Exclusive Interview: Megan Amram Talks Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin, Expanding the Franchise for Television, and More

Megan Amram is the showrunner, writer, and EP of Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin.

In the new series for Peacock, several years after we last saw him in Pitch Perfect, Adam Devine’s Bumper Allen moves to Germany to revive his music career when one of his songs becomes big in Berlin.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Megan about Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin, expanding the franchise for television, collaborating with Elizabeth Banks and Adam Devine, and more!

PC: Elizabeth Banks brought you into the fold as the series showrunner, writer, and EP. What was your earliest recollection of the Pitch Perfect franchise and what was it like getting that call from Elizabeth and collaborating with her?
Megan: Like a lot of us, I was a fan of the movies. I went and saw Pitch Perfect in the theater right after I moved to LA to become a television writer. I’ve been a fan of hers and Kay Cannon (who wrote the first movie) for a very long time, and I had hovered around the Pitch Perfect universe for a while, but we hadn’t figured out exactly what the best project would be. But Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman (the producers) had an idea that they wanted to branch into TV and do something a little offbeat in the way that Marvel has been doing shows. They thought of me as a TV writer who is also offbeat. They thought it could be the perfect project, and I think it was.

PC: You and the rest of the creative team have done such a fantastic job making Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin feel familiar but also so unique. Was that something that you were mindful of as you were expanding this universe? Was it a challenge to toe that line?
Megan: Totally. I was super mindful of it. I wanted to be very respectful in all ways to the franchise and to the fans so that they wouldn’t think I was some newcomer coming in to throw wrenches into Pitch Perfect. But I also wanted to make sure that Bumper was given a chance to get to know entirely new characters and stand on his own.

PC: You’re working with such a talented cast. How much did their performances and capabilities shape the storyline that unfolds in Season 1?
Megan: The cast is perfect. It was so wonderful to see once we’d cast the whole show that the newcomers elevated the material to such a great degree. But then also Adam and Flula [Borg] get to show a range with their same characters in this show that they never got to show before. Both of them are really good actors and have pretty emotional scenes. Even if they’re silly, they’re still grounded in real emotions. I thought they were both amazing at that too.

PC: You also have experience in front of the camera. How have those experiences and your experience as a writer prepared you as you stepped into a showrunner position?
Megan: I’m primarily a writer, but I’ve acted and I’ve directed. As a showrunner, you’re expected to do all of that stuff, which is all just telling a cohesive story. I think the thing that all of those experiences taught me is to be quick on your feet and to improvise. In making a show in a different country where you’re on a deadline and there’s COVID, you’re making sure everyone is safe and happy. Improvisation is key.

PC: This franchise is known for its incredible music. If you had to pick a song that best describes Season 1, what would it be and why?
Megan: I’ll do two because it’s fun to talk about. The first is “Know My Name,” which Heidi [Sarah Hyland] and Bumper both sing at some point. It was written by Ryan Tedder, who is an icon of songwriting. It’s very special because it’s a real pop song, but also it’s the thesis of this show which is, “I might not be someone right now, but I’m going to be a big star.” That’s the feeling that I want you to have in the show.

The other song I will shout out is the song Gisela [Jameela Jamil] sings written by Jess McKenna and Zach Reino, which is called “Sing When I Want to.” It’s so silly to me and a feminist, girl power anthem, but it’s also dumb on purpose. I am obsessed with it and can’t get it out of my head.

To keep up with Megan, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin on Peacock today.

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About Daphne
Daphne Yeh is a producer living in NYC who specializes in large-scale festival and live entertainment events. With 15+ years of experience building strategic partnerships, best-in-class integrated marketing programs, branded content initiatives, and experiential brand activations, Daphne keeps her finger on the pulse of the latest in media, culture and entertainment.