The Town with Matthew Belloni The Life of a ‘White Lotus’ Producer, and the ‘Jury Duty’ Sequel Revealed
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Jan 29, 2026 
Dave Bernad, a TV and film producer behind The White Lotus and Jury Duty who rose from assistant to production partner. He pulls back the curtain on how The White Lotus is made, the logistics and ethical challenges of hidden-camera comedy, the hectic season-four shoot in France, and why modern producers must hustle and self-generate ideas.
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Commit Fully Or Don’t Start Producing
- If you want to be a producer, commit fully and passionately to it or choose another career.
- Invest time in entry roles (mailroom/assistant) to learn the business and build relationships.
From Assistant To Producing Partner
- Dave Bernad described starting as Mike White's assistant and later becoming his producing partner.
- He even filmed a matching-jumpsuit Amazing Race video with Mike and got recast in the process.
Leverage Long Relationships For Better Deals
- Dave built a unique producing deal spanning HBO and H24 with first- and second-look elements.
- Long creative relationships (like 15 years with HBO execs) enabled that rare arrangement.