Chuck Hayward graduated from Syracuse University in 2002 after completing his degree in television, radio and film, and now writes for the new NBC show “One Big Happy,” a sitcom that premiered last week. The show, which runs every Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. follows a non-traditional family composed of a lesbian and her male best friend raising a child. The Daily Orange spoke with Hayward about his career and experience working on the show.

 

The Daily Orange: How did your time at Syracuse University influence your current career?

Chuck Hayward: I wanted originally to be a director, but when I was in my TRF courses, I started writing the stuff I was directing and I had more fun writing than I did directing. So I stuck with that and I was super prepared based on the coursework and because of the connections I made there. I’ve gotten jobs from SU alums a couple of times since I’ve been out here, including my first job — which is always the hardest one to get.

 

The D.O.: What is the production workflow like at “One Big Happy”?

C.H.: We have a five-to-eight week pre-production where we come up with ideas for episodes, start to beat out stories and assign them to one of the writers. That way, by the time we start production, we already have a few scripts in the cue. Once production starts, then it’s really exciting because then we get to be on set and interact with the actors.

The D.O.: What’s it like working with other people and trying the jokes out on set?

C.H.: It’s a good opportunity because sometimes the jokes that we wrote won’t work on stage, and people aren’t laughing as much as we want them to. We’ll have to pitch new jokes on the fly. It’s kind of a high-pressure situation at that point, but we’re making TV, so it’s not that high pressure. We’re not curing cancer, but it’s definitely one of the more exciting parts of what we do.

The D.O.: What do you think about the show being described as “progressive” and “forward-thinking”?

C.H.: I think it’s giving people more of an insight of what non-traditional families look like and how functional and dysfunctional they can be. There’s still a lot of love and caring; it’s just like any other family. That’s kind of the theme of the show. There’s love there and that’s all you need. I think it’s fantastic. I’m proud to be a part of that.

The D.O.: How do you connect with your audience?

C.H.: Once we’ve established what kind of storyline we want to follow, we get to joke around and see what makes each other laugh and put that in the script. It’s basically what you do when you’re hanging out with your friends getting a beer. We tell stories about our lives, our families and what we did this weekend. Then we figure out what’s the funniest way to say that in the script.

The D.O.: What’s it like working with the other writers?

C.H.: As one of the least experienced writers, it’s like the first day of school every time you get back to the show. I get to learn from people who’ve been doing this for something like 20 years. It’s turned into something like a really productive grad school that I never went to.

The D.O.: Some of the reviews after the pilot episode weren’t very strong. What’s your take on that?

C.H.: Pilots are very difficult because you have to introduce an entire world in 22 minutes. There’s a lot to do and sometimes they’re not going to be as great as what the show is going to be in the future. You have to give shows some time before you can judge them because you’re never going to always get great reviews. Everyone wants to get a good report card, but sometimes you don’t and that’s fine. You’re making the best product that you can, and the viewers will generally catch up to you.

The D.O.: What’s your advice to students who want to get involved with the entertainment business?

C.H.: In entertainment, get ready to come out of school and not make much money at all. It can be a little disconcerting because you’re going to start at the bottom and the bottom does not feel good at all. Your friends who are architecture or business majors may say “Oh, I’m making 80 grand at my first job out of school — so excited.” I’m trying to figure out how to pay rent next month so I don’t want to hear that sh*t. You will make a lot of money one day, but it will take a long time. Be patient, persevere and take advantage of the opportunities you have.

Published on March 23, 2015 at 10:03 pm

Contact: kasotelo@syr.edu