Going through high school is hard enough.
Like those series,I Am Not Okaycombines coming-of-age struggles, paranormal elements, and dark humor.
“What does it mean if you have to go to school in Pittsburgh and keep these things secret?
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There was just something that felt like a nice segue between the two shows.
I was looking for something that I could experiment with the idea of doing an American high school show.
LikeStranger Things, this is another dark, supernatural Netflix series about a teen girl.
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Were you looking for a similar series to tackle?
SHAWN LEVY:Weirdly, it is a completely organic coincidence.
As a result ofStranger Things, I entered this larger deal at Netflix.
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The mandate for my deal with Netflix is: Produce anything that gets you excited the wayStranger Thingsdid.
We were instantly obsessed with whomever directed that unique, fantastic show.
Do you have any ideas?”
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And he literally said, “Funny you should ask because I do have this one idea.”
It was the graphic novel forI Am Not Okay With This.
ENTWISTLE:We have a great shorthand now after doingEnd, and I always run things by him.
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Those things were close to Chucks heart.
So there were conversations throughout about what did he think was key and what would work.
There are some major plot changes from the graphic novel.
Can you talk about how youre diverging from the source material?
Its been done and its not the most exciting territory to be making entertainment in.
That was the key element in changing it.
Aside from the graphic novel, what inspirations did you use for the series?
ENTWISTLE:A lot of my work I like to think feels like it takes place in 1980-2002.
These were the models.
But the biggest inspiration is Jonathan Entwistles instincts.
Everything from lighting to tone to wardrobe.
Its not retro, its timeless.
Its a faux nostalgia for a story set today.
Why have you made that one of your signature qualities as a showrunner?
Before technology existed, you had to write scenes where people did things.
Thats in some ways the death of writing, when theres nothing for people to do.
Technology dates incredibly quickly.
The first season is pretty short: only seven episodes, about 30 minutes each.
Why did you decide to make it more of a slow burn in such limited time?
ENTWISTLE:Netflix gives a platform to create feature-length television.
Its essentially a 2-hour, 30-minute story arc broken into episodes.
It suits things that excite me.
How many seasons do you envision you’d need to tell this story perfectly?
ENTWISTLE:As many as theyre excited to give me and people keep watching.
However many we can tell the story in.
It made that series just supremely bingeable.
He and we wanted the same format forI Am Not Okay With This.
It just feels so digestible, so hooky, and Jonathan doesnt believe in fatty storytelling.
Why is now the right time for audiences to meet this character?
