How ‘Jury Duty’ Scribe Wrote Around an Unscripted Lead: ‘You Essentially Have a Wild Animal on Set’
TheWrap magazine: “You’re just trying to think, ‘How could this all fall apart?’” “Company Retreat” writer Anthony King says The post How ‘Jury Duty’ Scribe Wrote Around an Unscripted Lead: ‘You Essentially Have a Wild Animal on Set’ appeared first on TheWrap .
Anthony King, a writer on Prime Video's "Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat," faced the challenge of crafting a comedy series featuring a non-actor as the protagonist. He explained, "You essentially have a wild animal on set" — someone who doesn't realize they're on a television show. This season was the third Emmy nomination for King, following previous nods for "Silicon Valley" and "Night of Too Many Stars."
The premise involved placing Anthony Norman, the non-actor, in a simulated environment as a prank, with the added complexity of creating a believable world for him to interact with. The writers spent considerable time developing backstories, social-media profiles, and Google Maps listings for the various characters and companies involved.
Rehearsals were extensive, and each day began with secret preparations to ensure consistency in the storylines. The penultimate episode, "Mergers and Acquisitions," aimed to push Norman to take action, culminating in a "broad comedic farce in real time." King's ultimate goal was to have the audience invested in the outcome, feeling that Norman had genuinely cared for the company and its people.
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