Craig Berger is a talented and prolific Los Angeles-based screenwriter. His one-hour Sci-Fi thriller, "Hereditary", has the genes of a successful TV project. It also finished top of the heap in Filmmatic's Season 2 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Competition. Craig has been kind enough to give us a look into the science behind his work...
1) How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing my whole life, and tried my hand at just about everything, from short stories to novels to poems to plays to comic books, and of course features and TV. I love to tell stories and create new worlds, and I expect I’ll be doing it until my last day on Earth.
2) What formal screenwriting training have you received?
I have a Masters degree in Professional Writing from USC. I also attended the Writers Boot Camp program on a fellowship that I won, and I’m an alumnus of the Roadmap Writers “Top Tier” program. Of course I’ve also read a ton of books on screenwriting; Lew Hunter’s Screenwriting 434, Save the Cat, The Writer’s Journey, etc., etc.
3) What writing habits and routines work for you?
It often starts with one scene that I think would be cool to write. I write that scene and then I go ahead and build an outline around it, and once I have that outline I go back to pages. I’m kind of lucky and maybe kind of distinct in that I’m not really a “routine” type of writer. I get an idea in my head and just kind of sit down and bang it out whenever I get inspired. That’s probably not helpful to your readers, but I would say if you’re struggling, just commit to sitting in front of the computer for an hour each day to write. Let it be okay if you just sit there and don’t actually type anything. But don’t wait for something perfect either. Eventually the words will flow.
4) What is your day job, and how does it influence your writing & project choices?
I’m a senior copywriter for a large health marketing network. I don’t think my job really influences my dramatic writing, although it’s nice that I can keep the writing muscles sharp during the day.
5) Our judges loved "Hereditary", how would you describe the pilot to our readers?
The logline is: When a maverick young geneticist is killed in a lab explosion, the blank slate clone he has been developing in secret must join forces with his lab assistant to uncover his killer. But of course it’s a lot more than that. I think of it as what Mr. Robot did for cybertech, Hereditary will do for biotech. It’s an exploration of where science can go and whether or not we should let it take us there, but it’s also an examination of the human condition that asks the question “how much of our experiences really shape who we are and how much is hardwired into our genes?”
6) "Hereditary" has an intricate and unique premise, how did you land on the concept?
I’ve always been interested in genetics. I think it and maybe quantum physics could really unlock the secrets of our universe. As a grounded sci fi /“five minutes into the future”/near-fi writer, I’m always trying to figure out what the next technological breakthrough that will totally transform our world will be. Michael Crichton was great at this. I think it could be in genetics, and the fact that messing with genes does feel so close to “playing god” made it a fertile field for conflict and drama for me. I also very much wanted to explore the whole “nature vs nuture” debate. Is who we are determined by our environment, or are we locked into who we will become by our genes?
7) What are you working on now? What do you plan on writing in the near future?
I’d like to mostly try to stay in the grounded sci-fi/near-fi space, I think it’s pretty hot now, especially with streamers, and I’m pretty good at it. One of my latest is called “AI Law,” and it’s about a law firm that specializes in defending robots, androids, and artificial intelligences when they are accused of committing crimes.
8) Where would you like to be writing-wise, and career-wise, in 3 years?
The ultimate goal is to be a showrunner for a show that I’ve created, or really multiple shows, although that’s a bit ambitious for three years. I’ve realized I’m pretty good at this, I’ve had 3 TV pilots in the top 1% overall on Coverfly and a couple more in the top 5%. I’ve done pretty well in contests, and of course, winning Filmmatic has given me even more confidence. I’m completely convinced that with my talent and determination to succeed, I can give a producer who wants to work with me a runaway hit, either with Hereditary or another project, and I just need to overcome that initial trepidation over taking a chance on a "new" writer. I’m hoping this recent success will help with that.
9) Any advice for those about to write their first pilot or sci-fi project?
Read and watch a lot of pilots, especially sci fi ones, if that’s your genre. Think about what works and what doesn’t and what good pilots have in common. Understand the differences between writing a pilot and writing a feature and act accordingly. Too many writers think they can just take their feature and cut it in half and they’ve got a pilot, but TV writing doesn’t work that way. Give proper attention to the cold open. You’ve got to sell your idea right out of the gate and this is where you do it. Have an outline. It will save you a lot of time and aggravation. And don’t worry if your first draft isn’t perfect; just get it on the page. They call it a “vomit draft” for a reason. And have fun, of course.
Congratulations once again to screenwriter Craig Berger, our Season 2 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Awards Winner. All contact and script requests for Craig will be forwarded to his attention.