We were lucky to catch up with David Rosenberg recently and have shared our conversation below.

David, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I come from a rough childhood with a lot of emotional and physical abuse. One of the ways I dealt with the trauma is to process it through writing. Through that outlet, I was able to make sense of the world and my place in it.

i remember a particularly dark moment where my feelings were rushing in, and I immediately took pen to paper and channeled that energy.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a TV writer by trade, and one of the gifts of being in that profession – especially since I concentrate on animation for children – is the ability to change outlook and perspective at a young age.

One of the very first battles I had was on a show called Rocket Power, which followed a young group of friends who did surfing and skateboarding on the beach. On the surface it seemed like an innocuous show, but I saw an opportunity to push the boundaries. I pitched an episode where the kids run into a peer with a disability, but instead of a pity/heartstring approach I opted for a more realistic awkwardness and misplaced pity scenario. The network fought us on it but we finally relented, and it became a huge award winner.

Another of my accomplishments is the PBS history animated special Lost Treasure Hunt – which dealt with history in an action adventure setting. It won numerous awards, including the Shanghai Television Festival Magnolia Award for storytelling and two Emmy nominations for myself.

My need to connect and to make a difference from my childhood is also channeled in my wounded/PTSD veteran outreach Soldier Project, now in its 15th year. I am very proud for creating a safe space for the veterans during our annual weekend – no press, no shake hands with a hero pictures, just a space to rejuvenate and connect. The first year we did it, we had a young Marine who lost both legs in the war. He was a young father and his girlfriend left him because she couldn’t deal with his injuries. Joe barely spoke but on the last day he came up to me and thanked me for the space to be himself, and now that he felt safe, he shared that he was embarrassed that as a Marine he couldn’t afford a crib for his baby daughter. We got him one the next day.

One of the first Marines we hosted was a young man named Casey Owens, who lost both legs in the war. He was a beautiful kid, and I imagined the physical obstacles were the worst of the experience and asked him. He surprised me by thanking me for asking that, no one had ever bothered to connect to him about it, and he said the toughest part was the loss of a purpose, of a mission. He ended his life with a gunshot to the head after early Alzheimers set in from the brain damage stemming from the explosions that took his legs.

It took me a long time to establish a career as a writer – I sold my first script at age 38, when you can retire from writing with the guild at 50. Because I consider it a gift to write, I approach my projects with a joy and a natural curiosity.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

My writing journey was a long one. While all of my friends were getting television jobs, I was on the outside, constantly writing spec scripts to get an agent and having to support myself with grueling production jobs. I was 38 and had been trying to write for 20 years… everyone told me to give up, that I was chasing a pipe dream. But in my 38th year, I finally sold my first script and haven’t looked back since.

In my wounded veteran work, I had been invited to a well funded veterans effort in Houston, with big money donors. While they were dressed in their tuxedos and writing checks, a young soldier was having PTSD flashbacks, back in the front lines from the noise from the band. I comforted him as best I could, and when the event was over, I went to the organizers – who had already promised to fund my outreach in LA – and expressed my concern over the disparity of the two experiences. I was told to never return, my funding was pulled and I was left to start over in LA. Through cold calls and connections, we were able to build a remarkable program.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think the main component that is not understood by non-creatives is the emotional life of a creative person. Their output is not just a product, but a feeling and energy and a deeper connection. Those opposite world views add tension to an already fragile process. Creativity should be honored and supported.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: SoldierCare Project LA

Image Credits

all photos by David Rosenberg