Fang TV: ‘Vampire Diaries’ Showrunners Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec

It wasn’t love at first bite with showrunners Kevin Williamson, 45, and Julie Plec, 37, for a teen drama on The CW based on L.J. Smith’s popular book series. But Plec talked Williamson into reading the novels, and the pair became convinced they had a shot at reinventing the high school vampire even in the long shadow of Twilight. The frequent collaborators already had a pedigree in angst. Williamson had created the Scream movie franchise, and I Know What You Did Last Summer, and produced Halloween: H20. Plec had co-produced Scream 3, Wes Craven’s Cursed – written by Williamson — and The Breed, plus been a production consultant on Dawson’s Creek, which Williamson created for the WB. All that experience paid off: When The Vampire Diaries premiered on Sept. 10, 2009, it attracted one of the largest audiences of any series since The CW had launched back in 2006. The first season finale will air on May 13, and the show already has been renewed for a second season.

In this interview, Plec and Williamson explain their division of labor; the risks of riding the vampire trend; the relentless story demands of the hour drama’s six-act structure; and the differences between The Vampire Diaries and Glee:

DH: Your goal is expanding your audience beyond teenage girls?

Read full interview here

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