PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: INSIDE MEDIA: AN EVENING WITH THE LEAGUE {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Paley Center for Media's Inside Media events in Los Angeles. This seminar celebrates “The League,” the “semi-scripted” comedy series about a group of Chicago friends and their love of fantasy football. Host Becky Levikow (assistant director of development, The Paley Center for Media/Los Angeles) offers opening remarks and then introduces creator/executive producer/directors Jackie Marcus Schaffer and Jeff Schaffer. They briefly discuss the show and introduce the third season premiere episode “The Lockout,” which is then screened in its entirety. (For synopsis and credits, see ACCNUM 106725.)
After the screening, actor and comedian Rob Huebel (guest star on "The League" as Dr. Russell Deramo) moderates the following panelists: the Schaffers; and cast members Mark Duplass (Pete), Jon Lajoie (Taco), Stephen Rannazzisi (Kevin), Katie Aselton (Jenny), Nick Kroll (Ruxin), and Janina Gavankar (Shiva).
The panelists discuss topics which include: Jackie’s idea for the show based upon husband Jeff’s desperation to stay updated on his two fantasy football superbowls during a Christmas vacation; the show’s appeal to those unaware of fantasy football; Rannazzisi as the only cast member involved with the activity prior to joining the show; strategies for successfully pitching the show; how the cast’s newfound interest in the game informs their characters; the “cross-pollination” between the actors’ and characters’ styles and personalities; Kroll as a “drunk tinkerer” who frequently adjusts his team selections under the influence; the real-life marriage of Duplass and Aselton, and fans’ surprised reactions; the desire to cast actors with backgrounds in comedy writing to improve the show’s humor; Jeff’s experience on other improv-heavy projects, including “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Borat,” and “Bruno”; securing their first-choice actors for all the parts; the show’s “semi-scripted” nature, often fleshed out with ad-libs; the avoidance of “joke-gobbling” by any one performer; the set as the “least professional in the world” with its high-speed joke-trading, much to the bewilderment of guest stars; Jeff’s manic style of direction; struggles with Standards & Practices and avoidance of specific profanity; the importance of the story structure, inspired by the style of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”; and the show’s many different “strains” of fans.
Questions from the audience lead to a discussion of the following topics: the show's “musical interludes”; the network’s refusal to allow a Halloween costume of the show’s “Mr. McGibblets” toy, and plans to create an actual doll; the evolution of the slovenly character of Rafi, played by Jason Mantzoukas; the show’s small budget and the need to use their own cars onscreen; attempts to reflect real NFL developments; the recent NFL contract controversies and how the absence of a proper football season would have affected the show; Rannazzisi’s recent on-set injury; the process of landing guest star Seth Rogen; hopes for securing New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady as a guest star; and if the Jenny-Kevin coupling reflects Jeff and Jackie’s relationship.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: October 3, 2011 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:33:40
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 106375
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Becky Levikow … Host
- Rob Huebel … Moderator
- Jackie Marcus Schaffer … Panelist
- Jeff Schaffer … Panelist
- Mark Duplass … Panelist
- Jon Lajoie … Panelist
- Stephen Rannazzisi … Panelist
- Katie Aselton … Panelist
- Nick Kroll … Panelist
- Janina Gavankar … Panelist
- Tom Brady
- Jason Mantzoukas
- Seth Rogen
- Paul Scheer