As production on the second season of “Ted Lasso” has kicked off, a few of its below-the-line talent reunited to share their experiences of working on the hit first season. In six segments during “Conversations with the Artisans of ‘Ted Lasso,'” presented by Apple TV+, viewers are able to gain deeper technical insight into how the production team created a dramatic sitcom with cinematic charm.
Cinematographer David Rom reveals his favorite set is the locker room, and discusses the “nightmare” bright lighting conditions of the outdoor location shoots in London. There were strict rules about shooting on the pitch, but he shares how he still captured close-up, action shots that mirrored his indoor shooting techniques.
Jacky Levy, the show’s costume designer, describes the meticulous process of creating three unique versions of authentic kit for the players. Not only do the costumes have to be believable, but they have to specifically represent each character’s personality, as do Rebecca’s (Hannah Waddingham) pastel suits in “making her look confident, powerful, chic, and sophisticated.”
Editors AJ Catoline and Melissa McCoy‘s goal is to create a hilarious yet affecting show that kept it “true to the characters.” McCoy especially enjoyed highlighting the spark between Keeley (Juno Temple) and Rebecca as “true to female friendships” and one example of the show’s many “dynamic relationships.” While they alternated between editing the 10 episodes, the actors’ improv skills, namely from Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt who met in an improv comedy group in the 1990s, definitely affected their process. Catoline knew the “comedy need[ed] to be paced, to give those quirky Lasso-isms and awkward pauses the space to breathe.”
SEE Watch our Q&A with the ‘Ted Lasso’ stars and creators
Paul Cripps, the production designer, was initially attracted to “Ted Lasso” after reading the pilot script and feeling “a real heart to the show.” After hinting at new sets next season, Cripps explains why he “wanted the design to be based in reality.” His linked set design not only gave Rom the “flexibility and opportunity to” shoot conversational tracking shots down corridors, but it also helped contrast the bright locker room with the muted offices and natural outdoors.
Supervising sound editor Brent Findley shares his secret for “finding the best sounding room in” actors’ homes in order to record remotely: walk-in closets “stuffed with blankets and pillows.” He further explains how ADR is used to create naturalistic sound and also hone in on the emotional tension “when the story gets important.”
Ryan Kennedy, the re-recording mixer, says that “the silver lining” to altered COVID-19 working conditions allowed him to “dive into the craft of what we wanted the show to feel like emotionally with sound.” He further explains how Dolby Atmos allowed him to “build the environment” with balance and depth, from the arena crowds to the TV sounds in the pub, and why he prefers booms for creating a live, dynamic sound.
Be sure to check out the enlightening hour-long discussion and Gold Derby’s previous interview with some of the cast and creators.
PREDICT Golden Globe TV nominations now; change them until February 3
Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?
