In Part Two of my conversation with The Office’s Michael Schur, we talk about character development and what it’s like to work with the other writers.
Things get a little out of hand.
Tanster: You mentioned earlier that “most of what I’ve written needs to be thrown out” and that it “takes a while to remember how to write these characters.” Can you elaborate? Which characters are hardest to write and why? Would you really “throw out” stuff before it’s read?
Michael: I was just being panicky. But the process of writing this show is very laborious … if there’s a fun way for something to be laborious. The plots are really complex (if we’ve broken the story well), and there are a ton of characters, and the dialogue needs to be funny (ideally) and also naturalistic and “real”-sounding. And every one of the actors is great, and you start to freak out if you get to page 27 in the script and realize you haven’t written one good line for Stanley or Andy or something.
So, yes, in the initial writing stage, the writer will throw a ton of stuff out. Sometimes in the group-rewriting phase someone will suggest something that you threw away before anyone had even seen it, and you’ll say “Oh — I actually wrote a version of that scene and threw it away,” and they’ll say, “Why did you throw it away? It sounds way funnier than what you wrote,” and you’ll say, “Shut up, Mindy, why do you always pick on me?” and she’ll snarl, “Go to your office for fifteen minutes. You need a time-out,” and then you’ll go to your office and cry and cry and she won’t even come in to check on you because she is mean, Tanster. Just flat-out mean.
Tanster: You know Mindy is gonna read this and then kick your ass, right?
Michael: She abuses me, physically, every day anyway. I’m used to it.
And to answer the other question, none of the characters is “hard” to write for. It’s like you’re a kid and you have fifteen awesome toys to play with. The only bad thing about it is there is just not room in every script for all of them to shine, and that bums you out sometimes.
That’s why an episode like “Traveling Salesmen” was so fun to work on — the story of all the salesmen going out on sales call, which Greg came up with I think, gave a lot of different characters a chance to get some meaty scenes.
Tanster: “Traveling Salesmen” was one of my favorite episodes of the season! This episode shows, perhaps for the first time, why the Dunder Mifflin crew is still employed — because they’re actually competent salespeople. I was beginning to wonder …
Michael: That was always one of the big goals we had for Michael — to show that he was a great salesman, who was just promoted one level too high for his skill set. Second season we specifically designed “The Client” to be one of the first few episodes, in order to get that idea across. The British show could have David Brent be a complete boob right from the beginning, because they knew 12 episodes in he was going to be made redundant, but we (hopefully) need Michael around for a long time.
I think it was also nice to see Phyllis coming through with a sneaky little sales strategy. And the shot of her and Rashida in the car after the make-overs is one of my favorites from last season.
Tanster: Is it easier or harder to write scripts, now that you have more fully developed characters to work with?
Michael: I’d say it’s easier because the characters are more fully-developed, but harder because we’ve already done so many episodes. We are now at the point where we find ourselves pitching ideas that are just too similar to ones we’ve already done. Maybe we’ll just write them and hope nobody notices.
There’s a part 3?! Tanster, you are heaven sent, my friend…this is a really fun and informative interview :)
Tanster, thanks for doing this interview, and Mr. Schur thanks for agreeing to be interviewed. This is probably the most entertaining interview I’ve read in a long time, and gives us fans a perspective that we don’t often get to experience.
Awesome.
You mean there’s EVEN MORE TO COME?? Is it my birthday and no one told me? I love “Office” writers more than Michael Scott loves his hundred hypothetical children.
Wow. That was great (:
I am loving these interviews! More Mose, please :)
I love these interviews. So informative and funny at the same time!
Okay, when Michael starts laying into Paul, I totally lost it. The man is hilarious. (And I agree with his assessment of Mindy’s magical stage direction.)
The highlight of my morning so far is reading this. Thank you!
There’s going to be more?? :) Amazing! Can you do more writer interviews like this?? The writers are my favorite.
that part from “take your daughter to work day” is one of my favorites from the series. the puppet looks completely stunned. i love it! great interview.
I love the part about how mean Mindy is – hilarious!
awesome interviews to keep us going in the office drought, how many parts are there all up tans?
Great interview- it’s hilarious! Can’t wait for part 3!
Once again…just fabulous. Part 3 is coming? How many parts are there?
Wow! Have I said yet how much I love your Michael Schur interviews? This is great stuff and I can’t believe there’s more! I can’t wait to read the rest.
I know everyone has already said this but, honestly, interviews like this are really wonderful. Tanster–I’m so impressed that you held your own against someone whose job is to be clever and funny. And, I really love it that Michael was so willing to let us into the process. I feel selfish asking for more but…please, Please, PLEASE keep these kinds of substantive, behind-the-scenes conversations coming!
please let this be part 2 of like…30?
both of you are so amusing- i actually lol’ed in the literal sense of the term.
Held my own? — I hung on for dear life!
Haha! Oh my god that is the funniest interview I have ever read. Michael Schur is a funny man. I like that likes, and dislikes list he made. LOL
BTW that scene with the puppet was so funny. I was thinking about that too, how that puppet looked stunned even though it can’t really make any facial movements.
Terrific! I love reading these interviews. Tanster, you did such a great job. I LOVE that line from Take Your Daughter To Work Day. I try to use it as much as possible, mostly because it makes me laugh. I don’t care what the other person’s reaction is. :)
This is the most wonderful interview yet!!
This is the best ‘Office’ related interview i have ever read. Tanster rocks the house. (whoop whoop).
Oh, wow! Thanks, Tanster. Anxiously awaiting part three.
I think I may have just broken my toe, but this interview made me laugh so hard I forgot the pain! These insights into the writer’s world are so fantastic! I especially loved when Michael talked about Paul’s loud speaking voice. So funny! Tanster, you are awsome for snagging this interview and we, the fans, are so lucky! I love the writers as much as I love the actors. This is just beyond cool!
I L0VE THESE! These interviews opens this like, door of information (hahah this sounds so cheesy) into the office. the writers are truly genius. i mean, really, they write everything on the office: every line, every glance, every grimace to the camera. pure genius!
Awesomely funny interview! Can’t wait for the next one.
I know that this is going to sound really weird and embarrassing but I found Mose oddly attractive…
These interviews are amazing and just make me yearn to be able to sit in on the writers table when they’re working on an episode. The Office sounds like the most amazing place to work – the cast and the writers all sound like fantastic people. Season 4… you are too far away!
I just want to know if we will get anymore Ricky Gervais/Stephen Merchant written episodes because I LOVED The Convict!! I kept waiting for Tanster to ask that!
I heart Michael Shur, or is it Mike? I wonder if the Michael (Scott)/Toby relationship originated from the Michael (Shur)/Paul relationship. I could so vividly imagine most of the stuff Michael was saying about Paul as a talking head in the show.
I also loved to hear about Mindy’s abusive ways.
Uber excited to hear about the origin of Mose, it sounds hysterical!
I LOVE THESE.
Everyone who works on this show is just…amazing.
Now this is an interview! Why these stupid entertainment reporters always ask such dumb questions.. and how they never talk to the writers is beyond me. I love this. You ask great questions Tanster! And Michael is just hilarious.
This was a great interview. I was laughing so hard, I had tears running down my face. Thank you so much, Tanster.
How were these interviews attained? Were they done over the telephone…instant messaging…through letters?
No. 27: Minus the Amish-y beard, I thought he was a teensy bit cute too. So there you go.
Reading this interview is making me so happy. Thanks so much again, Tanster, for sharing it with us!
“Even though he is a puppet, Edward R. Meow somehow manages to look confused.”
OMG. That just made my LIFE. Normally you’re not supposed to put jokes in stage directions (like ever, at all) but that is just awesome.
I love Edward R. Meow. Mindy is a genius! That is one of my all-time favorite Office moments. The look of shock from a ridiculous puppet.
It seems like it’s done through IM. Right??
Thanks, Tanster! This was so much fun! I want to be a writer for The Office, too! Hehehe.
Kudos for securing the interview in the first place and I have to tell you, Tanster, I think you have found your true calling. Excellent work!
Great interview!! thanks, Tanster.
I’m happy with my “Pam-casso” screen name, but if I didn’t already have one I’d go for some variation on “can shoot flames from fingers” because I think that might be the funniest single line in this whole interview.
I know most of the writers on staff are in their late twenties, so I’m curious as to what they were doing when they were around my age–22, 23–that got them to where they are now.
And once again, loved the interview tanster!
Awesome, tanster. I’m truly impressed both with you landing such a good person to interview and with the interview itself.
It would be great to hear interviews with all the writers one at a time some day in the future but for now this is more than I ever expected.
it’s crazy how happy these interviews make me. i can now say, without a doubt, that my dream job would be to write for the office. why is september so far awayyyy???
Great interview, Tanster. I enjoyed it immensely. Great insight into the crazy/genius minds that bring us The Office!
I love these writers (and you, Tanster, for posting the interviews). I’d do anything to spend even a day in the writers’ room.
i’m so crazy jealous that i don’t know these people. i just want to be friends with them.
mike is hilarious, and i’m sure everyone on the show is freaking funny also. i kind of want to cry this was so good. thanks.
Great stuff!! You should ask him how is it having Regis Philbin as his father-in-law! Haha
wow more parts to come! that was great tanster!
haha i loved that scene when michael says he wants 100 kids so he could have 100 friends [and no one can say no lol]
Wow. Great interview! I’m so happy that you got to chat with Mike. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much–this is an amazing interview. It just gets better and better and I can’t stop laughing! I love this guy!
that was fantastic, he is so funny. and I totally agree with Ruby, he did look cute under that beard. I wonder if the Office audiences will ever meet Mose again, I hope so :)
Thanks Tanster – what a fantastic interview! He is so funny ( and so are you!)
Great job!
He is so funny and I am so loving this… this is a great interview!
Again, great read! You two are funny together :)
I love this type of insight more than anything! Thanks Tanster!!
(and Mike!)
This has been a witty conversation so far. I can’t wait to read the rest.
Another Part!!! keep it coming tanster these are great reads.
Great interview again! Thanks for sharing, tanster! Aww…you and Michael Schur have such a great rapport…any chance of you guest-starring on the show as Cousin Mose’s nemesis, who stands in the way of his merciless quest for total monopoly of the beet farming industry?
Nemesis? — heck no, I want a walk-on part as Mose’s sweetheart! ;)
There’s even more?! I can’t wait to read the rest. This is great!
Actually wouldn’t that be great if Tanster could guest star as Mose’ girlfriend! haha…[I shouldn’t laugh cause it might happen….]
Such a great interview! You two crack me up!! Can’t wait to read part 3.