Key members of “The Walking Dead” team appeared at the NAB Show this year. Cast member Steven Yeun, “The Walking Dead” comic book creator and series executive producer Robert Kirkman and AMC President Charlie Collier all came together to give us an inside look at the show.
Charlie Collier, AMC President
Robert Kirkman, Executive Producer
Steven Yeun, Cast member
SY: He (Glen) is resilient. You saw him as singular person in first season and then as a different singular person in this season, bookending the character in this season.
Moderator – He evolved into kickass character...what it's like?
SY – It’s an actors dream. So thank you for that. Especially considering evolution over a long term story in front of audience, you get to show off different aspects of you as actor and to have someone follow you and then finish you with the end.
Moderator - nomadically the group goes from place to place. It’s rough in Alexadria .. by chance will they be there for a while?
RK -Absolutely… the show continues to evolve and tell different stories each season. On the run, in wilderness, in prison, etc. More so this is shaping up into very interesting world in and of itself. Survive in a much different way and cool progression to season 6. Makes it easiest and cheapest show to produce - same sets, locations, etc. our crew is best crew in TV.
CC – It’s more physically daunting than you can imagine for the crew. In the woods, in the cold...it's remarkable it gets done in a few days.
**Moderator **- Robert, what can you tell us about season 6?
RK- Morgan and Rick together again is a huge deal...it’s a big part of season 6. So much history and you haven’t seen them interact very much. They’ve been seen at different stages from pilot to clear...and now very different versions of Rick and Morgan means a different relationship. Will they be able to work together, etc.? It’s the spine of Season 6.
Moderator - heard you have fans camping out?
RK - I was in producer’s trailer to check email at terminus, open the door and hear a whisper. "pssst. Robert!" behind fence, there's like six people. So, I was like signing books through a chain link fence.
SY - there's an entire industry built on the show. That is crazy bizarre to me.
Moderator - How do you manage the empire? And stay true to the vision?
RK - Scott Gimple reminds me of stuff in comic. AMC works and cares about this. We ask the right questions and understand the material in a really unique way. Working with great people and every level care about making the best piece each time
CC - People rush back to the show, they build their year around it.
Moderator -Worth going back to beginning. Bringing it to AMC and how it’s turned into what we see today.
CC - he wrote a forward that we literally copied and sent to all staff. We all love what a zombie movie is, but then what happens at end? How do you become a good parent, pizza guy leader in meaningful way, etc? We try never to call it a zombie show because is so much more.
RK- I have always had an unnatural passion for zombie shows. I wouldn’t pay too much attention to the zombies but more like, what happens next, what happens to the survivors, now what? I kept thinking, they aren’t going to put this on air, and I never in million years thought it would happen.
CC- Always start with agreement and bet on a great piece of talent.
RK - I hope to die with comic unfinished. I’m going to keep eating cheeseburgers!
**Moderator **-story of hope rebirth, new society.
**RK **- somewhat bleak story but hopeful uplifting story.
Moderator - Stephen, most episodes behind Andrew Lincoln. Your place pretty firm...
SY -ehhhh...
RK - we don’t kill the popular characters. ;-)
SY - I felt since season 4 my character almost complete...being on here until season 4 is kinda great in itself..content in fact that you got to be part of something in history as something substantial. If I go, that could happen. But if not, cool. Poignant, purposeful, meaningful...if I were going to go it's probably going to be awesome.
Moderator - Darryl still needs shower.
RK: More dirt more ratings- lol
Moderator - companion series - fear of the walking dead...title?
RK- early in process so winging the process but you dont want to go with the walking dead Los Angeles. It’s so obvious but exact wrong thing for what we are trying to do. It can stand on its own. Proud of fact that if you sit and watch, this is providing my own experience. Clearly in the universe but completely understand on its own. Pays homage to the walking dead but own spin on it. Taken back to a time when zombies were more dangerous and ever present threat. Always liked how the title refers to people and zombies always on borrowed time. Possible these characters are more deadly that what we've seen.
Moderator - which questions do you get asked the most?
SY - are you going to die?
CC - on plane, super uncomfortable. lol
SY - people are realllly excited about this show and it’s awesome, sometimes its intense and sometimes it’s awesome. You get mixed bag "maggie’s so hot..." then, "so, when are you going to die?"
Moderator- just now deviating from the books. Treats books as gospel at first, but now they know your operatus now.
RK - providing 2 different experiences to different audiences. They don’t borrow too much from each other. the games, comics, etc.
CC - Carl sitting with the pudding was exciting nod. But Carol and Darryl not in comics, etc.
CC - compliment that feels the best "never thought I would watch a zombie story..." because you succeeded getting into the soul of it.
Moderator - Emmys?
RD- I don’t care about Emmys. I guess it’s nice but so many amazing shows e.g. the shield, etc. they aren’t the only group that gets to decide. Guess would like a statue someday but am honored to be among the other shows that don’t win Emmys too.
Audience - social philosophy - strange thing...how relevant to your show. Lots of themes -do you have specific?
RK - this is where everyone learns how not smart I am. Scott (I’m a fan of human nature..bystander in life and paying attention to ways people’s minds work. All substantially different but so narcissistic and assume everyone makes same decisions based on same things, but we are not. But certainly not educated in those things. Just winging it.
SY - super dumb...
Audience - I’m an extra on set...do you have an ideal number of seasons in mind?
CC - as many as we can.
RK - the creative team won’t do what some other shows do and say "it’s important to us to end it here..! Because our story is so large, our potential to go lots of seasons and not lose integrity after season 7 or 8 mark. Long term goal = unrealistically massive huge story. Maintaining integrity by going season after season.
Moderator - evolution of story and how fresh it becomes and relatable makes it something that can go for a long while. AKA: carol in a sweater...lol.
RK -up yours Simpsons!
Audience - how many years has passed? Seems so fake.
RK - it’s not real. lol.
RK – Season 3 didn’t really acknowledge how much writers enjoyed reading the comics. Spoiled few things for them and they got so upset.
**Moderator **- written finale?
RK - I know the story but never written it down, let’s hope I don’t die.
Audience - relatability of the characters. Why do people love so much? Could you talk about that a little bit?
SY - interesting thing I love to observe. How they choose to view the show. Different types. Not that every character isn’t accessible..."I could be like that person" vs in awe of that person...glen relatable portion a bit, does have weaknesses and strengths , fun to see what an average guy would turn into. Then people like Darryl, awesome, I want to be that guy. More awe in that direction. Depends on who you talk to. I get "why aren’t you more badass this season?" That word gets thrown out too much - in our characters combined, all facets of every single person. That’s what makes so enjoyable to watch.
Audience -spinoff series like “Better Call Saul” on the horizon?
CC- these worlds are so important to us that I wouldn’t go there. I even refrain saying spinoff. Not same characters. What’s happening in the rest of the world in zombie apoc.? We’ve seen numerical success for a while but now there's enough story to make it credible.
Audience – Robert, how does it feel to go back to roots, had it in mind?
RK - certainly had notions in early stages but have not sat down and written it
Thought about doing a volume zero – Shane’s story, etc. but never ended up. Fun aspect of “Fear of Walking Dead” is that I’m not 23 anymore, so my life has evolved along with evolution of that story. Rick / Carl - drew from relationship with my father...but now I have relationship with my son who didn’t exist back then. Being charged by AMC , let’s see if you can do it again. Was so fun competing with myself, so we’ll see how those 2 things stack up. (It’ll be like new terminator when fighting old terminator.)
Audience - people have to choose to be human or animals
RK - it’s terrifying how quickly someone can go in a different direction
Fear of Walking Dead – set for summer. And Season 6 in early October.
