How Nobody Wants This Employs Cross-Shooting and Innovative Editing to Establish Connections

      Capturing a genuine romantic comedy, particularly one that expertly balances scripted and improvised scenes, is quite challenging. Nonetheless, director of photography Adrian Peng Correia and editor Maura Corey navigated this complexity brilliantly in Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, despite having never met in person.

      The ten-episode series tells the story of an agnostic sex podcaster (Kristen Bell) and a rabbi (Adam Brody) who fall in love, only for their relationship to be challenged by faith, family, and friends. Creator Erin Foster loosely based the show on her own experiences, aiming to blend scripted and unscripted performances from the lead and supporting cast, including Justine Lupe and Timothy Simons.

      With this directive, Peng Correia opted for anamorphic lenses to achieve a cinematic aesthetic and employed cross-shooting to capture spontaneous and authentic moments that might have been overlooked with a single-camera setup. Scenes such as Brody trying to open a wine bottle during a dinner party, a group hug at the hospital, and the basketball montage that Corey later incorporated—set to Chumbawamba’s “Tubthumping”—were all captured this way.

      “The show was incredibly fun to film because no two takes were the same. The actors were fantastic in terms of their ability to repeat scenes, but you never knew how things would unfold,” says Peng Correia. “When you give actors that freedom, they can focus on their performance rather than hitting marks or worrying about whether the camera is on them. They can simply enjoy the act of playing.”

      He mentions the experience was chaotic due to time limitations (with each episode filmed over five days and only eight hours of production a day), and there were numerous occasions where they nearly missed takes because of laughter from unexpected moments.

      “If you don’t have multiple cameras and aren’t cross-shooting, you risk missing those off-camera moments that work, and then you have to try to recreate them repeatedly,” he explains. “The surprise and immediacy of those moments, even with such talented actors, added a dynamic energy to the set.”

      **Point of View in Nobody Wants This**

      Adam Brody and Kristen Bell in Nobody Wants This. Photo by Saeed Adyani, courtesy of Netflix.

      Ultimately, Peng Correia aimed to deliver as much footage as possible to editing, allowing them to further shape the narrative from any character's perspective. As a result, Corey found the footage engaging and authentic. In addition to the dialogue, she was able to utilize numerous non-verbal moments to enhance the chemistry and comedic elements. Coming from a reality TV background, Corey reviewed all available footage, then edited it based on the script and her instincts.

      “A prime example is during a dinner scene when Brody’s character expresses his love for her and acknowledges the importance of her work,” she recounts. “They were cross-shooting at that moment, and Kristen took a big bite of bread. Those moments lend a sense of authenticity to the comedic elements, making them feel both real and cinematic.”

      An essential aspect of creating that cinematic feel was the overall visual style, incorporating backlighting and the anamorphic lens for a wider perspective. The creators sought to evoke whimsy and romance against the backdrop of Los Angeles, featuring locations that are not typically highlighted on screen while steering clear of conventional romantic comedy clichés.

      “We wanted to present real people with complexities. They have issues, but the tone isn’t bleak because it’s infused with humor and showcases people falling in love,” says Corey.

      “Tonally, the show is cleverly assembled and doesn’t feel heavy-handed,” Peng Correia adds. “Even when you look at older romantic comedies like While You Were Sleeping or Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, they possess a certain grit and texture, which we also aimed to incorporate into the show.”

      **Grounding Nobody Wants This in Reality**

      Kristen Bell and Adam Brody in Nobody Wants This. Photo by Stefania Rosini/Netflix © 2024

      Corey also emphasized the importance of not over-scoring the series or using music arbitrarily. Instead, she relied on ambient sound and background noise to ground the core relationship in reality, then introduced music as necessary.

      “It was a delicate balance, especially concerning the music,” she notes. “We wanted it to complement the characters or provide some commentary. Many romantic moments can feel either overly sweet or dry, and these conversations occurring in the background can create that spark.”

      One of the most significant challenges during both filming and editing was capturing what was described in the script as “the greatest kiss of their lives.” Crafting that moment required a blend of anticipation achieved through editing and a variety of camera techniques, including Steadicam movements, wide shots, and close-ups. The final scene featured purple lighting surrounding the characters to enhance the sense of heightened reality, along with the musical accompaniment of “See Her Out (That’s Just Life).”

      “When we witnessed it on set that day,