Ty Burrell: “Modern Family”, improvising and single-camera comedies

From Movieline:

What did you first think of the show’s concept?
It’s funny because I have worked with Chris Lloyd on three shows and for Steve Levitan, this is my second. I loved the concept, but they could’ve told me it was about two guys who sit in the same room for 20 years, and I would’ve loved it. I have so much faith in their writing, but I mean I loved the idea and thought it was something totally new, using this style for a family comedy. I was really excited about that.

How was this experience with Chris and Steve different?
I think everybody’s getting to do new stuff, which is exciting for the writers and us. I’ve never gotten to do a show that give us some things that are more intimate, that get into the nooks and crannies of the character, and allow more room for movement as far as minor amounts of improvising and stuff. For them, I sense that it’s similar, that they’re getting a chance to write in a way that allows for some humor that doesn’t always work well in multi-camera comedy. You know, it’s such a precise medium, multi-camera. This one really allows for movement, for lack of a better word, a lateral movement. The longer silences, awkwardness, and also just some humor that’s a little bit more abstract. The good thing about it is an old-fashioned comedy still works in this medium. You can still do slapstick too.

Modern Family seems to stand out even among single-camera comedies. How would you categorize it?
I think it’s different from a lot of single-camera comedy in that Chris and Steve are writing it with heart, and it’s not so much so that it’s schmaltzy or saccharine, but it’s also not keeping you at arm’s length with irony. It makes it different from single-camera comedy that way. And it’s different from multi-camera in that we take some of the pressure off the jokes; the precision is gone, and you can’t see the punchlines coming as much as you can with most multi-camera.

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David Koechner on improvising, working just to work and Anchorman 2

From Movieline:

You’ve accrued a lot of television, film and stand-up experience. In addition to Hank, what kind of work excites you most?
Look, anyone who has a job in show business. as far as I’m concerned. should be grateful and I certainly am. Sometimes you have a particular goal in mind and every actor is probably different in what they think they’re going to get. There have been times in my life where I’ve said “I just want to work.” And it just happens and I work. And then there have been other times when I’m looking around and I have a wife and four children. The number one thing I need to do is provide and so other opportunities come this way or that way. And I’m so fortunate that sometimes I have choices while other times I have only what is in front of me.

And right now, with Hank in particular, working on a four-camera sitcom is the best job in show business, it really is. This one in particular happens to be eight minutes from my house. [Just take the] freeway and an off-ramp and boom, I’m in the studio. I have four kids, I need to share my life with them, I can drop them off at school and I can pick them up and it’s a great job. So look, I’m very blessed to have this opportunity. I’ve never had a regular role on a series. I’ve done different guest spots or had an arc on a series years ago.

Plus, to get to work with Kelsey Grammer. So this is just another beautiful step, you never know where it’s going to take you. Wow, what a great trip. I get to do this one and that one. Look at all the great guys I’ve gotten to work with and going all the way back to Chicago, with all the people I worked with back there. And dude, here’s the thing I’ve realized about my path is that I will always get to work with a bunch of different great people and that’s the fun of it.

I imagine that the days are shorter than doing single-camera stuff.
That’s right.

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