The Making of Derek

22 January 2013

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Derek, Channel4, 10pm, Wednesday 30th January 2013

 

Ricky:

"Derek has evolved over the years. I've had him as a character maybe 10-15 years.

"Before he was a funny little nerd that said funny things and it was really a way to see the world through different eyes.

"But now he has sort of become a hero of mine as well.

"Despite how he looks and is perceived he is kind and sweet and sincere. He's perfect. He is just perfect. And that's why I had to make him look odd. I didn't want anything to confuse you. I wanted everything to be a juxtaposition to what he was really like. So he's got to be scruffy, he's got to walk funny, he's got to have bad hair, he can't be that bright. Because then kindness comes along and trumps it all."

-

"A scene just for my amusement, it'll be a DVD extra" cut to Karl squeezed in a small amusement park ride

"So we're doing a scene on the beach where Derek, Dougie, Kev come down with the residents. I mean it's not a day off its working. But the camera crew turned up dressed like Crockett & Tubbs, ready for work."

Referencing a scene with some of the residents on a bouncy castle, Ricky says: "This is how they made the Matrix."

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Karl:

"If there's going to be one thing critics are going to slag you off for it's that wig (referring to his character Dougie's hairstyle). And I did tell you and when they do it, I'm gonna phone you up and say told you."

Ricky:

"What will they say?"

Karl:

"They'll say the whole thing is ruined by that ridiculous wig."

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Ricky:

"I've done a lot of media stuff with Extras and the Golden Globes and spoof things for Comic Relief. I was sort of doubting that because it's irresistible to write about what you know. You know I worked in an office for 10 years and I wrote about it but by then I was in media so you sort of write about it. The Office wasn't out and out drama but there was a pathos, there was a weight to it, I like to think three dimensional characters.

"This is a return to more of those Office values I guess, ordinary people, real problems and more so.

"The Office touched on existentialism but it touched on the existentialism of being 30. This touches on the existentialism of being 90 sometimes, so yes there is a bit more weight to that."

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Ricky:

"Once a day there's been like welling up in one of the scenes, particularly like I say some of the older actors they've got such a weight and a pathos and they bring a reality to it.

"It was very real and also just talking to some of them you know. I used bits when they were just talking normally and them really falling asleep and sometimes then didn't hear what I said. I'd leave in ‘what', but they genuinely didn't hear and that was nice to use and that is so important particularly as this is a fake documentary. One little bit of bad acting, bad line or bad shot of something gives the whole game away - it blows the whole thing. But they were great."

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Ricky:

"I sort of call it a comedy drama but it's not a comedy drama. There are dramatic bits but only like real life. It is a sitcom. It is a comedy but what's different is sincerity flows through it.

"You know what we were laughing at David Brent, it was the blindspot - you know the difference between how he perceives himself and how we perceive him. Whereas with the characters sort of saying what's on their mind and mean it and they are sort of right. Derek says things and there is no difference between what he says and what we hear. It's all the same thing. He's sincere. He does think that about animals and old people. And Hannah says what she means and Dougie says exactly what he means and Kev says exactly what he means.

"I think that is the difference between this and traditional sitcoms - there's no level of irony, no juxtaposition between what people say  and think and how we perceive them which makes it sweeter and nicer and different."

-

Ricky:

"Being a director is being able to answer a series of questions confidently. It's like I'm being on Mastermind but you can't get the answer wrong. It's like my specialist subject is answering questions and what ever answer you give is the definitive answer. Your minute starts now. It's playing. It's the biggest toybox in the world. It's fun."

-

Ricky:

"I wrote into the script that Derek likes wrestling and I wrote this six months ago knowing that's how we'd have to film a scene - where I'd wrestle Karl and he couldn't argue cause it's an acting role. You (Karl) were like a crab that had been caught by an Octopus. I had him all locked up with your head near my groin and I had a wind problem."

Karl:

"So is that going to make it in?"

Ricky:

"It's a good DVD extra if it doesn't make it in the show."