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THE WORLD OF CINEMA: NEWEST NEW YORK'S FILM MAKERS                   BY Maximillien de Lafayette

The multifaceted talents of Jessica Burstein: Film maker, director, editor, producer, screenplay and movie star!  

Jessica Burstein is the living example of the modern, ambitious, creative and fascinating American woman of our time. She is the newest promising and bursting film maker of the year. She had the talent, the vision and the guts. She had to prove it to her peers and to cinema goers on a large scale. One way to do it: Make the movie, write the script, direct the picture and star in it. And she did! Jessica had no hesitation about her talent and abilities to make a movie. She  did it before. She was a teacher's assistant at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York and  the script supervisor of 2003 Tom Donahue "Thanksgiving".  She appeared in six independent films and starred as Lola in SUMMER THUNDER. In 2002, she directed and cinematographed the documentary  "Motorcycle Road Trip".  In 2001, Jessica wrote, directed and edited  "Crocodile Rock”, “Gauche”, “Late Night” and “Model”.   Last year, she taught video production in NYC at the YWCA La Puerta Early Learning Center, through a grant from the United Way. Burstein is a professional observer at the Actors Studio in NYC. Also, the winner of the Arizona International Film Festival for directing and performing. But Jessica Burstein wanted more: Stardom, international fame and her name to shine in light over the tallest and largest cinema billboards. Probably, she will succeed. Already her award-winning short documentary "Veronika's Birthday" is making waves and big noise in the national motion pictures circle. And as usual, she wrote, directed, produced and edited the picture. Did I miss something here? Of course! Jessica Burstein is the lead star of the picture. Good and daring move. Who produced the film? Where did the money come from? No problem! Jessica's own production company "Ponytail Productions" produced the picture. This young and fascinating woman did it again. The New York City audiences described "Veronika's Birthday"  laugh out loud funny and unsettling. The film will be will be screened November,  in New York City as an official selection of the Jewish Women Film Festival. The film was also an official selection of multiple festivals in the U.S. and abroad including the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, the Method Fest, and the Rehoboth Beach Film Festival.

 

 

THE FILM

Shot entirely on mini DV with practically no budget, she financed the film through her small productions company,  small fundraisers, student loans, credit cards, and with a volunteer crew and actors. The result is an honest, edgy dramatic comedy, with characters enriched through intense improvisation and constant reworking of the script. The story that emerges speaks to the complexity of relationships among generations of Jewish women and gives insight to what makes both men and women tick."VERONIKA'S BIRTHDAY" takes an honest look at a Jewish grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter who continue their dysfunctional relationships over three generations. The film  is the story of a New York City party girl goes to visit her hilariously overbearing Jewish grandmother in suburban Florida where things deteriorate quickly when her perky soon-to-be-married cousin shows up. This film could be the break, Burstein was waiting for. I had a nice chat with this bright woman entrepreneur and diva in the making. Here is what she had to say.

 

 

NEW YORK'S NEWEST FILM MAKERS

 

Q: Is you film, financially feasible? You have no major stars in it. You are the leading star. Do you expect to make money out of it?
JESSICA: Veronika's Birthday was my MFA thesis project at the School of Visual Arts.  Since VB is not a feature length film, there are very limited opportunities as far as distribution.  For example, a theatrical run is not possible for short films.  There are possibilities in DVD and Internet distribution that I have looked into, but they most likely will not yield any profit.  Short films very rarely make money.
Q: What is your aim? What do you want to accomplish by shooting, directing and starring in this film?
JESSICA: I wrote, directed, produced, starred and edited VB.  However, I did not shoot the film. I have my cinematographer, Mark Astrom to thank for that.  I am using VB as a calling card to gain access and funding for my next film, of which I am currently co-writing with another writer.  Additionally, I made this film because I had to tell a very important personal story.  I wanted to honestly explore the relationships among secular Jewish women. I want the audience to recognize the behavior of their own family in Veronika's family.
Q: How do you define talent in motion pictures? A director's talent? A leading star's talent?
JESSICA: Talent is very enigmatic which makes it extremely difficult to define.  As far as a leading star and a director's talent, great instincts in the moment are very important.  An actor's talent could be the predisposition to be able to act in the moment honestly and take interesting risks that allow the viewer to believe and enter the character's world that they are playing.  A director's talent could be the ability to draw out amazing performances unique to each actor, while maintaining a greater vision of the entire film as a whole, including music, sound, cinematography, lighting, and editing, etc.
Q: Do you have these talents as director and star?
JESSICA: Yes, I feel that I do. As far as my acting and directing, my instincts have proved invaluable.  I also work extremely hard. I do my research on characters I take on and I even took on an acting coach for three months during reshoots for VB.
Q: What's make this movie special?
JESSICA: I feel that this story is unique to me.  I feel that I am the only one who could have made this film.    There is an honesty that rings through VB.  It is very interesting, because the main character Veronika is not very honest and neither are any of the other characters. 
Q: And how about you, Jessica? What so special about you as a director and an actress?

 

 

 

 

THE WORLD OF CINEMA

 

 

 

 

The World of Jessica Burnstein...

 


 JESSICA: My willingness to take risks and make films about human behavior with well developed characters, flaws and all.
Q: You pictures will be extremely successful. I feel it. I predict it. So what next?
JESSICA: Thank you. At the moment, I am co-writing a feature film, of which I plan to direct. I am in the development stages and looking for funding and stars (so this one will be financially feasible).  It is also dramatic comedy in the same vein as VERONIKA'S BIRTHDAY in that it explores American Jewish secular culture.
Q: What is success to you?
JESSICA: When I began making this film about three years ago, my goal was to make a film that communicated a story that viewers could relate to and understand.  Now, that I have accomplished my beginning goal, I want more, meaning success is making a feature film on a bigger budget, without compromising my vision as a filmmaker.
Q: Can you handle a big and sudden success?
JESSICA: I would like to think so.  Although, some of my favorite actors and directors couldn't and that's what sometimes made their work so interesting to me.  I have worked really hard and continue to work hard, so I say bring it on.

Q: Do you see your pictures as purely ethnic product or, possibly it could reach out to the general audience?
JESSICA: VB definitely has ethnic aspects, but I feel that a general audience can also relate.  For example, after screenings at festivals, I've had men and women come up to me and tell me that the grandmother character reminded them exactly of their mother, sister, or grandmother.  One woman was Irish and another was a southern Baptist from NC.
Q: How did you manage to produce the pictures without backing? I assume no motion pictures production company financed the film, right? Where the money came from?
JESSICA: I formed my own production company, Ponytail Productions, to make VB.  Since I was obtaining my MFA from SVA, I fortunate enough to take out extra student loans and stay an extra year to finish editing the film.  I see this as an investment in my future.
Q: Why you in the pictures?
JESSICA: I feel into it.  I never acted before and I was lucky enough to get a starring role in a classmates' feature length film. I love every minute of it and I decided to make my own film. At the moment, I can't see myself doing anything else with my life.
Q: You got awards and wide recognition. What do you want know?
JESSICA: I would like funding so I can make my next film, which I plan to get theatrical distribution for.  Also, I would like to take on some challenging roles as an actor in other directors' films.
Q: Any advice to struggling directors and actresses?
JESSICA: Go with your gut, especially actors.  Seek out director friends and get involved in acting, whether it is taking classes, local theater, or student films.  Keep acting. For Directors, performance is very important.  The audience needs a certain amount of suspension of disbelief to get involved in the story of the film. Without a realistic and unique portrayal of characters, all the amazing shots and special effects in the world won't matter.