Justine Evans and Erin Ranney are a pair of accomplished cinematographers that helped to bring together the new National Geographic series, Queens. And we here at NTG had the distinct honor of sitting down with both of them to discuss their work on this important series.
 
John Betancourt: What it was that attract to each of you to this very ambitious project?
 
Justine Evans: I was asked to come in on the project back in 2019. Long time ago, yes. And with fellow Director of Photography, Sophie Darlington, and yeah, well, when it was described to me by Vanessa, what the ambition was, I just couldn't believe it. It was like, “Well, finally, finally, we're going to do something which is female focused. And it's going to look at these iconic matriarchal societies.” And the ambition behind the scenes, the legacy aspect was the thing that really attracted me to it, that you know that there would be more than just the programs that were being made, there was going to be something else, a backdrop with helping bring people on, young women and women in other countries. And also, that there would be what is now the Wildstar Academy, something that would follow on and would continue with this ambition to empower women around the world.
 
Erin Ranney: I was interviewed in 2018, for the project. And it was just this opportunity to work with some of the best wildlife cinematographers in the world, people I had always looked up to Justine, Sophie, I also had some great male mentors on the project, Johnny Rogers, Tom Walker, who worked with me on more specialized things like the gimble, GSS shot over. So, it was this opportunity to just submerse myself in this giant pool of knowledge. And I don't know how you could say no to that. It was just an incredible opportunity.
 
John Betancourt: What kind of challenges each of you run into in the field, in capturing the incredible images in this show?
 
Erin Ranney: Oh, there are always challenges in the field. One of the biggest challenges I think I had on this series is I was on birth watch for the elephant. Which meant I spent over a month following around a very pregnant, grumpy elephant. She didn't end up giving birth while we were there, they have a 24 month plus gestational period. We didn't hit it quite right. But we did it did get to film a brand-new baby with the umbilical cord still showing at the end of it. But following around a pregnant elephant takes a lot of patience and a lot of you know sitting in your own head going “Okay, any moment now, any moment now.” And yeah, I think that was probably the most challenging that really tested my patience.
 
Justine Evans: I mean, in a bigger picture, saying that the challenge was COVID for us, because it started when the whole series started, and almost, you know, down to the week that we were supposed to start kicking off with all the shoots, the UK, and then everywhere in the world was locked down. And so that changed things a lot. And I mean, fortunately for us, a lot of the filming was being done in Africa and the country we were going to were still open for visitors. I mean, you know, many of these countries that just could never have afforded to just shut down. So, when I finally did the first shoots, I went on to Ethiopia. And then there was a whole set of challenges there with political unrest. Because we were going up to the Tigray region, into the Simien Mountains to film the Gelada Baboons. I remember finally getting there, and just thinking, “Oh, my Goodness me. I mean, the challenges that we've had to overcome to just get here we haven't even started filming yet.” It was… yeah. Anyway, we overcame it.
 
John Betancourt: What you each most proud of when it comes to your work on this series?
 
Justine Evans: I have. I'm proud. I'm just proud of the series generally. I mean, in all sorts of ways. I’m proud of the quality of it. How beautiful it looks. I'm proud of the team. Erin, Tanya, Faith. Gail Kukula. There have I left somebody else… out… Erica! You know, the women that have been mentored. And I'm also, I'm proud of what's coming. The resonance of this, the fact that this is on a global stage, it is going to be seen all around the world. And what may happen from that, you know, ripples on the pond. And how you know what will unfold as a result of the series being made. The legacy of it.
 
Erin Ranney: Oh, that's it's tough. Because there's so many things, I think I'm proud of in this series, I'd say probably the thing I'm most proud of, I met Faith, early on in this production, Faith and I both were starting out in it together, and we ended up becoming really close friends. I think the moment I watched her episode; I was just overwhelmed with pride for her because she's such an incredible storyteller and getting to see her put her voice onto the screen. I don't think you could ask for a better moment. She just did such an amazing job. And I met her when we were both new on this project. And it just to me, that was just such an incredible moment. Yeah, I was just blown away by it. I couldn’t be more proud of her or the whole team.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
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Faith Musmebi and Sophie Darlington are names that are well-known in the industry. For they are both accomplished creatives behind the camera. But their current project, Queens, where Faith served as Director and Sophie as Director of Photography, is quite the important one, and we here at NTG were fortunate enough to sit down with both of them to discuss this revolutionary series. 
 
John Betancourt: What was it that attracted each of you to work on this project?
 
Faith Musembi: Um, for me, I think just straight up, my background, I'd never worked on anything like this because Queens is a premium wildlife show that, the ambition of how it was going to be made was going to be completely different from how other traditional wildlife series had been made. So, my aspiration was to work on this groundbreaking series, it sounded groundbreaking in the pitch. And now that we're here, it truly is, and has been, and we're hoping it will continue to be groundbreaking. 
 
Sophie Darlington: I was really excited to get to work with people like Faith, because I've worked in this industry for 30 years as a cinematographer, and as a DP. And what I've noticed there is an absence of people, and so Queens very much our ethos is not only to show this amazing way that females lead in nature, but also to upskill, and to ally ourselves with talent like Faith like Aaron, and Tanya, and actually leave legacy because when I started, there was very few people who looked like me, but now after Queens, I’m hoping that there is going to be this incredible legacy, because people are going to see Faith see that she went on this journey from being a field director on ‘Savanna’ Queens, to producing and directing her own episode, ‘Behind the Queens’, which is just an amazing story. So, we're hoping for a whole new wealth of interest. It’s going to appeal to a very, we're hoping a really diverse audience. And we were so lucky on the project to work with a load of our male allies who were like, “Yes! We need more voices in this, we need different voices”. And so, this idea of collaboration… Queens IS collaboration. It's brilliant.
 
John Betancourt: What does it mean to each of you, to be part of a project that is this trailblazing?
 
Sophie Darlington: it's trailblazing. It's inspirational. It's revelatory. And for me, it's so important because I have had a period of my -- I've worked for my 30 years, but actually now… it's a time in the world where we need to pay attention to the world, to the natural world. And if we can get people to feel and to engage in nature, in a different way and a different generation, that would be an amazing thing. And I think Faith put it beautifully in the ‘Behind the Queens’ episode when she was talking about Selengei, the beautiful blind elephant that passed. And well, it's your story, Faith. So, you tell it.
 
Faith Musembi: I think, I’m essentially saying, if people could feel how I felt about Selengei, then we'd have so many people, doing what they can to save the species and to make a difference because we are living in a time where we need all hands-on deck. And up until recently, there's only been a specific voice or a specific group of people that are associated with conservation and caring for these animals. And with the state of the world, we just need people from across all borders to be involved in the storytelling. And because there's something to be said for different diverse perspectives, we, yeah, we just need as many people as possible to rally.
 
Sophie Darlington: The more voices, the better. We need to reach as broad as we can and to include… it's a no brainer, it's an absolute no brainer. And the series is stronger for it. It's a stellar, trailblazing series, which I hope will blow people's socks off.
 
John Betancourt: Last question I have for each of you today, what are each of you, most proud of when it comes to your work on this. 
 
Faith Musembi: Oh, my goodness, I would have to say I'm proudest of the authenticity of the stories and the ‘Behind the Queens’ episode. Because it took a lot of, I think courage and bravery from National Geographic and also from some of the other executive producers to allow that story to be told the way it is. Because usually the instinct when you're doing these behind-the-scenes episodes is to you know, make it really sexy and macho. Oh, and you know, it’s very action driven and all of that. And there are elements of that. It's really cool. But then we will also like to linger on some of the stories and to just allow, allow those stories just to be told in a gentle fashion. which reflects the people the stories were being told of. So, I'd say I'm proudest of that because of I've shared the film with some of the people that are featured on it. And they're also proud of how they've been represented. And for me, that's everything. If I've done something, and then I show it to them, and they're like, “Oh, that's not me at all.” I would have felt that's a failure. So, for them to feel proud of how the world's going to see them. That's everything to me.
 
Sophie Darlington: And well, for me, the legacy is the thing that absolutely means the most we set out to, to fledge, shall we say, new talent that is so badly needed in the world right now. And we've done it with Queens, we've got a load of very, very, very talented young women on board who make wildlife look like a different place.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. 

Ryan Hansen is a modern legend in the world of comedy, thanks to his turn as Kyle Bradway in the iconic series, Party Down, and he recently put his comedic chops on display again by playing Jake on this week’s episode of Night Court on NBC. And we here at NTG were fortunate enough to sit down with Ryan to discuss his experiences in Judge Abby’s Stone iconic courtroom.
 
John Betancourt: How did you come to play Jake?
 
Ryan Hansen: Oh, they asked me to do it.
 
John Betancourt: Perfect. That was easy. (Laughter from Ryan and John)
 
Ryan Hansen: They sent me the script about Jake, and I loved it. The character is an HR guy, you know, kind of trying to keep everybody in order. And I thought it was great. And I love a multi-cam. Who doesn’t? I mean, it's the most fun. It's the best schedule, and the cast is incredible.
 
John Betancourt: You actually bring up a lot of what I want to talk about today. Your experiences in shooting this, and that leads me to ask, what do you as an actor have to do differently to prepare for a multi-cam show versus a single-cam?
 
Ryan Hansen: The lines change all day, every day, you know, you shoot for you know, we rehearse for a week or whatever. So, the lines are changing almost every day, even up until you know the day before. And then. So, the live audience, you’ve got to prepare for it. That's always nerve racking. But once you kind of get your first couple takes in with the audience and stuff, then you kind of settle into it and like, and then it's like, you know, the best, because like the audience is there for you. They're cheering for you all that stuff. It's very fun. But then they'll throw in alternate stuff. Like sometimes they'll change the entire scene. So that can be nerve racking. And you gotta kind of like learn your lines real quick on this. Thankfully, we didn't have to change the entire scene. But I've been on multi-cams before where we have done that, it's very stressful. But you know, it kind of works. They know what they're doing. They know that if the audience isn't laughing, we got to switch it up.
 
John Betancourt: That leads me to my next question. Because Jake turned out to be a very well fleshed out, very well-rounded character. How did you as an actor, build him to have such depth in such a short timeframe?
 
Ryan Hansen: Oh, well, that's nice of you to say that I have depth, I don't usually get that compliment. So, thank you so much. For my character. I think it's kind of all on the page. I'm not like my character at all. Not very, very, like, by the rules. And like, “this is how we do things,” you know? So, for me, it's very fun to play that character. And so yeah, it's just kind of like, diving into what they wrote and kind of like, “what would this guy do with this type of thing”, you know, and then playing off of Melissa (Rauch), she really made it easy, because she was, you know, butting heads with me the whole time. And I'm just trying to stay the straight guy pretty much for it. So that that made it easy. You know?
 
John Betancourt: Let's talk a bit about the experience. Because you mentioned that obviously, there's a little bit of nerves that come into multi-cam. I've been hearing this a lot lately, so, how do you, outside of the takes, what else do you do to kind of get into that, that calmness that you need to have to really perform?
 
Ryan Hansen: So, if I know my lines, which I try to do, you know, it's my job. (Laughter) I feel pretty good about it. And then I think honestly, after the first take, you kind of settle into it, and then you get a little more loose, and then you can kind of like play with it. But other than that, I mean, I don't know, you just kind of gotta be ready for it and know that it's gonna be okay. I've been doing this for so long. Now. I'm like, “Okay, I'm here for a reason. I, they wanted me for a reason.” So, you just kind of go for it and trust your instincts and, and all that stuff, and let it let it rip.
 
John Betancourt: Now, to follow up on that, I heard last week at the NBC press tour, that there's kind of an energy that comes out of live audiences. So that really kind of fuels you. Can you elaborate on that energy a bit?
 
Ryan Hansen: Yeah, for sure. Because, you know, sometimes we pre shoot a few scenes the day before the live audience. And you can even tell then, the energy in the room is different. Like, I don't know what it is. I mean, because they still have like, the writers and the crew is free to laugh when there's not an audience, you know, because there will be laughter.
 
John Betancourt: So, let’s talk a bit about the wonder of well, being in that courtroom. Because it is an iconic set from an iconic franchise, what was that like?
 
Ryan Hansen: It's so cool. My parents were, you know, over the moon that I was gonna be on the show. They loved this show growing up. I wasn't allowed to watch it. Obviously seen episodes, you know, later in life, and reruns and all that stuff. But yeah, and then having just John (Larroquette) there, he's such an iconic dude. I mean, he's like a legend, you know? So, it was so cool to be around him and, on his set, and all that stuff. Yeah, very surreal. Very, very, very cool to be a part of like a such an iconic show. And that it's back, and it's different, but it's the same, and it's just wonderful to be a part of.
 
John Betancourt: Is there any pressure that comes with stepping into an iconic set like that?
 
Ryan Hansen: Yeah, I think leading up to it for sure. And, you know, but once I met everybody, everyone was so welcome and so cool, because that's not always the case as a guest star when you jump on a show, you know, a lot of times they have their little bubble that they're in and they're like, “hi,” you know, but everyone here was like, let's work on this together, you know, it's like, we're doing a play, basically, you know, so if that vibe was different, and they were so cool, Melissa, couldn't be kinder and welcoming. And as far as everybody else India (de Beaufort), and you know Lacretta and John, and I'm just naming the cast now. But yeah.
 
John Betancourt: What did you enjoy the most about this experience?
 
Ryan Hansen: I think the live audience part, which I was the most nervous for, as well, because I didn't really I didn't, I grew up doing musical theater, which is in front of a live audience, but I didn't do like a play, never any strict plays or anything. So, to get to do that, and perform and then have the audience react immediately, is very satisfying. Because, you know, if you do a single camera, you kind of wait and see what people think, you know, the cast and crew think it's funny, but you never know exactly right, then if it's funny or not.
 
John Betancourt: To dig in a little deeper on the iconic standing of the show, why do you think it continues to hold on the way that it does?
 
Ryan Hansen: Yeah, I think the format is so cool. I mean, they're set up, like it's the courtroom, there's going to be a weird thing that happens every episode. It's kind of perfect. I mean, Party Down was kind of like that, too. We're gonna cater a weird, you know, every episode, so it's pretty perfect. I think that's why it was able to come back because it's kind of timeless, there's still a courtroom. There are still weird people. And John is still killing it. So why not?
 
John Betancourt: What does it mean to you personally, to now be a part of this iconic franchise?
 
Ryan Hansen: I mean, it's like… my wife, and I watch Friends every night. So, to be a part of a show that's, like, timeless, and you can watch at any time in life and be like this, it just feels good. Like, it's like comfort food, you know, almost. So, it's like to be a part of a show that you can watch… forever… is awesome.
 
John Betancourt: So, I do have to ask, will this be the only time we see Jake on the show?
 
Ryan Hansen: You know, being opposite Melissa is incredible. She's so sweet. So kind. So, giving as an actor, she's just the coolest and made me feel, so welcome and made me feel good about what I was doing. And it's great. So, I’m hopeful I get to come back and enjoy more of that.
 
John Betancourt: What are you most proud of when it comes to work here, and in general as an actor, really?
 
Ryan Hansen Gosh, what am I most proud of? I'm just I'm proud to be still doing this. To be honest. Like, it's such a privilege to be an actor and to be working. And because you know… you feel… like… when there's a COVID or a strike and you're not working, you're like, “Well, what do I… What!?” You know? So, to be able to do it. I've been doing this for over 20 years now, which is wild. And so, I guess I'm most proud of just continuing to work.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Peter Harness and Michelle MacLaren are a pair of highly accomplished creatives in the industry and currently, they serve as the Creator and Lead Director/Executive Producer of the new Apple TV+ series, Constellation, respectively. And we here at NTG had the wonderful honor of sitting down with both of them to discuss this new show.
 
John Betancourt: I would love to know what created or inspired the creation of this expansive and amazing story?
 
Peter Harness: Well, it was, it was. It was It started with a ghost story. For me, it started once upon a time I was on, I was on holiday in a cabin in the woods in Sweden. And every night, as dusk fell, we would hear this voice of a little girl coming from the forest. And she was just calling “mama, mama.” And, you know, we went out to try and find where this little girl was, and, you know, we couldn't hear her anymore, and there didn't seem to be anywhere where she could be. And we looked for another house, you know, in the days following, and we never found one. And she would come kind of again, that nightfall. And I mean, I don't know, I don't know what that was, but it stuck with me. And when I was asked to, to write something about the experience of being an astronaut and the experience of returning to Earth, I got very excited about, you know, the spookiness of space and the kind of the mysteries and ghost stories that that you hear. And there was this image of, of a mother trapped on onboard the ISS desperately trying to get back to her daughter. And I kind of remember that, that ghost girl in the forest, looking for her mum, and I realized that they were mother and daughter. And they, these were two people that I had to bring together. And that was really the story of the show. And obviously, there are lots of other things in it that I was desperate to write about, and lots of other characters who emerged, and I fell in love with, and I had to tell their stories as well. But it's, it's the germ of the idea is about a mum being separated from her daughter in the most profound way you can, and, and how they managed to get back together again. Or do they?
 
John Betancourt: A question for Michelle, I am very curious what motivated you to want to come on as an executive producer and a director?
 
Michelle MacLaren: I read the first two scripts, and I loved them, they spoke to me visually, they were very challenging, creatively, and execution wise, I had never worked in space and zero gravity. And that fascinated me, I loved the mother/daughter relationship. I love the challenge there. I love that there was a catastrophe in space, and they had to figure out a way to get home to fight for survival. And so creatively it was it was very challenging, I like to do something I haven't done before, and I never shot in space. And, and so I was very attracted to doing it, to the powerful characters and, and great writing. So that's why I jumped in.
 
John Betancourt: Michelle, I noticed as a director, there's stuff that you did here that I've never seen you do before that has tiny echoes of other influences behind it. What as a director, did you did you use it influences to kind of bring together some of those visuals?
 
Michelle MacLaren: Well, I think that there's a number of different genres at work in this piece, and I pulled on those different genres, whether it's a drama, or a thriller or horror. I really love subjective storytelling. I like to take the audience and put them into the character's head and have you experience this journey with them. But there's also a sense of voyeurism that I wanted to bring to it and somewhat paranoia to when Jo's on the ISS, you want to feel the intimacy of her confinement and it's claustrophobic. But then I jumped back wide to give you a sense of geography and also wonder, is she alone? Is there somebody else there? Somebody watching her and we wanted to bring in the sense of voyeurism, And the show is very intricately interwoven, in that we set up certain things at the beginning that are paid off at the end. So, Joseph Cedar and I worked there, and Oliver Hirschbiegel and I worked very close together to set it up and pay it off. And sometimes in the beginning, you'll have a shot where you might think it's, it's an objective angle, and you're gonna realize later that it's actually somebody's POV. But you don't get that payoff until many episodes later. And I do think that there's a lot of easter eggs that are planted at the beginning. And I hope that when people get to the end that they're very happy. They love the show, they're very satisfied and curious to go back and see if they watch it again, if they'll actually notice more easter eggs, because there's a lot, there's a lot in there.
 
John Betancourt: Now, Peter, I have a similar question as a writer because again, this has so many wonderful genre pieces, and you've spoken to your experiences, putting it together, what influences did you put into the story to craft this.
 
Peter Harness: To be perfectly honest, I kind of… I've spent a lot of my time writing as, as many kinds of screenwriters do, you know, adapting books and adapting other people's things. And, and a few years ago, I thought, you know, this has been wonderful, and I've enjoyed doing this, but, you know, I want to write something that is just me. And, you know, I'm not going to take any other work, I'm going to go all out to do this, and make something which is, which is just me. So really, to be enormously big headed about it. I just wanted to write something that kind of was in, you know, what I would write if you if you just gave me complete freedom to do it. I wanted to do that just once and try it. So, you know, this, this is the result of that. And I take all the blame for it. But I didn't, you know, I tried very consciously not to be influenced by a bunch of stuff that I that I read. I just wanted, you know, I just wanted to get everything that was driving me crazy up there out on a page and give it to somebody to take it away.
 
John Betancourt: The last question that I have for each of you today, if you had to describe this series, in one word, what would that word be?
 
Michelle MacLaren: Spectacular.
 
Peter Harness: I can't do it in one word, but it's… yes, I can. It's Alice.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
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William Catlett and James D’Arcy are a pair of accomplished actors who currently star as Paul Lancaster and Magnus in the upcoming Apple TV+ series, Constellation, and we here at NTG had the distinct honor of sitting down with both of them to discuss this new show.
 
John Betancourt: What it was that attracted each of you to this project?
 
William Catlett: Well, for me, I always wanted to do a sci-fi, but I like to do things with heart. And I believe Peter Harness wrote an amazing project. I mean, he's a genius and to work with the top-level directors, like Michelle, and Oliver ,and Joseph. And to go into the depths of the human psychology was very intriguing. I mean, this is a show about love, loss, regret, and at the core, family, and how do you get back up again, when something has happened? And you quite don't understand where to go next.
 
James D’Arcy: I read all eight episodes in one hit. So, I feel like I had a similar experience to somebody who might binge the show. I got to the end of it, I knew I had just read something unique. It almost defies any kind of description, you know, you think it's a sci-fi, and it is, but then it may be a thriller, and it is, or maybe it's a conspiracy theory, drama. And it is, or maybe it's just a family drama, and it's that as well. But it has exactly like what Will said, it's got so much heart, you know, because at the core of it, it seems to me to be a meditation on the frailty of human nature, you know, and a study and what is reality and asking really big questions, but it's all dressed up in this huge, big, expansive show.
 
John Betancourt What did you as actors enjoy the most about being able to dig in and work with so much when it comes to your characters?
 
James D’Arcy: Look, we got to go to some great locations, which was, which was really amazing, you know, we experienced the extremities of heat, and we experienced the extremities of cold. When we were in Morocco, it was blisteringly hot. And we were in Finland, it was minus 25. And that, you know, is an extraordinary experience for somebody, nevermind that you dress it up and call it work. But of course, it adds to this sort of huge global nature of the show. But again, actually the, you know, the big, exciting, challenges, were all emotional. Because if the audience doesn't feel for the characters, then who cares that the production value is huge. We see that all the time, you know. And I think that the way that Peter Harness has written it, you know, this young girl, who to me is the heart of the show, if you're just drawn in, you can't help but lean in and want to find out more.
 
William Catlett: For myself, working on the International Space Station, you know, a replica of the space station that's in space, and working with Scott Kelly, a real astronaut and hearing his story and talking to his wife and him giving us the experience of how to move throughout the space station was so vital to the performances, and hanging in harnesses, you know, everyone wants to go to space. But if you're not really there, there's no such thing as zero gravity, you know, you're hurting and these harnesses moving around, but you still have to show up and give up performance. And that's life. You know, everything in life is not easy all the time. But you have to push through. And the show does an amazing job of highlighting the pushing through moments.
 
John Betancourt: I think we all take something away from stories that we participate in or deeply enjoy, and I’m curious what you each took way from this tale.
 
William Catlett: I will say it's not all what it seems. And it it's almost like a Déjà vu happening over and over and over again. And how much am I living in the reality that I'm in? Or how much am I in my head? And you know, you wake up in the morning, you get your Starbucks coffee, and you're on autopilot. You know. And so, what this show is showing us, is the human experience and the faults of humanity, but also the triumphs.
 
James D’Arcy: Look for me, I think that the real takeaways were probably the word surrender, which I think is probably the best way to, as an audience member, enjoy the show, just surrender, let it happen. But actually, as an actor, that was also a kind of a good instruction. Because certainly when we started shooting, there was so much that we just didn't really understand, and you just had to trust in what Peter Harness had written and I think he is a genius. I think he's written something that… I can't think… who else could write something like this? And the fact that he could hold all the disparate pieces together in his head and cohere it into an eight-part series is mind boggling to me.
 
John Betancourt: What are you most excited for audiences to see when it airs?
 
James D’Arcy: Wow, that's, I mean, I don't know if I could pick out any one part of it. I, my main hope, obviously, with any piece of art is that people connect to the human part of the story, you know, because then they'll want to come on the journey with us. And then they'll get there, the reward is you get to explore all these exciting questions. But you could just enjoy it as a big old sci-fi drama, if you wanted to. I don't know if you'll be capable of that.
 
William Catlett: I think it's going to poke at the bear, but the bear’s you, you're going to watch the show, and you're going to look at yourself. And I believe that's what Peter really desires to do. He wants to pull back the layers of your mind. And have you asked yourself those questions and looked in those places in your mind that you don't want to look at, you're going to have to go down that chamber, you have to go down that door, and you're going to have to deal with it, whether you like it or not. And most of us deal with grief when we try to shut that door. But you can't get over something if you don't deal with it.
 
John Betancourt: The last question I have for you today. What are you most proud of when it comes to work on this show?
 
William Catlett: I believe the work I did with Jonathan Banks and myself. I believe that… well not to give too much away. But that scene is worth more than any other award we receive, because it shows so much raw human emotions. And it was one of the best things that I got to shoot during the whole process, and to work with a legend who was so giving, and so understanding and willing to be in there with you and trying to find answers. And I believe that a lot of people who watch the show will take something from that and it will better them.
 
James D’Arcy:  You know, there was some, there was some very emotional sequences that I was involved with, and particularly, you know, with these extraordinary twins, Rosie and Davina Coleman, who played Alice. And I had some apprehension about that, because you know, they’re child actors, but my God, they were brilliant. And I felt like the work that we did was really honest and raw, and I'm a relatively new parent. So, I guess for me that resonated hard, you know? And, yeah, that was… that was very enjoyable for me.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
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Arika Lisanne Mittman is an accomplished producer and writer, that currently serves as the Creator/Showrunner of The Irrational on NBC. And in anticipation of tonight’s season one finale, we had the chance to sit down with Arika to discuss her journey and to look ahead to tonight’s finale and season two.
 
John Betancourt: I would love to know what inspired the creation of this series.
 
Arika Lisanne Mittman: Well, I actually was approached by Mark Goffman. He and Sam Baum had initially had a notion that there could be a show about Dan Ariely. Mark Goffman had been friends with Dan for many years and felt like there was something inspiring about his work and, you know, persona, that would be interesting for a series and they came to me the idea of making a series inspired by Dan and his book Predictably Irrational, and I at the time knew nothing about behavioral economics, or Dan Ariely or any of this, and Mark asked me, you know, Mark, and I knew each other because our kids went to school together. And he said, “Take a look at this book, take a look at these TED Talks”. And, you know, once you start down that rabbit hole, like, you know, you can't get out of it, it's so interesting. And I was fascinated by it. And I really liked the idea of taking the sort of traditional, you know, case based procedural, and, you know, putting a psychological spin on it, and the spin of behavioral economics and being able to solve cases using, you know, behavioral research, and using the notion of this is what people do, and understanding human behavior, to understand how to solve crimes and other puzzles. And, you know, it kind of went from there.
 
John Betancourt: Now this is a show full of incredible plots, incredible complexity, and I love that. But I'm curious as to what kind of challenges you ran into as a showrunner in assembling stories that are so wonderfully complex?
 
Arika Lisanne Mittman: Well, it takes a team that's for sure. I have a wonderful writer’s room. And, you know, television writing is a very collaborative medium, you know, and so, you know, we're all in the room together, breaking new stories, and, you know, like, 10 brains are better than one, you know? And so, you know, we put everybody's brains on it, and, you know, maybe that makes us, half as smart as the character of Alec, that's the challenge. The biggest challenge is always for me, you know, I've written for other characters. I’ve written on Dexter, I wrote in Elementary and always the hard part is like, “God, these people are so smart. How do I be as smart as my characters?” And the answer is 10 brains.
 
John Betancourt: To follow up on that a little further, the characters are also just as complex as the stories, and I’m curious how you all created such amazing characters.
 
Arika Lisanne Mittman: Well, you know, the characters initially, like that was, you know, the, the creation of these original characters came before the room started and they, they evolve and what's nice about characters is, you know, you come up with the basics, you know, you're writing this pilot, like, obviously, the character of Alec was inspired by Dan Ariely. He's not Dan, there's some very significant differences between the two. But, you know, Dan's approach to life, Dan's approach to human behavior was the original inspiration for Alec. And then what happens is you create these, you know, these sort of bases for characters in the pilot. And then once you cast them, the actor brings something unique to each of these characters that the characters ultimately become this amalgamation of the, what you put on paper and what they bring to it, you know, and I think that's one of the other things that's really special about TV, the episodic medium that we have, that these characters can grow and evolve, and change in a way that you don't get in too many other mediums. Because the show keeps going, because it's a series and you gradually find yourself writing to what the actors are doing even more than -- they are performing the character that you created, and then you start writing to the character that they have created from your character.
 
John Betancourt: Now, speaking of progression, first… congrats on a second season. Second, what it meant to you to be granted another year of storytelling?
 
Arika Lisanne Mittman: Just a wealth of opportunities, it means opportunities to tell more stories, because we certainly felt like after those 11 episodes, that there were absolutely way more worlds, and way more psychological mysteries to explore after that, and so it just gives us more opportunities, and we're very grateful, you know, getting 18 more episodes, you know, it's… we feel kind of like a unicorn these days, because, you know, so much has been distilled to the 10 episodes at a time, you know, 10,12, 13, kind of format, and, you know, being able to do, case after case, you know, I think… I think procedurals definitely lend themselves to these longer orders more so than serialized shows do because it is really hard to come up with, you know, 18 episodes on a serialized arc. But you know, when you have a procedure like this, and the show that we get fresh new characters and new worlds every week, you know, there's really almost endless, you know, episodes, you can write with them. So, I'm very grateful. I'm very grateful for season two.
 
John Betancourt: Now in looking ahead toward tonight’s finale, what are you most excited for audiences to experience this evening, without spoilers of course.
 
Arika Lisanne Mittman: I'm excited for fans, fans who've been really paying attention to this little serialized thread in our story, will get the satisfaction of closure to, to that mystery. So, I'm excited for the fans to be able to feel like they have answers, you know, and like they haven't been strung along, we are giving them answers, we are going to solve this case. And, you know, I hope they enjoy the resolution.
 
John Betancourt: Also, what can you tell fans to expect in season two, without spoilers for that as well.
 
Arika Lisanne Mittman: I mean, well, I can say, you know, just quite simply because we are still in the process of breaking Season Two as we speak, you know, the very beginnings of it. But that there will definitely continue to be these fun, episodic “case of the week” stories that they've come to expect last season, and we will get to explore lots of new worlds, and lots of new characters in season two.
 
John Betancourt: This year featured a lot of great lessons about our minds and who we are, what do you ultimately hope people take away as kind of an underlying message of season one.
 
Arika Lisanne Mittman: Oh, wow, underlying message of season one, I mean, I don't know that there's one specific message that I want them to take away. But I do hope that we all, that the audience, looks at a little bit more at their own behavior. I feel like, you know, one of the magical things about this show is that, you know, we explore these different aspects of human behavior that are true, but we don't think about them all the time. And I find myself, you know, randomly, you know, spouting phrases like paradoxical persuasion or outcome bias or, you know, things like that, then that I'm now I'm much more self-aware of things that I'm doing and I hope the audience, like, comes away a little bit more self-aware about the decisions we make and why we make them.
 
John Betancourt: The last question that I have for you today. What are you most proud of when it comes to your work so far on the show?
 
Arika Lisanne Mittman: I would say I am proud of you know, being able to weave these psychological concepts into, weekly mysteries, because it's a bit you know, it's obviously it's a challenge. It's not, you know, a way that we're used to approaching these cases we're used to, we're used to approaching all of these cases from a, you know, when you've done procedurals before, from a simple path of clues, you know, evidence-based answers. And like, you know, we find the DNA here. And you know, and being able to weave our way through cases, from this both behavioral standpoint, from the psychological standpoint has been a challenge. And it's a testament to the great room that I have that helps me do it. And so, I'm very proud of being able to, you know, take this format that we've seen 100 times, and do something different with it.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Corey Reynolds is a highly accomplished actor that has made his mark on both the silver and small screen. Currently he stars as Sheriff Mike Thompson in the hit SYFY series, Resident Alien, and we here at NTG were able to sit down with Corey to discuss all things Resident Alien ahead of the show’s season three premiere!
 
John Betancorut: I have to know what it means to you to be here for third season.
 
Corey Reynolds: Oh, man, it's great. You know, I mean, you know, there's the typical answer as an actor. “Well, it's good to be working and you know, be blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.” Yeah, but you know, I think that there's some rich storytelling in season three. There's a lot of “holy shit” moments, with the biggest one coming at the end. This season covers a lot of ground, and it's going to, nothing's going to be the same. I haven't said that. You know, actually, I haven't really spoken too much about what, how, where things will land by the end of the season. But ultimately, you know, it's a great way to start to broaden out the storytelling, you can start to bring in more characters in this part of the storytelling, you can start to go into characters backstories, a little bit more. So, you can further invest your audience in what it is we're trying to do. And I'm proud to say, I think I've seen 301 to 304, the first four of the season, and they're fantastic. And we're really proud of what we've done and where things are headed. We're like that little show that could, man.
 
John Betancourt: I'm curious to hear your thoughts on why you think this series resonates so well with audiences?
 
Corey Reynolds: You know what, I really think we're really good at doing two things at once. You can watch our show, and you can cry from laughing or you can cry from what you're feeling. There's a really… there's a genuineness to the sincerity of the show, even in the backdrop of science fiction, and some over the top comedy, there is a sincerity to what the characters are experiencing that I think people find it easy to identify with. I think that you know, if you watch the show, there's someone you feel is reflective of maybe yourself, or how you would be or part of yourself. And it makes it easy. I think for people to connect in that way. I also will add really quick, I think one thing in the structure of the show has allowed, is for the viewer to feel like they are they know something that we don't know. And that thing is they know Harry is an alien from the very beginning.
 
So, everything he does has two meanings, the meaning to the audience that knows he's an alien and the meaning to the characters who don't know he's an alien. And I think it kind of puts the audience in a position of being an insider, a little bit. And I feel like that inside-ness and this creates a little intimacy between the audience and Harry, and you are along for the ride with him. And even when he's trying to kill a kid, you're still rooting for him, because he's doing it in a hilarious way. (Laughter) You know, and then watching that dynamic between he and Max, and just realizing that he kind of is a kid too, if you think about how long he's been a human. And it just created these interesting parallels that people could connect with. So, I think that's part of what makes it work.
 
John Betancourt:  What is it that you enjoy the most about working on this show?
 
Corey Reynolds: Whoo, that's tough. Only because it's kind of like this marriage of all the things like as an actor you are kind of searching for, for me personally, you know, I love the people I'm working with. I love the people I'm working for. I love the character, I'm getting to play, I love the storytelling. You know, we're not doing any harm to the world in what we're putting out there, which is the type of thing you want in the wake of your journey as a talent and as an actor. I… it's just got a lot of things to it, that work, and I think we all have this collective sense of wanting to be beholden to the storytelling more than anything, more than the egos, of… how many scenes do I have? I want more lines, none of that. We don't have any of that stuff, man. It starts at the top with Chris. And with Alan. And they set a standard there that you know, we all look to continue to, you know, emulate. We all make it work, everybody, everybody shows up for this. Nobody dials it in.
 
John Betancourt: So, each season kind of has this little bit of subtext. What do you hope audiences take away from season three?
 
Corey Reynolds. Oh, wow, there's so much to choose from there. What I hope they get from it primarily is that everyone is still kind of discovering who they are. You know, some of what we've come to expect from some of these characters slowly begins to change, like, like life. As you progress through it, as you learn new things, it slowly starts to shape who you are, and also make you challenge who you are. I think that's one of the things that happens for Mike and his relationship component with Detective Torres, who he is, doesn't work for what he wants. So, you then have to make a choice between, do you want to stay where you are, where it's safe, or put yourself in a place of vulnerable, where the reward could outweigh that risk? And everybody's kind of doing that in different ways, you know, trying to figure out what's the most important aspect of what it is that they're seeking. And for him, his way… he gets in his way, he gets in his own way, which a lot of people do.
 
John Betancourt: What are you most proud of when it comes to your work on this show?
 
Corey Reynolds Oh, honestly, I'm kind of most proud of the fact that I feel like I'm playing a black character like no other character I've seen on television, I've never seen a black character like Mike, maybe the closest thing is maybe Cleavon Little in Blazing Saddles. A little bit. There's a uniqueness to what I'm allowed to do with him that I haven't been able to do in any previous opportunity. So, I would say that I'm proud of, of doing something different.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Meredith Garretson and Levi Fiehler are a pair of accomplished actors that consistently pop up on our television screens. Currently they star as Mayor Ben Hawthorne and Kate Hawthorne on the hit SYFY series, Resident Alien, and we here at NTG were able to sit down with both of them to discuss the show’s upcoming third season.
 
John Betancourt: What does it mean to each of you to be here for a third season?
 
Meredith Garretson: I mean, you know, it's a really, it's a really interesting and shifting time in our business. And I think it cannot be overstated how lucky I feel to be going back into a third season, getting to share this season with everyone, which is my favorite season that we've ever done, I think, and I love all of our seasons. But it is, I'm so excited for everybody to see the world, how it's grown. And you know, the new dimensions to character and Levi, you can add to that.
 
Levi Fiehler: No, I mean, you, you hit the nail on the head with, you know, we are just in such a strange time in this business, not only with the transition from basic cable onto streaming, but also having gone through a pandemic, and writer's strike, and only doing, you know, three seasons in six years, there's been these huge breaks between and I think it's really just a testament to the writing, and the performances, but Chris, overall, Chris Sheridan as a showrunner, kind of holding this together, and then the fan base, I mean, keeping it going after such long gaps in between that, you know, most of which are just out of anyone's control, you know, and so I'm just grateful to still have a job, but also still get to play around with these guys, because the show's an absolute blast to be a part of.
 
John Betancourt: Why do you think this series continues to resonate so well?
 
Levi Fiehler: You know, I think again, I'm gonna go back and tip my hat to Chris Sheridan. I mean, his writing is just… he just balances the comedy and the drama so well. I mean, he really just, he taps into… even though it's a show about aliens, just like what it's like to be human or what it's like to be on this planet as a living being and I, not to get too sappy, but I, you know, I think it resonates with people, I think there's a lot of truth in the show and the comedy. And, you know, and then he put this this group of people together, you know, led by Alan Tudyk, who's amazing, and obviously has a fan base of his own, but I think it's just really a testament to, to Chris just doctoring this whole thing together.
 
Meredith Garretson: I mean, and adding to that, yes, everything that Levi said, the strength of our ensemble, the incredible acting, I think, you know, comedy… there’s like that thing about how you get people to laugh and open their mouths, you can slip some truth in, you know? And I think that’s comedy at its highest form, like, it's, it doesn't sacrifice, our show doesn't, it doesn't have comedy at the expense of humanity or at the expense of, you know, having a deep ethos about compassion, about what it is to be a person on this on this planet, or to be a living being on the planet, that's always underneath. So I think people enjoy getting to laugh, getting to… you know, because the show is so funny, and there's so many gifted comedians on the show, but then you get the satisfying visceral experience of having your heart broken, or having your heart, you know, just swell with compassion or joy for a character because you care about these people, because they've been drawn so well that the show can be hilarious. And you care about everyone and that is a testament to Chris' writing. And it's a testament to you know, the strength of his casting choices. I'm, you know, surrounded by geniuses who have drawn really, really beautiful characters that stick with people.
 
John Betancourt: I’ve always loved how each season of this show has tiny messages within for people to take away. What are you hoping audiences take away this season?
 
Meredith Garretson: Well, I'll put that through the lens of my own character, which is that you know, Kate's issues… Kate looks out sometimes to figure out, you know, why things aren't right. And then is like trying to fix them. And it can kind of create a narrow worldview. It created problems in her marriage where -- a sense of well “I don't fit in here. I don't have this. I have to’ -- you know, it's always about looking out and trying to pinpoint what the problem is. And that can really narrow your scope. And so, something that I think expanded my character and hopefully audiences will take from that, from the season, is that having an openness, looking inside, sitting with self-listening to your inner voice, your intuition and being available to, to soften, being available to new ways of looking at things is like, that's the way forward for Kate in this season. And I think that's, that's a message I can get behind because me Meredith is like, I can be like that, where I say “this is how things are” and, you know, this is an opportunity to soften, to listen to the voice inside and, and for it to change your perspective on how you see everything around you.
 
Levi Fiehler: Gosh, I'm always so bad at summing up something like that…
 
Meredith Garretson: Levi, is it fair to say that this season, like in one way or another, all the characters are essentially… they're trying to figure out like, who they are? And what made them that way?
 
Levi Fiehler: Sure, for sure. And dealing with, well, for us at least, dealing with, you know, these past traumas, like for us, it's, you know, finding out that we have this baby that's been abducted, and it's, you know, just dealing with these horrible events, what’s the best way forward and just finding the strength when you don't think you have it.
 
John Betancourt: Last question I have for each of you today, what are you most proud of when it comes to your work on this show?
 
Levi Fiehler: I am most proud of it's… it's such a lame answer. But honestly, I'm proud just to be a part of it. This is the first show that I ever did that went past the pilot phase. And just to, to get, you know, handpicked by Chris Sheridan, who is hands down, one of the funniest people I've ever met. Just was an amazing feeling. Really, like I… It's so… any actor listening to this would understand. It's just so easy to get beaten down with auditions and stuff and feel like you're like, am I wasting my time? Am I not funny? Am I not talented? And then to have someone that you… that I've come to respect so much be like, “No, like, you're who I want for this part.” Like, just, you know, feeling… feeling seen? I guess was, yeah, I think that's what I'm probably most proud of, is just getting handpicked by that Sheridan. He's a good one.
 
Meredith Garretson: I, similarly, I got brought on to a show with a bunch of people. I was like, “wow, these people are real, you know, this is this is a high level of talent and mastery of skill.” And, you know, I'm proud that I didn't let impostor syndrome keep me from giving everything that I have to the show because I want to give everything I've got to the show, and it doesn't mean that I think every choice I've ever made is perfect. I don't. But I'm really trying to give it all away because this show is worth going out on the skinny branches and risking everything and leaving at the end of the day, going I'm exhausted because I gave this everything I had. Because I want to tell the story the best that I can in my little you know section of the world that I occupy and yeah, same, I'm so I'm proud to be amongst such great company.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Sara Tomko and Alice Wetterlund are an accomplished pair of actors that have appeared in numerous shows over the years. Currently, they star as Asta Twelvetrees and D’Arcy Bloom, respectively, on the hit SYFY series, Resident Alien, and we here at NTG were able to sit down with both of them to discuss the upcoming third season of this beloved show with them.
 
John Betancourt: I would love to know what it means to each of you to be back for a third season.
 
Sara Tomko: That's the big word to be back. We're still alive after COVID quarantine and a strike in this industry. We made it. I'm so grateful, I'm gonna say grateful, relief and excitement for fans to see this season. I think it is our… I'm gonna say it… our strongest yet. You know, season ones the OG. Season two's like the messy like, I don't know, a post honeymoon, baby.
 
Alice Wetterlund: Yeah, the sophomore album.
 
Sara Tomko: We’re like learning about each other, like after honeymoon. And we're like, I don't know if I like you or not. Yeah, season three is like, “Oh, hey, we're pretty good together. Let's keep this going.” You know, so I'm excited.
 
Alice Wetterlund: We're very excited. couldn't be more grateful also to our fans that have stayed with us and gotten on the ground level like, I love… so obviously sci fi head here, sci fi head there. (nods toward Sara) I can tell. And sci fi fans are the best fans in the world. Like, I mean, just bar none. So thoughtful. And just willing to follow you down these storylines and get really invested. And it just it breaks my heart in the best way. (At this point, Alice made use of her applause sound effect to properly pay tribute to the wonderful fans that tune in.)
 
John Betancourt: Speaking of the fans, I mean, obviously the reception has been phenomenal for the show every single year. And I would love to know, from your perspective, why you think the show resonates so well with people?
 
Alice Wetterlund: I mean, it’s a couple of things. One, it's got a great IP. The Dark Horse Comics that it's based on are full of heart, very interesting storylines, very unique. We've had incredible support from SYFY to Amblin. Our production team has been amazing. And the writing is just I mean, Chris Sheridan and all the writers, but especially Chris, pours his heart into this show like nobody else I've ever seen. I mean he's doing the like Obama thing where he gets elected, and he's like, really hot. And then he like four years later, he's like 75 years old thing, like he looks different. And he's just poured himself into this show. And he's the best person to work for. And that is important. You know, it really comes across when you can see that. I think that was kind of the case in Star Trek: The Next Generation that cast which has loved each other so much. It just came across. And our show has that, it really does, we respect and love each other like crazy on this show and the subject matter, it's pretty whimsical for sci fi. So, there is an entry point, I think for people who aren't normally like very sci fi heads. It's not Battlestar Galactica, but it's also so, so funny. I mean, it's very comedy forward. It really is. It's a laugh out loud situation. And I was laughing more in season three than ever before.
 
Sara Tomko: Yeah, we were watching the episodes, the first four episodes together. And Jenna Lamia, who plays Judy, exclaimed at one point while we were all cackling like “This show! Oh my god, like what? What are we doing? Whatever. This is like, so stupid and so perfect.” Yeah, so like, and she's right. It's like this. This scenario is crazy. But there's so much heart and we all take it so seriously, that that truth leads to honesty which leads to funny, which leads to heartbreak. And I just think people who are not like you said so eloquently, people who are not normally into sci fi, would be delighted to find out, that it's not very sci fi-y there's yeah, there's an alien. Sure. But there's really just a bunch of chaotic, imperfect, flawed people at the center trying to figure out, you know who they are and to save the world on top of it. So, it's, it's an iconic show, if you ask me.
 
Alice Wetterlund: If I can say one more thing about that, yeah, this town that Harry lands in is so special, and so unique that I really believe that, like, you get the feeling right, that what he's trying to accomplish, could not happen anywhere else. And the story that he, the character development that he has the, the connections that he makes, couldn't be made anywhere else. And I think one of the main reasons for that is that he makes these connections with the Indigenous community there that is so close to the town, which isn't always the case. And, you know, sometimes you have a reservation way outside the town, but there's just like this wonderful community of like really integrated people, which is so cool. And I that's the one thing about our show, like, I wish it reached a wider audience, because I would love to, for people to get to know these characters, these indigenous characters, especially because for me, they're just, there's no town like, like that. You know what I mean? It's just like, it's very cool to see. I mean, maybe like Rutherford Falls is like the one place I can think of that is portrayed on television that has these relationships.
 
John Betancourt: What are you each most excited for audiences to experience in season three? Without any spoilers, of course.
 
Sara Tomko: Hmm. I'm excited to see more of Asta, lightening up, finding herself, figuring out who she is outside of caretaking. I really, really love Austin and D’Arcy living together. The dynamic is so fun. And having like, I'm sorry, TJ, my husband, was watching with me. And he was like, “they have a house?” And like, you don't get that in LA. I was like, they probably still rent it. Yeah, but yeah, they have a house because it's a small town. I just think it’s, so you get more of this wonderful friendship dynamic. But also, you get to see Harry play with different people this season. It's not so Harry/Asta, which is just a really fun, you know, new experience for all involved. So that's what I'm most excited about.
 
Alice Wetterlund: I can't pick one thing, but I'll just say this… laundry day. People will know what I mean when that comes out, laundry day. But I'm also really, really pumped to see what people what the fans think of the Ben and Kate storyline in this season, because it adds so much to sort of the undercurrent, like it adds so much to what we haven't really figured out yet about this kind of larger galactic situation. And it's scary as hell and I was just really sinking my teeth into it. And I can't wait for people to see it.
 
Sara Tomko: Yeah, that's a great one. They are going through some shit, that family.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Caution: This interview does contain spoilers for the Peanuts Special, ‘Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin’.
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Robb Armstrong, Raymond S. Persi, and Craig Schulz are a noted writer, director, and comic legend, respectively. Since Robb’s comic, JumpStart brought him rightful acclaim, and Raymond has shepherded some powerful stories as a director, and of course… Craig Schulz has been associated with the Peanuts franchise for decades on end. Currently, this trio have come together to create the poignant and powerful new Peanuts special, Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin, on Apple TV+, and we here at NTG had the distinct honor of sitting down with this trio of creatives to discuss this important special. 

John Betancourt: Robb and Craig, I am curious what inspired this particular specia?
 
Robb Armstrong: I think the character needed to be explored. To be honest with you, it’s real simple. Franklin has been around for more than 50 years. But for whatever reason – well, I know the reason, I won't speak like, I don't know the reason he was never delved into. Sparky (Charles Schulz) even confessed to me, he was my friend, he would, he would confess to me lots of things. One of them was that he felt that by exploring the character, he might stumble into being condescending to black people if he did something wrong, or made a misstep, or fumbled the ball. So, he kind of left Franklin to be almost bland, and figured… it’s less risky if he's kind of like, bland. Well, that may have worked for a time. But we're in a time now where things are… different. And opportunities have changed. And it was time to explore, Franklin, and to and to do a great job, and I’ll let Craig take it from there.
 
Craig Schulz: Well, I would just say, since I'm in the Peanuts world every day, and we get people responding and asking questions continuously, that Franklin is the one that people continually embrace, continually want to know more about, and you can, again, you can only get so much information out of the comic strip. So, when it came to, you know, what show do we want to do, and telling the characters and expanding their world? Truly, for the fans, we write these really for the fans. I do, at least, for the fans, the fans want to know more about Franklin. So, we as a group had decided that's the one special, we really wanted to do that, and just take a lot of time doing it, we want to do it right. And that's why we brought Robb on board, because the three of us are white kids that really don't know the black experience, obviously, like Robb does. And that's why we've tried to keep it true to it. And yet still stay true to the comic strip.
 
John Betancourt: For Raymond, what was it that motivated you to sign onto this project as its director?
 
Raymond S. Persi: So, what was exciting for me when I read the script was, you got to see a friendship form in real time, you know, and you got to see it formed the way friendships actually do form. And like, you're busy doing something else, like in their case, building the cart, and you're just asking casual questions, because sometimes when you're working, your guard is down, and you'll go a little deeper without even realizing it. And so, you get to see them kind of form a friendship over that. And then you get to see Franklin, who, you know, he's never had an authentic friendship before. Because he wasn't -- he never allowed himself to be authentic. You see later, like, he gets mad at Charlie Brown, they get into a fight. He thinks this friendship’s over because you don't do that with friends. And Charlie Brown shows him… of course you do that with friends. That's what friends are for. You can get mad sometimes. I just love that. Because I think that's really showing people that it's good to be who you really are. You'll, you'll attract the right sort of people to yourself.
 
John Betancourt: What does it mean to each of you personally, to have given life to such an important story? 
 
Raymond S. Persi: I'm a biracial person, I'm half Thai, I'm half Italian. And so, growing up, I grew up, you know, in Los Angeles, I never felt like I belonged with the Asian kids or with the white kids. So, I always felt a little bit other than, and so this is a story where this kid, he doesn't feel that he can connect. And it's only when you start looking past maybe the, you know, the groupings, that you start to just connect with people because of who you are on the inside. And then that's how I started to find the friends I'm connected with just because of our, you know, our interests that come from the deeper questions we have about the world that we'd like to talk about. So that's, that's why it's special to me.
 
Robb Armstrong: Franklin and Charlie Brown discover that they have a lot more in common than they thought. Even as we worked on this together, the team, me and the show’s family Bryan, his dad, Craig, and Cornelius Uliano, we discovered “Wow, look how similar. Charlie Brown is. Franklin is coming from the outside into this existing world trying to fit in trying to make friends.” And we discover Charlie Brown has been in that world and is still struggling to make friends. These two outliers, find each other. And this is almost like a love story. It's a friendship movie, a friendship special, but it's almost like a love story in that these characters don't have anyone else. And they end up partnering up and they discover, what does an outsider have to do? To gain friendship? At first, Franklin thinks, well, it's winning. “If we don't win,” they’re in this box car derby race. “If we don't win, we're done.” And he even takes it out on Charlie Brown. At a certain point, he starts thinking, “you're going to make us lose.” And he had heard from Lucy, of course, “If you team up with Charlie Brown, you're gonna lose because he's a loser.” Like it starts to start to haunt Franklin. 
 
So, when things go wrong, he starts thinking that “Lemonade Girl,” as Craig named her, “that Lemonade Girl was right about you.” That scene where things don't work out, and there's a big… it was so harsh. When Franklin turns on Charlie Brown that way, but they were they were in a struggle together, man. And it was so hard. I actually, really, I bristled, I thought that, and that was more of a Bryan Schultz, Cornelius Uliano thing, that moment, they were like, “look, here's what's got to happen for us to get to where we have to go. We got to do this thing.” And I was like, “That's combustible. I mean, that's a very unusual scene for Peanuts.” And they beat me up. All these guys did. They said, “look, trust us. They have to have a blow up. A bad one. Not a little one.” And yes, yes, that scene? That's one I think they'll be talking about that scene. I think kids will be talking about that. And the adults. Right, Craig?
 
Craig Schulz: Yeah. It’s a great scene.
 
Robb Armstrong: You don't… you don't see it. You don't see, you don't see animation deal with human content on this level. Ever. Not in my experience. It's wonderful man.
 
Craig Schulz: I just like to reflect back on I think, the responsibility we take in doing the specials, myself and my son, Bryan, you know, we did The Peanuts Movie in 2015. And I'll never forget, the trailer came out. And we're watching people on the internet. And this one guy that critiques all the trailers and stuff was sitting on there in his bedroom, and he's got his computer and his bag of potato chips, and he's watching the thing. It's in slow motion and a scene ends and he stands up. And he walks outside, opens the door, and he yells into the street as loud as he can, “they're not gonna,” I'll say screw, “they're not gonna screw it up!” I mean, it was amazing. I mean, after all the work we put in, which is five years to get to that point. And for somebody that was a diehard fan, and people don't realize how diehard Peanuts fans are. If you take something and move Lucy's hair a little bit, or Charlie Brown zigzags aren’t right, you're gonna hear about it. And we take that very seriously. 
 
So, this for us, this is a really risky project to do, a Franklin special, and to treat it right and give it the respect that it deserves. Give it the respect that my dad had given it within strip, and within the strip, you contain that respect, by not going too far out with Franklin. But he kept like Robb said, he kept Franklin sort of neutral. Franklin was very well grounded, and everybody likes Franklin. So, what are you going to do in a movie? Are you going to take him out there and also now he's going to start becoming a rapper, and breakdancing, and he's got a cell phone and all that sort of stuff, like somebody else would have done? No. And what I'm glad about having Bryan and Cornelius on board is that they can take this thing to the next generation. I don't necessarily have that many years left. And I worry about the third generation, having possession of Peanuts, or having somebody buy it out and not know how to run the business. To me, that's the scariest thing. And you know, in my lifetime, I would contain it like, I've been able to do for the last 23 years.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.