Alison Rich: “Comedy Hits Harder When It’s Rooted in Emotional Truth”

When we’re laughing, it’s usually either with somebody or at somebody. Alison Rich, the writer, director, and actor known for her work on ABC's The Goldbergs, SNL, and a number of short films debuting at Sundance and SXSW, has a knack for finding the empathy in comedy.

There’s something profoundly human about her characters and the way they confront their own vulnerabilities - be they a compulsive need to impress our colleagues, or anxiety over how we come across on a first date. As a result, we feel like we’re laughing right alongside the characters in Alison’s work no matter how far-fetched their predicaments. Most recently, this dynamic played out in Pathological, a short which premiered at Sundance 2024 and tells the story of someone who tells tall tales in a bid to seem more interesting to her peers. 

A writer, director, and an actor, Alison has built up a unique perspective on comedic storytelling. To find out more about how she balances those disciplines, and how they help her create characters audiences can truly connect with, LBB’s Adam Bennett spoke with Alison… 

LBB> Alison, you’re a writer, a director, and an actor. Do you feel that your experience in each of those skillsets makes you better in the others - and how does that work, if so? 

Alison> I absolutely think my experience as a writer, director, and actor has helped me grow in each of those individual skill sets. Here are a few examples: once I started directing, I noticed my writing became way more visual because I had a much greater appreciation for the fact that the point of the words I was writing was not for them to be read. Rather, it was for them to be brought to life on screen. 

Secondly, my history as an actor helps me a ton as a director because I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of direction. That knowledge massively informs how I give direction to actors. 

And then my writing has affected my acting because now when I'm acting someone else's words, I try to be as word perfect as possible and I think about what my character's contribution is to the story at large. I've had the experience of writing something and seeing an actor either butcher the lines or miss the intention of the scene, and it can be a real bummer. So I never take a writer's work lightly.

LBB> Are there any challenges that come with the ability to wear those three hats? For example, is it possible to find yourself thinking ‘too much’ like a writer when you’re in the director’s chair? 

Alison> For the most part I think wearing all three hats is only positive. At the end of the day, each of those roles is part of the storytelling process, so the more skilled I am at any individual role, the better I'll be able to tell the story. The only time it's a struggle is when I'm acting and directing at the same time because those roles require two different mindsets, and it can be hard to switch between, but I've learned a ton of workarounds like using stand-ins and having playback. 

LBB> So what’s the secret to getting the best possible performance out of an actor? 

Alison> I think making the actor feel confident no matter what you think of their performance is huge. If they feel like they're disappointing you or failing the scene, they're just not going to be in a good headspace to take direction and try something new. So I always start from a place of positivity. Then when it comes to the actual direction I give, I always phrase my feedback in very actionable terms, or I offer the subtext I think the scene or line is calling for. I try to give notes that get at the heart of what I'm looking for, without micromanaging the performance. 

LBB> Congratulations on Pathological premiering at Sundance this year! The film riffs on the idea of compulsively lying. Having gone through the experience of making that short, would you say there are any genuine benefits to lying? 

Alison> For the most part, no. Lying isn't a good idea. But of course we live in a complex world, so sometimes white lies where your intention is to protect someone's feelings are necessary. 

LBB> In Pathological and a lot of your other work, there’s a relatability in the comedy which sort of connects to the most tragic and vulnerable aspects of ourselves. Is that a theme you explore on purpose? 

Alison> I definitely write and create from a place of vulnerability and relatability. You need an emotional core to sustain a piece, whether we're talking about a 30-second spot or a full feature. Comedy just hits so much harder when it's rooted in emotional truth.

LBB> Is that what makes tragedy and comedy so compatible? 

Alison> I think tragedy and comedy are basically cousins and their biological link - to really force the metaphor here - is truth. Tragic ideas and comic ideas are generally telling the truth. They just go about it with different tones.

LBB> Your work for the PGA makes for an impassioned tribute to the importance of producers. Are there any examples from your own work where a producer has been able to pull some kind of rabbit out of a hat which inspired you for this ad? 

Alison> Oh my gosh, too many to name. For me, a producer is really my rock both logistically and emotionally during a project. For Pathological, my executive producer Avtar Kay at Imposter helped so much, particularly when it came to working with our small budget. For instance she got us this amazing office space for free, where we ended up shooting all of our major office scenes, which was a huge win. I never would have been able to land such a gorgeous location without her help. 

My producer Ingrid Haas was my right hand man on set, especially when it came to locking in mine and the other actor’s performances. And my producer Bridgett Greenberg took care of so many logistical issues from insurance, to SAG, to crew. 

LBB> Thinking about ads more broadly, is there any kind of project you’d especially like to sink your teeth into in the near future? And have you seen any ads recently which made you think “damn, I wish I’d made that”?  

Alison> I’m definitely interested in making ads for products geared towards women. I think we take for granted how much advertising affects us as a culture, and subliminally tells us what our lives should look like. So to have the opportunity to make a spot for products geared at women where I can make sure women are portrayed in a positive and dimensional way feels really in line with the type of work I want to do in general.  

In terms of ads I’ve seen recently, there’s this new Wayfair Campaign that my friends Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe made that I really enjoyed. Their work is always really imaginative, funny, and visually captivating.

LBB> Finally, what does the future hold? Is there anything coming up on the near-horizon which readers should look out for? 

Alison> I've got a lot of irons in the fire, but what I'm most excited about is turning Pathological into a feature! Readers can also see the Pathological short film as part of the Sundance Shorts tour.