‘The Office’: The Rule Behind Talking Heads Is Broken When Actors Film in This Location
The characters of The Office had different opinions when it came to their jobs at Dunder Mifflin. Stanley (Leslie David Baker) just wanted to get to retirement and wasn’t that invested in work. Dwight (Rainn Wilson) was ambitious and wanted more power at the company.
There is some unexpected symbolism that reflected their future. But the rule for this is broken when actors filmed at a specific location.
‘The Office’ filmed with some documentary elements
The sitcom was scripted, but shot like a documentary so the characters do interviews. This is when they get to share their true feelings about things that are happening in the office.
Director Ken Kwapis said he would start filming the scripted interviews by allowing the actors to improvise as their characters to start on Office Ladies. Sometimes he asked them about their weekend. Other times he would ask them how they felt about other people in the office.
But what was actually used was what was scripted for the show. There is also symbolism in these scenes.
There is a meaning behind the talking head locations
Fans probably didn’t notice the locations behind them mean something. Their perspective on their future is reflected through their background.
“Most characters have the office of Dunder Mifflin behind them in that window as they’re giving their talking heads and the reason behind this was that that meant people were stuck. They didn’t really have a future,” Jenna Fischer explained on the Office Ladies podcast.
One character sometimes had a window behind him is Jim (John Krasinski.) “However, very often Jim would have a talking head all the time and his talking heads had a window to the world behind him and the point of that was because he had a future outside of this company,” Fischer added.
This rule is broken with this film location
Fans noticed Dwight has a talking head in front of a window to say he doesn’t like criminals in “The Convict.” Fans wrote in to the Office Ladies podcast to figure out the meaning behind this.
“This is one of those on-the-fly talking heads. This is next to the window that’s next to our Dunder Mifflin sign in the little lobby as you walk into the office,” Fischer said.
She said this isn’t in the conference room like the meaningful window talking heads. “It is not significant of our previous talking head theme,” revealed Fischer.
It looks like the window rule only works in the conference room. That’s something to keep in mind for the fans are keeping a close eye on the talking heads.
