Seth MacFarlane + Creative Team of The Orville | Talks at Google

TL;DR

The cast of The Orville discusses their inspiration for the show and the challenges they faced in creating a unique sci-fi series.

Transcript

• Hello, everyone. Welcome to Talks at Google. I'm Kevin Belk. [APPLAUSE] SETH MACFARLANE: Here? Right here? KEVIN BELK: You're right here. SETH MACFARLANE: Yeah. KEVIN BELK: Welcome Seth MacFarlane, who is the show creator, writer, executive producer, and star of the show. Liz Heldens, executive producer and writer, David A. Goodman, executive pro... Read More

Key Insights

• 😆 The Orville draws inspiration from classic sci-fi shows like "Star Trek" and "The Twilight Zone" but aims to present new ideas in each episode.
• 🏛️ Practical effects, like building a model of the spaceship, add a more realistic and tangible feel to the show.
• 🗯️ Balancing comedy and drama in the tone of the series was a challenge, but finding the right mix has been well-received by audiences.

Questions & Answers

Q: Where did Seth MacFarlane get the inspiration for The Orville?

MacFarlane was inspired by classic sci-fi shows like "The Twilight Zone" and "Star Trek" that presented new ideas in each episode and wanted to bring back that episodic storytelling format.

Q: How did the cast and crew create practical effects for the show?

They designed and built a model of the spaceship the Orville for flyby shots, which added a more realistic and tangible feel to the show compared to CGI.

Q: What were some challenges the cast and crew faced in creating The Orville?

One challenge was finding a balance between comedy and drama in the show's tone to make it feel both realistic and entertaining. They also had to tackle the practicalities of creating a sci-fi show on a television budget.

Q: How did the cast and crew approach creating a unique sci-fi series?

They aimed to bring a fresh perspective to the genre by combining the episodic storytelling format with a more casual and realistic portrayal of life onboard a spaceship.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Creator Seth MacFarlane wanted to bring back the episodic storytelling format he loved from shows like "The Twilight Zone" and "Star Trek," with a new idea of the week presented in each episode.

• The show aims to combine elements of sci-fi with a more casual and realistic portrayal of life onboard a spaceship.

• The cast and crew faced challenges in creating practical effects for the show, like designing and building a model of the spaceship the Orville.