At press time, director Tristram Shapeero was in New York getting ready to shoot the pilot and first episode of an as yet untitled primetime show for NBC created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, colleagues on 30 Rock. NBC has committed to 13 episodes of the new half-hour series which stars Ellie Kemper (The Office) as a woman who escapes from a doomsday cult after 15 years and decides to start a new chapter of her life in New York City.
“It’s a series that shows how hard it is to break the human spirit,” observed Shapeero. “This woman who’s been kidnapped and held against her will still has sweetness and forgiveness–and no bitterness. It’s a touching story that Tina at the same time has made very funny.”
Shapeero feels fortunate to be working with Fey. In fact, his career has been on the ascent ever since moving some five years ago to the U.S. from the U.K. where he was already an accomplished comedy director with BAFTA TV nominations for such shows as Gimme Gimme Gimme, Brass Eye, Bremner, Bird and Fortune, Green Wing, Pulling and Peep Show.
His comedy chops have translated well in the stateside market. Shapeero’s first American show out of the gate was Parks and Recreation. His credits since have included multiple episodes of Bored to Death, Nurse Jackie, Veep, Children’s Hospital, New Girl and Community. He has directed more episodes of Community than anyone else and became an executive producer of the series during season four.
Shapeero’s rapport with Community star Joel McHale has also been extended to the feature and branded content arenas. On the former front, Shapeero has wrapped his feature filmmaking debut, A Friggin’ Christmas Miracle starring Robin Williams and McHale. The comedy is slated for release in November.
During the filming of A Friggin’ Christmas Miracle, Shapeero recalled McHale coming up to him and asking, “Do you want to direct some commercials this summer?” Shapeero, who directed a smattering of comedy spots in the U.K. in-between his TV exploits, said yes and wound up working on a web-based “What Would You Do For A Klondike Bar?” initiative. Emceed by McHale, last year’s summer-long contest thrust several celebs into situations–suggested by winning contestants–requiring them to do something for the ice cream treat. The contestants too had to perform the same deed for Klondike gratification.
Production house harvest worked in concert with GolinHarris on the Klondike content. Shapeero had such a favorable experience collaborating with the harvest ensemble–including co-founder/executive producer Bonnie Goldfarb and exec producer Rob Sexton–that he joined the shop’s roster for commercials and branded content. Goldfarb told SHOOT that she was drawn to Shapeero’s command of performances in the world of comedy and dialogue which should dovetail nicely with the spot and branded entertainment needs of agencies and clients.
Shapeero has long had a keen interest in the ad discipline, and is now even more attracted to its prospects with the emergence of more branded content opportunities. His forays into commercialmaking in the U.K., though, were few and far between in that his TV schedule wasn’t all that accommodating to spot production. While he is still active and sought after in the U.S., Shapeero feels that he’s in a better position to take on ad assignments this time around.
“For one, the commercial companies there [in the U.K.] aren’t as proactive as they are here,” said Shapeero. “Harvest will make projects work to fit my schedule. Also, back in England, you direct all episodes of the series you work on, which can take you out of the running for anything else for three and a half months or so. By contrast, with episodic here I’m in for 10 days on a show and them I’m out. And as an executive producer on Community, I direct an episode and exec produce the next. There’s some flexibility in there to take on some other select projects at harvest.”
