S03E08 · EP 57
season 3 · 2011-11-17

Documentary Filmmaking: Redux

written by Megan Ganz · directed by Joe Russo · 3.62M viewers · image Community Wiki (CC BY-SA)

Episode DNA

21 scenes · 3 threads
absurd 15%humiliation 9%tense 8%petty grievance 5%deadpan 5%triumphant 5%obsession 5%angry 5%cheerful 4%avoidance 4%

Story threads over runtime

click a block to open the scene
0:005:0010:0015:0020:00
A · Dean's commercial spiral
B · Pierce's trailer protest
C · Abed's documentary capture
01

Every scene

21 scenes · our breakdown
1 · Greendale study room · cold_openDean pitches commercial idea

Dean Pelton asks the study group to star in a new school commercial with a $2000 budget.

00:01–01:34scheme · social_rule_violation
2 · Greendale hallway · cold_openPierce demands trailer and catering

Pierce refuses to participate without a trailer and catering, then leaves.

01:34–03:22petty_grievance · avoidance
3 · Greendale study room · act1Rehearsal and character assignments

The group rehearses their roles for the commercial with Dean directing.

03:22–06:32social_rule_violation · humiliation
4 · Greendale hallway · act1Pierce refuses to leave trailer

Pierce stays in a non-existent trailer, demanding catering and a real trailer.

06:32–07:26scheme · avoidance
5 · Greendale set · act1Shirley struggles with line delivery

Shirley has trouble delivering her line with the right tone for Dean.

07:26–07:51humiliation · petty_grievance
6 · Greendale set · act1Luis Guzman calls Dean

Luis Guzman calls Dean to offer to be in the commercial after hearing about the statue.

07:51–08:17coincidence · deal
7 · Greendale set · act1Dean restarts commercial for Guzman

Dean announces Luis Guzman is in the commercial and throws out all previous footage.

08:17–09:22escalation · obsession
8 · Greendale campus · act2Production takes over school

Dean's production shuts down classes and forces clubs to help.

09:22–09:34obsession · escalation
9 · Greendale set · act2Dean obsesses over hug scene

Dean forces Troy and Jeff to redo a hug scene repeatedly for 12 hours.

09:34–11:25obsession · humiliation
10 · Greendale set · act2Cast suffers under Dean's direction

The cast struggles with confusing roles and physical discomfort during the shoot.

11:25–12:01humiliation
11 · Greendale set · act2Dean threatens to fire crew

Dean argues with crew and threatens to fire them while defending his perfectionism.

12:01–12:15obsession · threat
12 · Greendale parking lot · act2Pierce gets a trailer

Pierce finally gets a trailer but demands it be as nice as the one for Luis Guzman.

12:15–12:25petty_grievance · deal
13 · Greendale set · act2Dean fires Jeff over bald cap

Dean forces Jeff to remove his bald cap and then fires him when he refuses.

12:25–13:10humiliation
14 · Greendale set · act2Britta declares human rights violation

Britta declares the production a human rights violation and Dean allows anyone to leave.

13:10–13:51betrayal
15 · Dean's office · act3Dean shows Guzman the commercial

Dean shows Luis Guzman the completed commercial in his messy office.

13:51–14:07humiliation · secret_exposed
16 · Dean's office · act3Guzman confronts Dean about shame

Luis Guzman criticizes Dean for being ashamed of Greendale and walks out.

14:07–16:47humiliation
17 · Dean's office · act3Dean delivers apology monologue

Dean gives a heartfelt apology to the school on camera for his failures.

16:47–18:08confession · comeuppance
18 · School board room · act3School board watches final commercial

The school board watches a new commercial edited by Abed that combines footage.

18:08–19:20deal
19 · Dean's office · act3Abed reveals his role in editing

Abed admits he edited the commercial and explains his documentary philosophy.

19:20–20:04confession · secret_exposed
20 · Dean's office · act3Dean forgives Abed and group reunites

Dean forgives Abed and the group helps him with a possum in his office.

20:04–20:52confession
21 · Greendale parking lot · tagPierce gets trailer and granola bar

Pierce continues his trailer protest, demanding a new trailer and a granola bar.

20:52–21:20petty_grievance · avoidance
03

Same DNA

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Episode facts

Wikipedia · Wikidata
Aired
2011-11-17
Overall
#57
Writers
Megan Ganz
Director
Joe Russo
Viewers
3.62M (US)
Pace
144 words/min · 68 questions

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In this episode

JW
Jeff Winger16 episodes · drives 702 scenes
BP
Britta Perry16 episodes · drives 194 scenes
AN
Abed Nadir12 episodes · drives 277 scenes
SB
Shirley Bennett12 episodes · drives 70 scenes
TB
Troy Barnes10 episodes · drives 155 scenes
PH
Pierce Hawthorne23 episodes · drives 173 scenes
LR
Leonard RodriguezRichard Erdman22 episodes · drives 2 scenes
CP
Craig Pelton18 episodes