Thanks Seattle!

... To my peeps who attended the meet-and-greet at F.X. McCrory's today. Could've been real embarrassing if no one showed up.

I have some photos but don't know how to re-size them with my iPad Blogger Ap. So photos to come when I get home. This is why I wish Steve Jobs was still alive.

Read More

The Paramount Lot

Looking forward to seeing my peeps in Seattle today at 1:00 at F.X. McCrory's.

I often hear from readers asking me to talk about the various movie studios I've been lucky enough to work on.  For twenty years I was ensconced at Paramount. My fondest memories are of Paramount but more for the people and creative atmosphere than the historic landmarks. Although some of those indeed exist.

The motel-looking building that served as William Holden’s office in SUNSET BLVD. remains intact. And the huge mural of the sky is still there. It’s always sunny with a few wispy clouds at Paramount.

And there is the “tank”. This is a recessed parking lot that can be filled with water for shooting or purposes or flooding cars. The blockbuster TORA TORA TORA shot most of its exteriors there. All of the warships were toy models. How did we live before Industrial Light & Magic?

One night after a late rewrite I saw massive lights and activity going on at the tank. Remember the climax of PATRIOT GAMES? There was a big fight on a small yacht that was swirling around in a vicious storm? They were filming that. I sauntered over and watched. Everyone just assumed I was a member of the crew. How many tourists are on the Paramount lot at 2:30 in the morning with a dog-eared WINGS script? Harrison Ford is a nice guy, by the way.

The tank is used sparingly because it’s quite expensive to fill. We did employ it once for CHEERS. Sam and Diane are on a boat. I think it’s from the fourth season. For the rest of the run of the show whenever we were stuck for a scene I would suggest, “Fill the tank!”

STAR TREK filmed at Paramount. More than once I’d be standing in line at the ATM behind a Klingon.

There was never much of a backlot but their New York street is more like a New York neighborhood. Several streets of different vintage intersect. Westside meets eastside. I see that location in a gazillion films, commercials, and music videos. Half the AMERICAN IDOL Ford videos are shot there. When we were doing ALMOST PERFECT, our stage was adjacent to the New York street. One day I walked out of our stage and there was James Brown sitting on a bench eating a sandwich.

Celebrity sightings were frequent. Tom Cruise (before he became a nut bag) had an office right above the FRASIER writers room and was quite visible. Jesus, he’s short! I turned a corner one day and bumped into Sean Connery. Oh, and the twins from SISTER/SISTER were always around! Not to mention those two women who had an act called THE MOMMIES. If only I had my camera.

Paramount was not in a great neighborhood. Even in the 70s and 80s there were more drug deals made outside the lot than in.

But Paramount was more like being at a great university than a movie studio (or fort, which out of necessity is what it looked like). The Harvard of television comedy. When I arrived the Garry Marshall camp was in full force. HAPPY DAYS, LAVERNE & SHIRLEY, and yes, even BLANKSY’S BEAUTIES. Jim Brooks brought his MTM all-star team over to do TAXI and that begat CHEERS, FRASIER, and the various other shows spawned from those writers. Gary David Goldberg set up shop with FAMILY TIES. And of course there was WEBSTER.

And all of us writers from all of these shows knew each other. We’d help each other out on pilots. We’d work on each other’s series. At one time I was directing, writing, and consulting BECKER, FRASIER, and IT’S ALL RELATIVE at the same time. For years I worked on both CHEERS and WINGS.

When writers would bump into each other the first question always asked was, “How late did you guys go last night?” i.e. how long was your rewrite night? If you got out after TAXI than your show was probably in shit shape that week because they always stayed late at TAXI.

And then there were filming nights. This was the age of multi-camera shows. Most filmed the same nights (Tuesday or Friday). After audiences were sent home usually the directors had about an hour or so of pick-ups. There was nothing more boring. So writers would usually wander from stage to stage.  Talk about 3D.   Every show on television we saw live.

Sadly, the lot is a ghost town today.  Once CBS/Viacom bought it everything changed.   Very few shows are done there today.  CBS moved most everything to their Radford lot in Studio City.   I don't know the reason but I'm guessing to save money.  I know the Smithsonian will showcase sets from classic television shows from time to time.  And they're a pretty big place.  I wonder if they have room for an entire movie studio?

Read More

What scripts do you need to get an assignment or representation?

On my way up to Seattle for the big Mariners’ home opener. Here are some Friday Questions while I wait forever in the TSA line.

Damian1342 is up first (beating out the previous 1341 Damians):

Is it possible to get a freelance or staff writing job or even manager from just a Sitcom Pilot script? As opposed to doing a traditional Spec script? Of course we are assuming here the script is good and can be placed in the right hands. Or does one really have to have one of each?

Today you do need one of each – a spec for an existing show and some piece of original material. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a pilot. It can be a one-act play or short film script.

I was on a panel with Bill Lawrence (SCRUBS, COUGAR TOWN) recently and he told the story of a young writer who submitted a spec from an existing show and a DVD. Bill liked the script and turned to the disc, which was labeled “writing sample.” He put it on and it was four minutes of this guy sitting at the computer writing. Bill hired him.

Now you take a big risk doing something outrageous like that. Some producers would not be amused and you’d be dead. But others might think, “Wow! This guy is original.”

Me? I’d laugh, think it was great, and then ask for a pilot.


Heath Brandon (a proud Sitcom Room alum) asks:

Do showrunners listen to the feedback of critics and audience members and potentially adjust something to the prevailing wind throughout the course of the season?

I can’t speak for all, but most do. We certainly did. Especially with a multi-camera show, you have the advantage of an audience's reaction so you see what works and what doesn’t and then steer your show accordingly.

But what that means is you’re really living on the edge that first season. You want to always be ahead, have a few scripts in the bank ready to go, but not too many because things could change. And you sure don’t want to go week-to-week with writing new scripts because then you wind up in a cardiac ward or the Unibomber’s shed.

Mid-season shows have the advantage/disadvantage of filming all episodes of their order before they finally air. The disadvantage is you can’t make mid-course corrections based on feedback. But the advantage is your cast isn’t plunged into a suicidal depression when bad reviews and/or bad ratings come in. Try producing another eight episodes when that occurs. It’s Baghdad with worse weather. Sometimes it’s best when you’re working in a bubble and everyone is happy and optimistic and fooling themselves.

As for critics, there are some I admire and take seriously and others who are idiots and I just dismiss.

From Ben:

Ken, I've just finished watching M*A*S*H for the first time and couldn't help but feel that Charles Winchester was a pre-cursor for Frasier Crane. Do you know how much Frasier was based on or influenced by Winchester?

To my knowledge, not at all. Frasier was created by the Charles Brothers to serve as a temporary love interest for Diane. Who would Diane Chambers be attracted to and why? Those were the only considerations.

And finally, from scotmc:

A few episodes of FRASIER utilized Seattle's now defunct NBA team, the Supersonics. How much should a show incorporate its location, city?

As much as possible. Your location can be a great tool in defining your series. We’re all products of our environment and incorporating that into your series helps determine the attitudes of your characters.

The location also adds flavor and specificity. Generic is the enemy of comedy. (Well, that and Adam Sandler.)  Here's an example.  What’s funnier?

“I’m so sick.”

“That’s what you get for going to White Castle.”

Or

“That’s what you get for going to that popular east coast franchise fast food restaurant that is famous for serving bite size but greasy hamburgers.”

On the other hand, you have to be careful that your location mentions aren’t so specific that only people in that city will get the reference.

“I’m so sick.”

“That’s what you get for going to Ray’s on Cloverdale.”

Ten people in America might get that (although legendary comedy writer Jerry Belson used to say, “ten is enough.”)

Ultimately, my favorite shows are the ones that take me into a whole world, whether it be Seattle, Washington, Harlan County, Kentucky, or Pawnee, Indiana. And I think it was very smart to set WKRP IN CINCINNATI in Cincinnati.

Okay, I have to put my shoes, belt, jacket, eye glasses, and tooth fillings into the bucket and go through security. What’s your question?

Read More

Now THIS is a brutal announcer

Not only does he rip the shit out of a player, it's a player from HIS OWN TEAM. Check it out!

Read More

A follow-up to yesterday's post

Some follow-up thoughts on yesterday’s post. It generated a lot of comments. First off though, Zachary Knighton must’ve read the piece. He Tweeted these:

@kenlevine never meant to disrespect older scribes in the biz. Only thoughts on what makes HE special and my rapport with the writers on HE

@kenlevine also, I appreciate your response and btw Cheers and Mash were two shows that made me wanna be an actor....

Thanks, Zachary. And like I said, I’m a fan.

Now to some of the comments. Let me respond to a few.

Ger Apeldoorn said...

Older writers also can add focus to a show. In my experience, younger writers are all over the place. Like a kindergarten full of screaming kids, indeed.

Then again, isn't that what youth is about? Reinventing the wheel, not moving forward, but doing the same old stuff in such a way that it seems new? Would an older writer not try to add meaning and feeling to a situation and set-up that doesn't deserve it?

No, I don’t think experienced writers would try to add emotion where it’s not warranted. That was always my issue with WILL & GRACE. They’d have 21 minutes of hilarious burlesque and then some overly sappy moment that felt completely bogus and contrived. The key to strong emotional scenes is that they have to be earned. Experienced writers might re-think the basic story you were planning to tell. They’d find a way to ground it, make it more real, find problems that were more substantial.   And if the original story was too inconsequential, they might suggest that you just scrap it entirely.

As to Ger’s other point, that reinventing the wheel is a good thing and produces more original material, I would respectfully disagree. What’s the old expression? Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Producing a show is hard enough without making needless mistakes. You need sound dramatic structure. Once you’re comfortable with the principles of good basic storytelling then you can twist it to make it new and yours. Picasso was an excellent draftsman before making all those cubist paintings where everyone looked like Liza Minnelli with her face smooshed against a window. Yet, with the possible exception of Steve Buscemi, Picasso knew people didn’t have both eyes on one side of their nose. He broke the rules after learning the rules. 

I think of baseball. Experienced managers like Joe Torre had lifelong baseball people like Don Zimmer as his bench coach and right-hand man. Zimmer didn’t have to communicate with the young players (who have no idea who he was other than some old guy who really shouldn’t be allowed to wear a baseball uniform anymore), but just be there to lend his expertise to the manager and give him the benefit of his 137 years in baseball.

Anonymous said:

Speaking of ageism, what do ya'll think about Dan Harmon releasing yet ANOTHER recording bomb of Chevy Chase? Is show-running like being in the Mafia? Sure looks like he's trying to exterminate Chevy.

In case you missed this latest wrinkle, another voicemail from Chevy to COMMUNITY showrunner, Dan Harmon has “mysteriously” surfaced after a year. On the tape Chevy basically tells Harmon that his show sucks. Translation: Chevy Chase wants more lines and screen time on the show. So who’s the asshole in this case (sounds like I have the makings of a great reality show)? Simple. Whoever leaked that tape to the public. And considering it was on Harmon’s voicemail, I would kinda sorta maybe have to point the finger at him, wouldn’t you say? God, it kills me that I have to take Chevy’s side.

From McElroy...

It seems to me that good writing is good writing, regardless of the age of the writer. It's true that younger writers would have a better handle on the dialog of their generation ... but is that all there is to a show?

Actually, dialog is the easy part. People think that coming up with jokes is the real ordeal, when, in fact, it’s structuring a good fresh story that causes showrunners to call the Betty Ford Center their vacation home.

From several readers there was a FRIENDS backlash – blaming that show for starting a genre of attractive young twentysomething pals looking for love and career advancement in glossy urban settings. FRIENDS was a very well-done show, but I must say, I don't quite understand why viewers of these new shows care about these young people. Wouldn’t audiences hate them for all being in the Lucky Sperm Club? They’re gorgeous, they have amazing apartments, they have cool jobs – oh no, they might not win the scavenger hunt! Who gives a shit?

But apparently audiences do care about these pretty people. Maybe it’s wish fulfillment, maybe they have short memories and forgot how their high school cheerleaders wouldn’t piss on their heads if their hair was on fire.  But it's another perk of the Lucky Sperm Club.  If the camera loves 'em then so does America. 

Little Miss Nomad said:

I don't think catchphrases or crutches are really what Happy Endings is doing so much as developing and depicting the special language any tight-knit group is gonna have. I dig that.

So can I.

That said, "A-mah-zing" is the worst, and I haven't noticed the how-mey/homey thing, but that's irritating as well.

SEINFELD and HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER got around that problem by creating their own glossary of expressions. “Spongeworthy,” “Shrinkage,” “Suit Up,” etc.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in.  I love posts that spark debate.  To me, that's a Happy Ending. 

Read More

My respone to Zachary Knighton

Several readers have asked me to comment on the article by Zachary Knighton (one of the stars of HAPPY ENDINGS) that appeared recently on the A.V. Club.  Notably, readers wanted my reaction to these statements by Knighton:

…it’s awesome because there isn’t a 90-year-old guy who’s not really in touch with things writing dialogue for us.

And

I don’t want to name any names, but I’ve worked on television shows where there’s a guy writing for my generation who’s like 60—and it doesn’t work.

So what do I think?

This may surprise you but I don’t disagree with him. There are rhythms and exchanges in HAPPY ENDINGS I couldn’t come up with, but since I don’t feel I’m competing with that show, I can just watch and enjoy.  And I like him a lot. 

But let me offer a few points.

First, Knighton is one of the actors on the series, not one of the writers. So there’s no way of knowing whether they share his sentiments. (I don't personally know anyone on the writing staff, by the way.) 

But Knighton might be surprised to learn there are older writers who could make his show and any show better. I suspect HAPPY ENDINGS wouldn’t suffer if Larry David were around, for example.

That said, you need the right older writer. Yes, there are a lot who are out of touch ("That's not the way we did it on WEBSTER!"), but the ones who are good are very good and they’re experienced. I see story turns and clunky scenes on shows and I think, this poor staff is trying to re-invent the wheel. There are obvious fixes that they don’t see because there’s no one experienced around to show them. So yes, the older writers can’t write twentysomething dialogue without putting "dude" at the end of every speech, but they might construct sharper stories, structure funnier block comedy scenes, and I know it’s a generational priority – but they could push you to make your show more emotionally satisfying.

Is it just a coincidence that most big hit sitcoms (BIG BANG THEORY, MODERN FAMILY, TWO AND A HALF MEN) have older writers on their staffs?

One big difference between now and when I broke in (back in the Paleolithic era) is that shows today are more targeted for specific demographics. So writers in their 20’s write for characters in their 20’s. And that’s fine (I mean "awesome"). I wrote for characters my age too when I was starting out. But at 26 I was also writing for 40 year-old characters, and 50 year-old characters. I worry that today if you can only write for characters in their 20’s you are limiting yourself and potentially shortening your career. You want to be versatile, not just a niche writer.

As for the dialogue itself -- In the interview, Knighton also says this:

The great thing about these guys (their writers) is they’ll write a line and the cast will have some weird idiosyncrasy that we add to it. We’ve had this running gag recently, I don’t know how it worked itself in, where we say “homey” like [in nasally voice] “how-me”—and the writers are fine with it, which is really unusual. I think that’s also what makes this show special. We have all these dumb inside jokes and we let the audience in on that. And I don’t know how, but they get it. For some reason saying [in nasally voice] “What’s up, how-me?” is really funny to people.

Writers beware! Those “idiosyncrasies” are not jokes, they are crutches. They are easy familiar laughs. And if that’s what makes your show “special” you’re in trouble. Knighton makes it sound like they invented the form. From “Kiss my grits” to “Dy-no-mite” to “Would you believe?” sitcoms have been glomming onto catch phrases since before Lucy first went “Waaaaaaaa!” They get old. They get tired.

And here’s the thing: once “homey” has been established, anyone can write it. And it's a trap. It’s easy to be lazy. And get away with it. “Homey” will get you out of scenes. For awhile.  And it might get you out of a job because the P.A. can write "Homey" as good as you and costs just a fraction. 

But the good writers, the ones who will have long careers, are the ones who discard the crutches and strive for new, fresh, funny things. Again, this comment was from an actor, not a writer. I imagine the writers on the staff know these are crutches and have better perspective. So why is the actor making such a big deal of it? Because he’s so tickled that he can contribute. And that’s how they contribute – not by creating an original joke or concept, but by saying an existing word in a funny voice.

But those are quibbles.  

One thing I gleaned from the article is that HAPPY ENDINGS seems like a happy place to work. The actors and writers get along and all are passionate about turning out a great show. That’s how it should be. They’re all in their 20’s, they’re doing something they love, and the people they care about are seeing and appreciating their work. The last thing they probably need is Dr. Kelso.

Read More

Wanna meet me in Seattle?

I'll be up in Seattle this weekend for the Mariners' home opener.  If there's enough interest, I thought it would be fun to meet fans of the blog or M's.   Maybe Saturday at 1:00 at F.X. McCrory's.  If this sounds like something you'd like to attend, please let me know in the comments section.   This is an unorganized, super informal event -- just a bunch of people having lunch and drinking.   And I'll be happy to sign any Kindles.  You game?  Lemme know.  Thanks.

Read More