John Slattery on The Adjustment Bureau, and His Takeaway from Bridesmaids

You've directed episodes of Mad Men. Is directing features on your mind?

It is. That's the plan. I directed two episodes of Mad Men last year, and I have a film I want to make. So hopefully that will happen.

Any hints you can share about the subject matter?

You know, it's sort of an -- you know? I can't really talk about it because the deal isn't finished. But I am writing and I want to direct, and not act.

How does the distribution of directors work per episode on Mad Men? Do you direct episodes that concern things you're interested in, or is it more of a random assignment?

In my case, I take what I'm given, and gladly. They gave me the opportunity, and I just threw my hat in and said, "Can I follow one of the directors around?" I knew that was how it worked. You trail someone around and you get to see what the actual getting through the day is like. It's very difficult. The time challenge involved is very difficult, getting all that material done in the way its expected to be done. They gave me a shot, and then through scheduling someone fell out, so I took another one. So you take what you're given. Jon Hamm's going to do the first one this year and it's really the only one he can do. He's been talking about wanting to do it, and they've been encouraging him to do it. It's the only he can really do because he's in every scene, and it takes eight days of prep before you shoot the episode. For those of us who are acting in the episode, that's a time conflict. Basically, they go through the schedule of the season after arcing and sort of "broad-stroking" the whole season. They'll say, "Here's one where Slattery's not that heavily involved." They're extremely accommodating in allowing me to do this; I will forever be indebted.

It's interesting that you've directed Jon Hamm, and now he'll direct you. There aren't many shows where multiple actors take turns at the helm.

The thing is, it really spreads you very thin, directing and being in the show. There was one point at which I was trying to remember my lines and deliver a joke properly, and I kept screwing it up. I was making mental notes on other people's performances because we were in a wide shot. There were about five people in the scene, we were all in it, people were coming in, smoking, drinking -- it was the second day and my brain was about to explode. And Hamm looked at me said, "Really? Directing? You're glad you decided to direct?" He'll know what it's like. You have to stop and watch the takes, and you hardly have enough time to begin with, leaving the set and watching a monitor for playback. You have to do it, but it makes each scene twice as long. It's really the time part [that's difficult]. The crew is all great, the producers are great, and the actors obviously know what they're doing. What am I going to tell Jon Hamm about playing Don Draper? You really just want some variety, some options for when you get in the editing room, so you encourage the actors in a hopefully organic way to try something different than what they've just done. In my case, that's all it's come down to. "That's great, we've got that, now let's try A, B, and D."

You were a riot on 30 Rock. Would you like to try more comic stuff?

Yeah, I would. I end up sort of doing a lot of comic stuff on shows that are not comedies. I would, I would! I would love to do an actual out-and-out comedy. I want to work with those Apatow people. I thought Bridesmaids was amazing; just spoke to Jon Hamm, and the way those guys work, and you try new material and you keep shooting. I would like to try that. That looks like fun to me.

There's that reel of Bridesmaids outtakes where Jon Hamm and Kristen Wiig seem to improvise a bunch of lines during a sex scene. That method of filming speaks to you?

Yeah, the "Try this! Say that!" I've heard Lizzy Moss talk about Get Him to the Greek, and it just sounds really creative and exciting. A bad take is every bit as good as a good take.

The Adjustment Bureau will hit DVD and Blu-ray on June 21.

[Photo: Getty Images]

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