‘Code 3’: A love letter to fire and EMS

“Code 3” — the action-comedy centered on a paramedic’s life in crisis — hits select theaters this week, and co-writer Patrick Pianezza joins Better Every Shift to detail the behind-the-scenes movie magic that transformed his real-life EMS experiences into an independent film starring Rainn Wilson, Lil Rel Howery and Aimee Carrero. Pianezza, who also served as a volunteer firefighter, shares his process capturing both the pressures and the humanity of EMS work — all wrapped in some seriously dark humor — plus all this:

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The scene he loves that didn’t make the movie

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The “Usual Suspects” moment that shifted the tone

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His push to “go darker” with the humor

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The medical scene they had to get right — his moviemaking “hill to die on”

Read more about Code 3: Why ‘Code 3’ might be the most honest EMS film yet (ems1.com/entertainment/why-code-3-might-be-the…)

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore (go.lexipol.com/?target=lnk_gJwUyLzy5fzELcZZ). Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore (go.lexipol.com/?target=lnk_gJwUyLzy5fzELcZZ).

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