Creator of ‘This Is Us’ Virtually Visits Directing Class

Dan Fogelman, famed screenwriter, director and producer, answers graduate students’ questions about filmmaking and writing

Dan Fogelman, creator of the popular NBC TV series This Is Us, virtually visited a Sacred Heart University film and television master’s program (FTMA) class recently.

Professor Todd Barnes invited the producer, screenwriter and director to the directing class and was thrilled when Fogelman agreed to join. Besides This Is Us, Fogelman has written the screenplays for movies such as Tangled, Cars, Fred Claus and Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Fogelman candidly answered students’ questions during the evening class, provided film and television industry advice and shared personal stories about getting started in show business. He related that he did not go to film school, and he felt insecure when he started out because he didn’t have the tools or knowledge that an education would have provided him. At times, he felt unprepared when speaking with peers, he said. “Having an education is really important,” he told students, adding that they should be prepared if they want a show-business career and know the theory and execution behind film.

“When our students get to interact with people like Dan, who have been at the pinnacle of the profession for so long, I hope it helps them dream,” Barnes said. “Dan was down-to-earth and open with inside stories and advice, from how a writer gets a Disney film (Cars) to how to create a five-season arc (This Is Us).”

In preparation for Fogelman’s visit, Barnes asked his students to watch the 2018 movie Life Itself, which Fogelman wrote and directed. It features movie stars Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde.

“We were able to ask him about his directing style, moment-to-moment choices, what Antonio Banderas is like. Was Annette Bening intense? Did Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde improvise much?” Barnes said. “It was cool and educational. He wrote me an email afterward commending our ‘lovely bunch of students.’”

Fogelman told students he is not a director by trade. “I’m more of a writer who fell into directing,” he said as he started discussing Life Itself. As director, he explained, his job was to make the actors feel as comfortable as possible and discuss specifics on what was going to happen on set.

Students asked about the structure of the movie’s story and how it all came together. He told the class he was always fascinated by people who experience tragedy. His script changed a lot, and he was proud of breaking the rules and not writing the typical outcome seen in a drama or romance film.

During the film’s test screenings, Fogelman realized his movie challenged a lot of people due to its serious nature. He adjusted the script and added a type of chapter structure or division to give the audience a break. “I needed something to help the audience take a breath,” he said.

As conversation moved on from Life Itself, students asked how he landed the writing gig for Pixar’s Cars. “This was my first feature,” he explained. He had never written a screenplay before, but Pixar called him and offered him a two-week contract, which just kept getting extended.

Another student recognized a theme in Fogelman’s work: family dynamics. Fogelman said he tends to “live” in family-based stories. This Is Us started out as a film script, he said—something he put away but always picked up again. He realized the story he had written was not right for a movie; because it couldn’t fit into just two hours. But as a TV show, the audience would be fully invested in the characters’ lives.

“Dan's visit to our directing class gave me much insight into what it's like to get your foot in the door,” said Jasmine Bowman, 23, of District Heights, MD, who will graduate in August from SHU’s FTMA program. “It was an honor that Dan took time out of his busy schedule to come to speak to aspiring filmmakers.”

Mike Galeotti ’18, of Chester, agreed with Bowman. “Hearing Dan’s story about how he got started as a writer and filmmaker gave the class a sense of realism. It really is possible to make it if you work hard at it,” said Galeotti, 24, who will also graduate in August from the FTMA program. “Dan gave informative breakdowns on his writing process, explaining how a layered narrative can create an engaging script.”

Galeotti added that it’s always great speaking with successful filmmakers. “The FTMA program does a good job at bringing in guest speakers to share their knowledge and experiences with us,” he said. “It’s motivational, informative and inspiring.”