This post was updated Sept. 14 at 7:46 p.m.

After transferring from BuzzFeed shorts to Willard R. Abbott Public School, Justin Tan is chasing more than views now – he’s chasing Emmys.

UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television alumnus Tan carved a pathway to the “Abbott Elementary” writing room through a gig on “The Office,” stand-up routines in Westwood and a firm digital presence as a BuzzFeed video creator – culminating in his current work with one of his longest friends. The TFT alumnus said “Abbott Elementary” demonstrates the value of diverse stories on the screen, and he hopes studios do not view the show’s success – including nine nominations at the 2024 Emmys – as lightning in a bottle, but instead as an invitation to take more risks.

“It’s better for society when everybody gets to share,” Tan said. “That’s how we as a society can become closer and become more understanding of each other. I think movies and shows – that’s one way to do that.”

[Related: Emmys 2024: Cinematographer Gary Baum earns 13th Emmy nomination for ‘How I Met Your Father’]

Tan said he and his co-writers often draw from their personal experiences and lives, such as his mother’s experience as a school attendance clerk, to craft the ABC mockumentary’s jokes. Comedy is a tool to present real issues in a more palatable manner, Tan said, opening the door for compassion between people and audiences. Whether he is developing jokes for Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis) – his favorite Abbott employee to write for – or working on his upcoming comedy film “Par for the Course,” Tan said he sees the genre as a vehicle for earnest discussion and breaking down walls.

Outside of his work in the writing room, Tan has had opportunities to exercise his passion for directing by spearheading the episodes “Valentine’s Day” and “Gregory’s Garden Goofballs.” Michael Barryte, a fellow TFT alum, said Tan brings earnestness to everything he does, which shines through with his work on the show.

“I think there is a very clear reason that he was responsible for directing the ‘Valentine’s Day’ episode for ‘Abbott Elementary,’” Barryte said. “That’s a pivotal entry for the characters of Janine and Gregory. So it’s no mistake that Justin would be saddled with something where a sense of yearning and honest emotional depth is being presented, because he can pull that. He can show that really well.”

Their TFT classmate Shelley Patel said Tan’s work in school demonstrated this lively passion. As part of a tight knit thirty-person class, Patel worked with Tan on various projects, including his thesis film “KARMA’S A BITCH.” She said that Tan understands how the film and television industry works extremely well, and his knowledge shined through during his time in TFT.

“He was really passionate about what he did,” Patel said. “You could tell that he wanted to make this his career, and he wanted to always put his best foot forward.”

After graduation, Tan said he found work as an assistant to “Zombieland” director Ruben Fleischer, who encouraged him to craft his own films to pursue his dreams of directing. Tan took his advice, creating the short film “GIVE IT UP” based on his experiences performing stand-up at the now-defunct Improv Space in Westwood. The right person at BuzzFeed saw the film, and Tan was offered a fellowship in 2014 to create content as part of their burgeoning video section. Tan said he never expected this to be his line of work as a student.

“None of us at BuzzFeed grew up with a BuzzFeed,” Tan said. “We never imagined that this could ever be a job.”

In an era where Key and Peele sketches dominated YouTube, Tan said he worked on hopefully-viral sketch comedy and unscripted videos. He offered to film part of an “International Doritos Taste Test” with Quinta Brunson, a close friend he said he had met on a Westwood sidewalk years prior. They began frequently collaborating on videos, further developing the professional and personal relationship that continues to this day.

For Tan, his work with BuzzFeed came at the right time, reigniting his passion for filmmaking after feeling burnt out in the traditional TV space.

“It felt so refreshing because I was able to write, produce, direct, edit, perform in and have complete creative control of my stuff – and put it online, and have it be seen instantly by millions of people and get immediate feedback,” Tan said.

But at the same time, Tan acknowledged the downsides that came with the digital space. He said he was at the whim of social media feeds, where his viral hits – such as “Guys Brunch for the First Time,” which accumulated 16 million views in one day – could be the projects he felt least passionate about. Barryte, who similarly had an online video presence as part of Smosh, also highlighted the perils of being internet famous.

“Justin and I definitely have talked a lot throughout our careers about just being in digital media and kind of stepping a little bit away from that, because it can be exhausting,” Barryte said. “Being terminally online or chronically online is about marketing yourself in an unfortunately somewhat parasocial way.”

Following his work with BuzzFeed, Tan has found solace in the writing room, working with Brunson on “Abbott Elementary” and their upcoming film. He said he feels privileged to have found work in an industry currently contracting as streaming services produce less content – especially because he gets to work with his friend.

Tan said he remembers filming BuzzFeed videos like “Seeing Your Ex in Public” – where Brunson and Tan’s characters feud via dance-off – on a poorly-lit bar set with only a few extras. Half a decade later, they were filming in a bar once again. But this time, the set is in a Warner Bros. Studios backlot, chock-full of background actors and polished with proper VFX treatment. Tan described it as a pinch-me moment, working on Brunson’s critically-acclaimed show after they both dedicated years to BuzzFeed. But despite the show’s success, Tan said little has changed about his friendship with Brunson.

“The one thing that has changed – the one direction that I give her now that I didn’t give her back in our BuzzFeed days – is ‘How bad do you want that Emmy?’” Tan said.

Even as they have moved across the country or into other industries, Tan said he has kept in touch with Barryte, Patel and other classmates from his time in TFT.

“Our industry is not straightforward at all, and there’s a million different ways to get to where you want to go,” Patel said. “He’s always known the value of networking specifically, and I’ve learned a lot from him in terms of just keeping up with people.”

[Related: UCLA alumnus Madison Shamoun employs TFT training for role in ‘The Z-Suite’]

While Tan acknowledges the importance of networking, he said current TFT students should not make that their sole priority. Much like how Fleischer encouraged Tan to hone his own filmmaking craft, Tan encourages students to put their craft first as a student, when failure is much less consequential.

“At the forefront of your focus should be your craft, getting really good at whatever it is you want to do,” Tan said. “Get those reps in at UCLA and fail at UCLA, because once you leave UCLA, the stakes are way higher. So use this time to explore who you are as an artist.”