‘Company Retreat’ Bosses Explain the Finale Reveal, Landing Sia for the Talent Show and How a Loose Script Nearly Ruined Everything
Why it matters: The show awarded Anthony Norman $150,000 for his unwitting participation in the elaborate reality series.
- Jake Szymanski and Lee Eisenberg, co-creator and director, expanded the scope of "Company Retreat" to a multi-acre lodge with 48 cameras and 3,600 hours of footage, a significant increase from "Jury Duty."
- Anthony Norman, the unsuspecting lead, was chosen for his kindness, confidence, and non-judgmental nature, which allowed him to engage with the eccentric cast without making them feel ridiculed.
- The show's finale saw Norman prevent a fictional hot sauce company, Rockin’ Grandmas, from being sold to a conglomerate, leading to the truth reveal and a $150,000 reward for him.
- Sia was secured for the show's talent competition, adding to the elaborate nature of the deception.
- A loose script and an actor nearly using the wrong name almost jeopardized the entire production, highlighting the challenges of maintaining the elaborate ruse.
The creators of "Jury Duty" successfully pulled off an even grander deception in "Company Retreat," fooling temp assistant Anthony Norman into believing a hot sauce company's corporate getaway was real, culminating in an emotional finale where he saves the fictional business. The show expanded significantly with more cameras, footage, and elaborate backstories for its cast, nearly derailing due to a loose script and an actor's slip-up, but ultimately landing Sia for a talent show and awarding Norman $150,000.
