Networking, of course, is great, but the best way to network is to do work. Steve Zissis More Quotes by Steve Zissis More Quotes From Steve Zissis I wasn't able to articulate it until after audience members gave feedback. And then, similarly, when we talked about the bromance being unique, I don't think Mark, Jay, and I really saw how special that aspect of that bromance was until our audience members sort of gave us feedback and let us know, "Hey, we've never seen a bromance like this before on television." Steve Zissis uniquespecialthinking I love working that way, and that's sort of the way that Mark, Jay, and I have been working for years, where we start with scripts that are really solid and well-written. But once we get into the scene and we start doing the work, we definitely loosen things up. Steve Zissis scriptswayyears Like we were saying, the fact that the relationships on the show are love-based, and in the sense that I wasn't aware of how special it was in contrast to a lot of the other TV shows that are on right now. It was our audience members that pointed out the love that you see in the show is special. Steve Zissis tv-showsspecialfacts To be honest with you, I don't know how even to articulate it at this point, because sometimes the real difference in the seasons perhaps will come in the way the viewership responds and the audience responds. The thing about the show is - we realign a lot about it once our audience watches it. We learn things that we can't even anticipate. Steve Zissis differencesrealwatches I think that people find that's a fresh look at a relationship between two best friends, between two soul mates, that people haven't really seen in this particular way. So that's definitely something that people are noticing. Steve Zissis two-best-friendspeoplethinking But to your point - you also raise a point, too, that it's not that, like, a bromance is necessarily a new thing. It's happened a lot in sort of big budget comedies in the past decade or so. But people have pointed out to us that we're doing a bromance, so to speak, but doing it in a different way that's even more authentic and real and sincere. Steve Zissis realpeoplepast I mean, growing up in New Orleans when you're in seventh and eighth grade and you're into music and you're a dorky dude, you know, you listen to the entire Rush catalog and the entire Zeppelin catalog and you go through these, like, phases of classic rock. It definitely speaks to our dorkiness and the similar hometown that we grew up in, the similar sort of schooling we went through and friends we had. Steve Zissis growing-upnew-orleansmean I really became aware of the fact that, oh yeah, whereas a lot of other shows are sort of cynical or jaded or just sort of coming from that sort of energy, our show is very, very about these love-based relationships. It really comes out, a lot of times, in a sweet way. And I think people find that refreshing about our show. That's one of the things I definitely picked up on. Steve Zissis sweetpeoplethinking One thing about our show that wasn't even in my awareness, but was brought to my attention by other people, is that our show is about these love-based relationships. Even though the characters are obviously going through different conflicts, you can really feel that the characters love each other. And they really try their best. Steve Zissis tryingcharacterpeople I just co-created a story for a Disney movie that I'm working on with my fiancée. And also about to finish up writing a T.V. pilot set in New Orleans that I'm really excited about. So I'm definitely trying to stay as busy as possible, for sure. Steve Zissis new-orleanswritingtrying But, look; it also exists for acts that are really established. It's not always a guarantee that you're going to do something that's going to be of quality. It's not always in your control. That's sort of how the business is. Because for the moment - for the moment, we're blessed. Steve Zissis guarantees-thatqualityblessed I don't think we're necessarily drawing from that specific sort of storyline, because I think we're all just super-blessed and grateful to have a show on HBO and to be working together and employed. But we are definitely speaking to things that our friends have experienced and others in our realm have experienced, for sure. Steve Zissis gratefulblessedthinking So even these stages of progression, whether it's your career or whatever, you get somewhere, but then it always brings a new host of issues that are relative dissatisfactions to a certain degree. I think it was a great philosopher who once said, "Mo' money, mo' problems." Steve Zissis issuescareersthinking Everyone's encouraged to put things in their own words, to discover new things. So there's definitely an element of dynamic improvisation, for sure, which I think gives those scenes some of their energy, some of their electricity. Steve Zissis energygivingthinking So the audience, at times, lets us know actually what is so special about the show that we can't even necessarily design or predict. Which is great. That's what you want art to be. You want it to be alive and to actually have a life in the way it's viewed. Steve Zissis designspecialart Basically, from the pilot of the first season of 'Togetherness,' I was strategically losing weight all the way through and then all the way into Season Two. So luckily, I had the plan, and I had a lot of time to do it. But it's definitely not easy, because I'm from New Orleans and I love to eat. Steve Zissis losingtimeloveway New Orleans is home. That's where the heart is. Steve Zissis newwherehomeheart I'm definitely proud of myself anytime I can make Amanda Peet break out into laughter. Steve Zissis myselflaughteri-canproud I directed the play 'Amadeus' with puppets way back in the day for theater. I also studied puppetry at the Eugene and Neil Center with a lot of the 'Sesame Street' people, so I do have a little bit of a history with puppetry. Steve Zissis streetdayhistorypeople I would say if you're young, if you're a teenager, act in plays, as many plays as you can. It's an amazing way to build your craft and an amazing way to build your presence. Steve Zissis youramazingyouway
