The series that is transmitted by Disney + includes several references to historical ‘sitcoms’ that summoned a huge production effort on the part of its creators and protagonists.
The story of “WandaVision,” the first Marvel Studios original series to premiere on Disney + , is advancing steadily with a new episode every week. The reasons why the series instantly became an audience favorite are many, but there is one of them that stands out above all: the new production takes the viewer on an incredible journey through the history of classic sitcoms. from American television.
Each episode of “ WandaVision ” adopts the visual aesthetics and narrative tone of the sitcoms of a certain decade. Thus, the series spans from the 50s to the beginning of the 21st century, combining these styles with the best of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU, for its acronym in English) .
Honoring the genre
From the first moment, the filmmakers of “ WandaVision ” knew that venturing into the world of sitcoms provided a powerful tool of humor, but they also felt a responsibility to honor the genre. ” We studied the tone and the style in each of the eras, ” Matt Shakman, series director, said in a press release.
A crash course
Getting accurate performances from the cast was also key. Shakman commented that they wanted to make sure the actors knew exactly how to act in those different styles.
“So we did kind of a sitcom training camp with the cast before we started . We watch old episodes of different styles to understand the physical attitude and sound of each era, ”he said.
They also had a dialect instructor, who also helped with the movements. “ It made us see how people spoke differently in each era, which complemented what we had learned by watching episode after episode . What we consider funny changes with the times ”, assured the director.
For her part, Elizabeth Olsen, interpreter of Wanda Maximoff , said: “ I worked with the vocal changes and the physical attitude of the different eras . Also, there is an incredible arc between sitcoms through the decades that is a tug of war between seriousness and cynicism. I loved how Jac Schaeffer (main screenwriter for the series) used these decade-to-decade changes in tone to directly affect Wanda’s emotional journey. “
Schaeffer commented that Paul Bettany and Olsen are “very funny actors.” “Physical comedy is great, and they studied classic shows with the nuances of each of the acting styles. They had to be like the Swiss army knife of acting, ”he rehearsed.
Stellar lunch
When possible, the team also turned to a valuable resource for the history of sitcoms: they chatted with people who are experts in the genre. Thus, Shakman and Kevin Feige – president of Marvel Studios and creative director of Marvel – had the privilege of sharing a lunch with Dick Van Dyke, legendary comic actor and protagonist of ” The Dick Van Dyke Show “, iconic sitcom of the 1960s .
” It was a delightful experience and a great way to see how they went about producing their show , which is the inspiration for our first episode,” Shakman recalled.
Genuine laughs
In an attempt to achieve the desired authenticity, the filmmakers of “ WandaVision ” decided to record the first episode in front of a live audience in the studio . The effort not only produced genuine laughs, evoking classic sitcoms, but it affected the performance.
“It is incredible what happens when you put actors in front of a live audience, how the material is exalted with adrenaline, enthusiasm, the communication that takes place between the actors and the audience. This elevates the material, and it becomes something more like theater . That was a very important part of what we captured in the first episode, that spark, that kind of lightning in a bottle, ”Shakman recounted.
Actor Paul Bettany , who plays Vision, felt that spark very clearly. “You can’t help it when there are people present. You want them to listen to it and laugh. It makes everything more important. And that, I think, was what gave the style of the fifties . It was a brilliant decision, “he confessed.