Growing up, Jason Reitman found solace in sketch comedy. For the Montreal native, 害羞草研究所淪aturday Night Live害羞草研究所� was more than just a show 害羞草研究所� it was a sanctuary for misfits like himself.

害羞草研究所淎s a comedy nerd, you always kind of feel like an outsider. You don害羞草研究所檛 feel like a cool kid. I just remember watching 害羞草研究所楽NL害羞草研究所� for the first time and thinking, 害羞草研究所楾hey do this every week?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克�� There was going to be something to talk about at school every Monday morning,害羞草研究所� the Canadian-American writer-director recalled at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month.

害羞草研究所淚n the same way that 害羞草研究所楽NL害羞草研究所� is like an orphanage for wayward comedians, the show itself collects all the comedy nerds who feel like outsiders because it is not only making you laugh, but teaching you what can be funny on a weekly basis.害羞草研究所�

After releasing his breakout dramedy 害羞草研究所淛uno害羞草研究所� in 2007, Reitman told his agent that one of his dreams was to write for 害羞草研究所淪NL.害羞草研究所� He got his chance that year with a weeklong writing stint on the show.

害羞草研究所淭hose minutes and seconds leading to it going live are like the Stanley Cup and the Super Bowl all rolled into one. The adrenalin of it is insane,害羞草研究所� he said.

Reitman aimed to capture that turbocharged energy in 害羞草研究所淪aturday Night,害羞草研究所� a dramatization of the shambolic 90 minutes leading up to the sketch-comedy institution害羞草研究所檚 very first episode in 1975. The film opens in Toronto on Friday, followed by a wide release on Oct. 11 害羞草研究所� exactly 49 years to the day the show debuted on NBC.

Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 Gabriel LaBelle stars as an overwhelmed Lorne Michaels, the show害羞草研究所檚 Canadian architect who faces myriad hurdles while guiding a troupe of untrained and untested comedians and writers. The cast includes Dylan O害羞草研究所橞rien as Dan Aykroyd, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase and Nicholas Braun as both Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson.

害羞草研究所淚 wanted the audience to feel not only what it was like for an episode to go live, but what is it like when culture changes in a moment?害羞草研究所� said Reitman.

Reitman said his famous father Ivan, who made several films with 害羞草研究所淪NL害羞草研究所� alums including John Belushi and Bill Murray, ran in the same circles as Canadian actors Aykroyd and Valri Bromfield, as well as musicians Howard Shore and Paul Shaffer, who were all involved in the early days of the show.

Despite whatever second-hand stories he might have absorbed growing up, Reitman said he went to painstaking lengths to ensure every detail in his film was accurate. He and writing partner Gil Kenan interviewed 害羞草研究所渆very living person we could find who was in the building that night.害羞草研究所�

Reitman said the many obstacles Michaels and his crew encounter in the film 害羞草研究所� from John Belushi refusing to sign his contract to Milton Berle exposing himself 害羞草研究所� are all based on true stories.

However, when Reitman interviewed Michaels himself, the Toronto native didn害羞草研究所檛 mention any personal anxiety about that debut show.

害羞草研究所淟orne doesn害羞草研究所檛 communicate stress. Lorne is a river of cool and he also doesn害羞草研究所檛 like to look in the rearview mirror,害羞草研究所� he said.

Reitman said the most intriguing insight he learned was that Michaels was initially slated to host 害羞草研究所淲eekend Update,害羞草研究所� the iconic segment known for its satirical take on current events and news.

害羞草研究所淚 think this was a moment when he had to realize, 害羞草研究所業害羞草研究所檓 not the performer, I害羞草研究所檓 the producer, I害羞草研究所檓 dad. I害羞草研究所檓 not supposed to be on camera. I害羞草研究所檓 the person who害羞草研究所檚 going to make it possible for all these great comedians to have a career,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 said Reitman.

He believes part of Michaels害羞草研究所� success can be attributed to both his outsider害羞草研究所檚 lens as a Canadian and his ability to recognize 害羞草研究所渙verlooked talent.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淗e was able to look at someone like John Belushi, who didn害羞草研究所檛 look like anybody on television, or Dan Aykroyd, who didn害羞草研究所檛 sound like anyone on television, and know that they were stars. And that害羞草研究所檚 continued through to Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell,害羞草研究所� said Reitman.

害羞草研究所淟orne has constantly been able to evolve and understand, 害羞草研究所榃hat is the next stage of comedy? Where are we going from an evolutionary standpoint?害羞草研究所� He害羞草研究所檚 done that for 50 years and I have to think that some of that has to do with his origin story of being from Toronto and having that Canadian perspective of the world.害羞草研究所�

As for Michaels害羞草研究所� view on 害羞草研究所淪aturday Night害羞草研究所�?

害羞草研究所淟orne害羞草研究所檚 a private guy, but I害羞草研究所檒l say that a couple weeks ago, I got a lovely congratulatory note from him,害羞草研究所� said Reitman.