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Angle
Man:
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Why did you want to be a screenwriter? |
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David
Fury:
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I
didn't. I was an actor/director for a number of years on the New York stage
(Off, Off-Off and Off-Off-Off Broadway) and occasionally in tv and film.
In the late eighties I became a stand-up comic (perfect opportunity to
keep performing between jobs) and, as such, started writing my own material.
Involvement with a couple of comedy theatre troupes - Chicago City Limits
and Manhattan Punch Line - led to me founding my own comedy group: BRAIN
TRUST. My first real foray into script writing was comedy sketches.
Long story longer... I opened a BRAIN TRUST stage show in LA, hoping it would catapult my acting career. The show was an enormous hit (we did the TONIGHT SHOW and ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT) but all interest shown in me was for my writing, not my acting. People wanted to know what other scripts I had - screenplays, sitcom specs (samples)? I had none. But seeing so much interest in my writing, I eventually partnered with my then girlfriend Elin Hampton to write a couple of specs (SEINFELD, GET A LIFE) and my new career as a writer was born. Though, for the record, I still act and direct when I can. (Tell the truth... more than anyone needed to know, right?) |
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AM:
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What's the one piece of advice do you wish you had been given when you were first starting out as a screenwriter? |
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DF:
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Never reply to the question "Why did you want to be a screenwriter?" with a long-winded answer. |
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AM:
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Do you have any horror stories about the business? |
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DF:
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My
first network job was staff writer for THE JACKIE THOMAS SHOW, an ABC sitcom
starring Tom Arnold, executive produced by Rosanne and Tom. Tom got
into a big feud with Julia Louis Dreyfus of SEINFELD (an acquaintance of
mine) when she accidentally parked in Roseanne's parking space once.
Julia found her car painted with obsenities and a polaroid of someone's
enormous ass on her windshield. (We later found out it belonged to
Roseanne).
Anyway, a short time later, Tom came into our office and said he wanted to take a picture of my butt. In fact, he was ordering all of his writers (and crew) to drop trou so he can photograph our buttocks. (Men only so as not to merit any sexual harrassment charges). Seems he wanted to leave a polaroid on Julia's windshield every day (for as long as supplies lasted). I didn't know what to say at first. Apparently, some writers did it, not wanting Tom and Roseanne to fire them for refusing. After putting him off as long as I could, Tom came to me again during a rehearsal and told me he wanted a shot of my butt. Job or no, I was not going to debase myself to satisfy my employers' twisted whims, and I told Tom I wouldn't do it. He eyed me with surprise (and possibly hurt) and uttered these words (without any irony): "C'mon, Dave... Show a little class." Fortunately I wasn't fired and Tom and Rosie soon lost their enthusiasm for their little prank. There are a few, however, who have to live with the memory of their debasement. So if your boss should ask to take a picture of your butts, kids, just say no. |
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AM:
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What 2 people, Living or dead would you like to have lunch with? (assume that if the person was dead they wouldn't show up as a rotting corpse, but as they were when they were still alive) |
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DF:
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I think I answered this question once before. If I recall, my answer was Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt since they always pick up the tab. But, if we're going for the more insightful answer, I would say Alfred Hitchcock and Groucho Marx. Two heroes from my trade. Third choice: Abraham Lincoln and H.P. Lovecraft. (Yes, my choices are all men -- What about it?) |
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AM:
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If you had a theme song, what would it be? |
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DF:
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The theme to "It's the Gary Shandling Show," only with my name sung in all the places the singer says "Gary" or "Shandling". |
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AM:
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Do you have any rituals for when you are writing? (other than wearing the little red riding hood costume) |
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DF:
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Lots and lots of procrastination. Followed by naps. Then naps delayed by procrastination. |
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AM:
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Favourite Books-Movies-TV Shows (other than Buffy/Angel) |
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DF:
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Books:
Loving the Harry Potter books; BIRDIE; LONESOME DOVE; INTO THIN
AIR; LORD OF THE FLIES; LOLITA; THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP; THE UNBEARABLE
LIGHTNESS OF BEING -- Yes, I'm aware they've all been or are going to be
turned into movies, but it's the books I love and knew first -- THE HOBBIT;
THE SHINING; GETTING EVEN; CRIME AND PUNISHMENT; and many others.
Movies: 2001; REAR WINDOW; GOLDFINGER; RAGING BULL; A CLOCKWORK ORANGE; THE MATRIX; CITIZEN KANE; CASABLANCA; GODFATHERS 1&2 (not 3); TOY STORY(S) 1&2; ALIENS; -- Hey, you asked ö THE RIGHT STUFF; ROAD WARRIOR; HIS GIRL FRIDAY; BEING JOHN MALKOVICH; and many others. TV: THE SOPRANOS; THE X-FILES; EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND; THE SIMPSONS; SEINFELD; MR. SHOW; HILL STREET BLUES; THE TWILIGHT ZONE; STAR TREKS (Original & TNG); 60 MINUTES; I, CLAUDIUS; WEST WING (the couple of times I've seen it); MY SO-CALLED LIFE; MONTY PYTHON, and a few others. |
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AM:
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Which couple do you like better Buffy/Angel or Buffy/Riley (you don't have to answer if the reason why is spoilerish) |
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DF:
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Both
couplings are great in different ways - B/A gives us the doomed, gothic
romance of great literature. Great loves that can never be - what's more
powerful than that? The downside is you can't play the ups and downs and
a relatable "healthy" relationship (too busy writing scenes of sadness
and moping for "what can never be"). That's where Riley fits in. Buffy's
ever eternal struggle is for normalcy and, though Riley has an extraordinary
job, not unlike our slayer, he's a nice guy. And Buffy deserves that. Besides,
now we can write love scenes in the daylight.
Plus when we do the ep. Where Angel accidentally kills Riley, forcing Buffy to hunt him down... Oh, wait, that was spoilerish wasn't it? Forget I said anything. |
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AM:
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You are now a Producer on B:tVS what are your responsibilities as a producer? |
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DF:
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My duties are really no different from the other writers. Only that when Joss and Marti are not available (that is, if they're off writing, directing or creating new planets for our solar system), then I'm in charge of the story breaking room -- where I lead the other writers (those not off on script) in coming up with the story beats for new, upcoming episodes. If Joss, Marti and I aren't available, then Jane's in charge. |
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AM:
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How does an episode get from a basic idea to a full blown script? |
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DF:
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Okay,
basically, someone gets an idea for a story, often Joss, but occasionally
one or more of us. All available writers then get together in Joss, Marti
or my office and pitch on the idea -- i.e. what would be a great scene
or a funny visual or just damn cool. (More often than not, this is without
Joss. When he finds the time, he checks in to see how we're doing and listens
to the ideas we've come up with. If he likes, it stays. If not, it is never
to be mentioned again.) By now, usually, one of the writers will be assigned
this script.
We also consider how the episode would figure in the series' arc -- i.e. where's Buffy and Riley's relationship at this point, what college event would happen that time of year, etc. When enough good stuff is out there, we then attempt to "break" the story, that is, come up with a structure of story points and act breaks. At some point during this process, Joss joins us to get the beats right and fix problems. When the beats are there, Joss sends the assigned writer to come back with an outline in a day or two. Outlines average 10-14 pages. Joss and, usually, Marti gives the assigned writer notes on the outline. Sometimes, depending on the notes and the time left before needed, the writer does a revised outline in a day. When the outline's approved, the writer goes off to write the script. They can have as much as two weeks or as little as four days depending on how close we are to production. In any event, once the script's in, Joss and Marti read it, and give the writer more notes. The writer then takes another pass, based on those notes - usually another few days. At that point, it's up to Joss whether he wants the writer to do a third draft, or to take it and do the third rewrite himself. Regardless, the final product always goes through him. |
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AM:
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What are the story meetings like, do writers all get along well or does Joss have to spike the coffee? |
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DF:
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Wish
I had some good dirt, but the fact is story meetings are GREAT GLOPS O'FUN
- Lots of anecdote sharing, capsule reviews of different movies, shows
and books... occasionally a Sondheim duet... You just never know. We all
get along well, I think because we're genuinely fans of each other's work.
And -- TRIVIA BUFFS, LISTEN UP - Joss is, in fact, a TEA drinker. So if he's "spiking" something, it ain't coffee. |
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AM:
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How did you get your job on Buffy? (Both as a freelancer with Go Fish and as a staff writer with Helpless) |
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DF:
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Contrary
to popular belief, I did not sleep my way in.
Firstly, I wasn't a staff writer when I did HELPLESS. I was still a freelance. In the beginning, before Joss made the heavens and the earth, Elin and I had a meeting with him - when BUFFY was just a 6-episode order for the WB's mid-season. Elin and I enjoyed the meeting immensely and was very excited about doing the show. It was at the same time we were offered a job on another show: LIFE'S WORK, a 12-episode ordered show from DISNEY for ABC, sandwiched between the, then popular, ROSEANNE and HOME IMPROVEMENT. Our agents at the time couldn't fathom why we we'd want to take BUFFY over a sure-fire hit like that, and, frankly, made us feel stupid for considering it. Weak-willed that we were, we took the LIFE'S WORK job - a show that lasted 18 episodes, whereas BUFFY... well, you know. Needless to say, we promptly fired our agents and signed with another literary agency - coincidentally, the same one that represents Joss. Our new agents were aware of our desire to write a freelance for BUFFY and soon thereafter got us a pitch meeting with Joss and David Greenwalt. The first idea we pitched was GO FISH. After two or three meetings over two or three months, we were finally given nine days to write the script. (Up to that point, Elin and I had never written a HALF-hour in less than two weeks, and this was our first hour-long script.) Their happiness with GF led to a job offer for season three. However, Elin and I were deciding at this point to separate as writing partners, something we'd hoped to do eventually. And Elin had just been hired as Producer for MAD ABOUT YOU. Joss, graciously, offered me a solo freelance assignment. In this next pitch meeting, the idea that became HELPLESS was the last one I'd pitched. (Never can tell.) Again, much liking from the powers. They quickly offered me another freelance (CHOICES - a story broken by Joss and the staff without me) and Episode 2 of ANGEL (a pretty great honor, I thought.) My deal to come on as producer for season 4 was brokered around this time. Took me long enough, but I finally got to the show I should've taken in the first place. |
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AM:
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Joss, Marti and DG have all lost their minds and flown to Sweden to marry the same horse leaving you in complete control of the shows. What would you do? |
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DF:
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Move both productions to Sweden and pray the horse isn't too demanding of their time to tell me what to do. |
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AM:
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If you were to have a cameo in the show, who would you be and why. |
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DF:
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Ernst the Pretzel Guy. (Don't ask.) |
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AM:
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If you remember the Magic store shopkeeper from Passion that Drusilla met, is he Alive? Dead? or a Vampire? |
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DF:
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Not alive. Probably dead, but if we find a reason to bring him back fangy, we will. |
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AM:
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Which came first the chicken or the egg? |
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DF:
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Actually, I didn't order the chicken. It was supposed to be soup, salad, then the egg. (I hate the service here.) |
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AM:
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When you are writing an episode do you prefer the comedy or the angst? Are the two hard to balance? |
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DF:
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Truthfully,
I'm always more comfortable with the comedy. But I also believe it's the
so-called "angst" of the show that makes it great. I hope to get better
at writing that stuff, but, right now I leave it to the masters Joss and
Marti.
Are they hard to balance? No. |
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AM:
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What do you bring to the Buffy staff that's unique? |
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DF:
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Good question. |
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AM:
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David Greenwalt has been quoted as saying if Joss had one happy day in high school the show wouldn't exist. What high school or College Trauma qualified you to write for the show, and has it been written in to an episode? |
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DF:
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Actually,
now that I think about it, I really have no traumatic memories of high
or higher school. (My God. I didn't realize it until now. I'm eminently
unqualified to write for this show. What was I thinking?)
Well, I guess you could count when my best friend came down with STIGMATA. Yep. That was weird, all right. |
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AM:
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Some of your female fans want to know Boxers or Briefs? |
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DF:
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Tell some of my female fans the answer is: briefs. I'm with Kramer - My boys need a home. |
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AM:
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Describe Joss Whedon in 10 words |
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DF:
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Brilliant
funny generous genius talented intelligent inspiring wunderkind demi-god-like
(that counts as one-word, right?) and pudgy.
Wait! Not pudgy! I didn't mean, pudgy... God, NO! He's not... The word I meant was... Punctual! (Ah, geez, I am so fired. He's going to kill me.) |
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AM:
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Bonus question: Is there anything you feel the Fury Fanatics should know about you? |
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DF:
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Jock the pilot in the beginning of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK? He was a real pilot, not an actor. It's my voice you hear delivering the immortal lines: "Oh, that's just my pet snake Reggie" and "C'mon, show a little backbone, will ya?" |