About
"If things aren’t happening for you, you need to make stuff happen for yourself. You need to find a way to be—lack of a better word—special. Right? What makes you special as a creative? …Today, with tools like social media and AI, you can make things yourself. Whether you’re pro-AI or not, the idea of having these resources suddenly expands the story-world... as a creative, I think the opportunities are probably greater than they’ve ever been. You just have to have the right mindset."
In his nearly four-and-a-half-hour interview, Bernie Su talks about growing up in the Bay Area and his early interest in TV and storytelling. He describes how he started to make short films while in college at UC San Diego, how he ended up pursuing other avenues after graduation, and on how he eventually realized he wanted to be a screenwriter and went back to study the craft at the UCLA Extension. He details how he came to write web series, starting with his first, Compulsions, and taking the leap to leave his day job and pursue writing full-time. Su shares how a meeting with YouTuber Hank Green led to them co-creating the YouTube series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, based on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. For The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, he describes how they adapted the novel, the casting of the show, the funding and production schedule for the series, the use of various social media platforms to create interactivity with the audience, winning an Emmy award for the show, and the legacy of the series. Su then goes on to discuss his next web series, Emma Approved, including how he approached adapting Jane Austen’s Emma, his feelings about casting Joanna Sotomura, an Asian actress, in the lead role, the multi-platform aspects of the series, working with brands on the show, and on winning an Emmy for the series. He talks about his next venture, Frankenstein, MD which was produced with PBS Digital and details the pros and cons of working with that platform and describes his web series Vanity, which was developed based on a brief by sponsor Maybelline. He goes into detail on his next project Artificial, which was a live, interactive series created for Twitch. For Artificial, Su talks about how he made the interactivity central to the storytelling, the production of the series, the challenges of working through the COVID-19 pandemic and various technical aspects of creating a show that was both live and interactive. He concludes his discussion of Artificial by describing the AI-driven music used in its final season, winning an Emmy award for the show, and its legacy. He delves into the use of AI in his own creative work and talks through his response to anti-AI voices in the industry. He concludes by giving advice to aspiring storytellers, discussing what he sees as the future of television, sharing the importance of kindness in the industry, and his greatest career achievements. Adrienne Faillace conducted the interview on March 31, 2026 in North Hollywood, CA.
Highlights
Bernie Su on how he began creating web series, and on his first series he wrote, Compulsions
Bernie Su on meeting YouTuber Hank Green in 2011 and how that led to them creating The Lizzie Bennet Diaries together
Bernie Su on how he approached modernizing Jane Austen's Emma for his web series Emma Approved
Bernie Su on the process of shooting his live, interactive Twitch series Artificial, and on directing the show
Bernie Su on his response to anti-AI voices in the entertainment industry
Bernie Su on advice to aspiring storytellers in the digital space
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On growing up in the Bay Area, and on the traits he inherited from his parents; on his early interest in storytelling based on TV shows he enjoyed as a child; on attending college at UC San Diego, and on starting to make short films at that time; on having an interest in entertainment, but not being sure how to pursue that path, and on working for tech start-ups after college
On how he came to realize he wanted to write for television, and on taking screenwriting classes at the UCLA Extension; on why Friends and 24 were so inspiring to him, and on spec scripts he wrote early in his career; on his relationship to writing when he was studying and pursuing his career, and on a day job he had at a streetwear fashion company
On how he began writing web series, and on his first series, Compulsions; on how he approached writing short-form scripts; on Compulsions streaming on Dailymotion, and on his goals for the series; on the budget and production of Compulsions, and on quitting his day job in 2011 to be a full-time writer; on the challenges his faced in the first year of writing full-time, and on finding eventual success
On advice for aspiring writers who are having a hard time, and on how meeting YouTuber Hank Green in 2011 led to them creating The Lizzie Bennet Diaries together; on his familiarity with the writings of author Jane Austen before creating the series, and on how he approached adapting Pride and Prejudice; on not seeing "Mr. Darcy" for many episodes in The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and on eventually casting the character
On the premise of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and on casting the series; on his fondness for the first 24 episodes of the series, and on the creative team on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries; on the role of the showrunner, and on different funders backing The Lizzie Bennet Diaries following the first 24 episodes; on the production schedule on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and on using YouTube and social media platforms to create interactivity between characters and viewers
On directing episodes of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and on how they rehearsed the show; on the audience for the show, and on revenue streams for The Lizzie Bennet Diaries; onspin-off episodes following the point of view of "Lizzie's" sister, "Lydia," and on Daniel Vincent Gordh who played "Darcy"; on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries making a profit, and on winning an Emmy award in 2013 for the series; on the response of Jane Austen fans to The Lizzie Bennet Diaries; on his goals for The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and on how the series impacted his career; on the legacy of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Chapter 2
On forming the production company Pemberley Digital with Hank Green, and on lessons he learned at the beginning; on the origins of his next web series, Emma Approved, and on how he approached adapting Jane Austen's Emma; on casting Emma Approved, and on the lack of Asian representation on TV when he was growing up; on casting Stephen A. Chang in Emma Approved, and on casting Brent Bailey as "Alex Knightley"
On bringing a character from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries into Emma Approved; on creating a shortform web series for lookbook.com, and on how that experience informed the multi-platform aspects of Emma Approved; on working with brands on Emma Approved, and on how they used social media for the characters on the show; on bringing back Emma Approved for additional episodes after its initial run
On pitching his shows to traditional television, and on the outcome of those pitches; on the legacy of Emma Approved, and on winning an Emmy for the series; on his web series Frankenstein, MD which was made in partnership with PBS Digital Studios, and on the benefits and challenges of working with PBS; on being the executive producer on Frankenstein, MD, and on how the show updated Frankenstein; on the Pemberley Digital 2 YouTube channel
On his production company Canvas Media Studios, and on how his series Vanity came about; on Maybelline being the sponsor of Vanity, and on the structure of the episodes; on working with Maybelline and influencers on Vanity; on how he developed his pilot Socio to MTV, and on what he learned from his production company Canvas and his feelings about the more traditional television development process
Chapter 3
On his production company 96 Next, and on his determination to get a show made after having sold shows that never got made; on meeting Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, and on how this led to the development of his next series Artificial; on what Twitch was all about, and on his understanding of what would make a show right for Twitch; on how he conceptualized Artificial, and on the challenge of creating long episodes in order to encourage interactivity; on the story of Artificial, and on the interactive components of the show including polls; on the audience terminating "Sophie" via a poll, and on the audience saving characters
On the Twitch audience, and on whether the audience demographics impacted his writing on Artificial; on the leads of Artificial both being played by Asian actors, and on the writing process on Artificial; on the process of shooting episodes of Artificial, and on directing the series; on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the third season of Artificial, and on the technical challenges of producing that season; on the world-building episodes in the third season of Artificial, and on how the polls worked during episodes of Artificial, and on working with the Twitch currency
On Artificial not being a multi-plafform show, and on technological innovations throughout the seasons; on the AI-controlled music they used on Artificial, and on the number of live viewers they generally had; on winning an Emmy award and a Peabody award for Artificial, and on how the show ended and on its legacy; on going to work with Metatheory, and on his work with Pickford AI; on using AI in his work, and on working with SAG actors in the AI context; on recording actors' voices for his AI-driven project Whispers, and on the platforms hosting Whispers
On his response to anti-AI voices in the entertainment industry, and on whether his personal views on AI have changed as the technology has evolved; on what he sees as the future of television; on what he enjoys about storytelling, and on how he defines himself professionally; on how he keeps up with ever-evolving technology, and on how he has seen the industry change over the course of his career, and on how opportunities have changed in the industry since he started out
On people who have advised and helped him in his career, and on advice to aspiring storytellers in the digital space; on the value of oral history interviews, and on the importance of kindness in the television industry; on his proudest career achievements: his Emmy awards, and on career regrets; on his dream projects, and on how he would like to be remembered
Shows
24
Bernie Su on 24 was so inspiration for him in his path toward becoming a television creator
Artificial
Bernie Su on developing his Twitch live, interactive series Artificial
Bernie Su on Artificial being the only original drama commissioned by Twitch, and on how he conceptualized Artificial per the interactive parameters of Twitch
Bernie Su on developing the storylines on his Twitch show Artificial, and on how they made the audience feel consequential to the show through interactivity
Bernie Su on the interactive components of his Twitch show Artificial, including polls
Bernie Su on the audience, via a poll, terminating the character "Sophie" in his interactive Twitch show Artificial, and on times the audience saved characters
Bernie Su on the audience on Twitch, and on having two Asian actors as the leads on Artificial
Bernie Su on the writing process for Artificial, and on how the interactive polls and potential alternate storylines impacted the writing
Bernie Su on the process of shooting episodes of Artificial, including pre-filmed segments, and on directing the series
Bernie Su on creating a remote season of Artificial during the COVID-19 pandemic
Bernie Su on the technical challenges of producing the fully remote third season of Artificial during the COVID-19 pandemic
Bernie Su on the world-building episodes in the third season of Artificial
Bernie Su on how audience polls functioned during his live Twitch show Artificial
Bernie Su on working with Twitch's currency on Artificial
Bernie Su on Artificial not being a multi-platform show, and on the innovations that continued through each season
Bernie Su on the AI-controlled music they used on Artificial, and on the number of live viewers they generally had for the show
Bernie Su on winning an Emmy award and a Peabody award for Artificial, and on why the show ended
Bernie Su on the legacy of Artificial
Compulsions
Bernie Su on how he came to create his first web series, Compulsions
Bernie Su on how people watched his first web series, Compulsions, which was released in 2009, and on his goals for the series
Bernie Su on the budget and production of his web series Compulsions
Emma Approved
Bernie Su on the origins of his web series Emma Approved, and on why he decided to adapt another Jane Austen novel
Bernie Su on how he approached modernizing Jane Austen's Emma for his web series Emma Approved
Bernie Su on the casting of Emma Approved, and on his internal debate when he decided to cast an Asian actress, Joanna Sotomura, in the lead role
Bernie Su on casting Stephen A. Chang as "Frank Churchill" in Emma Approved
Bernie Su on casting Brent Bailey as "Alex Knightley" in Emma Approved, and on imagining the show as a romcom
Bernie Su on bringing the character "Caroline Lee" (played by Jessica Andres) from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries into Emma Approved - a move inspired by a fan's Tumblr post
Bernie Su on what he learned from the shortform web series he created for lookbook.com and how that informed the multi-platform aspects of Emma Approved
Bernie Su on collaborating with brands through his web series Emma Approved
Bernie Su on the use of social media for the characters on Emma Approved
Bernie Su on bringing back Emma Approved for additional episodes after its initial run, and on why the second run may not have been as successful
Bernie Su on the legacy of Emma Approved, and on winning an Emmy award for the series
Frankenstein, MD
Bernie Su on his web series Frankenstein, MD which was created in partnership with PBS Digital
Bernie Su on being the executive producer Frankenstein, MD
Bernie Su on how Frankenstein, MD updated Frankenstein, and on how the show was rolled out
Friends
Bernie Su on why Friends was so inspirational for him in his path toward becoming a television creator
The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Bernie Su on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries subseries Welcome to Sanditon
Bernie Su on meeting YouTuber Hank Green in 2011 and how that led to them creating The Lizzie Bennet Diaries together
Bernie Su on his familiarity with Pride and Prejudice before co-creating The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Bernie Su on how he approached adapting Pride and Prejudice into The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Bernie Su on not showing "Mr. Darcy" for many episodes in The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and on how they eventually cast the character
Bernie Su on the premise of his YouTube series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Bernie Su on the casting The Lizzie Bennet Diaries including Ashley Clements as "Lizzie," and on his fondness for the first 24 episodes of the series
Bernie Su on the creative team on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Bernie Su on different backers coming in to The Lizzie Bennet Diaries after the first 24 episodes
Bernie Su on the production schedule on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and on using YouTube and social media platforms to create interactivity between the characters and viewers
Bernie Su on the use of social media platforms to enhance the audience of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Bernie Su on directing episodes of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, the rehearsal schedule for the series, and on the cameras they used
Bernie Su on the audience for The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Bernie Su on the revenue streams for The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, including DVDs and book adaptations
Bernie Su on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries spin-off episodes following "Lizzie Bennet's" sister, "Lydia", and on Daniel Vincent Gordh who played "Darcy"
Bernie Su on the The Lizzie Bennet Diaries making a profit, and on the series introducing people to Pride and Prejudice and the response of Jane Austen fans to the series
Bernie Su on his goals for The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and on how the series impacted his career
Bernie Su on the legacy of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Vanity
Bernie Su on how his web series Vanity came about, on developing the series based on a brief from sponsor Maybelline, and on structuring the show so episodes could be twelve short stand-alones or six half-hour episodes
Bernie Su on how he approached the structure of his series Vanity, and on working with Maybelline as the sponsor and influencers appearing on the Vanity
Topics
Advertising and Sponsorship
Bernie Su on working with Twitch's currency (Bits) during his show Artificial
Bernie Su on how he collaborated with brands through his web series Emma Approved
Bernie Su on creating his web series Vanity, and on partnering with Maybelline as the sponsor of the show
Bernie Su on working with Maybelline as the main sponsor of his web series Vanity
Advice
Bernie Su on people who have advised and helped him in his career, including Brent V. Friedman and Michael Y. Chow
Bernie Su on people who have advised and helped him in his career, including Brent V. Friedman and Michael Y. Chow
Bernie Su on people who have advised and helped him in his career, including Brent V. Friedman and Michael Y. Chow
Bernie Su on advice to aspiring storytellers in the digital space
Bernie Su on advice for aspiring writers, especially those who are in a place where nothing seems to be working out in their career
COVID-19 Pandemic
Bernie Su on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted his Twitch series Artificial, and on the technical challenges of producing that season
Creative Influences and Inspiration
Bernie Su on what he enjoys about storytelling, and on the inspiration for his projects coming from outside influences
Bernie Su on his love of Transformers when he was a kid and creating his own stories with Transformers cards
Bernie Su on the first short films he made when he was in college
Bernie Su on how he came to realize that he wanted to write for television a few years after college, and on taking screenwriting classes at the UCLA Extension
Emmy Awards
Bernie Su on winning an Emmy award for his Twitch show Artificial
Bernie Su on his proudest career achievement being his three Emmy awards, and on why they mean so much to him
Bernie Su on winning an Emmy award for Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Media for The Lizzie Bennet Diaries in 2013
First Big Break
Bernie Su on how and why he began creating web series, and on his first series he wrote, Compulsions
Health and Medicine
Bernie Su on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted his Twitch series Artificial, and on the technical challenges of producing that season
Historic Events and Social Change
Bernie Su on the two leads on Artificial being played by Asian actors
Bernie Su on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted his Twitch series Artificial, and on the technical challenges of producing that season
Bernie Su on casting his web series Emma Approved, and on how they ended up casting an Asian woman, Joanna Sotomura, in the lead role
Bernie Su on the importance of Asian representation in the media, and on cherishing the few actors he saw on shows he loved growing up
Interactive Technology
Bernie Su on his Twitch live, interactive show Artificial and his understanding of what makes a show right for Twitch
Bernie Su on how the audience could interact with his Twitch show Artificial
Bernie Su on how he felt about the audience killing off or saving characters via polls in his interactive Twitch show Artificial
Bernie Su on the writing process on his live, interactive Twitch series Artificial
Bernie Su on the process of shooting his live, interactive Twitch series Artificial
Bernie Su on the world-building episodes in the third season of Artificial, where the audience was able to help create characters
Bernie Su on how audience polls functioned during his live Twitch show Artificial
Bernie Su on working with Twitch's currency (Bits) during his show Artificial
Bernie Su on what he learned from the shortform web series he created for lookbook.com and how that informed the multi-platform aspects of Emma Approved
Bernie Su on using social media platforms for characters in his web series Emma Approved
Bernie Su on using YouTube and social media platforms to create interactivity between the characters and viewers on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and on the challenge of managing the running of a series and creating social media content
New Media
Bernie Su on a fan's Tumblr post inspiring a character crossover between two of his web series: The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Emma Approved
Bernie Su on what he learned from the shortform web series he created for lookbook.com and how that informed the multi-platform aspects of Emma Approved
Bernie Su on using social media platforms for characters in his web series Emma Approved
Bernie Su on how and why he began creating web series, and on his first series he wrote, Compulsions
Bernie Su on his first web series, Compulsions, how viewers watched it at the time it was released in 2009 (via computer on Dailymotion), and on his goals for the series
Bernie Su on using YouTube and social media platforms to create interactivity between the characters and viewers on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and on the challenge of managing the running of a series and creating social media content
Bernie Su on the revenue streams for his YouTube series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Pivotal Career Moments
Bernie Su on his love of Transformers when he was a kid and creating his own stories with Transformers cards
Bernie Su on the first short films he made when he was in college
Bernie Su on why Friends and 24 particularly inspired him to want to create his own TV shows
Bernie Su on how and why he began creating web series
Bernie Su on how and why he began creating web series, and on his first series he wrote, Compulsions
Bernie Su on quitting his day job to pursue writing full-time in 2011 when he got a development deal for a digital movie at Sony Crackle, the challenges he faced at that time, and on his eventual successes
Representation on Television
Bernie Su on the two leads on Artificial being played by Asian actors
Bernie Su on casting his web series Emma Approved, and on how they ended up casting an Asian woman, Joanna Sotomura, in the lead role
Bernie Su on the importance of Asian representation in the media, and on cherishing the few actors he saw on shows he loved growing up
Technological Innovation
Bernie Su on using AI-generated music in the third season of his Twitch series Artificial in 2019
Bernie Su on his work with Metatheory and his interest in Web3 content, and on his work with Pickford AI including how he uses AI technology for creative work
Bernie Su on using SAG actors in his AI-based work with Pickford AI, and on working within the parameters of SAG's rules on AI use
Bernie Su on recording actors' voices for use in his AI-driven project Whispers
Bernie Su on his response to anti-AI voices in the entertainment industry
Bernie Su on whether his views on AI have changed as the technology has advanced, and on what he sees as the future of television
Bernie Su on how he keeps up with ever-evolving technology
Television Industry
Bernie Su on his Twitch live, interactive show Artificial and his understanding of what makes a show right for Twitch
Bernie Su on the interactive components of his Twitch show Artificial
Bernie Su on how he felt about the audience killing off or saving characters via polls in his interactive Twitch show Artificial
Bernie Su on the writing process on his live, interactive Twitch series Artificial
Bernie Su on the process of shooting his live, interactive Twitch series Artificial
Bernie Su on the world-building episodes in the third season of Artificial, where the audience was able to help create characters
Bernie Su on how audience polls functioned during his live Twitch show Artificial
Bernie Su on working with Twitch's currency (Bits) during his show Artificial
Bernie Su on using AI to control the music in the third season of his Twitch series Artificial in 2019
Bernie Su on his work with Metatheory and his interest in Web3 content, and on his work with Pickford AI including how he uses AI technology for creative work
Bernie Su on using SAG actors in his AI-based work with Pickford AI, and on working within the parameters of SAG's rules on AI use
Bernie Su on recording actors' voices for use in his AI-driven project Whispers
Bernie Su on his response to anti-AI voices in the entertainment industry
Bernie Su on whether his views on AI have changed as the technology has advanced, and on what he sees as the future of television
Bernie Su on how he keeps up with ever-evolving technology
Bernie Su on how he has seen the entertainment industry change over the course of his career, and on why he prefers the broadcast model of episode being released week-by-week rather than binge-style
Bernie Su on how opportunities in the entertainment industry have changed since he started out in his career
Bernie Su on people who have advised and helped him in his career, including Brent V. Friedman and Michael Y. Chow
Bernie Su on advice to aspiring storytellers in the digital space
Bernie Su on the importance of kindness in the entertainment industry
Bernie Su on a fan's Tumblr post inspiring a character crossover between two of his web series: The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Emma Approved
Bernie Su on what he learned from the shortform web series he created for lookbook.com and how that informed the multi-platform aspects of Emma Approved
Bernie Su on how he collaborated with brands through his web series Emma Approved
Bernie Su on using social media platforms for characters in his web series Emma Approved
Bernie Su on creating his web series Vanity, and on partnering with Maybelline as the sponsor of the show
Bernie Su on working with Maybelline as the main sponsor of his web series Vanity
Bernie Su on how and why he began creating web series, and on his first series he wrote, Compulsions
Bernie Su on his first web series, Compulsions, how viewers watched it at the time it was released in 2009 (via computer on Dailymotion), and on his goals for the series
Bernie Su on using YouTube and social media platforms to create interactivity between the characters and viewers on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and on the challenge of managing the running of a series and creating social media content
Bernie Su on the revenue streams for his YouTube series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Underrepresented Voices
Bernie Su on the two leads on Artificial being played by Asian actors
Bernie Su on casting his web series Emma Approved, and on how they ended up casting an Asian woman, Joanna Sotomura, in the lead role
Bernie Su on the importance of Asian representation in the media, and on cherishing the few actors he saw on shows he loved growing up
Professions
Performers
Bernie Su on recording actors' voices for use in his AI-driven project Whispers
Bernie Su on using SAG actors in his AI-based work with Pickford AI, and on working within the parameters of SAG's rules on AI use
Producers
Bernie Su on lessons he learned from the beginning of his production company Pemberley Digital
Bernie Su on what he learned from his time with his production company Canvas and his forays into slightly more traditional television rather than web series
Show Creators
Bernie Su on how he approached adapting Pride and Prejudice into The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Bernie Su on the role of the showrunner, and on how he viewed this position on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Writers
Bernie Su on the writing process for his interactive, live Twitch series Artificial, and on how the interactive polls and potential alternate storylines impacted the writing
Bernie Su on what he enjoys about storytelling, and on the inspiration for his projects coming from outside influences
Bernie Su on what he enjoys about storytelling, and on the inspiration for his projects coming from outside influences
Bernie Su on the process of writing and his enjoyment of it, especially early in his pursuit of his career
Bernie Su on how he approached writing short-form scripts
Bernie Su on when he was able to quit his day job and pursue writing full-time, when he got a development deal for a digital movie at Sony Crackle, and on the challenges and successes he faced in the following year
Bernie Su on advice for aspiring writers, especially those who are in a place where nothing seems to be working out in their career
Bernie Su on how he approached adapting Pride and Prejudice into The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Genres
Drama Series
Bernie Su on his web series Emma Approved
Bernie Su on his web series Vanity
Bernie Su on his web series Compulsions
Bernie Su on his YouTube series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series
Bernie Su on his Twitch series Artificial
Bernie Su on his PBS Digital series Frankenstein, MD
People
Stephen A. Chang
Bernie Su on casting Stephen A. Chang as "Frank Churchill" in Emma Approved
Hank Green
Bernie Su on forming the production company Pemberley Digital with Hank Green
Bernie Su on meeting YouTuber Hank Green in 2011 and how that led to them creating The Lizzie Bennet Diaries together
Joanna Sotomura
Bernie Su on casting his web series Emma Approved, and on casting Joanna Sotomura in the lead role