Mandatory rides and enforcement not only help On call The writers conducted significant research for the show – which also inspired key scenes in Wolf Entertainment’s first-ever streaming series.
The Prime Video series, which premieres on Thursday, January 9, uses body cameras, dash cams and cell phone footage to allow viewers to follow police officers on the scene. On call Centered primarily on veteran training officer Traci Harmon (Troian Bellisario) and her new partner Alex Diaz (Brandon Laracunt) as they respond to emergency calls on the streets of Long Beach, California.
The two deal with everything from gang-related incidents to domestic disputes to escalating arson incidents. While some cases seem over-the-top for the sake of good television, co-creators Tim Walsh Exclusive story US Weekly How his own riding experience influenced the show’s script.
“I can honestly say that 90 to 95 percent of the calls you see on the show come from our rides,” Walsh shared. “Or the police told us on the bike. So we learned a lot on the street.
Erin Simkin/Prime Video The first season of On Call had us on the edge of our seats, but where does this leave Wolf Entertainment’s police procedural? Premiering on Thursday, January 9, On Call follows veteran training officer Tracy Harmon (Troian Bellisario) and her new partner Alex Diaz ( Brandon Larraquinte) expand […]
Walsh admits to creating an ambitious series, e.g. On call With that comes a series of challenges.
“The body camera is a lens that captures everything. We knew immediately during the editing process that you would see boom operators, craft services, and porta-potties. We had to be very careful,” he explained. “We learned, but we had to be very careful. In Episode 4, when they raided the motel, there were 12 cameras at one point.
“It’s a big action scene,” Walsh continued, “and every one of our characters – or police officers – are wearing body cameras. You can only imagine they’re calling the crew, they’re calling the people sitting around. So it was really challenging and we just had to figure it out, and we found it in the editing part of the process.
Despite some complications, Walsh said he’s very excited about the final product. The screenwriter particularly emphasized On call‘s mission is to not take sides while highlighting important conversations about first responders.
“That’s our goal – this is not an anti-cop or pro-cop show. This is pro-character, and the character happens to be a police officer,” said Walsh. “We started doing a lot of research from the beginning, including doing multiple rides with the LAPD, the Sheriff’s Department and Long Beach police. When you get in the car, you realize there’s just another person next to you.
On Call’s overall mission is to “entertain” its audience. “People are at a point in their lives where they don’t want to be preached to anymore. So we’re very aware of that,” Walsh continued. “This is a complex subject. We’re not going to ignore that part. But we also want to say that in addition to the complex subject, these guys have a very important job to do. We want to focus on that part.
On call Currently streaming on Prime Video. Keep scrolling for details on how off-screen riding played a role in the creation of the latest police procedural:
Is ride-hailing mandatory?
Walsh called first-hand research “extremely important” to the show.
“Honestly, when I hire writers, I ask them, ‘Do you have any problem with riding? Because if you do, you’re [likely] Won’t be writing on the show,” Walsh told usreferring to how necessary it was to have knowledge of the field when creating the series. “If someone were to write a show about a TV writer, they would follow the TV writer or showrunner and learn about their day-to-day life. They can’t just make it up.
entire On call The team wanted to do the right thing based on the material, Walsh added, “We couldn’t do that to these law enforcement officers either. We wanted it to always be very real because there was so much drama waiting for me. So the preparation was Number one, the actors have really stepped up and they’re all riding together, the directors are riding together, some of our production directors are riding together, so if you want to be on the show, You absolutely have to go and sit in the car with these people.
How many journeys end up on screen?
While recalling his time in the squad car, Walsh cited the first significant moment between Harmon and Diaz.
“When I was working on this show with a 30-year-old guy, something bothered me on my first ride and he pulled over. After we had a very friendly chat After the conversation, he turned to me and he looked at me and asked, “Where are we now? ” I was like, “What do you mean?” “He’s like, ‘I just got shot. You’re my partner tonight. Where are we?'” Walsh recounted to us a conversation from the season premiere of “On Call.” “I looked around and he said, ‘I’m dead. I’m dead.
“He said, ‘The most important thing you can learn from day one is where you are at any time in your life,'” Walsh continued. “That went right into the pilot.”
Are there any restrictions?
“When you’re with these officers, you go right into these communities and into people’s homes. You’re in their living rooms, in their backyards, and you learn a lot,” Walsh shared, referring to How his first-hand experience translates to the screen. “We’re not just looking at the police, but we’re looking at the community and how they interact with the police. That’s very important as well.
The show’s heavier themes – including a cold open involving a car accident that injured a dog – were based on actual events.
“That had to go in. I’d done a couple of shows where I’d developed them and they didn’t progress, which was devastating. I felt like this might be my last chance,” he admits us. “If I was going to fall by anyone’s sword, it would be my own. I was like, ‘Nothing is off limits. Let’s just put it all out there and I think it will find its audience.
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How dangerous are our peers?
Walsh said not every encounter goes his way.
“We are dealing with a gentleman [once] The man was smoking meth on a bench at a bus stop and the police officer got on the loudspeaker and said, “Hey, do me a favor.” Just move and go somewhere else to smoke. You cannot appear in public. In the past, they might have gotten out of their car and confronted him, but he was taking precautions,” recalled Walsh. “The guy said, ‘No, I’m not moving.'” When he turned around, we saw he had a tennis ball-sized load of meth. It was a felony, so the officer got out of the car and I got out with him.
The routine stop ended in a “physical altercation” between the man and police.
“I’ll never forget this young officer rolling around on the ground with this guy. I turned around and everyone at the intersection stopped with their phones and they were recording us. I was like, ‘Please, don’t let this It ended in a more violent manner and the suspect started running away,” Walsh continued. “Then the whole fleet chased him, and about 30 minutes later, they caught him. But something like this, I was really his only backup. So I was wondering, ‘Do I need to jump here to help him?’ “But that’s almost every ride – you have no idea what you’re going to encounter.
What were the main takeaways from this experience?
“What do I hope for? [viewers] It’s important to note that a large part of police officers’ daily interactions is actually mental health. I don’t think they get enough recognition for that,” Walsh noted. “Obviously, there’s a lot of focus on the negative stuff, and rightfully so, and it needs to be pointed out. But they’re also helping people with mental illness and substance abuse issues.
“It’s really not in their job description, but it falls on their shoulders and the fire department’s shoulders,” he concluded. “So what we gain is probably just more awareness that these guys are helping people on the street with their problems.” Drug Addiction Problems – More Than You Think.
