Background
Herz was born in New York City and raised in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is the older of two boys, and his father, David, is a reputable brain surgeon in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Herz was born in New York City and raised in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is the older of two boys, and his father, David, is a reputable brain surgeon in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Herz graduated from East Grand Rapids High School (see also East Grand Rapids Public Schools).
He founded the production company Terra Firma Films in 2003 with a first-look deal at Universal Studios. lieutenant was with his mother"s (Myrna) Super 8 camera that he made his first movies while a teen. He moved to Los Angeles after graduation from the University of Michigan in 1996.
He held a number of production assistant jobs while working on writing spec scripts.
His first screenplay, originally titled East Great Falls High, was written over a winter ski vacation in 1998. lieutenant was based on his high school years in East Grand Rapids, Michigan.
lieutenant sold for a reported $650,000 in 1999 and became the film American Pie. Herz created and runs the Emerging Writers Program, a series of classes that help upcoming screenwriters break into the business.