James Griffin - Funny As Interview

James Griffin is the brains behind many successful Kiwi TV dramas and comedies (he co-created Outrageous Fortune and The Almighty Johnsons). He talks in this Funny As interview about failing, succeeding and more, including:

• Putting together a TV pilot for comedy group Funny Business, while working at TVNZ's drama department
• Writing comedy scripts for "old school gentleman" Billy T James 
• How he became script editor for 1980s melodrama Gloss in his mid-20s, and drank lots of champagne
• Being asked to work on a film Pacific Islanders would like, which ultimately became hit movie Sione's Wedding
• Learning a lot from failing (City Life, Diplomatic Immunity) as "it can teach you a few things if you're smart enough to learn"
• How infusing comedy into his dramas (Outrageous Fortune, The Almighty Johnsons) "normalised" Kiwis to seeing New Zealand humour on screen

This interview was recorded for 2019 TV series Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy. All audiovisual content is copyright to Augusto, and may not be reproduced. Publication of Funny As extended interviews made possible with funding from the NZ Lotteries Grants Board.