Nina Bjurlin: Tell us a little about what life was like before you came to Berkshire.

David Weiner '86: Born in March 1968, I was raised in the Westchester suburbs outside of New York City by Chicagoan parents. I was particularly lucky to have loving, supportive, understanding parents and a very happy childhood, having grown up in an idyllic neighborhood that was somewhat isolated and adjacent to a golf course and wooded areas – perfect for playing with friends with fertile imaginations.

NB: And what brought you to Berkshire?

DW: I came to Berkshire in the fall of 1982 as a freshman, anxious for a new adventure and a different environment. I spent six of the previous summers at sleepaway camp, so I was confident that I could handle the challenge of living at a boarding school away from my family. I ultimately became a four-year senior, and happily at that.

NB: What was your first impression of the School?

DW: I was first excited about Berkshire because the campus was so beautiful. I felt like I was going to college four years early. I found most of my teachers and peers to be friendly and helpful, and – like any high school in America – I found a select few to be standoffish and occasionally mean, like stereotypical characters out of a John Hughes movie. But I always knew that I had a very special opportunity that most kids my age did not have, and I made the most of it, always appreciative of my surroundings and the special circumstances available at Berkshire, even when the more depressing aspects of teen life brought dark clouds. My memories of Berkshire are all selectively happy.

NB: Can you tell us about the friends you made?

DW: My friends at Berkshire came from every endeavor I took and every aspect of life, residentially, extracurricularly or in the classroom. I also spent a lot of time hanging out with upperclassmen. I've kept in touch off and on with a variety of Berkshire friends over the course of three decades, but with few living out on the west coast, Facebook has been a wonderful tool for maintaining friendships and keeping tabs on everyone's lives and accomplishments.

NB: Were there any teachers who really helped shape your experience?

DW: Two faculty members immediately come to mind: Irene McDonald, who encouraged and rewarded my creativity, treated me like an adult, trust me with the responsibility of heading the lighting/sound booth in the theater, and let me run the Film Club the way I wanted to, which I turned into a profitable endeavor. And Don Morley, who coached me in Nordic Skiing and showed me that I could excel at a brand-new sport with the proper encouragement, and that a sense of humor and sense of fun could be just as effective in sportsmanship as grit and determination.

NB: What's it like when you come back to campus?

DW: Returning to campus as a whole is a wonderful time capsule for me, especially at the peak of autumn. From the steps of Berkshire Hall to the nostalgically familiar smells and creaks of the floorboards in the dorms, I'm always instantly transported back in time whenever I visit. I'm hopeful to make the trek this summer for my 30th reunion in June.

NB: What's the most important lesson you learned at Berkshire?

DW: I learned many lessons about finding rewards of varying degrees after applying myself in life and taking initiative. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" has always been my credo and tidbit of advice for others. That, and perhaps how my actions, positive and negative, can have major consequences.

NB: And what are you up to now?

DW: I work in the entertainment industry and have in various capacities for 25 years. I'm currently with Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine as editor-in-chief, and before that was with Entertainment Tonight for 13 years as senior editor for ETonline. I'm an entertainment journalist, print and online, with experience in on-camera celebrity/filmmaker interviewing. I've been a screenwriter, script/story analyst, project manager, copywriter, press kit writer, feature film development player and on-set production crew member (Assistant Director, Locations, Art Department, Production Assistant) in film, TV, commercials and music videos, just to name a few. The list goes on!

Most importantly, I love to tell stories, and I love to write about entertainment, and I love to interview notable people about their craft and about the simple pleasures that make them happy in life. I've always been interested in movies, TV, music and entertainment and have known that I wanted to work in the field ever since I was 9 years old, when I walked into a theater to watch Star Wars and walked out a changed individual, excited to learn how movies were made, and hopeful to one day make audiences feel as exhilarated as I felt after seeing that film.

NB: You must have a great number of fun, celebrity interviews and stories in your repertoire. Would you mind sharing a few of your favorite or most memorable encounters?

DW: There have been so many. Throughout my profession, I've been fortunate to meet a myriad of interesting, friendly, forthright, and charismatic celebrities, crafts persons, artists and filmmakers. In the last couple years, I would say that some of the most rewarding encounters have been talking about Young Frankenstein with Mel Brooks and having him turn the tables to instead interview me; sitting down with Martin Landau to discuss his '70s show Space: 1999, only to be swept up in a four-hour conversation about his amazing career, full of "off the record" details; picking the brains of Lisa and Louise Burns, aka the Grady Sisters from The Shining, and what it was like for them to work with Stanley Kubrick and Jack Nicholson on that iconic film; and, being a Star Wars fan, sitting down with both Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford (whose son went to Berkshire!) on separate occasions and being able to break news about The Force Awakens (Hamill first spilled the beans to me that the original trilogy cast would return for the J.J. Abrams film a year before it was officially announced) – and have the story picked up worldwide.

For those interested, the new issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland #284 is on newsstands now, and available at CaptainCo.com. Interviews and exclusives include Batman v Superman director Zack Snyder detailing the highly anticipated matchup of DC's greatest heroes and its connection to The Justice League movie; An American Werewolf in London writer/director John Landis, Oscar-winning makeup FX master Rick Baker, and actors David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, and Griffin Dunne sharing fond memories and new insights on the horror classic's 35th anniversary; TV's William Katt remembers The Greatest American Hero; Mark Hamill shares his fond memories and the influence of reading Famous Monsters while growing up; and much more.

NB: This is all fascinating! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your Berkshire story and the path you've since found. Reflecting back on it all, do you have any advice for current students, hoping to similarly forge their own paths?

DW: Take on things that intimidate you. You may be surprised at how easy things can turn out to be. Don't wait for what you want to land in your lap. Pursue it yourself, and be aware that many goals require patience and stepping stones to get there. Listen to knowledgeable people who offer advice, and ask questions – people love to offer their two cents. And don't forget, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."