From KCRW in Santa Monica, this is The Treatment.

Welcome to The Treatment. I'm Elvis Mitchell. You can also hear the show at KCRW.com.

My guest is David Dookovny. His new film is the TV set. What's the film about?

It kind of chronicles the journey of a television pilot, the first show of a television show,

from the writing stage to casting, to shooting the pilot, to trying to get the pilot on the air,

to finally the

upfronts where the new fall season is is unveiled so it's kind of a part of show business

that I don't think has ever been really covered in a movie and in that it's interesting but

but ultimately it's it's a comedy it's a workplace comedy and it kind of attacks show business through the lens of

these are people punching the clock, going to work, and trying to feed their families and do their

jobs, not the kind of celebrity-driven movies and references of show business that we usually get.

So I find it interesting in that way as well.

But it's also about sort of the dangers of workplace politics, too, isn't it, the way that people

could probably relate to? You know, ultimately it's about compromise. And I think, you know,

as I've been talking about the movie, little people ask me, you know, do you ever, do you, have you

ever compromised? And I say, you know, I walk out the door and I compromise.

You know, if you don't want to compromise, you should probably stay at home.

You play the writer, but it comes from your life.

It's deeply autobiographical.

And what's interesting about the way you play this guy is that he's uncomfortable in his own skin from the moment we see him

because he tries to present this air of real confidence

that's undermined as soon as he doesn't get the actor he wants for the show.

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