Do you ever think HOW MUCH we have to thank Jacob for?
Reading the GCU series in the pandemic and seeing the potential in it in a way that is simply visionary, because… really? These books as a TV show?
Sliding into RR’s DMs like hi there, how would you feel about me making a show out of your books? And her being … really? My books as a TV show? These books? I mean, OK sure.
Putting his whole heart and soul into the scripts, yes being super loyal to the book, but creating some of the dialogue that stays with you forever (yes it’s scary but you’re brave, wow… genetic, Mr Real Estate, all not on any page)?
Going to Crave and getting three acorns and a pocketful of glitter as a budget and saying - yeah, I can make this work? Casting complete unknowns, not on a “OK they’ll do” basis, but finding the people that made the characters he saw so clearly in his mind exactly come to life, even being able to judge over some grainy Zoom?
Scraping round in his old iPod nano to get the perfect soundtrack, and commissioning Peter Peter for the rest - someone who had never written a soundtrack before in their lives by the way, but he knew would figure it out?
Somehow knowing exactly what he wanted in a way that he was able to film a TV series in 6 weeks with almost zero outtakes? At the same time creating a set where the cast and crew together felt so connected as a team, that when his leads were interviewed, they themselves would call out the first AD, and the intimacy coordinator, and the director of photography by name, when has that ever happened before?
Trusting his actors - who, let’s not forget, the week before had been working in the old spaghetti factory, not exactly Hollywood experienced - to bring their own ideas a scene? And even if he didn’t agree, for instance, that Shane in hospital high as a kite was the way to play it, he would see how it went, and then like it more than his own idea, and said so - and when has that ever happened before?
Shamelessly absolutely fucking loving his own show? Being the first to say, this might not be deep literature, and there may be a lot of sex that people see as gratuitous, but it’s real and it’s true, and it matters it’s on screen, and I’m really proud of telling this story?
Shamelessly absolutely fucking loving his actors? Setting boundaries for media and fan intrusion - Shane and Ilya are for the fans, Hudson and Connor are for themselves? Mentioning his “boys” in every interview like the big brother figure he is?
Do you think about it? I don’t think about these things much myself. I’m totally normal and nonchalant.
