Criminal Minds fans… this one’s for you! Recently, Shorebread had the privilege of catching up with hometown superstar, Erica Messer, an American television writer, producer and story editor. Messer has written episodes for television series such as Alias, The O.C., Charmed and currently, the ever-popular CBS show, Criminal Minds.
Erica’s hometown is our very own Ocean City, Maryland. After high school (Messer attended Stephen Decatur), she decided to stay close to home and received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from Salisbury University. “I thought I was going to be writing for news magazines because I really enjoyed my documentary film classes at Salisbury University,” said Messer. “Moving to Los Angeles instead of New York gave me more opportunities to pursue scripted film.”
Messer has been in LA for a decade and our first question to her was, What do you miss most about home? “Of course I miss family and friends most of all, there were times when I first moved to LA where I would crave certain restaurants but now its narrowed down to missing the fresh seafood,” said Messer. “Mainly all things Maryland crab!” We can certainly relate, moving away from our beloved hometown would definitely result in a serious seafood withdrawal.
Messer always wanted to be a writer- from a young age she would write books and looked for inherent drama whenever she could. “I’ve simply hit the jackpot, it’s hard to single out the best part of Criminal Minds, but I’d have to say it’s the relationships I’ve made with every single person on this series,” said Messer. She explained that when people are on set, they don’t realize how much goes on behind the scenes, which makes for big surprises every time there is a visitor. “It’s seeing behind the curtain, it takes a bit of the magic away once you see our jet isn’t actually real,” said Messer. “But I think people enjoy seeing how it’s made and are always surprised how many times we shoot one scene. We have to do it from different angles so you can see all of the actors in the scene, In order to do that, we probably shoot it 30 times!”
One thing we know from binge watching an insane amount of episodes, is that the show is really, really creepy. We couldn’t imagine having to transition from the “real life of the show” to actual real life. “At first, I took it home. And still do, in some ways. But it doesn’t bother me as much now, it’s like a medical student who doesn’t see the blood anymore,” said Messer. “The psychology of these criminals fascinates me and if I keep it clinical, I’m okay.” In addition to the seriously scary nature on the show, we imagined the set being a very serious, solemn place. “There’s a lot of laughter and happiness even though we write one of the darkest shows on television.” Which proves that bringing humor to the set makes for a successful, long standing show. After being on the same set for 10 years, Messer has developed a routine that makes for a packed work day.
A day in the life:
“I’m in the office by 9AM, may talk to the studio and network executives about scripts, cuts, ratings, it could be anything. These execs are huge supporters of the show and act as the liaisons between us and the studio/network. Then there’s a writers meeting around 10AM where we may be giving notes on an outline or script. We could be breaking an episode or watching a director’s cut. If production is here, I’ll visit the set check on the cast and crew. When I’m on a deadline, every free minute is spent writing. There are also production meetings and issues that come up every hour so that takes some focus, really allowing the writing portion of the day to come when it’s quiet, around 6PM. I try to leave the office around 7PM, and if I’m lucky, earlier. A typical Monday for the crew is 7AM to 7PM. It takes 8 working days to shoot one episode of Criminal Minds.” And with a family, and obviously other obligations, Messer is busy from sun up to sun down, making the long work days’ worth it because of her love for the show and her peers who work alongside her.
Of course we had to ask her if the Eastern Shore impacted any story lines, as we hold pride in our haunted forests, dark roads and moonlit beaches…the answer is, YES. “There are a lot of rural pockets that I think of when having to write a creepy scene at night on a dirt road, I’ll remember the times we all used to search for places like that to scare ourselves!” said Messer. “And in every script I’ll write, I’ll give a shout-out to all of the viewers at home who hear a familiar location or name, that’s my hello and thanks to everyone back east who’s still watching the show.”
Being in the biz for the amount of time Messer has gives her many learning opportunities, including lots of advice for up and coming aspiring writers or actors. “If you want to be in the arts, you MUST practice it every chance you get,” beamed Messer. “If you want to be a writer, then write. All the time. Actor? Look for local playhouses where you can practice that craft. It’s like any other fine art- painters paint. Writers need to write.” Take it from someone who has written on popular TV shows, and is still practicing the trade, each and every day.
So what’s new on the horizon for this talented Eastern Shore native? “Always writing and creating my own things because like I said, writers have to write! But I am beyond fortunate to have remained on this series for ten years and hope it goes ten more!”
