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How Jim Popped the Question

Long-awaited Office proposal cost big bucks and required huge rain machines

By Laurel Jorgensen, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 26, 2008 7:12 PM CDT

(Newser) – Jim’s proposal to Pam at a gas station rest stop may have looked spur-of-the-moment, but a top creative on The Office says it took weeks of planning and high-tech special effects. To create the 52-second scene, the production team built a replica of a rest stop on Merritt Parkway and brought in huge rain machines—for a whopping $250,000 shot, executive producer Greg Daniels tells the Washington Post.

"But it's also sort of the highlight of five years of storytelling," said Daniels, who wanted the scene to feel “like Edward Hopper’s painting in a diner, very dark and dramatic.” He considered removing the dialogue but made a last-minute call to leave it in. “It was kind of artier to remove their voices,” Daniels said, “but I felt like after this length of time, you deserve to see what was going on and hear it.”

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

Jim (John Krasinski) finally proposed to Pam (Jenna Fischer) on the season premiere of "The Office" after years of will-they-or-won't-they angst for viewers. (AP Photo/NBC)

Actors Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski attend the NBC Upfronts at Radio City Music Hall on May 14, 2007 in New York City. (Getty Images)

John Krasinski arrives at the premiere of Dreamworks Pictures' 'Tropic Thunder' at the Mann Village Theater on August 11, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images)

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It ended up costing twice as much. It was, like, a $250,000 shot or something. It's the most expensive and elaborate shot we've ever done, but it's also sort of the highlight of five years of storytelling.
- Executive producer Greg Daniels

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How Jim Popped the Question