Gene Stupnitsky answers ‘Weight Loss’ questions

Wow. That title sounds like Gene is a dieting counselor. ;)

Here are The Office’s Gene Stupnitsky’s answers to your questions about the Season 5 premiere, ‘Weight Loss’!

Q. Give us some behind-the-scenes details on the Jim/Pam proposal scene. I’ve heard that the gas station was fake, the rain was fake, even the traffic was fake! Do tell! | tanster

Gene: I don’t think any scene in our show’s history went through as much prep as that one.

You wouldn’t believe how much time, money and planning went into making that proposal look casual, authentic and unpremeditated.

The original plan was to film this at the actual Merritt Parkway on the East coast — but there were just too many variables. So it was decided, after about a dozen meetings, that we would –- at considerable cost –- recreate the Merritt Parkway in the parking lot of a Best Buy in Los Feliz, California.

I guess that’s what they call “Hollywood magic.”

So led by our most excellent production designer, Michael Gallenberg, and a small army of crew members, a fake gas station was built, complete with rain machines and stunt drivers driving in figure eights to recreate the feel of a highway.

After filming, we sent that footage to a company that does special effects and they covered up the California mountains with those tall East-coast type trees that you now see in the background.

We knew that we had only one chance to get it right. So, yes, while the gas station, traffic and rain were all fake, the sentiment was all real.

And I have to add, driving onto the set with Greg Daniels and Stephen Merchant (he was in town directing an upcoming episode), I couldn’t believe what a big production our little show had become.

It was, to say the least, pretty spectacular to see hundreds of crew members and tons of 18-wheelers there to film what amounted to about 45 seconds or so of footage. Hope you guys were happy with the results.

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75 comments

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1. 
   75. littlestitious  Thu. Oct. 9, 2008 | 11:08am

   Nothing at all about the disappearing/reappearing goatee??? I figured that would be one of the questions and would have been interested in his perspective. Was it not on your list, Tanster, or did Gene choose not to answer it?

   [from tanster: it was on the list.]

2. 
   74. ThedutchKelly  Wed. Oct. 8, 2008 | 10:11pm

   Ausiello just mentioned this Q&A in his spoiler column! Beer me five!

3. 
   73. gnyc  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 10:01pm

   thanks for picking my question!! hopefully we’ll get a more in-depth answer one of these days regarding the screen names =P

4. 
   72. Sara  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 9:48pm

   This column is by far my favorite thing on this website. Thanks.

5. 
   71. Sheila  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 7:03pm

   Thanks so much for answering everyone’s questions, Gene! My favorite scene was the Phyllis/Dwight one, too. Maybe they both could use a little “laugh therapy.” Have you ever heard of that? There are some funny clips of laugh therapy on YouTube (even one with John Cleese).

6. 
   70. jkrasislove  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 3:41pm

   Thanks Gene!

   ….and poor Ausiello. He was only doing his job.

7. 
   69. Obama/Schrute  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 2:22pm

   Maybe the cast and crew should all start talking about how horrible Amy Ryan is and how hard she is to work with. You know, so no one will want to hire her. That way we can have Holly forever. What, that’s not fair to Amy Ryan?

8. 
   68. luvrgrrl  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 2:11pm

   I cannot believe they filmed the proposal at the Los Feliz Best Buy parking lot! That used to be my local Best Buy. Too crazy. They did a phenomenal job. I never would have known- great job everyone!!!

   Thanks Tanster, for the Q&A!

9. 
   67. iKras.  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 2:06pm

   Awesome! I love having insight from writers!
   Thanks for posting my question, Tanster!

10. 
    66. Jen Halpert  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 1:56pm

    I too was annoyed by the rainstorm hint by the EW guy. Was expecting a more racy scene than a proposal so I was still surprised.

11. 
    65. diahern  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 9:21am

    Gene, thanks for the insight into this episode. I love the care in the details that go into this show. That “sigh” is hilarious! You can picture the cameraman’s shoulders drooping as he walks away in disappointment. lol

    (Tanster, thanks for adding my question.)

12. 
    64. Kenna  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 9:06am

    “Even the cameramen improvise”! I love it. :) That sigh cracked me up too!

    Thanks to Gene and tanster for the great Q&A, as usual! LOVED this episode!

13. 
    63. Cornhusk Dolls  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 8:37am

    HA. Nice call out on Ausiello :) I was pretty disappointed in that spoiler as well. We know you’re oh-so-important with your industry contacts, but jeez, show some restraint for the fans!

14. 
    62. Oaky Afterbirth  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 7:42am

    Kudos to Randall Einhorn on the improv sigh! it was definitely one of the funniest moments on the show

15. 
    61. SuperTed  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 6:48am

    Well done! Thanks for posting my question Tanster!

16. 
    60. littlekidlover  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 6:08am

    Thank you Gene! And thanks Tanster (:

17. 
    59. Tiffany  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 5:03am

    Yay! My beat-boxing question got in! Thanks, Gene and Tanster! These are always a delight to read.

18. 
    58. Kelly  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 1:42am

    It makes me really happy that Gene is ALSO upset with Entertainment Weekly guy. I was reading my issue several weeks ago when, with little warning, there was a huge spoiler about Jim and Pam. I try very hard to avoid spoilers! It was still an AWESOME scene though.

    Thanks so much for posting this Tanster! It was a fun read.

19. 
    57. Jill  Tue. Oct. 7, 2008 | 12:56am

    Wow. I am as jaded L.A. as you can get and the only thing I thought was staged were the cars (obviously stunt drivers) and the rain (for scheduling reasons). What kills me is you know there are tons of Office fans in LF that had NO idea such a scene was being filmed there at the ‘ol Best Buy. I could’ve driven right by it! Crazy and job well done!!

    Thanks Gene!

20. 
    56. Matthew  Mon. Oct. 6, 2008 | 11:33pm

    Before I start reading, I just want to say thank you to both of you for this. Oh, how I love this website :)

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