Debbie Allen directs Grey's, Scandal and Murder
2,409 views · Published 4 December 2014 · 3:21 · Indexed 21 October 2026
Channel: FOX 5 New York · 2014 · News & Politics
Debbie Allen has danced, sang, written, produced and directed major hits from the small screen to the big, from off-Broadway to the Great White Way. Allen is as in-demand as ever. She dished with Good Day New York on Thursday about what it's like to be behind the lens of three of TV's biggest shows: Grey's Anatomy, Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder. "I direct the triple crown! That ShondaLand (the production company of creator Shonda Rhimes) world is amazing," said Allen. As the director, Allen is the "captain of the ship." "My job is to get it on film and to cinematically take the audience on that journey. If it's a moment of joy; if it's a moment of terror. My job is to capture it on film. The biggest job for me is to work with the crew. I have the best crews on all three shows," said Allen. The challenges any TV director has is time. Most casts and crew have little of it before the cameras start rolling. "We have 10 minutes and then I'm calling action," said Allen. Scandal, one of the biggest hits on TV, is one of Allen's favorite shows to watch at home. "I don't know what I'm going to do with myself on Thursdays. It has so much drama and heart. It's what we need. You don't know where it's going to go. We go to the table read and we find out what's going to happen in the story. It's all on lock-down," said Allen. In one of her latest projects, Allen who directs and stars in The Hot Chocolate Nutcraker, shares the stage with actress Raven Simone. “It's like the three stooges took over the Nutcracker. We took it and made it musically more contemporary and culturally a little more diverse. Raven Simone is a dream come true," said Allen. Catch the new take on the holiday classic on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. on BET.
