| Producer, Writer: Matthew Rose ? Situation Comedy, Making ...

Originally published in 2007

An award-winning writer, Matthew Rose has spent the last two seasons as a Producer on the hit show Big Brother for CBS. He also served as Story Producer for Bravo?s Situation: Comedy, with Sean Hayes serving as Executive Producer.

In addition, Matthew wrote/directed/produced the short film, Making Changes, featuring Rosa Blasi and Jack Plotnick. He also produced the indie feature, Black Days, which was an official selection at the 2001 Slamdance Film Festival. His play, Lines of Communication, had a successful run at the 3rd Street Theater in Los Angeles. He is a contributing writer for The Fantastic Screen, a French film magazine.

Executive producer, Producer, Co-Producer, Associate Producer, Line Producer? there are an awful lot of ?producers? working on a film or television show. What exactly does a producer do, and why are there so many different varieties?
Yes, being a ?producer? can mean many things. On sitcoms, the majority of producers are writers. The exception is Line Producers, who are responsible for the technical aspect of the show. In reality TV, Story Producers are responsible for crafting/organizing stories for an individual episode. I am a writer on Big Brother, but my credit is ?Coordinating Producer.? Go figure. In film, a producer credit usually means that you have put up money to get the film made. There are some feature producers who strictly raise cash and have nothing to do with the creative side whatsoever

In your opinion, what are the qualities of a great producer?
Organization, creativity, patience are the three main ones. Of course, if you are raising money for a project, wearing a fundraiser hat is most important.

You earned a BFA in theater from the University of Texas at Austin. How did you make the transition from actor to writer/producer/director?
The most successful actors I know are the ones who are hungry. They are constantly taking classes, going out on auditions, doing play readings, etc. After college, I realized I didn?t have that hunger for acting. I didn?t live and breathe it 24/7. But, I wanted to do something creative. I got an internship at WGN Radio in Chicago, worked my way up to producing a top rated afternoon talk show. It was a great experience. I found an outlet for all of my creative juices and discovered ?writing? was my true passion. I moved to Los Angeles and started out writing marketing campaigns for television shows. And that has led to many other creative opportunities.

Was it difficult to ?walk away? from acting?
Not at all. It was kind of a relief. It is such a hard, hard, hard road. I just didn?t have it in me. Fortunately, I realized it when I was 22. A lot of my friends are actors and I see what they go through on a daily basis. Again, you have to have that hunger for it.

How has your experience as an actor impacted your approach to writing, producing, and directing?
A lot of people tend to write actors off. They?re moody, they?re flakey, they don?t understand the production process, etc. Being a former actor, I know that is not the case. My respect level is so high. Actors are on my mind, whether I am writing, directing, or producing. I?ve been there. I know what it?s like to be on the other side, to be dealing with a writer, director, etc. I think every ?non-actor? in this business should take an acting class, audition for a play, etc. It is important to see what it is like to walk in an actor?s shoes.

You?ve been a producer on the reality shows, Big Brother at CBS, and Situation: Comedy for Bravo, as well as having produced the indie feature Black Days and your own short film, Making Changes. What?s the difference between working on a network television show and independent projects?
Well, the big difference is money. Big Brother has a huge budget and is fully staffed. On Black Days, I was doing it all. Producer. Craft services. Runner. Casting Director. And most of the money put into the movie was mine.

Is there one you prefer?
I wish I could combine the two. The financial aspect of a network show and the creative freedom of an indie project. Of course, that is soooooo hard to do.

What qualities do you admire in the actors you?ve worked with?
Passion and professionalism come to mind. I love an actor who does their homework. And if you?re on time, well, then you?re my best friend!

Judging from the number of reality shows on the air, it?s a very popular genre. In your opinion, what is the appeal of reality TV?
7 young people living in the real world. 10 different couples racing around the world for a million dollars. Thousands of singers dreaming of being the next American Idol. I think it all comes down to story and characters. Whether it?s reality or scripted shows, if you have interesting characters combined with good story telling, people will watch. Reality just has the upper hand the moment. But, shows like Desperate Housewives and Lost are proving that scripted shows are far from dead.

C?mon, now? tell the truth. How real is ?reality? television?
I can only speak from my own experience. On Big Brother, games are created for the House Guests to play. There is a live eviction every week. But, we don?t put words in the mouths of the House Guests. The drama, romance, the insanity comes from the people on the show. The reality, if you will. The stories that happen? really happen. Let?s put it this way, viewers are not stupid. If it any aspect seemed ?fake?, no one would watch.

The new Bravo reality show, Situation: Comedy starring Sean Hayes, examines the process of creating a sitcom and getting it on the air. What insights have you yourself gained into the process by working on the show?
To me, casting was the most interesting part of the show. So many talented people auditioned for both sitcoms. It?s a tough job being a Casting Director, having to decide who to cut and who move along. Overall, Situation: Comedy reinforces what a hard business we work in. Writers, actors ? so many people are vying for that tiny piece of the pie. But, if you get a little slice, the rewards can be huge.

After working on the show, are you more likely or less likely to try to get a show of your own on the air?
When I first moved here, I wanted to be a sitcom writer. Cut to me working on reality show about the making of two sitcoms. Very bizarre. Anyway, I would love to sell a show, reality or scripted. A screenplay would be nice too.

In your opinion, how has reality TV changed the industry?
Well, there are less scripted shows, particularly comedies, on the air. I think reality TV has made it harder for sitcoms. You now have a whole generation who grew up on reality shows. To them, sitcoms seem outdated and flat. I think daytime soap operas are having trouble for the same reason. Single camera shows like Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm work because they have that reality feel. Reality absolutely has altered the landscape.

Is the trained actor going the way of the rotary dial and the dodo bird?
Definitely not. It is just a matter of adjustment. Has reality TV taken away work from actors? Yes. And writers, too. But, so have the Internet and digital recording devices like Tivo. We?re spending more time surfing the net than watching television, going to movies, seeing plays. And when we do watch TV, we?re less inclined to sit through commercials. So, now advertisers are forced to find ?actor-less? ways to promote their products. Every profession needs to reinvent itself. And, unfortunately, the acting world is having to do that.

You spent several years creating promotional/marketing campaigns for Frasier, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, That 70?s Show, and many other programs. This experience has no doubt given you insights into promoting your own projects such as Black Days, Making Changes, and your play, Lines of Communication. How can an actor, theater company, or independent filmmaker best prepare to promote his/her project?
First and foremost, know your target audience. Young? Old? Kids? Families? New subscribers? Then, figure out the best way to market your project. Print ads? Internet? Word or mouth? Local newspapers or radio shows? Having a specific strategy is key.

I would assume that marketing for major television shows is easier because there?s a bigger budget to work with. Can you suggest how groups or individuals working with limited budgets can effectively spread the word about their work?
The most valuable, and cost efficient, marketing tool we have today is the Internet. In fact, the latest trend is ?viral marketing.? Start off by creating a website. Very easy and cheap to do. Then, scour the appropriate chat rooms, message boards, etc, talking up your project. You will be amazed at the buzz that it will generate. Of course, there are old-fashioned ways, too. When we were promoting Black Days, we called every local newspaper, radio station, etc. We pitched ourselves to everyone! And we got some good press. It was a very inexpensive way to get the word out. And it worked!

In your opinion, what was your most successful promotional campaign? What made it so successful?
I worked on the syndicated launch campaign of Frasier. Everything we did, from TV to radio to print, was smart. Granted, having one of the most intelligent sitcoms on TV to promote helped a lot. But, everything we created shined. It was very successful.

What are your career goals, and what do you consistently do to achieve them? Do you have role models?
I would love to sell a show. That is the goal of every writer, I think. To make that happen, I continue to write, write, write. You just have to keep going in this business, keep moving forward.

My role model is my mother. When she was in her mid-forties, she became a party consultant. She worked every weekend, took calls and meetings 24/7. I have never seen anyone work that hard. She took a risk somewhat late in life and it paid off. My mother taught me to never give up. Thanks, Mom!

Source: http://www.actorslife.com/producer-writer-matthew-rose-situation-comedy-making-changes-big-brother/

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