Exclusive interview with 'Life as We Know It' director Greg Berlanti

Director, writer and producer Greg Berlanti was recently in Chicago to promote his upcoming romantic comedy, "Life as We Know It", starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel. Sitting comfortably in a room at the Four Seasons Hotel downtown, Berlanti shared tidbits about his years at Northwestern Illinois University, his filming experience and the lessons learned along the way.

For Berlanti, theater and writing have always been his life's passions. "I went to the Steppenwolf Theater when I was in high school to see an adaption of ‘The Grapes of Wrath' by Frank Galati," he said. "I loved it so much that I cried; it was then that I knew I wanted to make something just as beautiful."

Berlanti kept the ticket in his wallet, where it still remains today, and was inspired to study under Galati's tutelage.

"He was a professor at Northwestern, but it took me three years to finally have the courage to talk to him," said Berlanti. "So one day, I went up to him and said ‘I came to this school to study [and] write with you,' and we took a walk and talked for hours."

With the help of Galati, Berlanti adapted Moss Hart's "Act One: An Autobiography" during his senior year. The play was then read in a theater in Chicago and made its way to Los Angeles, launching Berlanti into his present day career.

His college interests besides directing, however, also involved fraternity life.

"I was on the homecoming court senior year, but since the guys at Delta Tau Delta would only mess with you if something good happened to you, they got me when they found out," said Berlanti, laughing as he recalled the memory. "I loved college—I was one of those freshmen that didn't want to be home on Thanksgiving weekend. There's just no better time to be thrust into something new and exciting."

As the creator/executive producer of the WB's series "Everwood" and co-writer of "Dawson's Creek," Berlanti became well-rounded in the teen genre. He then transitioned into more adult material like the film based on his life, "The Broken Hearts Club," about young gay friends living in West Hollywood.

Berlanti's experience in writing and film-making changed in some ways and remained constant in others.

"As the director, you're the first and last person to be on set," he said. "You're challenged with responsibilities like the time pressure element, and you have to premeditate what you're going to do. But the best part about it is that as a conductor, you translate the story for the audience, and as the writer, you're finally on set in the creative and social process."

It is with experimentation of genres that he attributes his never-ending learning process.

"I encourage people to really try as many different things as possible—the more you push yourself, the more you learn," said Berlanti. "You just have to have tenacity and love what you're doing, or else you'll give up. There are going to be a lot of setbacks, but don't listen to anyone except yourself."

Besides directing "Life As We Know It", opening on Oct. 8, Berlanti is also a co-writer and producer of "Green Lantern," which comes out next year.