This picks up Matt & Trey's return to the studios in which they have less than one week to come up, write and have ready the first episode of the fifteenth South Park series following their return from writing and opening the musical "Book of Mormon"
For anyone not already aware, the entire process of writing a live theatre production like that isn't just draining beyond belief it's also entirely different - almost polar opposites of that involved with writing a 22 minute animated comedy. Not only that they came back with no literal clue what to even use for writing so even getting back into that mindset is an achievement in itself let alone putting an entire episode together ready to air in just six days.
The cameras are allowed briefly to record Matt & Trey with the other writers bouncing around ideas which is not a place anyone is or has been allowed to venture before. As Matt says and another writer agrees, it's a very vulnerable place to be throwing out ideas most of which will be rejected and maybe two or three out of every 100 even making it into further conversation but the culture within the studios and especially amongst the team is one that means they feel able to expose themselves and not worry about ridicule and being ripped on for an idea that's dire.
It was interesting to hear amongst the many topics, ideas and suggestions thrown out casually, one that Matt mentioned which was something he read about NCAA / basketball players making others a small fortune for their efforts but whose own Mothers weren't even paid to go see them play at any of the games (which would later be the 5th episode "Crack Baby Athletic Association") . Seeing hidden camera footage of Trey pacing full circles around the writers room like an injured animal trying to think up ideas gives an even greater sense of the stress, anxiety and incredible pressure they're under and have been subjecting to themselves for over 20yrs.
It gives you new found and full respect to the animation and sound / editing team who get extra tense and worried when there's not much noise and laughing from the writers room because the writing and voice recording is done first and then handed over to the animators. The amount of absolute belly laughing inside the sound booth whilst they are recording must be a nightmare for the sound guys to edit and cut out all the sniggering and wheezing from Matt & Trey's mic and al the while, Anne Garafino (God love her) has to take the initial ideas and intentions they have for each episode and run it by the legal standards making sure it's allowed to air.
Anne is such a sweet, gentle natured soul and although obviously not by any stretch easily offended or a prude given how long she has been working with Matt & Trey, it's still funny to hear her talk and make the phone call to run the initial ideas by their legal standards people and include what type of detail will be included i.e. The scenes showing characters with their mouth sewn to someone's arsehole and how much crap will be visible.
For me personally, at just shy of 45mins long it felt like too much time was spent covering older ground and recapping the origins of South Park and generally going back over well trudged ground. I wouldn't have thought this would appeal to many other than existing and well established fans most of whom would know this already.
The other minor gripe is that I got the distinct impression Matt & Trey weren't entirely 100% comfortable or keen to have even filmed this which I know they're fiercely private and guarded about anyway so it seemed an odd thing they would allow the cameras to follow them. I understand that entirely and would have preferred they weren't asked to give interviews on camera or if the cameras had stuck solely to a fly on the wall footage (as seen when Trey is pacing the writers room) or better still, scratched that and focused more on the animation / general creative team and how they work day to day.
I dunno there's just always something really uncomfortable in any interviews with Matt & Trey where you know they've been asked to sit just so, have really crap generic questions put forward or asked to do impressions and they oblige because they're such professionals but you can feel the awkwardness and sympathise.
Would love to have just seen how the team works from when they get back the recording and start the animation process to match. Would also love to see more of Anne at work if not an entire documentary dedicated to her job being "Oh God no... I have to people call up and try explaining this??"
A definite one South Park fans will love for sure though.
For anyone not already aware, the entire process of writing a live theatre production like that isn't just draining beyond belief it's also entirely different - almost polar opposites of that involved with writing a 22 minute animated comedy. Not only that they came back with no literal clue what to even use for writing so even getting back into that mindset is an achievement in itself let alone putting an entire episode together ready to air in just six days.
The cameras are allowed briefly to record Matt & Trey with the other writers bouncing around ideas which is not a place anyone is or has been allowed to venture before. As Matt says and another writer agrees, it's a very vulnerable place to be throwing out ideas most of which will be rejected and maybe two or three out of every 100 even making it into further conversation but the culture within the studios and especially amongst the team is one that means they feel able to expose themselves and not worry about ridicule and being ripped on for an idea that's dire.
It was interesting to hear amongst the many topics, ideas and suggestions thrown out casually, one that Matt mentioned which was something he read about NCAA / basketball players making others a small fortune for their efforts but whose own Mothers weren't even paid to go see them play at any of the games (which would later be the 5th episode "Crack Baby Athletic Association") . Seeing hidden camera footage of Trey pacing full circles around the writers room like an injured animal trying to think up ideas gives an even greater sense of the stress, anxiety and incredible pressure they're under and have been subjecting to themselves for over 20yrs.
It gives you new found and full respect to the animation and sound / editing team who get extra tense and worried when there's not much noise and laughing from the writers room because the writing and voice recording is done first and then handed over to the animators. The amount of absolute belly laughing inside the sound booth whilst they are recording must be a nightmare for the sound guys to edit and cut out all the sniggering and wheezing from Matt & Trey's mic and al the while, Anne Garafino (God love her) has to take the initial ideas and intentions they have for each episode and run it by the legal standards making sure it's allowed to air.
Anne is such a sweet, gentle natured soul and although obviously not by any stretch easily offended or a prude given how long she has been working with Matt & Trey, it's still funny to hear her talk and make the phone call to run the initial ideas by their legal standards people and include what type of detail will be included i.e. The scenes showing characters with their mouth sewn to someone's arsehole and how much crap will be visible.
For me personally, at just shy of 45mins long it felt like too much time was spent covering older ground and recapping the origins of South Park and generally going back over well trudged ground. I wouldn't have thought this would appeal to many other than existing and well established fans most of whom would know this already.
The other minor gripe is that I got the distinct impression Matt & Trey weren't entirely 100% comfortable or keen to have even filmed this which I know they're fiercely private and guarded about anyway so it seemed an odd thing they would allow the cameras to follow them. I understand that entirely and would have preferred they weren't asked to give interviews on camera or if the cameras had stuck solely to a fly on the wall footage (as seen when Trey is pacing the writers room) or better still, scratched that and focused more on the animation / general creative team and how they work day to day.
I dunno there's just always something really uncomfortable in any interviews with Matt & Trey where you know they've been asked to sit just so, have really crap generic questions put forward or asked to do impressions and they oblige because they're such professionals but you can feel the awkwardness and sympathise.
Would love to have just seen how the team works from when they get back the recording and start the animation process to match. Would also love to see more of Anne at work if not an entire documentary dedicated to her job being "Oh God no... I have to people call up and try explaining this??"
A definite one South Park fans will love for sure though.