Ben Stiller and Apple Content Chief Eddy Cue Talk ‘Severance’ at SXSW

For a long time Apple Content Chief Eddy Cue told Sunday a SXSW -that does not make Apple TV+ as many TV shows and films as its competitors for the same reason that the technology giant does not make as many hardware products as some competitors.

CUE, the Senior VP from Apple from Services and a 36 -year -old company veteran, came up at the festival in Austin, Texas with Ben Stiller, executive producer and director of Apple TV +’s Buzzy Drama “for a conversation in the state of Apple’s business” -Detail of the Detail of the Details of the Details of the Details of the Details of the Details of the Details of the Details of ” -Det Details of the Details of” -Det Details of the Details of ” -Det Details of” -Det Dedition of ” -Det Dedition of” Details of ” -Det Dedition of” Det Dedition of ” -Det Dedition of” Det Dedition of ” “Series Awa Awa is his season 2. Near the” Series “original” original “origin story” from the “series” Origin Story As the Series, extracts in relocating the “series of the” series, the series is extracted on March 21.

“If you do something great, it has to resonate with many people – and hopefully everyone. And so when we think of our shows and we think of our products, we don’t design them for a small subset of people. We design them for everyone. We realize that we may not let everyone look or everyone to use our products, but we think they are that way, “Cue said during the 42 -minute conversation with Stiller.

“Again, if you focus on a few things, you might get something good. And I think the show did that in kicking. It has been a long time since I saw the show catching the imagination. I was in Singapore last week, and when I spoke to people who knew I was involved in TV+, this is the first thing that comes up, “Cue said.

Stiller acknowledged that CUE and the Apple TV+ programming team have a difficult job in breaking new TV series and films in such a busy entertainment environment.

“During this time it is so difficult to have something that breaks through, and that you can really let people look and see, because there is so much,” remarked Stiller. “I mean, our generation – we are about the same age – it was different. You go to the movies – the films were the thing when we were children, and television was television – but there were not all those other things there are. And I am curious how you deal with that, when someone runs Apple TV and music. There are all these different elements that attract people’s attention. How do you actually get a conglomerate of people who really pay attention to the thing you make, because there are so many good things? It is just difficult to attract people’s attention. ”

Cue emphasized the importance of curation in Apple’s Ethos of offering premium products in everything they do.

“Part of what we have said is that we bet everything on the shows we do, because we are not going to throw 20 against the wall and hope that people will get stuck. Those we do, they all have to linger, otherwise we have nothing else, “said Cue. “And I think that pressure is a good thing because you are better for it.”

Cue praised “Dismissal” as the rare example of a show that runs from week to week Cultural Conversation. He noted that Apple sees the high level of fan engagement around podcasts and YouTube content that is dedicated to analyzing every episode.

“It has been a long time since we saw a show like this, where it has captured so much imagination of people and the culture and the public,” said Cue. “This reminds me of shows in the days that television – you vote for a certain evening and everyone was so excited all week to go to the next episode. And so this is. “

Among others, topics tackled by Cue and Stiller:

Stiller cut right to the chase with the Senior leader of Apple: “How is Apple? Because I am sometimes worried. Are you going well? “He asked Cue.” It is a competitive world, which is great, but we are doing well, “Cue replied.” We are okay. Just like you, we try to try to be our best and create new things that people really love. “To which Stiller replied:” Ok, good. “

While discussing his earlier work for Showtime, Stiller went on the way to a talp line and asked about the fate of the Pay TV service. “Do they exist? asked Stiller, who directed the Showtime Miniseries 2018 “Escape at Dannemora.” Cue was finished with an answer. “They do that. They are part of Paramount+. “

Stiller has credited Apple TV+ leaders Zack van Amburg and Jamie to support his vision that Adam Scott plays the lead role of Mark S. in “Severance”, even when they didn’t see it first. Cue and Stiller recalled what the show was one of the first to be Greenlighted for Apple TV+in 2019. Scott was in Stillers in mind when they brought the pilot script from Dan Erickson to life.

“Adam Scott was always in my mind to play Mark,” said Stiller. “It wasn’t [Van Amburg and Erlicht] Were not big fans of Adam’s, but they just saw [the role] otherwise. And Apple TV+ just started. And I said: “Well, good, we can explore some other ideas,” what we did. But in the end I said: “I really think Adam would be the man,” and they were really open to it. And then he reads and they were from, “Yes, he is the man.” For me, that was the start of this creative process that looked like, okay, it will be a real back and forth and also a trust with who you work. ”

(Revelation: Variety and SXSW share a common owner in PMC.)