Podcast Summary
Behind-the-scenes stories from 'The Office': Unexpected foot prosthetic scene reveals production depth and unexpected twists during filming.
The making of "The Office" was filled with behind-the-scenes moments and unexpected twists, even involving foot prosthetics. Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey, who played Pam and Angela on the show, share these stories on their Ultimate Office Rewatch Podcast. In this episode, they interviewed Kelly Cantley, the assistant director for 72 episodes, who shared exclusive stories. Jenna found an amusing email from Steve Burgess about a cut scene involving foot prosthetics for Jenna and Kelly. The scene, which was about Angela's small feet, was never used. These anecdotes show the depth of production that went into creating the beloved TV show and the unexpected twists that can occur during filming.
Unexpected opportunity on 'The Office': An unexpected job offer on a comedy show led to a long and successful career despite initial doubts and lack of experience.
Kelly came to work on "The Office" quite unexpectedly. She had just decided to focus on being a first A.D. when Ross Novey contacted her about a pilot called "Early Bird" he was producing, which also happened to be the name of a little comedy called "The Office." After a brief interview with Greg Daniels, she was offered a job as a second A.D. for season two, despite having little comedy experience and having not seen much of the show during the interview process. Initially unsure, she soon discovered that "The Office" was the funniest thing she had ever seen and decided to stay on. This unexpected opportunity led to a long and successful career on the show.
Managing film production logistics as a First AD: The First AD is responsible for managing pre-production and ensuring smooth filming logistics, involving complex problem-solving and effective communication with various teams.
Being a First AD (First Assistant Director) in film production involves managing the pre-production process and overseeing the logistics during filming. It's like being a project manager, ensuring the script is prepared for shooting and running the floor during camera work. Prep periods can involve solving complex problems, such as figuring out how to film a scene with a cat without harming it or the equipment. These discussions can be lengthy and involve various departments, like animal wranglers and special effects teams. For instance, during the prep for a scene involving a cat falling from the ceiling, the team considered using a stuffed cat or an animatronic one, but safety concerns and costs led to a two-hour discussion about using a second cat and a fall pad. The role requires creativity, problem-solving skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with various team members.
Filming 'The Office': Documentary Camera Awareness and Production Challenges: The Office's production team faced unique challenges in filming an office setting, requiring careful planning and problem-solving to capture desired shots without detection, such as rigging black drapes for spying scenes.
The production of "The Office" involved careful consideration of documentary camera awareness, especially when filming private scenes or spying on other locations like Prince Family Paper. This required planning and problem-solving to ensure the crew could capture the desired shots without being detected. The show's unique setting in an office building limited their ability to travel, making each production challenge more complex. For instance, filming the episode where the characters went to spy on Prince Family Paper required rigging black drapes to avoid reflections and shooting everything in one plane from outside the window. These behind-the-scenes details demonstrate the dedication and creativity of the production team in bringing the beloved show to life.
Filming boat scenes: Dock vs. Sea and Lighting Barge: Extensive planning, coordination, and collaboration were necessary to film boat scenes, including shooting some scenes at the dock and using a lighting barge for moving water illusion. Challenges like seasickness were overcome to capture authentic footage.
Filming a scene on a boat, especially one that involves actors and crew being at sea, requires extensive planning and coordination. The team went through the script to determine which scenes could be shot at the dock instead of at sea, and organized a lighting barge to create the illusion of moving water. However, filming on a boat presented challenges, including seasickness for both cast and crew. Despite this, the team managed to capture the necessary footage, even filming actors vomiting over the side of the boat for added authenticity. It was a collaborative effort between the production team, marine coordinators, and actors to ensure the successful execution of the boat scenes.
Supporting Colleagues During Challenging Times: Kelly went above and beyond to accommodate colleagues during challenging times, influencing their skills and ensuring their scheduling needs were met, demonstrating a selfless and supportive attitude.
During the filming of "The Office," Kelly worked tirelessly to support her colleagues, particularly during challenging times. This was evident when she went above and beyond to accommodate Jenna and later, when she ensured Jenna and Kelly's scheduling needs were met as they navigated motherhood on set. Additionally, Kelly's role evolved as new cast members joined, but her dedication to the show remained constant. Her experience also influenced Jenna's skillset as an AD, making their working relationship mutually beneficial. Furthermore, Kelly's willingness to adapt and prioritize her colleagues' needs demonstrated a selfless and supportive attitude that made a significant impact on the production of "The Office."
Understanding the producer vs actor roles: Producers have control and responsibility, actors have little control and rely on production team.
Producing and acting involve vastly different levels of control and autonomy. When producing, one is in charge and responsible for making things right for others. Conversely, as an actor, one has little control over their daily routine and relinquishes decision-making to the production team. This perspective shift was eye-opening for the speaker during her producing experience. As an actor, one is trained to focus solely on acting and to rely on the production team for even the most basic needs. This contrast between the two roles highlights the importance of understanding and appreciating the unique challenges and responsibilities that come with each position in film production.
Safety measures in film production: Film production involves extensive planning for cast and crew safety, including safety meetings, adherence to guidelines, and consequences for non-compliance.
Behind the scenes of film production involves extensive planning and safety measures to ensure the well-being of cast and crew. Prior to the safety meeting during a garage sale scene, the team had already taken precautions such as securing a fire marshal, avoiding flammable materials, and ensuring candles were handled carefully. During the safety meeting, the focus was on paying attention to open flames and avoiding injury. Reminder meetings, on the other hand, involved ensuring cast and crew had their screens on approved content during filming. Rain, a cast member, infamously forgot to comply with this rule and was reminded with a charitable donation as consequence. This anecdote highlights the importance of adhering to production guidelines and the lighthearted approach to enforcing them.
Learning and Improvisation on The Office Set: Working on The Office led to valuable skills, improvisation, and career growth for the speaker.
Working on "The Office" was an experience filled with laughter, improvisation, and learning. The cast members, including the speaker, were not immune to breaking character and ruining takes, especially when Steve Carell would improvise short jokes. The speaker would occasionally pitch jokes and suggestions for practical problems, but generally avoided being the "wouldn't it be funny if" person. The show taught the speaker valuable skills, such as scheduling, which helped her land interviews and excel in her second career as an AD. The collaborative and creative environment of "The Office" not only provided entertainment for viewers, but also had a significant impact on the cast members' careers.
Communication and Flexibility are Key in TV Scheduling: Effective communication with cast and crew, flexibility, and building relationships can lead to a successful scheduling career in TV. Personal touches and mementos add meaning to the experience.
Effective communication and flexibility are key to being a successful scheduler in the television industry. The speaker shared how being upfront with cast members about their schedules and giving them choices when it didn't matter made a big difference. Additionally, building relationships with colleagues and keeping mementos from past projects can add personal meaning to one's career. The speaker also mentioned the unique experience of working on a TV show for an extended period, comparing it to a summer camp experience. A surprising memory came up while rewatching the show, and the speaker gave away a souvenir sleeve from the set to a production designer who was a big fan of the show.
Sharing office memories and items: Cherishing office memories and items can create a sense of shared history and camaraderie, emphasizing the enduring impact of professional experiences and relationships.
The office environment and the people in it hold significant memories and items that can bring joy and connection even long after leaving the workplace. Kelly Kapoor shared stories about giving away items she regretted not keeping, such as a signed trophy for Amy and Cornell shirts for her husband's sailing team photo. These items ended up in the office, creating a sense of shared history and camaraderie. The importance of cherishing these moments and items was emphasized throughout the conversation, highlighting the enduring impact of our professional experiences and relationships.
