Varun Patel
‘The Conners’ is a sitcom that manages to portray grief and tough topics like death while maintaining a comedic style. The show is a spin-off and a continuation of the 1988 television show, ‘Roseanne.’
Both ‘Roseanne’ and ‘The Conners’ have been known for their accurate portrayals of a working-class American family. ‘The Conners’ revolves around the titular family, who struggle to get through life with a modest income. Moreover, they are also left to deal with the death of their matriarch, Roseanne. However, despite all their hardships, the family manages to smile at the end of the day and make viewers laugh their guts out.
The show stars John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Lecy Goranson, Michael Fishman and Emma Kenney. All the actors reprised their roles from ‘Roseanne.’
The Conners Filming Locations
‘The Conners’ is set in the fictional town of Lanford, which is supposed to be located in Illinois. However, many viewers might be wondering where the show is actually filmed. Like many sitcoms, is ‘The Conners’ filmed in front of a live studio audience? Or does it fabricate the rather outdated style and tone?
Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, California
Yes, ‘The Conners’ is actually filmed in front of a live studio audience at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. The studio serves as the principal production location for Warner Bros. Entertainment. It even offers a studio tour for those who want to get a behind-the-scenes look at how some of the production house’s most successful movies and television series are filmed.
In the studio, a set of the Conners family house is constructed like a theater set. Except there are multiple cameras, mics, and other recording equipment for filming purposes. The sets are quite intricately and thoughtfully designed.
To begin with, the furniture is made to feel extremely homely, with a lot of attention paid to every single detail, from the upholstery to the overall room aesthetic. Moreover, actors are also asked to provide their personal photos so that they can be framed on the set. This provides the set with a very “lived” feel, making it come alive and able to tell a story. Moreover, some of the pictures that the actors submit are often photos with their co-stars, adding to the authenticity of the set as an actual family house.
Check out the following video to get a glimpse of the set of ‘The Conners.’ It also includes a few interviews with the show’s cast members, who share their experience working on the set, among other things.
The first season’s finale saw 175 people in the audience. Filming a single episode generally takes 3-4 hours since several re-takes are needed. Often, the same scene is also shot with varying dialogue, with the most effective shot being selected. The taping begins with recap videos to get the audience acquainted with the required storylines. Then, the first few takes are conducted.
After a single run-through, the show’s writers huddle around each other to discuss possible changes in the dialogue. Then, another take of the same scene is conducted. Throughout the process, the audience is also provided food, typically pizza slices. Yum!
Indiana
Apart from filming in front of the studio audience, the show also employs an exterior shot of the Conners family house. This is generally used as an establishing shot. The actual location where the exterior of the Conners’ house is filmed is 619 South Runnymeade Avenue in Evansville, Indiana.
