The Man Behind Batman Teaches Students How to Reach Their Goals and Beyond

Athens, GA--When Bruce Wayne, Batman’s secret identify, witnessed the murder of his parents when he was a child, he swore on their grave that he would forever fight for justice and peace in Gotham City. Batman realizes that one person can make all the difference in the world, and so does Michael Uslan, the Executive Producer of the Batman movie series.

Packed with over 250 people at The University of Georgia Tate Center Theater on Tues. Oct. 21, students learned not only the adventures of how Batman got on the big screen from Uslan himself, but also life lessons about how people can reach their personal goals and beyond.

Born into a blue collar family in New Jersey, Uslan’s dad was a passionate craftsman with bricks who loved his job and encouraged his children to find what they love. Uslan found his bricks in the form of comic books when he was 8-years-old.

“I loved comic books, especially Batman! I could relate to him because his greatest superpower was humanity. I realized that if I study hard, work hard and get a cool car, I could be this guy,” said Uslan.

Uslan did study and work real hard. He attended Indiana University where he successfully created and taught the world’s first college course on comic books. After received approval of his class, Uslan described how he purposefully called up the local media station and screamed, “How are our tax dollars going to a comic book class at a Universtiy!”

Media frenzy ensued and soon every major news network, including NBC and CBS, wanted to interview him and sit in on his lectures. Even

“I knew that getting the opportunity to teach the first ever comic book class was a big deal, but it was just my first step. I needed to market myself and how you market yourself is extremely important,” advised Uslan.

The media attention gave several opportunities for Uslan including dream jobs at Marvel Comics and DC Comics, as well as helping him secure film rights for Batman. After getting a job from DC Comics, he jumped at opportunities to do screen writing. This is where he says he first started the idea to get the dark, serious side of Batman on the big screen. After pitching his idea of a Batman movie to DC Comic executives, Uslan said he was advised to get more credentials.

He described how he went back to the drawing board. At first unsure of what to do, he decided to go to law school and become a motion picture attorney to get experience and learn the movie production business. He soon became an attorney for United Artist and after four years working there he pitched his idea of a serious, dark Batman to producers—over 300 to be exact. All of them rejected his idea and told him he was crazy.

“I can absolutely guarantee that in life, doors will slam in your face. You have two options, go home and cry, or you can dust yourself off and go back and knock on the door, knock on that door until your knuckles bleed,” said Uslan.

Uslan’s knuckles must have been bloody because he described in detail the ten year battle that went into getting all the Batman movies on the big screen.

“Do not believe them when they tell you that you are mad or crazy, and do not believe them when they tell you that you are great, all you need to do is believe in yourself and you will accomplish your goals,” said Uslan.

From Tim Burten’s first 1989 Batman film, to Batman Returns and Batman Forever, Uslan believes all his hard work in producing these films led to a serious, dark version of Batman in 2008’s The Dark Knight. The movie grossed over 527 million in the US, one billion world wide, broke several box office records and proved his belief that a person’s dream, with hard work, can come true.

“Get up and make opportunities for yourself. Be passionate, market yourself, always have a “plan B” and always take calculated risks. That is how one person can be successful and make all the difference,” said Uslan.

Currently, Uslan lives with his wife in New Jersey. He has a son and his daughter is a graduate from UGA. He is working on several movies including The Shadow and The Spirit.

Junior UGA student, Viva Chavez, who attended the lecture said, “I came in expecting to hear all about Batman and get some insight in video production, but I took away a lesson to market myself in the business world and how to persevere through the tough times, even if those tough times go on for ten years. It is incredible what Uslan accomplished by sticking to his own advice.”