1 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: My name is Brian Whittle, and I was the boom 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: operator and sometimes sound mixer and one time actor on 3 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: the Office. Well, hello everybody, and thank you for joining 4 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: us once again here at the Office Deep Dive. As always, 5 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: I am your host, Brian Baumgartner, this week's guest. This 6 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,560 Speaker 1: is this is cool, okay one. He's the greatest alright. 7 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 1: In fact, he is so great that the writers on 8 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: the Office actually named a character after him. Do you 9 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:45,239 Speaker 1: remember the boom operator in season nine, that guy, the 10 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: one who almost broke up Jim and Pam. Yep, that's 11 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: our guy. Well, that's our guy's name. Today's guest is 12 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: Brian Whittle. Now. To be fair, although the real Brian 13 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: was also the boom operator for the Office, he did 14 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 1: anything but cause any workplace drama. No, Brian is a gem, 15 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: and he's known as one of the best in the business. 16 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: He did an impossible thing for many. He mastered the 17 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:18,039 Speaker 1: art of mockumentary sound, dealing with the long takes on 18 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: the office, dodging crazy camera angles, and he participated in 19 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 1: the many sound on sound off debates on set. Now, 20 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: boom operators are known for their ability to soak up 21 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:37,279 Speaker 1: all of the stories remember they're hearing everything you guys, 22 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: Brian is not one to disappoint today he is here 23 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: to talk about the art of leaning into imperfection, Steve 24 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 1: Carrell's Silent Airport goodbye, and well, of course, his notorious 25 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: namesake on the show, Bryan Whittle. This really is a 26 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: special one. I won't keep you waiting as our residents 27 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: sound guy. Brian has done enough of that over the years, 28 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 1: so please give a warm welcome to the incredible Brian Whittle. 29 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: Bubble and Squeak. I love it, Bubble and Squeak on 30 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 1: Bubble and Squeaker cookie at every month left over from 31 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: the nabb before. Hello, check, check check. How do I sound? 32 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: Five four, three to one. You sound great and exactly 33 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: the same as always, Brian. How are you good? Good? 34 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 1: How are you doing? Brian? Oh my gosh, it's so 35 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: good to see you. We spent a lot of time 36 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:03,399 Speaker 1: in Type quarters together. We really really did. How's everybody 37 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: you're surviving? You're good? Healthy? Yeah, yeah, I'm doing really well. 38 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: My kids they're right down the hall. They promised to 39 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: be quiet. They understand the importance of sound. Yeah, definitely. 40 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: So things are going well, things really well. I'm so 41 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: happy to talk to you. There's well, I mean, there 42 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 1: was eventually a very important character on the Office named 43 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:32,079 Speaker 1: after you. We'll talk about that. How did you get 44 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: into sound? What was your journey for for getting into sound? 45 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: My journey for getting into sound was basically, well, I 46 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: moved here with the idea that I think that a 47 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: lot of people think that they're gonna be Steven Spielberg. 48 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 1: But I was a little too irresponsible to follow that path, 49 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: so I, uh so I ended up doing sound, which 50 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: was actually still really awesome. And basically I came here. 51 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: I had a friend named Jeff Haley, who was now 52 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: a very famous steady cam operator who was doing sound, 53 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 1: the person that I actually grew up with back in Pennsylvania, 54 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: and he was doing sound, so he helped me get 55 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: into it. I got on this movie called Ed with 56 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:16,840 Speaker 1: Matt le Blanc from Friends and back in the mid nineties, 57 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 1: and that movie was a non union movie that then 58 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: struck and turned union, and so I got very lucky. 59 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: I got in the union right away. Uh And then 60 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: shortly after that I met Ben Patrick, who was Jeff's friend. 61 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: He was just starting out to doing sound, but he 62 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:35,839 Speaker 1: was already a mixer and he uh, we did. We 63 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:39,159 Speaker 1: did a bunch of really low budget, really horrible, awful, 64 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 1: hundred dollar a day, you know, crap movies for a 65 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: couple of years. But I was already in the Union, 66 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: and I just didn't know anybody. Uh in the age 67 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:51,119 Speaker 1: back then there was still a lot of non union 68 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: movies you could do. Nowadays, that isn't the case anymore. 69 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 1: But you know, I just made phone calls and met 70 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: more people, and uh, eventually at a guy named Forest 71 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: Williams who was doing a lot of spelling projects, and 72 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 1: so I got on those and I basically did spelling 73 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 1: shows Melrose Place nine O two and oh oh, not 74 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:18,280 Speaker 1: spelling bees. I didn't. Oh, just that guy, Yeah, yeah, 75 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 1: just him, And I did a bunch of his shows 76 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: until about until basically up until I got on The Office, 77 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 1: you know. And then from then on, I was like, Okay, 78 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:29,719 Speaker 1: half hour comedy, it's the way to go. Did Ben 79 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: Patrick bring you onto the Office? He did, he did, 80 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: and uh not until the very beginning of the third season. 81 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 1: He tried to during the second season. But during the 82 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:42,919 Speaker 1: second season, and you probably remember this, they didn't have 83 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: a full order for the whole show. They would say 84 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,039 Speaker 1: like we're gonna do two episodes. Oh, we got three more, Oh, 85 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 1: we got two more. And he kept kept calling me. 86 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: He's like, come over, come over, come over, because they 87 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:56,919 Speaker 1: kept the boom operators kept quitting on the Office. This 88 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 1: was so hard, you know, because you would do like 89 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:03,479 Speaker 1: already in fifty minute takes, that's that's a long time 90 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 1: to put your arms up you or to be crammed 91 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: in a corner, or to be you know, hiding under 92 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: something or you know, contorting your body in these weird positions. 93 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:13,720 Speaker 1: But they just didn't have a fore order. But then 94 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 1: when the third season came around, they had a foe order. 95 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: They gave me a great offer, and The Office at 96 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 1: the time was my favorite show. So to get a 97 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:25,039 Speaker 1: call to go work on your favorite show for a 98 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: full season for a really good rate, I was like, hell, yeah, 99 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,159 Speaker 1: I'm all my way. So you were a fan of 100 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: the show, watched the first I watched it before I 101 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 1: worked on it. Yeah, So him calling you were like, 102 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:38,599 Speaker 1: let's go. So what was it like showing up there? 103 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: Then for the first time on a show that you're 104 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 1: a fan of it. It sounds like you have done 105 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: mostly dramas stuff before. You don't want to call spelling drama. Yeah, 106 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 1: so nighttime so guys, which we're pouring as hell. Yeah 107 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: yeah yeah. That was my main bread and butter up 108 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 1: until then, which was still fun, but this I knew 109 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,159 Speaker 1: it was gonna be ay more fun. And also it 110 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 1: was with Ben, who was one of my closest friends, right, 111 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 1: so yeah, I remember, right, I was very excited, and 112 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: uh it was gay. Witch Hunt was the first episode 113 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: of season three, which to this day is probably my 114 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 1: favorite episode. And it was incredible, you know, because you 115 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 1: get to see It's like when you watch a show 116 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: and you're a fan of it and then you go 117 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: visit the set and you see the set and you 118 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: see that that line, you know, between your experience of 119 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 1: just being a fan and now suddenly you're like, you know, 120 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: behind the curtain and seeing how it all gets put together. 121 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 1: So it was great and uh, I was ecstatic to 122 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: be there. So you you were hired at the beginning 123 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: of season three, did you note anything right away about 124 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: the set and how your job might be a little 125 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: more challenging on this show than something before. No, I mean, 126 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: the only thing I thought would be more challenging is 127 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: just the way it was shot. You know, two handheld 128 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: cameras and just with constant resetting of each scene that 129 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 1: we're doing. We run through it, reset, run through it, reset. 130 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: And if you remember, we shot on tape, you know, 131 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: we had these Sony nine hundreds where you actually put 132 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: like a videotape inside the thing, and I believe they 133 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: were fifty four minutes long. So that was probably the 134 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 1: scariest thing to me. I was like, oh my god, 135 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: we might roll for fifty four minutes. You know. It 136 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: was like no longer on the sixth boom operator in 137 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 1: two seasons. So I was like, hope, I can do 138 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 1: this now, do you did you have to do anything 139 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 1: like work out? Kind of? Yeah? I started like, do 140 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 1: made me do it more with push ups and going 141 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: to the gym, which I already did, but I just 142 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: you know, kind of did it more. And I never 143 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: thought of like my job as being something I had 144 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: to keep in shape for it until I got to 145 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: the office, you know. But the thing was, it was 146 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 1: so much fun that you just didn't feel the pain 147 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: until afterwards, you know. Right, So to tell people your 148 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:02,079 Speaker 1: job as the boom operator, talk people through what that 149 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 1: would mean, Like we're in the conference room physically what 150 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:10,199 Speaker 1: described what what that would be like. The conference room 151 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: is a unique situation which I'm sure everyone you've talked 152 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: to so far has attested to. But basically Nick would 153 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 1: be there too, Nick Carbone, who was the other boom 154 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 1: operator and the person who put everybody's mics on, so 155 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,320 Speaker 1: he would generally get whoever is seated, you know, So 156 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: we'd both be back on the right side wall and 157 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:32,319 Speaker 1: I would usually be and I'd be in the middle 158 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: of the room along one of the windows, and I'd 159 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: be reaching out for Steve usually or whoever was addressing 160 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 1: the crowd, and I'd usually get him, and then whoever 161 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,680 Speaker 1: sat towards the front, which was usually Dwight, he sat 162 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 1: over by the door kind of right, and whoever else 163 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: would come in out of the door. So I would 164 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: be reaching out and getting all those people, and then 165 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 1: Nick would be back at the other other side. But 166 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 1: I have to cram against the wall. Yeah, So he's 167 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 1: showing me. So he's got both hands above his head. 168 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 1: He is holding this mike, which is is not particularly heavy. 169 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: It's made to try to be as light as possible. 170 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 1: But most shows, you how about I don't know, forty 171 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 1: five minutes of lighting set up and then you shoot 172 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: for about ten minutes. And we always joked that our 173 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 1: show was the reverse, right, They would set up for 174 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:27,559 Speaker 1: ten minutes, try not to make the lighting all that beautiful, 175 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 1: and then we would shoot for forty five minutes. So you, 176 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:34,079 Speaker 1: over the course of the day are I don't know, 177 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:39,679 Speaker 1: twelve to fourteen times doing thirty five minute runs with 178 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: both of your hands above your head. Yeah, it was 179 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: really challenging, to say the least. Um, what a lot 180 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 1: of people have talked about is how confined the space 181 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 1: is much more confined than a normal show. Obviously, on 182 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:58,319 Speaker 1: a lot of shows, their walls that you can move 183 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: from our initial pilot show, which was a room that 184 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:06,680 Speaker 1: could not be moved because it was actually production officers. 185 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 1: It was a real room. When we moved to the 186 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 1: sound stage, it was completely reconstructed exactly the same way, 187 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: except I think Greg allowed like eighteen inches in the 188 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: conference room. It was like eighteen inches for someone to 189 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 1: stand off to the side camera or Yeah, but we 190 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 1: were all in there in a very small space, especially 191 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 1: when we had fourteen, sixteen cast members or whatever in 192 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 1: the room. The two of you, two cameras, I mean, 193 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: very very confined space. Especially in that room, or if 194 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 1: we had, say a lot of people in Steve's office 195 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:51,679 Speaker 1: for example, you know that would be even more confined. 196 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: Or back in like a corner of the annex, or 197 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: in the break room where sometimes I would have to 198 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,120 Speaker 1: lay up on top of those vending machines that are 199 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 1: in it. Oh that's right there, scenes where I would 200 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: lay up there and boom from up there from just 201 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:09,839 Speaker 1: laying on my side on like a ferny pad or something. 202 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 1: Or I would at least be tucked in the corner 203 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,080 Speaker 1: standing on an apple box with that and it's full 204 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: extension and I can't have no weight behind me to 205 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 1: leverage or anything. So it's really you know, it's like 206 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 1: tipping you over. Yeah. The other thing that it's become 207 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: kind of my go to joke on set, the camera 208 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:32,200 Speaker 1: takes forever to get set the lighting, and anytime there's 209 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 1: a lighting adjustment or like a camera adjustment, it's totally okay, 210 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 1: it's totally appropriate. Everybody stops respectfully and they do their work. 211 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 1: When something happens with sound to the end of the world, 212 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:55,679 Speaker 1: it's like immediately everyone gets so angry. Yeah, right, Like 213 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 1: if you, oh, look, we need to make an adjustment 214 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 1: on Steve's top atrocity. Every Ones like, oh, yeah, I know. 215 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: I don't know where that came from or why it 216 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:11,319 Speaker 1: is that way, but it is that way. It's universal 217 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: every set. It's universal across all shows of all time. 218 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: How does that make you feel? Is it aggravating? Oh yeah, 219 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: it used to make me mad, you know, and used 220 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 1: to make me, i don't know, hurt my feelings or whatever. 221 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: And I'm like, hey, this is just as important as ever. 222 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:28,560 Speaker 1: We can't shoot unless we do this, so it's it's 223 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 1: it's important. But nowadays it's just it's just funny, you know. 224 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 1: And you know I've been doing this a long time, 225 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:37,079 Speaker 1: and so you just tell them, hey, look we gotta 226 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:38,680 Speaker 1: fix it. Do you want do you want the sound 227 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:43,440 Speaker 1: or not? You know? Well that, as you know, that 228 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 1: has become my joke. Now it's set, which I just 229 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 1: try to exaggerate it because it makes me laugh. I'll 230 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: just go waiting on sound, waiting on sound. Everybody. Remember 231 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:58,319 Speaker 1: when we used to say, uh, you're getting carboned because 232 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 1: of Nick, because you would have to come in and 233 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 1: fix the people's mis and we'd be like, oh, we're 234 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 1: getting car boned. Yes, we're getting carboned, and yeah, it 235 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 1: always made him very nervous. He did not like that 236 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 1: particular aspect of the job. I mean, in terms of 237 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: the working environment. Being a fan of the show coming on, 238 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: did you have any other impressions of I don't know, 239 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 1: other people that you were working with, Greg or know 240 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: the cast specifically. Oh yeah, Well, I mean there's a 241 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 1: lot of things that were awesome about working on that show. 242 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 1: And I mean it's hard to honestly talk about that 243 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 1: show without getting emotional because it was such a incredible, 244 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 1: just amazing experience. And I think one real big thing 245 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 1: is that everybody who worked there was a fan of 246 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: the show. Everybody who was there love to the show 247 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 1: and cheered and rooted for the show and wanted it 248 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 1: to be successful. And we all looked forward to Thursday, 249 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 1: you know, at eight o'clock that's when it was on, right, 250 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:17,000 Speaker 1: eight o'clock back then when you watch TV when it 251 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: was on, you know, everybody looked forward to it being on. 252 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: And I can remember that website office tally right. Yeah, 253 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: So on Thursday nights at like five o'clock, it's eight 254 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 1: o'clock back east, but we were all on set and 255 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 1: we would all start checking our phones and going on 256 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: because all those computers in the bullpen were real and 257 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 1: you could go online, go to office tally and start 258 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: seeing the comments from all the fans from all over 259 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: the country. That was exciting, you know, to be part 260 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,920 Speaker 1: of something that that many people loved and and cheered for, 261 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: you know, so that I'd never experienced anything like that 262 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: on a show before, you know, where everybody there loved it, 263 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: because usually half the crew hates it and half the 264 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: crew is like, I'm gonna be here, it sucks. How 265 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 1: long are we going to be here? I never felt 266 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: like that on the office ever, no matter how long 267 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 1: the day was, no matter if even if we were 268 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:08,479 Speaker 1: Remember towards the end, we were working on like Saturdays, 269 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 1: and I think we worked on a Sunday, and I 270 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: didn't care. It was so much fun that it just, 271 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: you know, I didn't It didn't bother me at all. Yeah, 272 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: I think that is. I don't think you can overstate 273 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 1: enough how special and also unique that was, because you know, 274 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 1: I say the same thing and people always sort of 275 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 1: laugh when I say I'm a fan of the show 276 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 1: like it regardless of me or my role or any 277 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 1: of that. I shoot plenty of stuff that I don't 278 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: ever watch. And it's not because it's bad or because 279 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: I don't support it, or it's just I always feels 280 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: like weird to go back and watch because there's nothing 281 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: I can do. The Office was different because just I 282 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: was a fan of the show. It was like, you know, 283 00:16:57,120 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: even though I was there from the beginning, I just 284 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 1: I just love the show. And having the crew also 285 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 1: believe so strongly in what we were doing, Um, I 286 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: think made a huge difference. Yeah, no, totally, it does. 287 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: It makes a huge difference. And I think a lot 288 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 1: of that came from Greg, because you know, Greg really 289 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:21,879 Speaker 1: embraced the crew and really appreciated them and saw them 290 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 1: as a humongous part. I mean he let people go 291 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 1: to the table read. You know, I can remember going 292 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 1: to the table reads and then be packed. And prior 293 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 1: to that, the table read was like a secret meeting 294 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 1: that no one was allowed to know about and and 295 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:37,439 Speaker 1: or talk about. It was like treated like it was 296 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: this big secret. But on the Office everybody went. You know, 297 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 1: if you could fit in the room, you could go. 298 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 1: He would even let whoever is there you read this part, 299 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: and you read this little part, you'd be that like 300 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: the little day player parts that hadn't been assigned yet 301 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:54,880 Speaker 1: to anybody. And I understand why he wanted an audience 302 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:58,159 Speaker 1: for the have the script read an audience outside of 303 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: just the writers that wrote it and the actors. You 304 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:03,399 Speaker 1: want to gauge like how many laughs you get, And 305 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:07,119 Speaker 1: that's really smart in terms of getting feedback for the 306 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 1: initial script. It also makes the crew feel like a 307 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 1: bigger part of the show's got to watch the evolution 308 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:18,199 Speaker 1: of an episode from the table read to watching it 309 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:21,440 Speaker 1: on TV. And I never had that experience before. Yeah, 310 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 1: no one has brought that up, but I think that's 311 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:28,120 Speaker 1: a really good point. I think that there's a there's 312 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:32,399 Speaker 1: a preciousness that we did not have on that show. 313 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 1: So what I mean by that is I think that 314 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:39,440 Speaker 1: show runners bosses are trying to protect writers and if 315 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:43,440 Speaker 1: if something doesn't quite work, they want to let them 316 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:47,160 Speaker 1: work that out almost in private or in as you know, 317 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 1: as close to private as possible with people reading it. 318 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:54,280 Speaker 1: And in that aspect it becomes way more presentational in 319 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 1: a way, even even the delivery of an episode becomes 320 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:01,880 Speaker 1: much more presentational as a moose to collaborative. And I 321 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:04,800 Speaker 1: feel like what you're saying is really true. No one's 322 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,679 Speaker 1: talked about that, but yeah, the table reads were totally open. 323 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 1: It was completely open to it. As you said, there's 324 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,919 Speaker 1: many people who could actually just fit into Yeah, and 325 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:16,959 Speaker 1: at first or like thinking they're gonna kick me out 326 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:18,159 Speaker 1: of here? Am I allowed to be in here? And 327 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:19,960 Speaker 1: like because I would really love to watch this if 328 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 1: I can, you know? So, yes, it helps. It helps 329 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: the camaraderie on the on the set, I don't know, 330 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 1: it just makes it makes the experience a lot more fulfilling. Yeah. 331 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 1: The other thing that it does is it begins to 332 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:39,360 Speaker 1: get your creative energy or your thought sooner as well. Right, 333 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,920 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, sound was used quite a bit 334 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:46,400 Speaker 1: as a as a tangible object on our show because 335 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 1: because of the way we shot it and this documentary 336 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:55,200 Speaker 1: slash mockumentary style. How did that affect your job that 337 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 1: aspect of how the show was shot? Well, I mean 338 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:02,640 Speaker 1: we we wired everybody for the most part, mostly as backup. 339 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:05,680 Speaker 1: Or if let's say we were in the bullpen and 340 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 1: we're going to zoom over to accounting, which is generally 341 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 1: the farthest away corner, you know, I can't swing over 342 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:16,920 Speaker 1: there and and boom. Obviously basically Yeah. Honestly, it started 343 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: the trend of having to wire every actor on set 344 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 1: all the time, because every show that I've worked on 345 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 1: since The Office, that's what they do. And prior to 346 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 1: the Office, we basically never wired anyone unless it was 347 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 1: a really wide shot or like a walk and talk 348 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 1: down some narrow hallway, or you know, there was some 349 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 1: physical reason why we couldn't boom it. But because of 350 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:40,400 Speaker 1: the Office, it became the norm. In fact, we had 351 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:42,880 Speaker 1: to buy a whole new recording system called a Diva 352 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 1: sixteen that would have sixteen tracks on it so that 353 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:47,360 Speaker 1: we could put all the actors on their own tracks. 354 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:50,439 Speaker 1: It really it started this big thing. And then when 355 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: they started up Parks and Wreck, the guys from there 356 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 1: came over to see what we were doing so they 357 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: could set it up on that show. Similar with Modern 358 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:02,160 Speaker 1: Family and like all the other shows that were kind 359 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:05,399 Speaker 1: of inspired by our show, you know, they needed to 360 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 1: do this sound the same way. And so from then on, 361 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:10,919 Speaker 1: I can say every single show I've done, I have 362 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:14,120 Speaker 1: to have a multi track recorder with a NIX on 363 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:17,160 Speaker 1: one track and every individual actor on their own track. 364 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,159 Speaker 1: After that, and it was never like that prior to 365 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: the Office, so that's one thing we did to accommodate 366 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:27,360 Speaker 1: the documentary thing that ended up being a trend. Right. 367 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 1: It's so funny you bring that up. I think, as 368 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 1: you say, it was a progression, and I think that 369 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:37,359 Speaker 1: there were sometimes I thought about this in years. There 370 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: were sometimes when you thought, oh, they're not going over 371 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 1: to accounting. They're not going to swing over to accounting 372 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 1: on this thing, And sure enough the bomb garter would 373 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:51,199 Speaker 1: open his trap. Oh yeah. But I would keep my 374 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 1: eye on you, see, I I would want you. I 375 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 1: could tell after a while like Okay, I know what's 376 00:21:56,840 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: going to happen here, Like because after a while I 377 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: didn't even memory rise of the scenes anymore. Like I 378 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:03,200 Speaker 1: just would read them once in the morning and be like, okay, 379 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 1: I got it. And I just watch people's faces, or 380 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 1: i'd watch Matt, you know, interact with you. Or I 381 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 1: could just tell from the dialogue like Okay, Kevin's definitely 382 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 1: gonna react to this, you know. And so I would 383 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 1: tell Ben in the mic, would be like, hey, Ben, 384 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: Kevin's aba gonna do something after this, you know, or 385 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:23,400 Speaker 1: John is going to do something or whatever, and uh, 386 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 1: you know, after a while we had it down and 387 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: we could just kind of predict and it was fun. 388 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 1: What was going to happen? Yeah? No, but I it 389 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 1: reminded me of just sometimes maybe we would do, you know, 390 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 1: a final rehearsal or do the first take, and then 391 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:42,440 Speaker 1: here here would Carbone would come in and we wiring 392 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 1: me up when it was not not an expected moment. Yeah, 393 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:47,199 Speaker 1: I would tell I would like, get in there and 394 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: wire and something's going to happen. Yeah. So one thing 395 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 1: I wanted to talk to you about significant sound moments 396 00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 1: on the show and what I mean by that we affection, 397 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 1: we call it sound or no sound, and a couple 398 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:07,639 Speaker 1: of moments that that stick out. One is the proposal. 399 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: I remember Jim and Pam. Now were you a part 400 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:12,960 Speaker 1: of that discussion. I don't think it was a big 401 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:15,440 Speaker 1: part of it, but I do remember Greg asking me 402 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 1: my opinion. First of all, I've heard the original story 403 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 1: from Dave Rogers, who I think just on a fluke. 404 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:24,400 Speaker 1: He just showed him a version of it. He's like, oh, 405 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 1: we could do it like this, and then he played 406 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:28,680 Speaker 1: it for him with no sound, and then it turned 407 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:31,920 Speaker 1: into this like huge week long or two week long thing, 408 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 1: this big debate we're going to do this sound or not. 409 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 1: But my opinion was whether or not you use this 410 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:41,679 Speaker 1: sound should be determined by how why the shot was. 411 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: I was like, look, if you're gonna play the proposal 412 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:46,240 Speaker 1: in a big, giant, wide shot, then it won't be 413 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:48,359 Speaker 1: such a big deal to not hear the sound, because 414 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 1: from a documentary point of view, the audience will think, well, 415 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:53,679 Speaker 1: they're too far away, they didn't have their wires on 416 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:55,679 Speaker 1: or whatever, and you kind of see the traffic right 417 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:57,680 Speaker 1: front of the thing, and you can hear that and 418 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,080 Speaker 1: you can tell what's going on. But if you're going 419 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 1: to be tight in and you don't have the sound, 420 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:06,200 Speaker 1: it's gonna look like a mistake. So that was my feeling. 421 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 1: I was like, so, if you're showing their tight shots 422 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: or whatever or from the chest up, then you've got 423 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:12,280 Speaker 1: to use this sound because otherwise it's just going to 424 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:17,040 Speaker 1: be distracting and look weird. But I know ultimately they 425 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 1: went with the sound, and I know it was like 426 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 1: the decision was made at the last minute. And if 427 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 1: you talked to Eric Culjyn, he's there was the post 428 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: supervisor on that, and I still work with him all 429 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:29,360 Speaker 1: the time, and I know he has the story where 430 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 1: he has both tapes, one in each hand, and they're 431 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 1: like standing in front, like in front of Gregg's house 432 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:36,359 Speaker 1: or in front of the studio or somewhere. They're like, 433 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: all right, dude, which one is it going to be? 434 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 1: We got to decide right now. I'm glad he decided 435 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:45,200 Speaker 1: on the sound though. I think that was more satisfying 436 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: for the fans. Yeah. So, I've had a lot of 437 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:54,159 Speaker 1: people talk to me about mistakes being okay, really leaning 438 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 1: into the realism of the characters that existed in this 439 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:01,200 Speaker 1: real time and space and dunder myth one and not 440 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 1: wanting to have hair and makeup people sort of constantly 441 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 1: coming in and adjusting, you know, small pieces of hair 442 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 1: or whatever. Was there anything in terms of sound that 443 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:16,440 Speaker 1: was different on this show, Yeah, yeah, I mean especially 444 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: early on. I think that they were more on board 445 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 1: with that idea earlier on in the show, and then 446 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 1: as the years went on, we maybe tried to perfect 447 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: it a little more. But certainly a boom could be 448 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: in the shot, and I think there are some moments 449 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:31,639 Speaker 1: in the second and third season when you see the 450 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 1: boom in the shot and people didn't necessarily have to 451 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:38,679 Speaker 1: be right on Mike, you know, or be perfectly miked. 452 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 1: It could sound off, or it could sound far away, 453 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:44,120 Speaker 1: especially if the person was far away, you know, because 454 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 1: on a scripted show, well this was a scripted show, 455 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:49,199 Speaker 1: but on a real scripted show, your job is to 456 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:53,120 Speaker 1: get everything perfectly and clean and then let post decide 457 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:55,440 Speaker 1: do we want this to sound far away? You know, 458 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:57,160 Speaker 1: and then they change it and alter it to make 459 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:01,160 Speaker 1: it sound however they wanted creatively. But we were able 460 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:03,359 Speaker 1: to kind of just do that in real time if okay, 461 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:05,240 Speaker 1: well we didn't have 't have time to mike him, 462 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 1: and he's running in from this, so we'll just I'll 463 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:09,639 Speaker 1: just queue the boom over that way, and whatever it 464 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:12,240 Speaker 1: sounds like is what it sounds like. So you definitely 465 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:16,399 Speaker 1: have more freedom in that sense, right. Obviously, one of 466 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 1: the huge moments on the show Steve's final goodbye and 467 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:26,440 Speaker 1: him taking off the mic to go into the airport. 468 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 1: Can you talk to me a little bit about that, 469 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:32,400 Speaker 1: how that was achieved and and and your role in that. Sure, well, 470 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 1: we we had, so Greg came over and we talked 471 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:36,080 Speaker 1: about a couple of different ways to do it, and 472 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 1: we even discussed the possibility of Steve handing me the 473 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:42,800 Speaker 1: pack and then I like show it to the camera 474 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:44,959 Speaker 1: and turn it off, and we watched the light flicker 475 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,640 Speaker 1: off like sort of like a dramatic kind of thing. 476 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: We didn't do that, but we talked about it, and 477 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:52,639 Speaker 1: then in a couple of takes, I know, Matt tiled 478 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: it down and you could see my hand come in 479 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 1: and him hand the mike to me when he takes 480 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 1: it off. But that was It was a sad day. 481 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 1: You know. That whole period was just a blubber fest 482 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 1: like for for everybody, you know, and then we had 483 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:14,159 Speaker 1: to go through it again when the show ended, you know, 484 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: two years later we all had to cry every day 485 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:20,040 Speaker 1: for a whole week. Yeah, but yeah, that was that 486 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:22,920 Speaker 1: was a big day. You know. It was sad emotionally 487 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:24,639 Speaker 1: and and just to be there and I'm heat when 488 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:26,680 Speaker 1: you see him reach off camera he hands it to me, 489 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:29,240 Speaker 1: so which is kind of a neat moment. I'm like, 490 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:32,399 Speaker 1: he's handing that to me, I'm standing right there, and 491 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 1: he's gone, and he's gone. He walks out, and you 492 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 1: can still kind of hear like muffled you know, airport noises, 493 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:41,439 Speaker 1: which I presumably I guess here for the boom in 494 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 1: a real world, you would still hear the boom, and 495 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:45,720 Speaker 1: and you would hear them a little bit too, although 496 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: they were kind of far away. But I still like 497 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:50,760 Speaker 1: what they did, you know, to make it just more dramatic, 498 00:27:50,800 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 1: I guess. Yeah, the way that our show was shot, 499 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:18,240 Speaker 1: and I think part of it was the spontaneous way 500 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 1: at times the camera moved around, which that obviously made 501 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 1: you have to move around. I mean, I don't think 502 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 1: gymnastics is an exaggeration. I mean we talked already about 503 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:30,359 Speaker 1: you laying on top of the vending machines to be 504 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:33,320 Speaker 1: able to get down, but when the camera was gonna swing, 505 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: you had to swing out of the way so you 506 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:39,800 Speaker 1: wouldn't be in the shot. No, I mean we we 507 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:42,680 Speaker 1: would call it like a dance basically, and for the 508 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 1: most part it was just the three of us, just 509 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,960 Speaker 1: me and Matt and Randall, and we're just like, Okay, 510 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:49,560 Speaker 1: you're gonna stand here, then I'm gonna stand here, and 511 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 1: then he'll say this, and you walk over here, and 512 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 1: then he does this and I walk over there, and 513 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,680 Speaker 1: then we would just work out this dance and memorize 514 00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 1: it basically, and do it three or four times. Then everybody, 515 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: the real people come in and then we do it 516 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:03,600 Speaker 1: like fifteen times and then we move on to the 517 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:06,400 Speaker 1: next one. You know. It was super fun and sometimes 518 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,000 Speaker 1: I could be there. They're whipping through me. You can't 519 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:11,680 Speaker 1: tell I'm there, you know. So there's probably lots of 520 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: spots on lots of episodes where I'm in the whip, 521 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:17,120 Speaker 1: or the other camera is in the whip, or Ken 522 00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:19,120 Speaker 1: Kappas is in the whip, sitting in the corner at 523 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: a little monitor with Veda, you know. But I mean 524 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:25,360 Speaker 1: a lot of times it was just the three of 525 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 1: us on that set, the only crew people there. You know. 526 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: Did that give you a closer or different relationship with 527 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 1: the actors then you've had on other shows? Yeah, yeah, definitely. 528 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:42,440 Speaker 1: And I mean just the mere situation of all of 529 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:47,600 Speaker 1: us being in that room all day for you know, 530 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: eight months or whatever it is. I mean, you spent 531 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: more time with each other than with our families and 532 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:57,640 Speaker 1: our spouses, you know, and that that situation alone makes 533 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:02,160 Speaker 1: you closer. Yeah, But also the intimacy of the nature 534 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 1: of how we shoot and the communication. You know, that's like, Okay, 535 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:07,800 Speaker 1: so you're gonna you're gonna be here, and you want 536 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:09,240 Speaker 1: to walk here, and we gotta you know, we just 537 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: gotta stay out of each other's way and let each 538 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: other do our job so the scene can happen. It 539 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:17,760 Speaker 1: isn't necessary to communicate that much on a On a 540 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: regular working set, you can kind of the hands off 541 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 1: and just do your job. But that wasn't necessarily true 542 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: on the office. You know, we kind of had to 543 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 1: really talk to each other. It's occurring to me now 544 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 1: maybe stronger sitting here talking with you again. I don't 545 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 1: recall any other job that I've had where without talking 546 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:43,200 Speaker 1: to a director or a writer or a producer that 547 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: I would have conversations with sound you or camera Matt 548 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 1: or Randall and say, hey, I'm gonna do this, make 549 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:57,920 Speaker 1: sure you have made right. That doesn't happen now with 550 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:00,560 Speaker 1: you not saying like let me on that by the 551 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:03,760 Speaker 1: director or no, we just we just just did it 552 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 1: because we were gonna do it a million times. Anyway. 553 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 1: It's to me right now how strange that is, I know, 554 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 1: deciding our own rules as it goes along. Yeah, And 555 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:17,520 Speaker 1: the energy of that is really kind of intoxicating and fun. 556 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:20,240 Speaker 1: It just made it so much fun to be there. Like, 557 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: I love watching that opening. I think it's is the 558 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: fourth season where Ed is in the elevator and they're 559 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:29,400 Speaker 1: doing that song that no no no, no, no no no, 560 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:34,640 Speaker 1: the opening the fourth season. That day was so much 561 00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:38,040 Speaker 1: fun and all we did was that scene. We didn't 562 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:40,000 Speaker 1: do anything else that day. I think we wrapped at 563 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:42,760 Speaker 1: two o'clock. This that was like, just to watch that 564 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:45,720 Speaker 1: is just God. That was just a super, super fun 565 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 1: day and I get that feeling a lot when I 566 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 1: watched the show. Yeah, and my kids watch it now too, 567 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 1: which is great. Oh they do. Yeah, and my son's 568 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:57,560 Speaker 1: really into it. He's thirteen. That sounds right, Yeah, and 569 00:31:57,560 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 1: he's uh, he's definitely into it. Yeah, watch that in 570 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 1: the Simpsons. Those are two good choices. Give that both 571 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 1: stamped with Greg Daniels. Right. That's so. You appeared on 572 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:15,440 Speaker 1: the show as many of our crew members did Customer Loyalty. 573 00:32:15,920 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 1: You were a dad, angry dad, I think are annoyed 574 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:22,240 Speaker 1: sitting next to uh to Pam there at CC's recital. 575 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:25,400 Speaker 1: How was that being on camera for you? Are you 576 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:27,800 Speaker 1: glad you did it? Oh? Yeah, that was super fun. 577 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:31,000 Speaker 1: And that stemmed from, you know, the whole introducing the 578 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 1: boom operator as a character and bringing in Chris Diamond 579 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:39,479 Speaker 1: Topolis and me auditioning to play myself and which I 580 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:41,840 Speaker 1: got to do. So I I had an audition in 581 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:45,720 Speaker 1: front of Greg and Alison Jones and read with Jenni 582 00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:49,320 Speaker 1: Fisher and you know, I'm not an actor, but Greg 583 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:51,760 Speaker 1: really wanted me to do it, and I was like, well, 584 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: I'll try it, you know, we'll see how it goes. 585 00:32:54,080 --> 00:32:58,200 Speaker 1: And uh, and they ultimately decided to hire an actual 586 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:02,840 Speaker 1: actor is probably why. But sort of as a as 587 00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 1: a joke I think to the fans and as a 588 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 1: thank you to me for like going along with everything, 589 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:11,200 Speaker 1: they gave me a little part in that same episode, 590 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 1: the episode where they introduced him, and oh it was great. 591 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 1: You know that's awesome. Yeah. So you're Brian Whittle character 592 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:24,920 Speaker 1: on the show, real life person, the boom operator, as 593 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: you said, played by Chris Do you know how that 594 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:31,480 Speaker 1: idea came about where you involved in discussions so you 595 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:33,440 Speaker 1: were asked an audition for it. But when did you 596 00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 1: become aware that that was going to be kind of 597 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:38,760 Speaker 1: a signature moment in the last season. The writers have 598 00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:41,080 Speaker 1: been talking about it for at least a few weeks 599 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:43,320 Speaker 1: before that, maybe even a month. They I think for 600 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:45,920 Speaker 1: a long time had wanted someone from the crew to 601 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:49,239 Speaker 1: step through and be part of the show. Why they 602 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 1: chose the boom operator, I don't know. I'm imagining because 603 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:54,360 Speaker 1: if it had been a camera person, then they have 604 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:56,120 Speaker 1: to have a moment where they put down the camera 605 00:33:56,320 --> 00:33:58,160 Speaker 1: or hand the camera to someone and they walked over, 606 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:00,720 Speaker 1: so they'd be like that sort of inner option in 607 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:02,520 Speaker 1: the screen. But I think they thought, well, the boom 608 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 1: I could just walk on and it wouldn't be wouldn't 609 00:34:05,080 --> 00:34:08,640 Speaker 1: disrupt anything, you know, So maybe that's why they picked him. 610 00:34:08,680 --> 00:34:11,320 Speaker 1: But yeah, they were talking for a long time about 611 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:13,200 Speaker 1: what the story was going to be, how he was 612 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:14,800 Speaker 1: going to be, what he was going to be about, 613 00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:16,399 Speaker 1: and they would mention it to me on the set, 614 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:18,880 Speaker 1: you know, all we're upstairs talking about you and what 615 00:34:18,880 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 1: what's gonna happen with your thing and so. And then 616 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:24,400 Speaker 1: eventually they figured it out and they wrote out some 617 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:26,839 Speaker 1: scripts and Greg asked me onto a to audition for it. 618 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:30,799 Speaker 1: You told me after the office you you worked with 619 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:36,239 Speaker 1: Chris Damnontopolis on Silicon Valley. Did you teach him how 620 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:39,600 Speaker 1: to hold the boom or were their aspects of of 621 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:42,120 Speaker 1: you know, of him creating that character that you talked 622 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:44,719 Speaker 1: to him in that moment or now. Yeah, I mean 623 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:47,080 Speaker 1: I just told him he actually had like a different 624 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:49,560 Speaker 1: rig on. He had what's called an E n G setup, 625 00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 1: which a documentary person would have, you know, the thing 626 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:55,240 Speaker 1: we wear on your shoulder that you see news people 627 00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:58,839 Speaker 1: have or sports people. And uh, I just you know, 628 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:00,920 Speaker 1: just showed him how to wear and how to how 629 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:02,239 Speaker 1: to hold it, so it looked like he knew what 630 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:04,279 Speaker 1: he was doing. I don't think there were too many 631 00:35:04,280 --> 00:35:06,400 Speaker 1: shots of him actually working as a sound man. He 632 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:11,400 Speaker 1: just stuff and came in, so it wasn't super important. 633 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:13,919 Speaker 1: But but yeah, he was cool. How do you feel 634 00:35:13,960 --> 00:35:16,360 Speaker 1: about the fact that it was you, your name, that 635 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 1: you know, tried to ruin one of the greatest love 636 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:22,000 Speaker 1: stories in television history. I mean, how does that make 637 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:25,960 Speaker 1: you feel today? Uh? It makes me feel great because 638 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:28,160 Speaker 1: I got to be I have a character named after 639 00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:30,600 Speaker 1: me on the show. He could have been the most 640 00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:35,600 Speaker 1: evil person there. It's still cool. That's awesome. Um. Yeah. 641 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:39,319 Speaker 1: Since The Office, You've done a lot of work with 642 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:42,840 Speaker 1: Mindy Kaling, right, have you worked on the Mendy Project, 643 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:46,080 Speaker 1: Sex Lies of College Girls. You have another little show 644 00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:49,200 Speaker 1: called Champions that lasted for one season. We did that 645 00:35:49,239 --> 00:35:52,480 Speaker 1: one also, right, you enjoy working with her? Yeah, it's 646 00:35:52,520 --> 00:35:55,359 Speaker 1: been great. We did I think six five or six 647 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:58,439 Speaker 1: seasons of the Mindy Project and that's where I got 648 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:00,759 Speaker 1: to move up to sound mixer. So that was great 649 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:02,160 Speaker 1: because I don't have to hold the boom over my 650 00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:05,480 Speaker 1: head anymore. And then we went right into her Championship 651 00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:08,160 Speaker 1: after that, and then I did Yeah, I did Sex 652 00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:11,040 Speaker 1: Lives last year, the pilot. But I've done some of 653 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:13,400 Speaker 1: Jenna's shows too, and or just I did Splitting Up 654 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:18,720 Speaker 1: together with Jenna. I love when our crew. There's nothing 655 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:23,760 Speaker 1: like it showing up somewhere and there's the guys. Um. Anyway, 656 00:36:24,040 --> 00:36:28,319 Speaker 1: do you have any any favorite moments from the set 657 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:32,040 Speaker 1: of the Office that you remember? Favorite moments, Um, Yeah, 658 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:34,719 Speaker 1: I have a bunch. I mean, the hardest I ever 659 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:39,880 Speaker 1: laughed and I broke all the time on probably the 660 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:43,360 Speaker 1: same for many is the Christmas episode where you're sitting 661 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:46,399 Speaker 1: on Steve lap Yeah, I mean He's like, just say 662 00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:50,200 Speaker 1: some toys, Just say some toys. I mean that, and 663 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:52,600 Speaker 1: plus I have the boom over my head, so I'm 664 00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:56,880 Speaker 1: like this and I'm in a really uncomfortable physical position 665 00:36:57,320 --> 00:37:00,000 Speaker 1: and it's way out, really long and have the boom 666 00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:04,440 Speaker 1: over the two of you and and everybody, everybody is 667 00:37:04,480 --> 00:37:09,319 Speaker 1: breaking all over the whole bullpen, and oh god, it 668 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:12,480 Speaker 1: was so funny. It is and I'm like shaking and 669 00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:14,600 Speaker 1: trying to hold this thing not drop it. Well, I 670 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:18,279 Speaker 1: realized that you were probably the only other person that 671 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:21,840 Speaker 1: could hear, because you had the mics on and you 672 00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 1: were there booming it. But I've said to people afterward, 673 00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:27,719 Speaker 1: everyone who was laughing, they don't even know the half 674 00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:30,440 Speaker 1: of it. Because there was a sound that he made, 675 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:34,920 Speaker 1: very small that the mics obviously could pick up. But 676 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:39,320 Speaker 1: at the moment I sat down, he made this sound 677 00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:47,439 Speaker 1: and it slayed me every time. Now, were you were 678 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:50,239 Speaker 1: you really like sitting on his lap putting all your 679 00:37:50,239 --> 00:37:51,880 Speaker 1: weight on him, or were you kind of like but 680 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:53,719 Speaker 1: by the way, and I just did this for some 681 00:37:53,880 --> 00:37:58,520 Speaker 1: other dumb bit too. He looked at me after and 682 00:37:58,520 --> 00:38:02,279 Speaker 1: he's like, it's not even heavy. It's not when you 683 00:38:02,360 --> 00:38:05,680 Speaker 1: see on someone's life. It is not that I promised 684 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:07,759 Speaker 1: next time I see you, I'm gonna sit on your 685 00:38:07,840 --> 00:38:11,040 Speaker 1: lap and we're gonna we're gonna try it out. But 686 00:38:11,160 --> 00:38:14,160 Speaker 1: he was like, no, it's not that, but oh no, 687 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:16,719 Speaker 1: he he made it seem like it was Oh he 688 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:20,320 Speaker 1: sure did. Well, yeah, who wouldn't. I mean, that's that 689 00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:22,000 Speaker 1: you got to do that he did. I mean he 690 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:26,359 Speaker 1: nailed it. It was it was perfect. He nailed most everything. Yeah, 691 00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:29,200 Speaker 1: he really did. He was amazing. You mentioned it before 692 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:33,239 Speaker 1: the tears of the finale, when you found out that 693 00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:37,360 Speaker 1: the show was ending. How was that for you? Well, 694 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:41,000 Speaker 1: we all, I think we suspected it was coming, and uh, 695 00:38:41,360 --> 00:38:43,480 Speaker 1: you might have been there when that time. Gregg came 696 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:46,400 Speaker 1: onto the bus. Remember we were shooting on that bus 697 00:38:46,840 --> 00:38:49,160 Speaker 1: and he stepped on and he said, Hey, I just 698 00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:50,800 Speaker 1: want to tell you guys, it's going to be announced 699 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:53,239 Speaker 1: on deadline in like ten minutes. He's like, just so 700 00:38:53,320 --> 00:38:54,799 Speaker 1: you hear it from me, this is gonna be our 701 00:38:54,880 --> 00:38:57,719 Speaker 1: last season. And then he made a comment because there 702 00:38:57,719 --> 00:39:01,320 Speaker 1: were still several episodes left, and he made a comment. 703 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:03,680 Speaker 1: He's like, so he says, now that we know this 704 00:39:03,800 --> 00:39:07,040 Speaker 1: early on, we can really savor it, right, which was 705 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:09,400 Speaker 1: a really great way to look at it, because it 706 00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:11,319 Speaker 1: was sad, but it was like, Okay, at least we 707 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:13,560 Speaker 1: know now it's not gonna be abrupt and we're just gonna, 708 00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:15,480 Speaker 1: you know, like some some shows you're like, oh, we're done, 709 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:18,879 Speaker 1: go home, you know. And but but on this show, 710 00:39:18,960 --> 00:39:22,200 Speaker 1: it's like we knew, okay, we've got five six whatever 711 00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:25,319 Speaker 1: was left episodes and we can really just come into 712 00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:28,560 Speaker 1: work every day and really and just love it, you know, 713 00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:31,719 Speaker 1: until it's over. Yeah, but yeah, it was sad. It 714 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:33,560 Speaker 1: was sad. I mean you were there, you remember. It 715 00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:35,440 Speaker 1: was like every time we're on the set's like, oh 716 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:37,320 Speaker 1: my god, this is the last time we're gonna shoot 717 00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:40,200 Speaker 1: in the annex with this person's ending here and this, 718 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:43,560 Speaker 1: and then we din. Then every setup was like this 719 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:45,719 Speaker 1: is the last time we're doing this scenario and this 720 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:48,520 Speaker 1: is the last time we're doing this right, and it 721 00:39:48,719 --> 00:39:51,400 Speaker 1: just it was just went on and on and every 722 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:56,200 Speaker 1: scene someone would break, just like fourteen days. Also like 723 00:39:56,280 --> 00:40:02,279 Speaker 1: shooting the finale, and that finale, we actually went to 724 00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:06,680 Speaker 1: a ton of weird locations. There was the farm, and 725 00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:10,520 Speaker 1: there was Kevin's Bar, and there was like the Q 726 00:40:10,719 --> 00:40:13,520 Speaker 1: and a thing and you know, all these weird locations 727 00:40:13,520 --> 00:40:15,960 Speaker 1: which we never did. And so it was like we 728 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:19,080 Speaker 1: were away for like seven eight days and then we 729 00:40:19,120 --> 00:40:22,120 Speaker 1: went back and kind of did you know, the very 730 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:25,160 Speaker 1: end um to finish it off, which I think was 731 00:40:25,200 --> 00:40:28,480 Speaker 1: always a great idea. It was. It was right up 732 00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:31,200 Speaker 1: till the end, right up to the end. Ye like 733 00:40:31,239 --> 00:40:33,560 Speaker 1: to the wrap party like it was like it was. 734 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:35,920 Speaker 1: We went to the rap party right after we wrapped 735 00:40:35,960 --> 00:40:40,080 Speaker 1: on Saturday. We were like two hours late. We relate 736 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:47,840 Speaker 1: to our own. That sounds like us. It sounds like us. Um, listen, 737 00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:50,520 Speaker 1: I love so much of what you have talked to 738 00:40:50,520 --> 00:40:54,480 Speaker 1: me about today and the unique collaboration that we had 739 00:40:54,920 --> 00:40:58,080 Speaker 1: between the cast and the crew and the writers and 740 00:40:58,080 --> 00:41:02,319 Speaker 1: the producers, and is really a key ingredient I think 741 00:41:02,320 --> 00:41:05,080 Speaker 1: to why the show is endured and how it's thrived 742 00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:08,880 Speaker 1: now seven eight years later. Um, I'll ask you what 743 00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:12,440 Speaker 1: I've asked everyone. Why do you think the show now 744 00:41:13,000 --> 00:41:15,560 Speaker 1: is bigger than it was when we were working on it? 745 00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:19,840 Speaker 1: What do you think the secret? Sauces Um? Well, the 746 00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:23,160 Speaker 1: main reason is is that it's funny. But the sort 747 00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:25,359 Speaker 1: of unifying reason is I think it's just because it's 748 00:41:26,280 --> 00:41:31,319 Speaker 1: it's just very real while at the same time being outlandish. 749 00:41:31,640 --> 00:41:34,200 Speaker 1: You know, everybody has these weird people they work with, 750 00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:37,319 Speaker 1: and you know, these people that can be blown up 751 00:41:37,320 --> 00:41:40,880 Speaker 1: into caricatures, and that's what this show does. It just 752 00:41:40,920 --> 00:41:44,040 Speaker 1: blows up these people you already know into the weird 753 00:41:44,080 --> 00:41:46,280 Speaker 1: people that you sort of make fun of them for already, 754 00:41:46,520 --> 00:41:50,560 Speaker 1: whether they're that extreme or not. And I think everybody 755 00:41:50,600 --> 00:41:53,480 Speaker 1: connects with that. Also, there's just nothing else like it 756 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:55,919 Speaker 1: right now probably and there never will be again. TV 757 00:41:56,080 --> 00:41:59,279 Speaker 1: is totally different now. We don't have twenty six episodes 758 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:01,120 Speaker 1: and it's not on the same time, and we don't 759 00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:03,799 Speaker 1: all watch it together as a country, and it's just, 760 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:06,400 Speaker 1: you know, it's just a very different thing. And that 761 00:42:06,560 --> 00:42:09,759 Speaker 1: was like maybe the last really great, great television show 762 00:42:09,760 --> 00:42:12,880 Speaker 1: of that era. And uh, I think that's my people 763 00:42:12,920 --> 00:42:16,600 Speaker 1: love it. Brian, Thank you so much. It's so good 764 00:42:16,640 --> 00:42:18,920 Speaker 1: to see you. Great to see you too, Thanks for 765 00:42:18,960 --> 00:42:21,359 Speaker 1: coming and talking to me. And uh, and you will 766 00:42:21,400 --> 00:42:25,680 Speaker 1: live forever Brian Whittle, the man who tried to break 767 00:42:25,760 --> 00:42:31,560 Speaker 1: up Jim and Pam. Ladies and gentlemen. Thanks buddy, Sure, 768 00:42:31,719 --> 00:42:46,279 Speaker 1: thank you. It's a great time. Brian, Thank you so 769 00:42:46,400 --> 00:42:49,640 Speaker 1: much now and I truly meant what I said. You 770 00:42:49,719 --> 00:42:55,560 Speaker 1: will live forever both as Brian Whittle the character, but 771 00:42:55,640 --> 00:43:00,680 Speaker 1: also you the real Brian Whittle, office lump own genius 772 00:43:01,160 --> 00:43:07,080 Speaker 1: and the boom operator who didn't break up one couple, 773 00:43:07,360 --> 00:43:11,000 Speaker 1: not even one you broke up Nobody my friend, So 774 00:43:11,480 --> 00:43:14,160 Speaker 1: thank you for coming on and of course this isn't 775 00:43:14,160 --> 00:43:17,080 Speaker 1: the end. I will be back next week for another 776 00:43:17,239 --> 00:43:21,480 Speaker 1: episode of the Office Deep Dive, this one well with 777 00:43:21,520 --> 00:43:26,480 Speaker 1: another love interest of Pam actually David Denman a k A. 778 00:43:27,080 --> 00:43:31,360 Speaker 1: Roy Get excited and of course uh coming soon my 779 00:43:31,480 --> 00:43:36,640 Speaker 1: new podcast, Off the Beat, more stories, more memories, more everything. 780 00:43:36,760 --> 00:43:38,719 Speaker 1: I'm going to miss you this week, all right, I 781 00:43:38,760 --> 00:43:41,439 Speaker 1: hope you'll miss me, but know that I will see 782 00:43:41,480 --> 00:43:52,520 Speaker 1: you soon. The Office Deep Dive is hosted and executive 783 00:43:52,560 --> 00:43:57,440 Speaker 1: produced by me Brian Baumgartner, alongside our executive producer Langley. 784 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:01,560 Speaker 1: Our producers are Emily Carr and Diego Tapia, and our 785 00:44:01,640 --> 00:44:05,680 Speaker 1: intern is Hannah Harris. Our theme song Bubble and Squeak, 786 00:44:05,760 --> 00:44:09,160 Speaker 1: performed by my great friend Creed Bratton, and the episode 787 00:44:09,239 --> 00:44:30,120 Speaker 1: was mixed by seth Olandsky