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Appearances
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Dan was talking about This Is Us while we were shooting Crazy Stupid Love. Are you serious? As a movie idea, I believe. Yes, yes, yes. But in my memory, it was just- It was a movie. I have this rough idea, and it was always the reveal at the end that you've been watching. Yeah. I don't want to spoil it for anybody. An interconnected family. That was the big reveal.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
We always thought it was a good idea. And then he finally, while we were doing Whiskey Tango, Foxtrot, he sent us the script. And he's like, I don't know if you remember this.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Our first produced screenplay was a talking animal movie.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
And it all sort of like fell into place. It was like, because we were off season, so we weren't in that pilot casting madness. It was like everybody was available that you wanted. And it was, yeah, and all just sort of.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Yeah. We wanted it to feel intimate and voyeuristically or in these people's lives yeah and uh we had just experimented with a lot of handheld on on whiskey tango foxtrot yeah and you know it was just a fast way to move it was great for like throwing out ideas and redoing stuff and keeping it moving yeah and uh
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
so we said there are no dollies allowed no cranes allowed no you know if you're shooting in a car shoot in the car don't you know don't do the the rig you know okay and all that stuff just like make it real like a camera crew is following these people around yeah and make it feel that way it's okay if there's bumps and mistakes yeah yeah yeah and it just makes it feel like more intimate like you're spying on someone like you're it's so you wanted to sense like you're inappropriately dropping
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Well, it is dangerous, because if an airbag goes off, you can really hurt somebody.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
You know, you could turn an airbag off or whatever. Yeah. The rule now is, is as long as you control the street or you can control the traffic around, you can do it. But back then it was, we were wild west.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
I mean, it was the way it was written. I mean, it's in there. It's in the script. And we'd always done a lot of stuff as writers where we were trying to mix tones like Dan does really well. So that's why we wanted to do Crazy Stupid Love when he wrote it, because we're like, this is basically the style that we do.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
I played a little more with levity than later because I think the storylines just had to get heavier just to keep you invested. So like, you know, cause like Justin. It's hysterical. So funny. It's just hysterical in those first four seasons. And he has this tragic thing and he still has his moments, but it's, that's just the nature of series.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
If you keep it on too long, it'll burn. But they were managing that.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
It was hot. And then it also had, oh, it was really hot. You know, these kind of portable flame bars that you put them in front of the camera. And then since we were on sort of longer lenses, kind of compress everything so it looks like Milo's right in it.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
That's the great thing about shooting on long lenses is it makes... How much planning?
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
We had to board that whole sequence just to know what we could get away with and not get away with. We were running out of time.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Yeah, off the roof. We built a roof set. You know, it was elevated, but it wasn't real high. It wasn't as high as an actual roof would be. We had a, was it a cherry picker or something? We had a thing that they, it was a cherry picker, that came up to meet the roof line, and then the actors climbed in.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
into the cherry picker. Okay. It was fun. It was a lot of fun.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
you're going to do something else you're not with us all the time dan always would call us and go like hey you know let's get this episode coming you know this vietnam thing and it's a lot of vfx can you come back no thanks and we were just not available but he was always And we really tried to make it work out for the end. And we just couldn't. Our schedule kept sliding.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
We had to move heaven and earth just to go to the 100th episode. getting a party in the parking lot.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
There was things that looked like cake. Remember that? Yeah. They were like boxes of crayons. Is it cake? Yeah. Oh, it was. Is it cake?
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Well, the scenes with you, with Mandy, when, you know, experiencing, witnessing Jack passing away.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
I mean, it was really, it was like the, I mean, I'm sure it was a really hard day for you. Yeah. We just felt, horrible making you go through that over and over again. And we just kept saying, we gotta get, you know.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
And the moment with the candy bar. was so fraught. It's such a hard thing to pull off. He's so good. And it became, we were so concerned about making sure it worked that we probably did it too long. No, no, no.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
When you go into the hospital room.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Right. Instead of show your POV of him, better to see him in the reflection. Yeah. Yes. And then we could just hold it. and it won't feel gratuitous.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
the camera's on you the whole time. And you could just do your thing. But because of that, it was like getting the timing right. It became a thing. But it was really, it was an intense day.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
know 80 takes of a scene of and just improv driving from one location to another we just put the camera in the car drove across memphis yeah these these two just kept it going and we used it all i remember the barbershop and just just let let it roll really yeah that was so much fun because yeah you're just you know you're not paying attention to any
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
No, that's what we like about it. Because we pretty much just direct pilots, right?
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
From our perspective. Yeah. So we're trying to cast this part of a gunnery sergeant for this Whiskey Tango Foxtrot movie. And we're not really finding anybody. And Tiffany says, I got the guy. He has been in jail, basically, working in North Carolina.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
No, everybody loved it. I've never before had a studio and network so supportive of something, but at the same time being convinced it's never going to get picked up. That was the entire time. We're like, we know this is never going to get picked up, so let's do whatever the hell we want. That's amazing.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
I don't remember if it was the network or the studio, but they were just like, Dan, there's no way you can do this every week.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Like, you know, and the twists and the things. And, you know, and he was like, he really worked hard at convincing them, like, we can do this and this and this and this and they can keep going. Yeah. But they were not convinced until it was, I think, undeniably successful debut that they would go through with it.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Tonight in the James Brooks Pavilion.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
He hasn't been able to work a bunch.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Because he's been on this series, small series, Army Wives.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
That's it. He's available. He's great. So he came in sold, right? While we're making the movie in New Mexico, Sterling is just a...
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
a star we actually had said you know like i don't know who this guy is but we're working with him forever because he's he's something that's about to happen yeah and uh and we didn't know about darden yeah what happened was this dancing this is the script and we're editing and we're reading things oh this is sterling we just do you know so we we said dan you got to meet with this guy you're the only person we ever put up yeah for uh
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Yeah, definitely. He definitely rubbed him on the back.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
What the? And again, most people just go like, yeah, I've heard. Yeah, she is hilarious. And that's why you guys disappeared after season two.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
You know what I mean? I think that's a good observation. I think, you know, because he's, you know, he's... You know, he's got good swag, but at the same time, he knocks himself down at every opportunity. Better than anybody. He's trying to, you know, he doesn't want to go too far. He has a moment. He's trying to stay connected to the streets.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
It's fun. You're right, though. He's in everything he's ever written. There's one character that is Dan. It's Cal in Paradise. It's Milo Milo's character in This Is Us originally was a little more like, you know, schlubby, minch, you know.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Yeah, I think he's all over that thing. But then he did that movie, The Guilt Trip. Yeah, that's obviously, you know, him and his mother and everything he writes has something. Yeah.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Mater. He's Mater. He's Mater. Get her done! Mostly Mater. That's his catchphrase.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
You know, maybe hoping for a name or whatever. But at the same time, Tiffany said you were in the OJ thing. So we thought... We thought, oh, this is great. The studio knows him. Maybe this isn't far-fetched.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
I'll say also, um, It's something we share with Dan is we are like editing room creatures. We've edited a few of our films ourselves. I came up as an editor, John was in post-production as well, but John actually taught me how to edit on video when we were in college, I remember.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
That whole process when we're sitting there and we're throwing stuff out, you'll notice I'll stop in the middle of a sentence.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
and then i'll go that's me editing in my head yeah and i'm going okay okay we could do this we could do this okay and then i'm thinking back to like the six takes ago and like okay and that's a it's important and dan's that way too like we could have this shorthand with dan where he's just like just get like Just get a shot of this.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
And I don't have to ask why, because I know exactly why he's asking. Because he needs something to cut to to get this, or he needs a transition. And you have to collaborate with editors and all these things, and you have to be able to get all that stuff out. I felt trusted. There's an extreme amount of trust involved in working with you guys. Get me that Irish guy from the Nick.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
If he can do an American accent, the job is his.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
They said, you were available. I said, that's it. And I thought he was.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
The Nick is like my favorite show ever.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
It wasn't the character so much. It was just the performance. You're completely lovable in that, in the neck.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
I have a question for you guys about that, about episodic directors.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Because we've never directed an episode of TV that wasn't something... Well, they've directed and acted, so they can do... That wasn't something that we did the pilot of or something like that. But... For me, like I said, creating the world is the fun part, helping create the characters and all that stuff and finding the guardrails and all that.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
But what does not appeal to me is to be an episodic director is to come in and knowing all these people have been doing this for two seasons and I have no authority really to tell them what to do. Is there an air of collaboration coming from your side to entertain things or you just want to just trust us?
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Yeah, it's just the relationship with the episodic director.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
When we're early in the process, when we're doing the pilot and everything, it's like we're trying everything.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Yeah, yeah. We go through that process. And then there's this wonderful moment where you're like, oh, they know. They know their character. You see it click in. There's like a scene or a thing.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Usually it's a time constraint thing.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
It's like, you know, you got to get, you know, good guys are doing this every day. You know, can't be doing long hours. Do you, this is a completely different subject.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
I just was reminded of something when we were talking about John pouring the beer on my head.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Being in a moment where things could go really wrong, I don't remember what episode it was, but it was the one where Justin was going to be in some bachelor auction.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
and uh and i oh no and i just rushed up to you and i went tell me what you think of this this is a you know a black man doesn't isn't going to be envious of it of getting auctioned off yes and it like came out of my mouth and i went oh my god this could go really wrong it was at that time that i thought glenn for carl was black i was like you just he's just passing over here no but that was
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Yeah, that was probably the last one. Yes, it had to be two something because she didn't come until two.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Yeah, the intro and lyric was our, yeah, that was it. There you go.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
This is the only time. I mean, I've known you for years. And I was just like. Is this OK?
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
It's kind of like when you live on that comedy line. You're just like, you got to try some shit.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
I just remember that like nanosecond felt like a year.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Yeah, we bonded over the fact. When you go to art school, because you're not smart.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
We were sort of bonding over the fact that we were put into these classes that you have to take, the foundation classes, drawing, painting, light color design, sculpture. I mean, some filmmakers can draw and do stuff, but not us. So you're the worst people in the class are the film majors. You're stuck. And so you naturally get together and bond.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
And I think, you know, we kind of knew each other from our light color and design class. And then we met at the college bar one night, and we were doing some shtick while drinking a pitcher of beer, and then John just poured the entire pitcher over my head for a laugh. Are you serious? Love ever since.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Well, I just wanted to be a director and I didn't think, I never thought I could do comedy. I just didn't think it was appropriate for me. And John convinced me that I was funny. Funny enough. Funny looking. I didn't know that's what he meant at the time. Right what you know.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Lobby the DGA to, you know, shoot a movie or... Because they didn't want to give you both credit.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
They thought you were gonna divide the work. It comes from a pure place, which was in the old days, you know, you would just like... you know, some guy would put his mistress on as a writer or director and a thing. And so they're just trying to make sure of that. But the fact that we wrote together was helpful, that we had been writing together for so long.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
So it didn't hurt that you were also mistresses to each other?
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
Yeah. Well, we fooled them. And now they don't ask anymore. Because they can't imagine.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
i like both okay it's a completely different thing when you've written it yourself yeah i think right i mean it's you just know it intimately and then i mean dan's a special case sort of speak fluent fogelman sure so there's not a lot of miscommunication right uh and he's just like a collaborator to us so so he's just part of the team i think um or we're part of his team and um
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
I think it's a really interesting thing when you're directing somebody else's material because you have to, just like an actor, you have to really dig into every word and understand what do they want out of this. So we always do this session where we ask a bunch of stupid questions for like two hours.
That Was Us
John Requa & Glenn Ficarra and Us | Directors & Producers
When you say this, is this a joke, or is this a reference? It's all that stuff. I find that interesting.