Televerse 26, Day 3 Recap: Pluribus , The Bear , Love on the Spectrum and More
Abbott Elementary and The Shards also wrapped up the festival.
The three-day festival concluded on Sunday with back-to-back FYC screenings and panels featuring creatives, execs and actors that took audiences behind the scenes of their Emmy-nominated shows.
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette : FYC Presentation
Stars Sarah Pidgeon (who is nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series), Paul Anthony Kelly and Constance Zimmer (nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series) provided key insights into how they interpreted the late couple’s whirlwind romance and tragic end for FX’s Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series nominee Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette . Casting directors Nicole Daniels, CSA, and Courtney Bright, CSA, joined the actors on the Televerse stage to unpack how the show chronicled the real-life events that led to the plane crash that took the lives of JFK Jr., Bessette-Kennedy and her sister, Lauren Bessette.
Vanity Fair’s senior Hollywood correspondent Rebecca Ford moderated the panel, which began with a question for the casting directors about choosing relative unknowns for the iconic lead roles. “The physical match can only take you so far,” explained Daniels. “We weren’t looking for an imitation.” Added Bright, “It was a long search because it was so important to get it right.”
Following that, the actors described the experience of filming the series. Pidgeon discussed how she achieved her own sense of her character’s identity and noted that she and Kelly learned from each other. After watching herself in a clip from the series in which she portrays the monumental grief experienced by the mother of Carolyn and Lauren, Zimmer noted, “It’s very weird to watch myself crying — and be crying. Playing Ann Marie was an incredible experience, and I don’t want anyone to ever forget her.”
Star Trek and the Evolution of VFX and Virtual Production
For six decades, Star Trek ’s vision for the 23rd Century and beyond required skilled visual effects artists and technicians to execute it. Some of the franchise’s most vital contributors to realizing that vision joined Televerse to celebrate Star Trek 's 60th anniversary. Their revealing discussion focused on how Trek ’s various series evolved to incorporate advances in modern visual effects, tools that enabled these creative individuals to “boldly go” farther with each technological advancement.
Topics that the panelists of discussed included the benefits of virtual production and the challenges of employing Star Trek staples like makeup and animatronics. Workflow in post and the look of the VFX also came up, with panelists sharing that writers and directors are now involved early on with those critical decisions. “What used to be a post process [has been] moved into prep,” Strange New Worlds director Chris Fisher said. “What you’re seeing is that the world building is done in prep — instead of in post — with the director, the DP, the showrunner and the VFX producer all on board. All the best minds are working together, it's beyond a big shift."
Long time Trek VFX producer and supervisor Dan Curry, VES, — who worked on Trek shows Deep Space Nine , Voyager and Enterprise — reflected on just how much things have shifted compared to his time working in the Final Frontier. "Shows used to be done in post long after the episode had wrapped and the director had moved on," Curry recalled. “Our biggest challenges [were] budget and time, and then getting everything to support the story." Curry went on to explain how he and his team brought the famous warp-drive effect to life: "[It] required a separate exposure on film, and it could require all day to do one shot. We had to do that without help of the episode's director.”
Despite the massive leaps in technology over the past 60 years, sometimes even the modern shows go back to classic staples. “The goal is never to make it cool. The goal is to make it real,” Fisher said, noting that sometimes production will incorporate an oil painting backdrop into a shot if it feels right. “The best way of doing things isn’t always the newest or the latest [technology]."
AI Across the Entertainment Value Chain: From Creation to Connection
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Revenge 15 Year Reunion
When Revenge premiered on ABC in 2011, audiences quickly made this modern reimagining of The Count of Monte Cristo a bona fide hit.
The twisty, Hamptons-set thriller centered on Emily Thorn/Amanda Clarke (Emily VanCamp) and her riveting vendetta to exact retribution on the powerful family that destroyed her father. Fifteen years later, the cast of Revenge reunited at Televerse with creator and showrunner Mike Kelley to share behind-the-scenes tales about the making of their watercooler phenomenon.
Joining VanCamp and Kelley at the fest were Henry Czerny, Josh Bowman, Ashley Madekwe, Gabriel Mann, Connor Paolo and Nick Wechsler. The panel was also joined by surprise guest Karine Vanesse, who appeared on the show later in its run. For Kelley, the origins of the series trace back to something he thought network television needed at the time. “For me, the glitzy primetime soap had been missing for too long,” Kelley said.
VanCamp said she was searching for a lead role in a series — but there was a catch. "The [ Revenge ] producers weren't sure they could see a dark side in me," she recalled. "I had just finished on [ABC's] Brothers & Sisters , and I was looking for the next thing. I wanted to challenge myself, so my goal was to show them I could do [this part]."
Kelley's goal for the series evolved past its Count of Monte Cristo inspiration, thanks to the character of Victoria Grayson (Madeline Stowe), Emily’s nemesis. “They’re both very strong and very damaged people,” Kelley said of the two characters. “Emily couldn’t destroy [Victoria] without ending the story, and Victoria couldn’t expose [Emily] without ending the story. We ended up doing this dance [between them] for a long time.”
Even though it has been 15 years since the show aired, the cast remains very fond of their time on it. "We truly adore each other," VanCamp said. Madekewe added, "It was a really special chemistry that I haven’t experienced since."
Your Friends & Neighbors : FYC Presentation
Creator and showrunner Jonathan Tropper ( Lucky , Banshee ) and actor Hoon Lee (who costars as Barney) took Televerse attendees under the hood of Apple’s Outstanding Drama Series nominee. Given that the two men have worked together a lot — Hoon had series regular roles on Tropper’s Banshee (the actor’s very first series regular role), See and Warrior before working together on Your Friends & Neighbors — the panel offered an enjoyable back and forth between friends.
Tropper, now a prolific name in TV and film, discussed his career trajectory from novelist to screenwriter. Seeing his own novels being optioned but not made is what initially led him to screenwriting, and he has since worked on all sides of the process, including adapting other people’s work: “It’s much easier to destroy other people’s dreams,” Tropper said jokingly.
Asked about the show’s premise, Tropper confirmed it’s based on his own “angst and emotional trials” while living (and getting divorced) in Westchester. As “a novelist among hedge fund guys,” he says he watched a lot of people get “stupid rich” and the bad behavior that followed.
For Lee, his role on the show presented a challenge he wasn’t necessarily expecting: “I have a lot of comfort in genre shows,” he said, “and to play someone closer to who I am in real life was surprisingly challenging.”
Another highlight of Tropper and Lee’s discussion was insight into the show’s other cast members: the show’s lead, Jon Hamm, to whom Tropper pitched the series before writing the pilot; Tropper’s “four-month process of stalking James Marsden,” who joined the show for season two; and Olivia Munn, whose character was initially slated for a one-season arc but was brought back due to her chemistry with Hamm.
The Art of Building Character through Style
Costume designers from one Marvel series and two Apple dramas took the Televerse stage to share trade secrets on how they work with talent and creatives to help design the characters that populate their respective series.
Esther Marquis ( For All Mankind ), Daniel Selon ( Agatha All Along , and a 2021 Emmy winner for WandaVision costumes) and Elizabeth Lancaster ( The Morning Show ) gathered to reveal how even the most subtle of wardrobe details can say volumes about characters and their emotional states.
“The spacesuit in an iconic piece of clothing,” said Marquis. In For All Mankind , the suits need to be paired to their function in space travel, as well as to the era the show is depicting. As she enumerated the challenges of creating imaginary (yet still plausibly functional) suits, Selon interjected to give Marquis her due. “It’s amazing that Esther has to solve these technical spacesuit issues,” he pointed out.
Selon provided interesting insider tidbits about the Agatha All Along costumes. “Silhouette was important because we knew the show would have a lot of low lighting,” he said. “Kathryn Hahn wears a coat that became a protective device. It’s not just a garment. There’s a story behind it.” All of the characters wear costumes with hidden details, making the show a joy to work on, Selon said. “This project will forever be a jewel in the crown of my career.”
Rounding out the discussion was Elizabeth Lancaster, who talked about the range of clothing in The Morning Show , from Marion Cotillard’s Celine to the numerous climate protestors on the streets of New York City. “Celine is the queen,” Lancaster said. “Her look, her every movement, is calculated, and her clothes and jewelry reflect that.” In season three of The Morning Show , cast members took a flight into space. Lancaster revealed that she had a long phone conversation with Marquis, who helped Lancaster design the low-earth-orbit space suits. “It’s all about collaboration,” said Lancaster, to which Selon and Marquis enthusiastically agreed.
Pluribus : FYC Presentation
Coming soon... The Shards : Advance Screening and Q&A
Coming soon... Tracker : A Conversation with Justin Hartley
Coming soon... Abbott Elementary : Comedy Series Nominee FYC Presentation
After a screening of season four's “Music Class,” Quinta Brunson, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Janelle James took the stage to reflect on Abbott Elementary ’s journey and the love it has earned — from Philadelphia locals to fans at Comic-Con.
All three actresses — nominated this season for their performances — spoke about the evolution of their characters and the resilience of a series that has weathered Covid, industry strikes and even Los Angeles wildfires before finding its stride.
Brunson singled out one of her favorite moments: finally introducing a rivalry between Gregory (Tyler James Williams) and a student’s father. This was a storyline that Brunson wanted to explore since season one. The discussion also turned to the show’s crafts. Ralph praised the wardrobe department’s authenticity in dressing teachers, noting, “There are a lot of times we look very good. Trust me, that’s an Amazon sweater.”
The actresses also credited the hair team, with Brunson adding that her goal was for each character to be so distinct that viewers could recognize them instantly — even by silhouette.
The New Nonfiction: How Digital Creators Are Shaping Unscripted Storytelling
Coming soon... International Intrigue: Inside the World of Global Imports & IP, presented by Parrot Analytics
Coming soon... Love on the Spectrum : FYC Presentation
Coming soon... The Bear : FYC Presentation
Coming soon... Big Brother : 1,000 Episodes Inside the House
Coming soon... First Frame: Creating Main Title Sequences the Marvel Way
The opening title sequence has become one of television's most anticipated storytelling moments — something that sets the tone, world and vibe before an episode plays.
Emmy-nominated title designer Doug Appleton and Emmy-winning EVP Carson Hood, both of BGSTR, headlined a spirited conversation about or a conversation about building some of Marvel Studios’ most iconic television main titles: WandaVision , Loki , Hawkeye , and Daredevil: Born Again . Appleton and Hood revealed how their creative process works and what it is like to collaborate with Marvel and their creatives to ensure that the opening titles are an organic extension of the shows they are servicing.
John Candy: I Like Me : FYC Presentation
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