Greg Berlanti on Showrunner Legacy and Raising Diverse Storytellers

It is almost impossible to turn on the TV and not watch at least one broadcast of Greg Berlanti’s shows. In fact, over the past few years, Berlanti Productions has put up to 20 shows on the air simultaneously – a record for a producer and creator. So, it’s no wonder he will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on May 23. However, he had never imagined this kind of success.

After growing up in rural New York, he attended Northwestern University and considered a career in theater, but he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. “I knew I loved telling stories. In college, I soon realized I wasn’t a tenth of an actor like some of my compatriots. I’ve always had a great deal of admiration for actors because I knew I couldn’t do it,” he said. diverse. “I’ve always loved television, but it’s more retro where you look back and go, ‘Okay, that makes sense. “

He graduated from college in 1994 and four years later got his first job in Hollywood, at the age of 26, working in the “Dawson’s Creek” writers’ room for Kevin Williamson.

It wasn’t until my first day that I walked into the writers’ room—and called everyone I could at the end of that day. It was at Dawson’s Creek. In my first year of ‘Dawson’s,’ I hardly said anything in the room, and if I was to say anything , I called Julie Blake the night before, like, “That’s what I think I’m going to say tomorrow,” Berlante recalls. “I remember going into the writers room and then, going into my office and thinking, this is really a combination of all the things that I love about this job. It has to be part of the writing and the production of things and the editing and the story. There was just the excitement of that I thought,” Wow. This really feels like it goes perfectly with all the things I love.”

That day was nearly half his age. Berlanti, who turned 50 a day after the Walk of Fame, has gone on to become one of the most successful companies in the business — and he’s been doing what he loves. He was named the supermodel—the youngest ever at 27—when Williamson exited Dawson Creek. While in charge of the WB series, Berlanti broke boundaries with his storytelling, broadcasting his first passionate same-sex kiss on network television at the end of 2003. Upon showing the story, he received opposition and threatened to quit. In the end, he stayed and was given the go-ahead for a moment of change of scenery that sparked conversations across the country.

More than two decades later, he continues to do so.

As a writer, director, and producer, Berlanti’s biggest goal is to tell the stories he loves and to work with others who want to tell theirs. In 2000, he founded production company Berlanti Productions, and began doing projects including (but not limited to) “Everwood”, “Jack & Bobby”, “Brothers & Sisters”, “Arrow”, “Supergirl” and “Black Lightning” and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Some of his top shows – “The Flash”, “Legends of Tomorrow”, “Riverdale”, “All American”, “You”, “Batwoman”, “Doom Patrol” and “The Flight Attendant”, to name a few – are not They are still on the air.

“A large part of my early career was related to being able to tell the truth and speak up for who I am and about my personal experience, and because that has motivated me to do better, it has always been a thing for me – giving people the opportunity that may not look like me or may not have my background, Or it might not be my gender or whatever, but I have stories to tell,” says Berlanti, who came out gay to his family in 1996.

It wasn’t always easy. In fact, he had to fight for stories about gender, race, class, and gender to get the spotlight they deserved.

“I know if you click, that’s where the audience is always grateful. It ended up looking and feeling like their world, and it’s not just a bubble, but very diverse and filled with all kinds of different stories,” he says. You have to remain committed to fighting for them. Usually, you find one defender in the studio or network who really believes in him and helps you carry him through the end zone.”

One of those instances was with CW’s “All American.” Most networks passed on the show, which tells the story of a black star football player from Crenshaw who is recruited to Beverly Hills High for an even greater opportunity. The comments Berlanti received were that it looked like “90210”, but with black lead. Finally, the CW met him. It was the only network that bought the chain.

“The first year the CW came out in 2018, it wasn’t as good as we all wanted it to be. It took going on Netflix to explode and grow and I think now it’s their premiere now,” he says. “For me, it was about telling a point of view that I felt wasn’t on TV, but when I watch it, it still feels like early ‘Dawson’ or ‘Everwood’ episodes.”

He says that the relationship Berlanti has formed with The CW is a big reason for his success, noting that CEO Mark Bedowitz has been a huge mentor to him and a supporter of the many genres he’s worked in – from family dramas to a massive amount of superheroes. He hits.

“Greg is the true embodiment of integrity,” says Bedowitz, who first met Berlanti during his days at ABC Studios. “When it comes to my working relationship with Greg, I’m proud to say we’ve always had an incredibly transparent and direct dialogue, back and forth. Even if there were times when we might not get along, we’ve always found ways to move forward together.”

Bedowitz also summed up their relationship in an anecdote, telling the story of the first year of “Arrow,” during which he asked Berlanti if he’d like to do a movie about The Flash.

He laughed and said, ‘I was about to show you that. “He told me The Flash was a character he always embraced as a child, and I told him I felt the same way,” Bedowitz recalls. “We set out to bring this common childhood hero back to life, and now, we’re heading into Season 9 of The Flash.”

Plec, who met Berlante while they were both in the theater department of Northwestern, has always been known for his impressive work ethic.

“When we grew up in this business, before he had kids, Greg would rise by 6 a.m. so he could spend his mornings reading or writing for pleasure — biographies, history books, memoirs,” she says. “He would write or write new original material. Then he would go to work for a full day as a budding tycoon. Meanwhile, I would sleep until 9:30 am because I stayed up too late and responded on Twitter.”

Since his inception in the industry, Berlanti has been excited to be a part of every step of the project. “You follow something from the beginning of the story all the way until the audience absorbs it, and next week you do it again,” he says. Now, as he takes on an executive role, he finds this thrill in helping others.

“I work with a lot of people who haven’t done this before, I think because I kind of experienced it so deeply through them. You get better at identifying who has the same passion that you had,” he says. “I think to them it feels like an unfair trade, like, ‘Oh, my God, your company does so much for us. But really, that’s the other way. We get a lot of people very motivated to do it. We remind ourselves every day, we can really change someone’s life every day — an actor, writer, producer. You can offer someone a possibility or an opportunity that will That changed his life and I wasn’t in that position early on. My life was changing. So now it’s rewarding on a whole other level.”

Those around him can feel their lives change too.

“Greg loves the industry. He loves telling stories and he loves entertaining the audience. If you love what you do, you can actually manipulate more than you thought you could handle, because passion drives you through the moments you thought you might not get done,” he says. Blake, with whom Berlanti has been close both personally and professionally for the past twenty years. “Plus, he’s cleverly partnered with the likes of Sarah Schechter, who may be the only person on earth who works harder than he does.”

Schechter, who first worked with Berlanti in 2010’s “Life as We Know It,” became president of Berlanti Productions in 2014. Six years later, she was promoted to partner and president. “He was always so sweet and encouraging,” she says. diverse. “When I was ready to take the leap and follow my dreams there was no one better to work with. Greg is so talented. Unstoppable. He really cares about people and wants everyone to have a great experience. He also cares so much about the business and wants to put good things in the world that will To touch people emotionally and inspire them.”

So, what’s the secret to maintaining such a busy and non-stop schedule? It’s simple: to love what you do.

“It’s really about solving the problem right in front of you and standing up for the things you are passionate about and believe in,” she says. “The trick is not to look at how much more needs to be done, but to start doing it. He also works with talented and good people and connects arms to try to tell worthwhile stories that can have an emotional impact. He is driven by a creative passion, and as he continues to work, he continues Finding pleasure in helping other writers achieve their dreams. It speaks to his generosity that he continues to work hard as he does. He has invested deeply in other writers as well as stories he still wants to tell in person. Nothing makes him happier than a whiteboard and a story to break or A release room to hide in.”

Berlanti can only agree with one part of that: it’s all about the people involved. “I don’t think about all the shows and all the stuff involved there. I just think about the people who are passionate about telling stories that day,” he says of the balancing act. “When I think about just the people I’m going to deal with, it kind of keeps me motivated and going.”

Together, the duo supported each other in many TV shows and movies.

“We are both fighters in our own way, so I think we connected more to projects we shared belief in that took the most time to complete and find the right homes like ‘Riverdale’, ‘You’ and ‘My Policeeman’,” Schecter says. “The best projects often have moments when there’s no momentum behind them. There are days when I feel like Greg and I’m the only one who sees what something could be. But honestly, that’s all I want to know: We’re on the right track.”

She notes that “there is real magic” when a couple is able to release something they truly believe in together. “There is no one in this whole world who would rather push that proverbial rock up the hill. I am also smart enough to start working when Greg sees value in an idea or project. I am not a puppet. There is a great sense of satisfaction when a project finds its audience and fans. Finally, but for me, Greg is the only audience I need.” It has also been seen and has been a part of massive change in the industry over the past two decades, including on the leadership side.

In 2021, Channing Dungey took over as Chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group from Peter Roth – and immediately saw Berlanti stay in power.

“I am so happy for Greg. He is not only a highly respected writer, producer and director, but he is also an incredibly thoughtful and compassionate human being.” “He has opened tracks and opened doors for so many with his innovative and exceptional work – it is almost impossible to fully understand the impact he has had on this industry. I am so excited that he has received such well-deserved recognition.”

After so much success, he’s just getting started — and continues to do the thing he says to anyone when he asks for advice: “Focus on the kinds of stories you want to tell, what you’re passionate about, where your heart is, and then line up with the right people. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. “.