Jim Rash
We all know that technology has advanced to the point of watching TV online.Collection: Technology
I think there's a fear of disconnect sometimes; communication is a huge issue for all of us, from adults to kids, as far as our face-to-face time and our ability to interact with each other without isolating itself to a phone. I think that has to be something that's very challenging.Collection: Communication
'Dexter,' while the pilot shares moments with the novel that created the character of Dexter, they completely abandoned the book from that moment on.
Some people like to purge out a draft and just let it go and then go back and fix it, but I'm a writer-rewriter. I can't move on until I feel like it's presentable.
Working out has always been a stress reliever for me. I don't know if it's so much vanity as it more just keeps my mind from going crazy.
Technology has changed, and we need to figure out how to improve the archaic way of what makes a hit, or how to determine how many viewers are watching beyond some people with Nielsen boxes in a small percentage of homes in random areas.
Some people will ruin a movie for you if they enthuse too much.
Even with the fact that I grew up in North Carolina, 'Jim Rash' just screams 'Southern boy.'
There are a lot of shows that have been saved because the fans weighed in.
On the personal level, the people that follow you on Twitter are always nice to hear from.
As far as working with actors, I feel very comfortable working in that aspect of directing.
If there's ever going to be a challenge for an actor, it's that character who's often evolving - which is not often the case in television.
Wherever a writer grew up, they're obviously influenced by that area, and I'm sure their characters are pulled from those experiences.
I've certainly been someone who has loved to mine the trials and tribulations of growing up in general, and the people who are in our lives, and I don't mind pulling from them and writing things down on my phone that my family says.
Honestly, it's terrible, but I don't know if I've ever really read a Stephen King novel.
In a weird way, the drama behind the stage was sort of keeping 'Community' on people's minds.
If you're a writer, the insight of other writers - if there's some kind of Holy Grail message on how to deal with writer's block or how to deal with any problem that can come up - whether you're writing about yourself or a group of people, I find that very interesting.
I think what's wonderful is that 'Community' has always had its voice, has always had it's vision, and that started from the very beginning.
There's always something exciting about small change.
Writing sketches, you're also learning about a journey and characters, and you translate that to bigger things.
The passion to explore and not be afraid to fail - that's something I will always attribute to the Groundlings.
My acting has always been in the world of comedy, but in my writing, other than writing sketches, I really am drawn to the balance between comedy and drama. I like things that sort of toe that line of one minute you're in this emotional space and then all of the sudden something happens.
If someone said, 'Sit down and write a 'Community' episode,' I would be panicked.
Improv has been immensely beneficial to me as both an actor and a writer.
A sketch is just a mini movie.
In television, the writer-creator-showrunner is embraced as the creative mind.
On the movie side of things, the difficulties come with so few movies being made, and when they are, it seems that it's a marketing game. Story sometimes takes a backseat to that one grand marketing idea.
When you're talking about people like Shonda Rhimes, Vince Gilligan or Beau Willimon, you're talking to people who are notable and celebrities in their own right. People want to know how their brains work.
For there to be a 'Community' movie just seems like an appropriate way for the show to go out. That would be my perfect end.
When I teach sketch writing, there's still a beginning, middle and end.
For young boys, just to know you exist in any capacity is a strong feeling.
I think that getting responsibility and structure are huge parts of growing up.
I think the networks, in general, have to evaluate what's happening around them. I'm sure they're scared about a lot of things: Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, and all these places that allow people to watch shows in chunks.
I think the community that's created within a writers' room is a very interesting topic.
I feel like my experience on 'Community' was that I saw just how important that first year is for a series. That is where you work all the pieces out, and that means honing the characters' voices, setting that tone, finding your angle.
Look at people that influenced me - but I didn't know if I had that sort of 'I'm going to take you under my wing' person.
I think that... I would say that sometimes people get afraid of when you're balancing comedy and drama.
As long as a teaser saves some things, that's good.
I loved 'Lost,' from beginning to end.
I watch too much TV.
I think fans have an outlet. Through social media, you can hear them.
People are vocal, so you hear the pros and cons of your shows.
Can you imagine watching 'All in the Family' and having an outlet like Twitter? Where you could discuss it while it's happening? I think that would be a really interesting thing.
With writing, I love doing it, but there's that love-hate relationship: You're not having a good run, you've hit a wall; it's frustrating.
I think what's cool about a body-switching movie is, 'The grass is always greener:' the idea that someone else has a better life than I do.
My family was perfect.
Nobody is completely perfect.
You'd just die if you put your head to the grindstone.
I think most co-directors and co-writers just hold hands.
To me, if people really want to improvise, get into classes and learn.