Key Takeaways
- Noah Hawley is a prolific writer, producer, and director known for shows like "Fargo" and "Legion."
- He prioritizes evoking original themes when adapting iconic franchises like "Alien" for television.
- Hawley's writing is influenced by his family's literary background and early legal aid work experiences.
- He employs unique creative methods, including unconventional musical integration and pitch delivery.
- Hawley finds contentment balancing solitary creative work with collaborative, public-facing production.
Deep Dive
- The hosts discussed Sean Hayes's new glasses and his appearance on Kimmel, which led to a conversation about working with a stylist.
- Will Arnett mentioned promoting his movie in New York, set for release on December 19th.
- They acknowledged the challenges of recording in the mid-afternoon due to energy levels, contrasting it with the energy of New York City.
- Noah Hawley is developing "Alien: Earth," set a couple of years before the original "Alien" film and between "Prometheus" and "Covenant."
- His approach to adapting classic films for television focuses on evoking original feelings and themes rather than direct replication.
- The series introduces new creatures, such as a single-eyed, tentacled entity, aiming to create similar dread and discovery.
- The creative process involves starting with the script and collaborating with design teams like Weta for visual concepts.
- Hawley is a third-generation writer, following his mother and grandmother.
- He considers writing a craft earned through practice, not formal education, allowing him to write imperfectly.
- His early writing experience began with songwriting as a musician.
- A high school assignment involving writing a chapter in the style of Joseph Heller's 'Catch 22' was a seminal moment.
- Hawley worked as a paralegal for the Legal Aid Society in New York City, handling family court cases involving child abuse and neglect.
- Writing fiction, including his first novel "A Conspiracy of Tall Men," became a way to process these difficult experiences.
- His experiences as a parent have influenced recurring themes about parenting and morality in works like "Alien Earth" and "Fargo."
- Noah Hawley clarified that the "Fargo" TV series is not always set in Fargo, North Dakota, but maintains thematic connections.
- He discussed his directorial approach, including collaborating with Adam Bernstein and then recutting the first episode.
- The recutting aimed to achieve a tone akin to the Coen Brothers' films by slowing down the editing pace.
- Hawley's confidence in directing grew from seeing jokes differently and from early experiences in the editing room.
- He contrasts his preferred style of restrained emotion with broader comedic interpretations.
- He discussed the cinematic approach required for his mockumentary 'My Generation.'
- Hawley also performed second unit directing on "Fargo" and contributed to episodic world-building for season two.
- Hawley explained that the medium's constraints and creative possibilities influence storytelling in film versus television.
- He cited "Lucy in the Sky" as an example where screen aspect ratios shifted to reflect the character's emotional state.
- Directing multiple roles, including writing and showrunning, allows for greater efficiency and a quicker creative vision on set.
- Noah Hawley is also a singer and has sung on some of his shows, a lesser-known talent.
- He integrates music unconventionally, starting with "Fargo" season two and continuing with "Legion."
- He collaborates with composers to make song covers sound like score, blurring the lines between the two.
- Hawley developed an original Star Trek idea for Paramount, focusing on exploration rather than war.
- He had sold the concept and was preparing to move to Australia for the project.
- The project was later canceled due to studio changes, noting that Hollywood projects are often shelved and revived with new administrations.