Interview: Howard Griffith, Criminal Minds

The cast of Criminal Minds

QUIXOTE STUDIOS–Howard Griffith is, for lack of a better term, a man’s man. No nonsense. No fuss. Long-sleeved, flannel shirt. White, peppered beard. A calm manner and deep voice (with just the tiniest hint that he’s from the South). He is, indeed, a born and raised Texan–one who used to bull-ride (no joke), likes football and served in Vietnam. Sometime after getting back from ‘Nam, the man accidentally found himself on a film crew, fell in love with the business and never looked back. That…was thirty-something years ago. Now, he’s in LA; the Co-Producer of the Emmy-nominated show Criminal Minds. And I’m about to bother him with question after question…

Inside and upstairs and at the end of the hall, I approach the office of Howard Griffith. His walls are covered with papers but not a thing is out of place. Each month’s calendar is perfectly lined, stretching across the wall behind him. I see week after week, and month after month into the future. Above them, are the individual photos of the cast of Criminal Minds. Their names; their characters. I study them for a minute before noticing all the binders that are in order. The papers. Files. Pens. The man is organized.

SB: Can you describe what a typical day might look like for you?

A typical day is very busy. Normally, I’m up at 6:00am and in the studio by 7-7:30. I have massive amounts of paperwork to go through–because we generate a lot of paper work here. For me, it’s just about keeping the ship upright and running. I have a great group of people that all know their jobs. And it’s up to me to keep those people focused and going in the right direction. This ship runs very well–but it does need guidance to make things go.

SB: And how did you get involved with Criminal Minds in the first place?

I actually moved from Texas to LA, close to four years ago; did quite a bit of work for FOX; did a year on True Blood (the first year of True Blood). I bounced around from a bunch different shows–and through the contacts I have here in LA, someone suggested me as the UPM for this show. I met with the producer last May, got the call back, and now here I am.

SB: What do your friends and family think of the show?

To be perfectly honest, my friends and family love the show. Most of my family is back in Texas and I get comments and emails from them constantly. I mean, I have a niece–she’s eight years old and she wants to be one of the dead people on the show [laughs].

SB: Any favorite or most memorable episodes for you thus far?

Well, that’s a tough one because there’s always something memorable…even though I forget everything because I’m on to the next project and onto the next episode [laughs]. You know, there’s always…meeting directors like John Badham; just the different people we get to meet day-in and day-out in this industry; the actors, the directors, the people that have created this industry over the years and have built it to be what it is today. It’s always exciting to meet new people and be around the effects or the stunts or the different things that we require in the show. There’s not one thing in particular that really stands out over everything else…but combined it’s a great, great way to make a living.

SB: So far in your career, you’ve worked on several different shows, covering a range of genres. Do you prefer one over the other? Is “suspense/thriller” more fun to work on than say “drama” or “comedy?”

It’s all very different…but then, it’s all the same. What makes a show great are the people that are there on the show with you; the people that are in charge of the “mothership,” let’s say. And I have a great Executive Producer on this show. I have a great Producer. I really enjoy working with these people–and that makes it a very great place for me to work. I feel like I can do my job without being hampered by an ego or an attitude. So, it’s not whether it’s a drama or a comedy or dramedy or whatever…it’s the people I work with day-in and day-out that make my job difficult or a pleasure. And Criminal Minds is a pleasure. I have great people on this show.

SB: And how has Quixote [Studios] been treating you so far?

It’s great to be on this lot. I feel really blessed to be here–rather than being on a big lot because I get free-rein to do the things we need to do. I can go outside and sit in this parking lot without having to go through the bureaucracy of any other studio to do that. There are a lot of pluses in being here. I can talk to management really easily; I don’t have to go through a hierarchy to get there; I get things done here really quickly.

I actually knew about Quixote before getting here. I looked at Quixote as somewhere to move True Blood to (after the first season) because I like the idea of the small, independent studio rather than being on a large lot somewhere. But I knew they were busy with Criminal Minds and I couldn’t invade their space. And now, here I am. I’ve been here since June.

SB: I understand that you and Quixote have made the move to go “green” recently. You’re now using solar panels to power your trailers. How’s that working for you so far?

So far, so good. We want to get more green power. I’m very excited about the technology and utilizing the sun as a resource for power. We’ve worked diligently, Abel [Gallardo, VP at Quixote Studios] and myself, with some help from some ABC executives over there, to basically put together that end result. I’m always excited about technology when it comes to resources–and that’s a big one. I’d love to be a sort of showcase for that kind of thing in the future.

Solar Hybrid S10 – mobile solar power systems (Pure Power Distribution) now being used to help power the production of Criminal Minds. Solar power is fume-free and emission-free.

SB: And how do you think other new technology is positioning television production these days? How are things changing?

I really love the new technology. Even with as old as I am, I still love learning new things. For me, it’s always about new technology and how we can make things quicker, easier, more efficient. I love that part of it.

But on the other hand, technology does make my job a little more difficult in certain ways that most people don’t think about. Because communication is so easy these days…I’ll go to the set and I’ll see my guys texting with their kids and their wives and they’re dealing with family problems at work. Where ten years ago, they may have come to work with a problem and dealt with it when they got home–now, they get it midday. So, that’s one thing in the technology part of it, that is really affecting everybody. Our kids communicate at noon. But as far as going forward, with cameras and sound and visual effects, the things we can do now are really exciting. And I love that part.

SB: Can we talk about the new spin-off that’s been announced for Criminal Minds with Forest Whitaker?

Sure, the spin-off, which is for now “CM2” (“Criminal Minds II,” “Criminal Minds Also,” whatever we’re going to call it)…is a new team of people with completely different personalities. Our team of experts on Criminal Minds are profilers that are very…by-the-book, straight-laced, “by-the-numbers” people. The new team that we’re going to introduce is….not that. They’re going to have their own edgier personalities. They’re going to do exactly the same thing but they do it in a very different manner. We’ve been working very hard on it and it’ll be very exciting to see.

Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker stars in the new Criminal Minds spin-off

SB: And now for a little industry-perspective. What do you think of television’s trend toward “reality TV?” Are we starting to see it slow down? Is it growing? Is it not going anywhere?

I think that “reality TV” is not reality TV. For the most part, it’s scripted. And I think that it hasn’t completely run it’s course, but it’s getting close. I think that people have finally realized that this is all scripted stuff and they’re going to go back to things that are scripted and acted out with real actors. Criminal Minds is good for a reason. We have good acting, good story-telling, good photography…and I just don’t think that scripted “reality” will ever beat that.

SB: What’s does it take for someone to get into your line of work? A skill he/she should have? Some advice?

I think that the biggest thing for anyone that wants to be in this industry–is to have the desire..more than anything else. You could own all the skills in the world, but if you don’t have the desire and the excitement going into this…well, these are long, tedious hours and you have to really enjoy what you’re doing to be able to do it. I’ve seen people in this industry come and go–but the ones that have the desire to stay here, make it. And it’s not always that they’re so much better than anybody else, but they have the desire & the love to do what they do.

Quick Questions with Howard Griffith…

Last great film you saw?

Last great film I saw? See, it’s been so long that I’ve seen a movie…[pauses to think]…I went to see something with my children, which I do every year at Christmas time. It was that Christmas story with Jim Carrey [A Christmas Carol]. That’s the last thing I can remember seeing. It wasn’t great…but it was great being with my children.

Scorsese or Spielberg?

I like Scorsese films. I’ve worked with Spielberg.

So both?

Yeah.

Favorite caterer?

I have favorite chefs. Hannah [laughs]. Hannah is on our truck right now; one of the best. It’s not always the catering company, it’s the people they have working. Again, it’s the passion and the person inside of the truck. It’s not the name that’s on the side of the truck.

Best part of your job?

The best part of my job…[pause]…that’s very difficult. I enjoy what I do. I don’t want to make light of that–but the best part of my job is the feeling that I get from what I bring home to my family.

Worst part of your job?

Having to let someone go.

Favorite way to unwind?

To watch a football game; to just veg in front of the TV when I have ten minutes.

If you had to choose your last meal, what would it be?

Ahi tuna.

The few things necessary for a successful production?

Script. Talented director and DP. A good crew. With those tools you can make anything work. But it all starts with the script.

What do you wish you could cut out?

The studio [laughs] and night-work.

Finish these sentence(s).

Always…expect the unexpected.

Never…let your guard down.