What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2 Viewers)

When I first saw tonight's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," I instantly had questions for the episode's director, Matt Shakman, about how they pulled off the various technical challenges involved in "Charlie Work." He was kind enough to provide a detailed explanation.So how did Shakman and the "Sunny" crew create the illusion of one continuous take for "Charlie Work," given that the bar interior and exterior are in different places? And was the whole thing just an elaborate tribute to "Birdman"? Shakman explains all:

The exterior of the bar is an old warehouse in downtown LA, so any time we transition between the interior bar and the front, it's a visual effect. When they meet the delivery guy outside for instance, the background of the bar that is visible through the doorway is a VFX plate. Sometimes I used the front door as a transition (following Charlie out at the end for example, or when he first brings the inspector inside the bar), where we match cut the inside of the door on stage with the door on the exterior set downtown.

The sets on stage are only one level, so every time we go to the basement, there is a camera trick. Some are simple--where we pan past the brick wall and hide the cut or go through a pool of darkness--or where we are more ambitious and use green screen (coming back into the bar from the basement for instance was a blend of a shot that panned into a green screen with a shot of the keg room that continued the motion).

The stage sets that are contiguous are the bathroom, main pub interior, back office, and keg room. The bathroom wasn't originally connected but we made it connect for this episode. For this episode we also built a partial back alley on stage. There's a back alley location in downtown LA that we usually go to. We used the real downtown location for when the delivery guy is first seated and Charlie sees Devito running away. I wanted that to be the actual place so the audience wouldn't doubt the veracity when we used the stage set for later scenes: Charlie arguing with dee about moving the dumpster and checking in with the inspector in the alley. Going from the interior bar set to the real alley required some green screen and a few camera tricks--going into a wall as Charlie passes, and then coming off the wall on location to reveal the real exterior alley, etc.

BUT there is a huge chunk of the show that is one take, no tricks (about a third). It begins with Charlie first escorting the inspector inside the bar and continuing all the way through to Charlie leading the inspector to the basement. It was rehearsed at the end of a Tuesday if I remember. Took about two hours to stage it all. Actors then went home to study up on lines and I took the crew through the camera blocking.

The next morning we took about four hours to light everything and rehearse the camera move again and again. Our B camera operator wore a headset and talked the A camera operator through the choreography during the shot. Reminding him what was next, who to focus on, where the next transition was, etc. The AD's practiced (with a bunch of PA's and set dressers) moving all the live chickens in and out of the back office in a very short amount of time. And we worked out all the other miscellaneous things--Devito's black paint, the chickens that shuttled back and forth to the keg room, etc. Then we brought in the actors and started shooting. Took about twelve takes if I remember right. Around 11 script pages. A third of the show. All before lunch.

And there is another section that runs for a bit--from Charlie turning on the power breaker, through bringing the delivery guy to the back alley. That's a solid chunk too without camera trickery.

We spoke to FX early on about commercials. There are a few breaks in the first half. But once Charlie flips on the breakers to bring the light back, there are no more commercials.

(Also), the Jazz score written by Cormac Bluestone (who also wrote "The Nightman Cometh") came before any of us saw "Birdman." So our continuous take "Sunny" episode became an unintended homage to that film.
Click to expand...
 
I've watched this one or listened to it in the background while working three times tonight. Just too much to dig through after one viewing. :lmao:

 
It seems the writers are deliberately "smartening up" Charlie this year. In season's past, the roles of Charlie and Dennis would have been reversed in this episode.

 
Raider Nation said:
When I first saw tonight's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," I instantly had questions for the episode's director, Matt Shakman, about how they pulled off the various technical challenges involved in "Charlie Work." He was kind enough to provide a detailed explanation.So how did Shakman and the "Sunny" crew create the illusion of one continuous take for "Charlie Work," given that the bar interior and exterior are in different places? And was the whole thing just an elaborate tribute to "Birdman"? Shakman explains all:

The exterior of the bar is an old warehouse in downtown LA, so any time we transition between the interior bar and the front, it's a visual effect. When they meet the delivery guy outside for instance, the background of the bar that is visible through the doorway is a VFX plate. Sometimes I used the front door as a transition (following Charlie out at the end for example, or when he first brings the inspector inside the bar), where we match cut the inside of the door on stage with the door on the exterior set downtown.

The sets on stage are only one level, so every time we go to the basement, there is a camera trick. Some are simple--where we pan past the brick wall and hide the cut or go through a pool of darkness--or where we are more ambitious and use green screen (coming back into the bar from the basement for instance was a blend of a shot that panned into a green screen with a shot of the keg room that continued the motion).

The stage sets that are contiguous are the bathroom, main pub interior, back office, and keg room. The bathroom wasn't originally connected but we made it connect for this episode. For this episode we also built a partial back alley on stage. There's a back alley location in downtown LA that we usually go to. We used the real downtown location for when the delivery guy is first seated and Charlie sees Devito running away. I wanted that to be the actual place so the audience wouldn't doubt the veracity when we used the stage set for later scenes: Charlie arguing with dee about moving the dumpster and checking in with the inspector in the alley. Going from the interior bar set to the real alley required some green screen and a few camera tricks--going into a wall as Charlie passes, and then coming off the wall on location to reveal the real exterior alley, etc.

BUT there is a huge chunk of the show that is one take, no tricks (about a third). It begins with Charlie first escorting the inspector inside the bar and continuing all the way through to Charlie leading the inspector to the basement. It was rehearsed at the end of a Tuesday if I remember. Took about two hours to stage it all. Actors then went home to study up on lines and I took the crew through the camera blocking.

The next morning we took about four hours to light everything and rehearse the camera move again and again. Our B camera operator wore a headset and talked the A camera operator through the choreography during the shot. Reminding him what was next, who to focus on, where the next transition was, etc. The AD's practiced (with a bunch of PA's and set dressers) moving all the live chickens in and out of the back office in a very short amount of time. And we worked out all the other miscellaneous things--Devito's black paint, the chickens that shuttled back and forth to the keg room, etc. Then we brought in the actors and started shooting. Took about twelve takes if I remember right. Around 11 script pages. A third of the show. All before lunch.

And there is another section that runs for a bit--from Charlie turning on the power breaker, through bringing the delivery guy to the back alley. That's a solid chunk too without camera trickery.

We spoke to FX early on about commercials. There are a few breaks in the first half. But once Charlie flips on the breakers to bring the light back, there are no more commercials.

(Also), the Jazz score written by Cormac Bluestone (who also wrote "The Nightman Cometh") came before any of us saw "Birdman." So our continuous take "Sunny" episode became an unintended homage to that film.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Awesome. :thumbup:

What happened to your face?

Dennis scratched me?

He pissed me off with his subtle trying to bring up an issue. LOOK ME IN THE EYES

 
Encyclopedia Brown said:
It seems the writers are deliberately "smartening up" Charlie this year. In season's past, the roles of Charlie and Dennis would have been reversed in this episode.
Click to expand...
I don't know it seems the one thing in life Charlie is capable of is keeping the bar running...the rat killing, burning trash in the furnace, cleaning toilets and urinals....you know, "Charlie Work".

 
Tiger Fan said:
Tracking shot!
Click to expand...
That was awesome.

The whole episode ruled, easily one of my favorites to date.

lol @ count to about 30 then moan in the vent, wait a few seconds and say "i'm sorry"

then Charlie counting on his way back to the bathroom :lmao:

 
Hilarious episode... what was going on with dennis at the end though.. drunk? something else?

 
Charlie: But what you didn’t plan on was a hungry delivery guy who’d driven all the way here from Ohio, or that Dee’s oversized fingers could have accidentally pressed zero again when she ordered the steaks online—I’m assuming you did the typing, Dee, yes?

Dee: #######it.

Dennis: Dee, you #####.

:lmao:

 
The whole restaurant exchanges.

Charlie's trying to explain why he should be in the plan.

Eating scales and reptiles.

:lmao:

 
The whole restaurant conversation destroyed me last night. Fell off the couch laughing, knocked over a beer, and had tears streaming while I tried to rewind the conversation.

I'm watching this one again over lunch. GB working from home.

 
Tremendous episode tonight. This synopsis just says it all :

Its Dennis' turn tonight. After his carefully engineered plans to get them all invited to a boat party go awry due to Dee's need to don her latest disguise (Captain Barnacle), and Charlie and Frank eating alcohol-soaked worms in his Range Rover, Dennis decides he's had enough. So he drives them all into the river.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have contained my rage for as long as possible, but I shall unleash my fury upon you like the crashing of a thousand waves. Be gone from me, vile man, be gone from me! A starter car?! This car is a finisher car! A transporter of gods, the golden god. I am untethered and my rage knows no bounds!

 
Onions said:
I have contained my rage for as long as possible, but I shall unleash my fury upon you like the crashing of a thousand waves. Be gone from me, vile man, be gone from me! A starter car?! This car is a finisher car! A transporter of gods, the golden god. I am untethered and my rage knows no bounds!
Click to expand...
:lmao: That was the best. Angry Dennis this year is :moneybag:

 
I love this show.

But I feel like an episode like last night is where they jump the shark.

I've always thought that none of the gang should pork Dee, having Charlie do it the other night felt weird, forced and is not good.

When you're getting to the point where the source of a lot of your humor is "reference humor" from previous seasons... it's getting weak...

Having Frank re-enact the under-age drinking bit - decent, not great

Rum Ham just out of nowhere? weak

There were a lot of funny things in last night's episode and I still love the show... but something tells me this is the beginning of them running out of ideas even in a season where they had the brilliant Charlie Work episode.

 
belljr said:
:lmao: That was the best. Angry Dennis this year is :moneybag:
Click to expand...
Angry Dennis <<<<<< Creepy Dennis

The episode where he kept telling the rest of the gang... "I want you to get off with me" in a super creepy voice... now that stuff is gold. Implication... gold.

Dennis is at his best when he's being borderline psychotic

 
Dentist said:
I love this show.

But I feel like an episode like last night is where they jump the shark.

I've always thought that none of the gang should pork Dee, having Charlie do it the other night felt weird, forced and is not good.

When you're getting to the point where the source of a lot of your humor is "reference humor" from previous seasons... it's getting weak...

Having Frank re-enact the under-age drinking bit - decent, not great

Rum Ham just out of nowhere? weak

There were a lot of funny things in last night's episode and I still love the show... but something tells me this is the beginning of them running out of ideas even in a season where they had the brilliant Charlie Work episode.
Click to expand...
umm the whole point of the episode was they weren't the gang last night.
 
shadyridr said:
Dentist said:
I love this show.

But I feel like an episode like last night is where they jump the shark.

I've always thought that none of the gang should pork Dee, having Charlie do it the other night felt weird, forced and is not good.

When you're getting to the point where the source of a lot of your humor is "reference humor" from previous seasons... it's getting weak...

Having Frank re-enact the under-age drinking bit - decent, not great

Rum Ham just out of nowhere? weak

There were a lot of funny things in last night's episode and I still love the show... but something tells me this is the beginning of them running out of ideas even in a season where they had the brilliant Charlie Work episode.
Click to expand...
umm the whole point of the episode was they weren't the gang last night.
Click to expand...
ok, fine.. but still... don't have anyone pork D... you can't unpork D.... they just shouldn't have gone there

 
Dentist said:
shadyridr said:
Dentist said:
I love this show.

But I feel like an episode like last night is where they jump the shark.

I've always thought that none of the gang should pork Dee, having Charlie do it the other night felt weird, forced and is not good.

When you're getting to the point where the source of a lot of your humor is "reference humor" from previous seasons... it's getting weak...

Having Frank re-enact the under-age drinking bit - decent, not great

Rum Ham just out of nowhere? weak

There were a lot of funny things in last night's episode and I still love the show... but something tells me this is the beginning of them running out of ideas even in a season where they had the brilliant Charlie Work episode.
Click to expand...
umm the whole point of the episode was they weren't the gang last night.
Click to expand...
ok, fine.. but still... don't have anyone pork D... you can't unpork D.... they just shouldn't have gone there
Click to expand...
We don't know that they copulated. They could have had a bunch of energy drinks and dry-humped. You infer.

 
Dentist said:
I love this show.

But I feel like an episode like last night is where they jump the shark.

I've always thought that none of the gang should pork Dee, having Charlie do it the other night felt weird, forced and is not good.

When you're getting to the point where the source of a lot of your humor is "reference humor" from previous seasons... it's getting weak...

Having Frank re-enact the under-age drinking bit - decent, not great

Rum Ham just out of nowhere? weak

There were a lot of funny things in last night's episode and I still love the show... but something tells me this is the beginning of them running out of ideas even in a season where they had the brilliant Charlie Work episode.
Click to expand...
I disagree. Was a great episode all around. So Charlie and Dee banged...big deal. I think they put closure on it at the end of the episode where everyone goes back to "normal".

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Ministry of Pain
The Tourist on Netflix
Replies
2
Views
241
CGRdrJoe
CGRdrJoe
GordonGekko
Could You Beat Up Steven Seagal In A Pure Stand Up 1 Vs 1 Hand To Hand Fight? (23/30)
Replies
36
Views
1K
sho nuff
sho nuff
GordonGekko
Valentines Day Couple Publicly Shamed At Chili's For Being Too Poor On Social Media (5/30)
Replies
11
Views
867
rockaction
rockaction

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 3 (members: 0, guests: 3)
Top