Exploring Hilarious Stories With Writer And Showrunner Dan Hernandez

Dan Hernandez is a writer-producer-showrunner whose television credits include Central Park, the Peabody-nominated One Day at a Time, The Tick, Super Fun Night, and 1600 Penn. Along with his writing partner Benji Samit, Dan recently created the Disney Channel original show Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion. They currently serve as showrunners of Hulu’s upcoming adult animated comedy Koala Man, which they developed (along with Michael Cusack) and executive produce. He is developing multiple shows under their overall with Disney Television Studios.

In Film, Dan’s credits include Pokémon Detective Pikachu, which went on to gross 433 million dollars at the box office and was the first adaptation of a video game to receive a “Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes, Addams Family 2 for MGM, Night Wolf for STX, with Kevin Hart attached to star. Dan and Benji are working on features for multiple studios, including Netflix, Disney, and Paramount, and in 2019 were spotlighted as one of Variety’s “10 Screenwriters to Watch.” Dan Hernandez sat down with Forbes to chat more about storytelling, his career and the future.

Goldie Chan: Hello Dan, could you tell us what has your career path been?

Dan Hernandez: My career path began when my writing partner Benji Samit and I met at Brown University. We mostly worked in the theatre department, but we began writing together during our senior year…and never stopped. At first, it was slow going, but as our work began to garner attention, we came closer and closer to landing that elusive first big writing job.

In 2012, we were fortunate enough to be invited to the pilot punch up of the show 1600 Penn. We made a great impression, and we ended up being offered our first staff gig. It was an amazing experience, and it was a perfect environment to really learn the ropes of television writing. From there, we worked on Super Fun Night with Rebel Wilson, and eventually found a home at One Day at a Time, along with stops along the way on The Tick and Central Park. We have been fortunate to work in many different styles of television, including single-cam, multi-cam, and animation. Each experience has been special and influenced our subsequent work. Recently, we developed the adult animated comedy Koala Man for Hulu along with its creator and star Michael Cusack, which debuts next year.

Simultaneously, we pursued movie writing. Many people, understandably, pursue either television writing or movie writing, but Benji and I always felt it was important for us to try our hand at both. By a bizarre series of Hollywood circumstances, we found ourselves with the opportunity to write Pokémon Detective Pikachu, starring Ryan Reynolds. Writing that movie changed everything for us, opening doors in the movie world that led to us writing Addams Family 2 and many other projects that will be announced soon.

Chan: And from that long-winding and diverse path, what has been your favorite project that you’ve worked on?

Hernandez: My favorite project in television has been Koala Man. It is the first time I’ve been able to operate as a showrunner and shape the show from top to bottom. It’s the most exciting and exhausting opportunity I’ve ever been given, and every day is a pleasure and every day is torture… showrunner life in a nutshell.

My favorite project in movies has been Pokémon Detective Pikachu. As a certified geek, getting to write the biggest franchise in the world as it made its live action debut with one of the biggest movie stars in the world was the stuff dreams are made of. In addition, being able to weigh in on which Pokémon appeared in the movie was a thrill, and I feel it was my little contribution to the greater nerd culture.

Chan: As you’re telling so many stories - what is a story that you’ve been inspired by?

Hernandez: I think The Producers is the greatest work of written comedy. I had the incredible good luck to meet Mel Brooks thanks to my close friend Josh Gad, and I told Mel exactly that. He looked at me and said, “You’re right! It’s the best! The best story! The best characters! It’s terrific!” It was the greatest moment of my life…and he’s right.

Chan: How has your personal background shaped your current creative projects?

Hernandez: I am a Jewban, a Jewish Cuban, from South Florida, so growing up, my community was a pastiche of Latino culture, Jewish culture, and trashy Florida culture (which I say affectionately… kind of… ). I have always felt between worlds, and yet, thoroughly myself. Everything I write goes through the prism of home. My parents are both active in the arts. That made pursuing an uncertain life in one of the most difficult industries to break into more realistic for me, as they understood exactly the impulse to go after a dream.

I am attracted to stories about dreamers, about diamonds in the rough, about people who shouldn’t pursue their passions but do it anyway.

Chan: What projects are you currently working on?

Hernandez: I am currently working on Koala Man, an adult-animated comedy for Hulu. Benji and I developed the show with its creator and star, Michael Cusack, and the three of us have been working so hard to bring it to the world. The first episode is debuting at New York Comic-Con, and we cannot wait for the world to see what we’ve been cooking up. The show stars Michael Cusack, Hugh Jackman, Sarah Snook, and Demi Lardner, along with some other special guests who will be announced soon.

In film, I am currently working on a movie about the Disney character Figment, along with a variety of other projects that I will get in trouble for talking about.

Chan: What would you say is your favorite part of working on TV or films?

Hernandez: My favorite part of working on TV and films is battling against a blank page. Some writers loathe a blank page, but I’ve always been excited by the act of turning nothing into something. The fact that writing for the screen is not just an academic exercise, or an exercise purely of the imagination, but also a practical undertaking makes it even more exciting. The outrageous things you come up with to make yourself laugh, sometimes that’s what ends up on the screen in front of millions of people.

Chan: And based on that, what is the most important element to a great story?

Hernandez: The most important element of a great story is a beating heart. People remember hilarious lines or shocking moments, but the stories that hook into universal human experience, stories that fill us up or bring us low with honesty, those are the stories that live on. Of course, for a comedy writer, it helps to throw in a few chuckles along the way.

Chan: Any last branding or career advice for writers?

Hernandez: My advice for writers trying to break into the industry and define themselves is to find the balance between being their authentic selves on places like Twitter but also remembering social media is a fickle beast. I have definitely noticed new writers on Twitter, and usually it’s because they are hilarious or make well-observed points. I also notice the aspiring (and sometimes professional!) writers who complain constantly, who lament not getting the jobs they want, and who take shots at other people doing the job they want to someday have. I am all for people being honest (I have definitely fallen into the trap of being bitter on main), and I always regret it.

There’s nothing easy about pursuing screenwriting. It’s brutally hard. Platitudes like “just keep going!” and “keep writing!” from people who already have established careers can be annoying. I get it. And maybe there is a moment where some people should NOT keep going, where they SHOULD stop writing! Unfortunately, everyone has to find that out for themselves. But for those of us with the writing bug, those who simply cannot stop, the worn and weary pieces of advice remain true. Write something to make yourself laugh. Write something to make yourself cry. Create something new because it doesn’t exist and it deserves to be real.