Overview of The Town — The Life of a ‘White Lotus’ Producer, and the ‘Jury Duty’ Sequel Revealed
This episode of The Town (The Ringer) features producer Dave Bernad (producer on The White Lotus, Jury Duty, Superstore, etc.) in a wide-ranging conversation about how he built his producing career, what it’s like to make logistically difficult TV (especially The White Lotus), and how the hidden‑camera sitcom Jury Duty was conceived and scaled into a second season. The episode also covers Bernad’s producing philosophy, the realities of day‑to‑day set life, and his other current projects.
Guest background and career snapshot
- Dave Bernad’s path: started as an assistant / mailroom mentality, learned from mentors (Nathan Kahane, David Kramer), became Mike White’s assistant and producing partner, then branched out to form his own companies and deals.
- Notable credits: The White Lotus, Jury Duty, Superstore (113 episodes), The Bold Type, films including collaborations with Ruben Fleischer and Eric André.
- Business setup: Described having a unique producing arrangement that functions like first‑look/second‑look with HBO and another partner; emphasizes entrepreneurship and self‑generation of projects rather than waiting for “the big package” to land.
The White Lotus — logistics, production style, and challenges
- How the show is made:
- Mike White writes and directs the entire season, so each season is effectively a long, single‑director movie; that affects pace and scheduling.
- Production is far from simple “one location” shoots — seasons have multiple locations and significant scouting, prep, and shoot time.
- Thailand season: longer shoot due to COVID protocols, weather delays, and multi‑location needs (Bernad clarified five to six months of production vs. the oft‑quoted eight months).
- Pay and culture:
- The series has an MFN‑style pay structure where many cast members take the same deal (spirit of “we’re all in this together”).
- This limits budget size and can filter the cast to performers who buy into the collaborative spirit (but also means losing some actors for scheduling reasons, e.g., Woody Harrelson on one season).
- Bernad’s on‑set role:
- Acts as Mike White’s producing partner/“whisperer,” resolves logistics, oversees second‑unit and complex sequences, troubleshoots cast/locational issues, and insures the show runs smoothly.
- He emphasizes that Mike trusts his department heads and doesn’t micromanage.
- Season 4 (tease):
- Shooting in the south of France during high season presents big logistical hurdles (hotels, actor availability, multiple resorts/locations).
- Casting is underway; season 4 will reportedly have a larger cast than past seasons.
Jury Duty — origins, format, and season 2 details
- Origin story:
- Concept evolved from Bernad’s work with Eric André and collaboration with Todd Shulman (producer associated with Borat/Bruno) and others. They adapted an existing script/concept and turned it into the hidden‑camera TV premise (one real person surrounded by actors).
- Format and tone:
- The show places one real, unsuspecting person inside a fabricated environment where everyone else is acting. The creative aim: never make the real person the butt of the joke—keep the tone humanizing and uplifting.
- The theme the team likes to explore: can a person “become the hero of their own story” when thrust into absurd circumstances?
- Season 2: “Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat”
- Premieres March 20 on Amazon Prime (the series graduated from Freevee to Prime).
- Premise: a company retreat for a hot‑sauce company; everyone is an actor except the single real participant (named Anthony in the show).
- Casting and vetting: around 3,000 applicants; detailed vetting and a single chosen non‑actor. They film one version — there’s no shooting multiple “real person” outcomes.
- Production risk: hidden‑camera format is extremely high‑stakes; any on‑set slip could spoil the entire project. Bernad called Jury Duty “the most stressful” because a single mistake can ruin months/years of work.
- Contingency: essentially none — the production must trust secrecy and careful execution.
Producing philosophy & practical advice
- “If this isn’t the only thing you want to do, go do anything else.” Producing requires total commitment and grit.
- Be entrepreneurial: don’t wait for scripts to come to you — generate your own ideas, cultivate relationships, and sell work proactively.
- Networking matters: being visible at events and maintaining long‑term connections is part of the job.
- Emotional realities: producers are often the person blamed for things beyond their control (flight delays, bad coffee, etc.). Learn to accept that and keep moving.
- On tone/selection: Bernad chooses projects by the filmmakers and ideas he wants to work with, not by chasing market trends.
Other projects mentioned
- An Eric André/John Cena film (a Netflix movie) that Bernad recently finished — described as a throwback comedy.
- A theatrical comedy in development with Michael Covino and Kyle Marvin (aimed at Paramount).
- Ongoing development on other comedies and original projects; Bernad believes there is still appetite for original theatrical comedies at some studios.
Notable quotes / soundbites
- “If this is absolutely the only thing on earth you can do, go do anything else.” (advice he gives prospective producers — i.e., only pursue it if it’s everything to you)
- “Jury Duty is more stressful than White Lotus because at any second any wrong, any mistake could cost the entire shoot.”
- On producing: “You have to be an eternal optimist” and “I have to grow to be comfortable with being hated for things that are out of my control.”
Quick additional notes from the episode
- The hosts also discussed recent box‑office items: Chris Pratt’s Mercy underperformed (~$10.8M opening), Sam Raimi’s Send Help (Rachel McAdams, Dylan O’Brien) is tracking ~ $15M with strong reviews (94% RT at the time), and a Jason Statham film Shelter was expected to be weak.
- Bernad and the hosts traded anecdotes about industry parties, career hustle, and the difficulties of keeping large ensemble casts happy when they’re living and working together for months.
Key takeaways
- Producing at scale (ambitious TV formats, ensemble shoots, hidden‑camera productions) requires intense logistical planning, deep trust with creatives, and the ability to manage risk and interpersonal tensions.
- Hidden‑camera TV that hinges on a single non‑actor is high‑reward but extremely high‑risk; secrecy and execution are everything.
- For aspiring producers: be obsessive, entrepreneurial, visible, and prepared to both generate your own projects and shoulder blame for things out of your control.
Credits: host Matt Bellany (The Ringer/Puck), guest Dave Bernad (producer). Episode date: January 29 (year as in transcript).