57,680 Speaker 1: must go on. We were still marching forward. It was 591 00:38:57,719 --> 00:39:02,640 Speaker 1: sad not having Steve round, but we still had a 592 00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:07,200 Speaker 1: job to do, and you know, to have Will, there 593 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:11,319 Speaker 1: wasn't a bad thing, right, And then the office goes 594 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:15,439 Speaker 1: to Florida and you direct two of those episodes, and 595 00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:18,120 Speaker 1: I'm a little bit hurt that you didn't mention your 596 00:39:18,120 --> 00:39:21,280 Speaker 1: favorite director that you worked with was me, hands down, 597 00:39:21,480 --> 00:39:24,360 Speaker 1: who directed another one of those episodes? Yes, of the 598 00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:28,560 Speaker 1: tallahassee episodes. Now, as a first time director of the show. 599 00:39:28,760 --> 00:39:32,600 Speaker 1: What were your biggest challenges? Well, you screwed me. I 600 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:35,759 Speaker 1: mean that my biggest challenge was you actually excellent. And 601 00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:38,040 Speaker 1: I don't know if we have discussed this before, but 602 00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:42,120 Speaker 1: I will tell a story. So in my episode, there 603 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:46,719 Speaker 1: was a little bit of Ryan actually also kind of 604 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:52,080 Speaker 1: flirting with Ellie Oh sorry, Aaron played by Ellie Kemper. 605 00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:56,759 Speaker 1: And they decided to break into the kitchen and they 606 00:39:56,800 --> 00:39:59,319 Speaker 1: were gonna make a waffle. Yes, they were gonna make 607 00:39:59,719 --> 00:40:03,360 Speaker 1: hum guess. And so suddenly some people came into the 608 00:40:03,440 --> 00:40:06,600 Speaker 1: kitchen who worked there, and they weren't supposed to be there. 609 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:09,200 Speaker 1: This was at a big hotel. So they hide under 610 00:40:09,239 --> 00:40:12,120 Speaker 1: a table, okay, and we shoot this and I'm looking 611 00:40:12,160 --> 00:40:15,680 Speaker 1: and I'm very attuned to their performance under the table, 612 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:18,880 Speaker 1: and you know, I really felt like I did really 613 00:40:18,880 --> 00:40:21,400 Speaker 1: great on my job. And we had a background performer, 614 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:26,520 Speaker 1: and we had background performers who were walking back and forth. 615 00:40:26,600 --> 00:40:28,880 Speaker 1: You could see their legs and they were in the shot. 616 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:32,680 Speaker 1: And at one point a background performer was standing right 617 00:40:32,719 --> 00:40:38,200 Speaker 1: behind the industrial table where they were hiding under, and um, 618 00:40:38,239 --> 00:40:40,880 Speaker 1: please can I can I And I'm I'm I have 619 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,600 Speaker 1: a vision now? Was this the guy that was cracking 620 00:40:43,640 --> 00:40:47,680 Speaker 1: the imaginary eggs. Yes, So I'm very focused on our 621 00:40:47,719 --> 00:40:52,880 Speaker 1: principal actors. You are supposedly looking through the camera lens 622 00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:56,799 Speaker 1: at what we're shooting and making sure that everything looks appropriate. 623 00:40:57,440 --> 00:41:03,120 Speaker 1: And there's a background performer who for multiple takes stood 624 00:41:03,120 --> 00:41:07,040 Speaker 1: above the table just in and took a bowl and 625 00:41:07,280 --> 00:41:11,160 Speaker 1: cracked imaginary eggs on that bowl and did the yoke 626 00:41:11,400 --> 00:41:15,520 Speaker 1: thing and threw the eggs away and kept cracking eggs 627 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:18,560 Speaker 1: into this bowl. So I go into edit this episode 628 00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:22,120 Speaker 1: and they're like, see the guy back there And I'm like, what, No, 629 00:41:22,239 --> 00:41:24,400 Speaker 1: b J looks great, what do you mean? And they're like, no, 630 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:27,920 Speaker 1: the guy cracking the imaginary eggs. So they literally had 631 00:41:27,920 --> 00:41:31,440 Speaker 1: to go in and zoom in to cut out now 632 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:33,400 Speaker 1: that you could only see the guy's hands, Like you 633 00:41:33,400 --> 00:41:35,960 Speaker 1: couldn't see space or anything else, but you could see 634 00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:38,960 Speaker 1: him fake cracking. And here's my big question. Yes, was 635 00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:42,120 Speaker 1: it my camera or was it the other camera? Actually, 636 00:41:42,239 --> 00:41:44,440 Speaker 1: here's the important thing. The important thing is is that 637 00:41:44,480 --> 00:41:48,560 Speaker 1: I think we only had one camera going because we 638 00:41:48,560 --> 00:41:52,799 Speaker 1: were shooting. I think should have been watched. You either 639 00:41:52,840 --> 00:41:54,719 Speaker 1: shot it or you should have been watching. I think 640 00:41:54,760 --> 00:41:58,799 Speaker 1: I again was mesmerized much bought like you by the performance. 641 00:41:59,120 --> 00:42:03,400 Speaker 1: That's my jobs. That's my job. I'm the director. You 642 00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:05,960 Speaker 1: need to pay attention to what you're added to the list, 643 00:42:06,080 --> 00:42:12,200 Speaker 1: Brian Um, season nine comes, you hear the show is 644 00:42:12,239 --> 00:42:15,879 Speaker 1: coming to an end. What's your What was your feeling then? 645 00:42:16,200 --> 00:42:22,640 Speaker 1: To me, it was time. It felt right for my 646 00:42:22,840 --> 00:42:26,840 Speaker 1: career personally, it was time because then it was after 647 00:42:26,880 --> 00:42:29,319 Speaker 1: this show that I stepped away from camera as a 648 00:42:29,360 --> 00:42:33,840 Speaker 1: whole and just started directing. And you know, it was 649 00:42:33,880 --> 00:42:37,839 Speaker 1: interesting for me for my career. When I got my representation, 650 00:42:37,840 --> 00:42:40,760 Speaker 1: when I got my agents, they said to me, Okay, 651 00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:42,399 Speaker 1: it's time for you to step away and just become 652 00:42:42,440 --> 00:42:44,600 Speaker 1: a full time director. And I said, you know what, 653 00:42:45,080 --> 00:42:49,879 Speaker 1: the office gave me all of these opportunities. I'm not 654 00:42:50,080 --> 00:42:53,280 Speaker 1: leaving them. I'm going to stay and finish the show. 655 00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:56,640 Speaker 1: And you know, I was. I was happy to be 656 00:42:56,680 --> 00:42:58,760 Speaker 1: a part of it again. To be on a show 657 00:42:58,840 --> 00:43:02,600 Speaker 1: for nine seasons is in my mind, unheard of. It'll 658 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:05,960 Speaker 1: be the longest I'll ever be, you know, on any show. 659 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:09,560 Speaker 1: And I feel super fortunate and I'm glad that I 660 00:43:09,600 --> 00:43:12,560 Speaker 1: stuck it out and was there for the whole run 661 00:43:12,640 --> 00:43:16,120 Speaker 1: up the show so you laugh and cry on the inside. 662 00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:18,480 Speaker 1: Did you do you remember specific emotions like it's the 663 00:43:18,560 --> 00:43:21,160 Speaker 1: last final table read. It was a great episode, and 664 00:43:21,160 --> 00:43:24,799 Speaker 1: I don't know how much you remember of that episode. 665 00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:30,160 Speaker 1: Greg was writing up to it was almost as if 666 00:43:30,480 --> 00:43:33,359 Speaker 1: he did not want the show to end. He kept 667 00:43:33,440 --> 00:43:36,520 Speaker 1: writing more and more, and we kept shooting more and 668 00:43:36,600 --> 00:43:41,200 Speaker 1: more and more. Yeah, was that your first acting work 669 00:43:42,040 --> 00:43:46,480 Speaker 1: as documentary crew member? I was told, I was assured 670 00:43:46,719 --> 00:43:51,040 Speaker 1: that they were going to replace my voice with a 671 00:43:51,120 --> 00:43:59,239 Speaker 1: more masculine documentary documentarian voice. So I'm in Dwight's car, 672 00:43:59,480 --> 00:44:03,760 Speaker 1: he's dry having and it scripted that the dogumentarian asks 673 00:44:03,840 --> 00:44:06,720 Speaker 1: him a question, and I was asking him the question, 674 00:44:06,880 --> 00:44:10,920 Speaker 1: so he had someone to answer to. And again the 675 00:44:10,960 --> 00:44:14,480 Speaker 1: discussion was, Oh, yeah, we'll we'll change it in the edit. 676 00:44:15,280 --> 00:44:19,360 Speaker 1: Lo and behold, there's my My first and only acting 677 00:44:19,360 --> 00:44:24,480 Speaker 1: credit for anything is the Office. So I guess as 678 00:44:24,520 --> 00:44:26,560 Speaker 1: things go, it's it's not bad. What do you think 679 00:44:26,560 --> 00:44:30,680 Speaker 1: it's harder acting or operating a camera? Oh? Boy? I 680 00:44:30,719 --> 00:44:34,120 Speaker 1: think acting is harder only because you're getting judged constantly 681 00:44:34,160 --> 00:44:37,360 Speaker 1: by everybody. I feel like my operating can get judged 682 00:44:38,400 --> 00:44:42,400 Speaker 1: one or two people. But yes, but but but nobody's 683 00:44:42,480 --> 00:44:47,640 Speaker 1: judging my physical appearance, nobody's nobody's seeing into my soul. 684 00:44:49,840 --> 00:44:54,239 Speaker 1: What are you most thankful for the show? I mean, 685 00:44:54,239 --> 00:44:59,799 Speaker 1: the show gave me so much. It gave me, you know, 686 00:45:00,480 --> 00:45:04,680 Speaker 1: nine years of regular work, which is huge in this business. 687 00:45:05,320 --> 00:45:11,239 Speaker 1: It gave me basically the career that I've continued on, 688 00:45:11,320 --> 00:45:14,760 Speaker 1: you know, Greg Daniels, gave me my opportunities to direct. 689 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:20,440 Speaker 1: It gave me friendships with a whole lot of people 690 00:45:20,520 --> 00:45:22,239 Speaker 1: that I never would have met if I hadn't have 691 00:45:22,239 --> 00:45:25,320 Speaker 1: been part of the show, you know. But it also 692 00:45:25,560 --> 00:45:33,560 Speaker 1: gave me such an amazing look into sort of the 693 00:45:34,280 --> 00:45:38,520 Speaker 1: underbelly and behind the curtain of what it takes to 694 00:45:38,640 --> 00:45:41,239 Speaker 1: make a show. You know. I was very privileged to 695 00:45:41,640 --> 00:45:46,080 Speaker 1: get to go to meetings and get to be in 696 00:45:46,239 --> 00:45:49,520 Speaker 1: rooms and get to hear conversations and get to be 697 00:45:49,640 --> 00:45:53,759 Speaker 1: part of conversations that you know, in any other case, 698 00:45:53,800 --> 00:45:58,600 Speaker 1: I wouldn't have been provided to And it's hands down, 699 00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:03,799 Speaker 1: it will be a highlight of my career. Yeah, where 700 00:46:03,840 --> 00:46:05,719 Speaker 1: do you think that you would be right now if 701 00:46:05,719 --> 00:46:09,080 Speaker 1: the office had never happened, if you hadn't gotten dany 702 00:46:09,320 --> 00:46:16,919 Speaker 1: fever boy, That's a very good question. I I don't 703 00:46:16,960 --> 00:46:20,520 Speaker 1: want to think about that. Ryan. I feel very fortunate, 704 00:46:20,560 --> 00:46:23,319 Speaker 1: but I don't know. I mean, I feel like I 705 00:46:23,320 --> 00:46:26,759 Speaker 1: wouldn't be where I am now without the show, and 706 00:46:26,800 --> 00:46:28,600 Speaker 1: I don't want to think about where I would be 707 00:46:28,960 --> 00:46:34,280 Speaker 1: without the UM. Well, thank you so much, busy big 708 00:46:34,280 --> 00:46:37,000 Speaker 1: time director. I don't know about that. You're a busy, 709 00:46:37,040 --> 00:46:40,080 Speaker 1: big time director, happy to be working, and I so 710 00:46:40,200 --> 00:46:45,000 Speaker 1: appreciate you coming and talking to me about these old times. 711 00:46:45,080 --> 00:46:47,520 Speaker 1: It's my pleasure. It's really fun. I'm sure there's other 712 00:46:47,560 --> 00:46:50,440 Speaker 1: stuff that I've forgotten. It doesn't matter. Now. I have 713 00:46:50,760 --> 00:46:56,440 Speaker 1: one other thing. Did you do you remember the conversation 714 00:46:56,800 --> 00:47:02,400 Speaker 1: with J. J Abrams his first day on set? No, 715 00:47:02,560 --> 00:47:06,279 Speaker 1: what was the conversation? How he freaked out his first 716 00:47:06,320 --> 00:47:09,560 Speaker 1: day on set? Oh? Tell this, J J. Abrams freaked 717 00:47:09,560 --> 00:47:13,239 Speaker 1: out the first down set. So the first season we 718 00:47:13,320 --> 00:47:18,800 Speaker 1: shot the show in Culver City. We used the Felicity 719 00:47:18,840 --> 00:47:23,280 Speaker 1: offices right and when he was on our set because 720 00:47:23,320 --> 00:47:26,320 Speaker 1: it was a copy of that set. The conference room 721 00:47:26,680 --> 00:47:33,000 Speaker 1: was his office on Felicity when he ran that show, 722 00:47:33,600 --> 00:47:36,040 Speaker 1: and he said every time he was on the set 723 00:47:36,280 --> 00:47:40,759 Speaker 1: it freaked him out because all he remembered was that's 724 00:47:40,760 --> 00:47:44,920 Speaker 1: a conference room. But that's my office office. No, I 725 00:47:44,960 --> 00:47:50,680 Speaker 1: did not remember that. Yeah, I remember that. Um J J. 726 00:47:50,920 --> 00:47:56,440 Speaker 1: Abrams wanted to direct a whole season of the show, 727 00:47:57,520 --> 00:48:01,240 Speaker 1: and Greg said, no, he wanted direct a whole season. 728 00:48:01,280 --> 00:48:03,120 Speaker 1: Wanted to come in and direct a whole season. Does 729 00:48:03,160 --> 00:48:05,319 Speaker 1: that guy have the time to season? I don't know 730 00:48:05,320 --> 00:48:08,920 Speaker 1: how he had wanted to do everything he does. Yeah, 731 00:48:09,040 --> 00:48:13,840 Speaker 1: I remember him bring us food trucks every day. But 732 00:48:13,920 --> 00:48:19,280 Speaker 1: I remember also we had a conversation just in between 733 00:48:19,320 --> 00:48:23,200 Speaker 1: takes about Coldplay, and I had mentioned I was a fan, 734 00:48:23,239 --> 00:48:25,799 Speaker 1: And the next day he comes in and he says, hey, man, 735 00:48:25,840 --> 00:48:28,120 Speaker 1: I got you the new CD Cold Plays new CD. 736 00:48:28,640 --> 00:48:31,439 Speaker 1: I thought you might enjoy it. I was like, who 737 00:48:31,480 --> 00:48:35,040 Speaker 1: are you? How can you have time to go get 738 00:48:35,040 --> 00:48:38,040 Speaker 1: this place exactly? How can you be this nice of 739 00:48:38,040 --> 00:48:42,720 Speaker 1: a person? Yeah? No, I mean so many. Harold Ramos, 740 00:48:42,760 --> 00:48:46,200 Speaker 1: Harold Ramoso? Who else? I mean? Jon Favreau was great. 741 00:48:46,520 --> 00:48:51,680 Speaker 1: Brian bamb Gardner, Brian bomb Gardner, he was unbelievable. I 742 00:48:51,760 --> 00:48:55,200 Speaker 1: recall he was strong. He brought it. You know, we didn't. 743 00:48:55,239 --> 00:48:58,880 Speaker 1: We weren't sure, but he brought it. Thanks buddy, you 744 00:48:58,960 --> 00:49:13,680 Speaker 1: got it, my friend. Well there you have it. This 745 00:49:13,760 --> 00:49:17,600 Speaker 1: is what I heard Matt Son said that I Brian 746 00:49:17,840 --> 00:49:21,400 Speaker 1: bomb Gardner was one of the best directors ever in 747 00:49:21,440 --> 00:49:25,719 Speaker 1: the history of the Office. His words, not mine. I 748 00:49:25,760 --> 00:49:29,640 Speaker 1: hope you all enjoyed this, this mini series on camera 749 00:49:29,719 --> 00:49:32,719 Speaker 1: as character as much as I did. Do yourself a 750 00:49:32,719 --> 00:49:35,480 Speaker 1: favor and go back and watch an episode of the show, 751 00:49:35,560 --> 00:49:38,080 Speaker 1: a scene of the show that you enjoyed, and just 752 00:49:38,200 --> 00:49:43,239 Speaker 1: imagine Matt and Randall holding the cameras trying their darnedest 753 00:49:43,719 --> 00:49:47,640 Speaker 1: not to laugh. It's a fun exercise. Thank you all 754 00:49:47,680 --> 00:49:50,600 Speaker 1: for listening, Have a wonderful week, and I will see 755 00:49:50,640 --> 00:49:56,120 Speaker 1: you next time for another installment, another chapter of The 756 00:49:56,239 --> 00:50:05,759 Speaker 1: Office Deep Dive. The Office Deep Dive is hosted and 757 00:50:05,880 --> 00:50:10,680 Speaker 1: executive produced by me Brian Baumgartner, alongside our executive producer 758 00:50:10,880 --> 00:50:14,840 Speaker 1: Lang Lee. Our senior producer is Tessa Kramer. Our producer 759 00:50:15,040 --> 00:50:18,880 Speaker 1: is Adam Massias, our associate producer is Emily Carr, and 760 00:50:18,920 --> 00:50:22,759 Speaker 1: our assistant editor is Diego Tapia. My main man in 761 00:50:22,800 --> 00:50:27,040 Speaker 1: the booth is Alec Moore. Our theme song Bubble and Squeak, 762 00:50:27,160 --> 00:50:30,440 Speaker 1: performed by my great friend Cree Bratton, and the episode 763 00:50:30,480 --> 00:50:32,319 Speaker 1: was mixed by seth Olandskip