JamesG
03-09-2012, 03:53 PM
The Strange Art of Picking a TV Title
3/6/12
Titles Considered:
"Six of One"
"Across the Hall"
"Friends Like Us"
David Janollari (Former Head of Comedy Development at Warner Bros. TV):
We basically sold and developed the show at NBC without a title. The first draft was delivered to me with the title "Six of One". I went, "Hmm, I get it, but I'm not sure it's grabby."
Then [NBC entertainment president] Warren Littlefield pitched "Across the Hall" because the apartments were across the hall from one another, but that didn't feel right either. We must have kicked around 100 titles.
We landed on "Friends Like Us" and delivered the rough cut with a title sequence accompanied by R.E.M.'s 'Shiny Happy People'. Then somebody at the network said, "Why don't you just call it 'Friends'?"
It's an iconic title now, but at the time we were cocking our heads going, "Huh? Is that a good title?" We really weren't sure.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/picking-tv-titles-friends-lost-examples-297288
3/6/12
Titles Considered:
"Six of One"
"Across the Hall"
"Friends Like Us"
David Janollari (Former Head of Comedy Development at Warner Bros. TV):
We basically sold and developed the show at NBC without a title. The first draft was delivered to me with the title "Six of One". I went, "Hmm, I get it, but I'm not sure it's grabby."
Then [NBC entertainment president] Warren Littlefield pitched "Across the Hall" because the apartments were across the hall from one another, but that didn't feel right either. We must have kicked around 100 titles.
We landed on "Friends Like Us" and delivered the rough cut with a title sequence accompanied by R.E.M.'s 'Shiny Happy People'. Then somebody at the network said, "Why don't you just call it 'Friends'?"
It's an iconic title now, but at the time we were cocking our heads going, "Huh? Is that a good title?" We really weren't sure.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/picking-tv-titles-friends-lost-examples-297288