About
"What drives us? What makes us so passionate about getting up at the crack of dawn and going to a stage and shivering eating nothing but a bagel and a cup of bad coffee? It's getting to play make believe."
In his four-and-a-half-hour interview, John Shaffner talks about his early life, including television he watched as a child and his first impressions of color TV. He describes his education at the University of Montana and Carnegie Mellon, and tells of his first forays into television art direction with a couple of made-for-television movies. He recalls his first major television job designing the set for Star Search, and talks of working on several specials for magician David Copperfield. Shaffer discusses his long association with Friends and creating the iconic sets, including the various apartments and Central Perk coffee house. He also outlines designing sets for The Drew Carey Show, Two and a Half Men, and The Big Bang Theory, as well as for the yearly MDA Telethon with Jerry Lewis. He speaks of his time as chairman of the Television Academy and talks about changes he made to the Emmy Awards as well as to the organization overall. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on October 29, 2013 in North Hollywood, CA.
Highlights
John Shaffner on his day-to-day duties as set designer for Friends
John Shaffner on designing the set for Ellen DeGeneres' talk show
John Shaffner on designing sets to serve David Copperfield's illusions
John Shaffner on set design for standard definition vs. high definition
John Shaffner on set design for Star Search
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on television he watched as a child; on the first time he saw color television
On his education at The University of Montana and Carnegie Mellon
On starting out in television; on directing the made-for-television movies A Lathe of Heaven and The Cheever Stories
On early art direction jobs in Hollywood; on the duties of an art director, set decorator, production designer and prop master; on starting a company with Joe Stewart
Chapter 2
On working with David Copperfield; on designing the set for The Golden Girls; on working in first-run syndication
On set design for Star Search; on working with David Copperfield; on winning Emmys for his David Copperfield specials
On set design for Shop Till You Drop and the Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon
On designing the set for Friends
Chapter 3
On his day-to-day duties as set designer for Friends; on creating iconic sets for television series
On working with the cast of Friends; on creating "swing sets" for Friends; on the community of set designers in television
On designing the set for The Drew Carey Show; on designing the set for Dharma & Greg; on making the transition to high definition and working in feature films
John Shaffner on designing the set for The Emmy Awards
Chapter 4
On designing the set for Big Brother; on designing the set for Ellen DeGeneres' talk show
On designing the sets for Two and A Half Men and The Big Bang Theory
On designing the set for The Tonight Show Starring Conan O'Brien
On his initial involvement with The Television Academy; on becoming Chairman of The Television Academy and the challenges he faced during his terms
Chapter 5
On reinventing The Emmy Awards; on creating Television Academy Honors and the Television Academy Hall of Fame
On The Archive of American Television; on career highlights and regrets; on advice to aspiring art directors and his legacy in the television industry