We had the honor and privilege of speaking with DGA Award-Winning Writer and Director Jacqueline Rosenthal about her extraordinary journey into the world of filmmaking with a special focus on Virtual Production.
Her dedication to impactful storytelling shines through her award-winning films, Backlog and Europa, both of which reflect her steadfast commitment to using her voice to drive positive societal change.
As a creative powerhouse, her process is profoundly immersive, combining meticulous preparation with her unwavering passion and revolutionary vision, resulting in films that not only captivate audiences but also inspire meaningful action and reflection on a global scale.
How did you start your career as a filmmaker? What inspired you to work in the entertainment industry?
I wanted to pursue creating art from an early age. I started as a child actor in Hollywood, writing privately from the wings at age nine. It took a good fifteen years before I felt confident sharing my work as a writer-director. I look back fondly on that time because I was able to develop my voice without outside influence, since I wrote so privately. I think the biggest value any artist has is the command of their voice and message to their audience. Every kernel of a script stems from a personal experience for an artist – it’s our calling to stay true to the messages of our film. There are so many strong filmmakers this generation who are rising the ranks who are comfortable in their own skin and I think it will create a golden age of cinema.
Congratulations on the success of your films, Backlog and Europa! Could you share more about these projects with us? What inspired you to tell these particular stories?
Thank you. It’s been an amazing privilege to make both films. Backlog was a deeply personal and important journey, because I made this film less-so for me and more for any rape or sexual assault survivor whose rape kits are not tested by our government. As a student at USC, two of my friends had shared with me their experiences of assault by the same perpetrator, and I realized not much had changed on college campuses from when I was assaulted in my undergrad, ten years prior.
Valerie Neumann, who was brave enough to allow me to tell a story inspired by her and my experiences, lent her support to me in making Backlog about her journey to becoming the Key Witness in the 2010 Senate Hearing to end the rape kit backlogs, a bill that immediately died in the committee. We didn’t want discourage survivors with the harsh realities of the flagrant disinterest of our justice system, but rather, wake up audiences to the truth. The film has done just that, and is reached with outrage and frequent questions, “is this real? What can we do?” We can get the film to Senators and politicians. There is also a Feature Film in the works, that we are Executive Producing, and we want to make sure to help in any way we can to impact real, actionable change and set better standards for testing kits and quotas made visible throughout the US.
Europa, my latest eco-political climate cautionary tale, was an opportunity I could not have dreamed of, mainly because it’s very rare a female director is greenlit to direct a Sci-fi odyssey of that scale – let alone a Virtual Production with a 31-day shoot at SONY Studios.
We were also the Keynote at SONY’s NAB Stage this year. I knew that this film was an opportunity to make a statement about how we treat our oceans and environment with disrespect, and our human behavior of believing anything can be trashed in exchange for something shinier.
In Europa, three astronauts land on Juptier’s moon, Europa, in search of an alternate water source as we’ve destroyed our water source back on Earth. I hadn’t seen any films addressing our private colonization of other Planets and moons. Our test audiences emerged from the theater with many questions for me – and more importantly for themselves. And people who I never thought I’d reach have started to recycle. The film is in its final stages of post-production and we are about to launch a crowdfund to hopefully get us across the finish line. So many people put their hard work and time into the film, the least I can do is honor them and our VFX team (who I won’t let work for free) with finishing this film to the level it deserves.
Both of these films were only made possible thanks to the University of Southern California. Their dedication to continue on the forefront of innovation (recently ranked No. 1 this year for their dedication to Virtual Production and technology through grants like the one supplied for Europa) is unparalleled. And a massive thank you to ETC, Erik Weaver, and Tom Thudiyanplackal – as well as SONY, Pixomondo, CG Pro, Qube Cinema, Mod Tech Labs, Rebel Fleet, Cintegral, Rose Tinted Productions and WolfPack Productions.
Were there particular circumstances or personal experiences that shaped the narrative? How do you think these projects will change and make an impact in today’s society?
It’s funny – I wish I had the answer for this. As a filmmaker, I spend a majority of my life in my head visually replaying conversations and moments. I think I’ve gotten to the point in my life, where I’ve learned a few things to be true: always treat others with respect, learn to be a better person and director with each project, and if you are your true authentic self, the message of your film will find its audience. I make primarily social impact films, and my ambitions to change society and laws can be large, so I often find myself falling short of my expectations for myself and my films. This year, I’ve met so many directors and talented filmmakers and actors who have told me about the highs and lows of making films. I find a lot of inner peace in letting the journey unfold without me controlling it. Hope that answers it in some way.
How do you approach the writing process? Do you start with an outline, character sketches, or do you dive straight into the screenplay?
I am not an outline girl! I really envy those people. Usually I think about the film for 3 months to a year, and then I write it in one sitting over 48 hours. But that is just me. That’s how I’ve written every Feature Length screenplay. I get lots of Trader Joes snacks, listen to Hans Zimmer, Thomas Newman, James Horner, Philip Glass, Alexandre Desplat or Stravinsky music on repeat until the film is complete. That’s it. The story finds me – and I can see every scene in my head.
Can you walk us through the process of preparing for your role as a director? What were the challenges and breakthroughs you’ve encountered along the way, and how did you overcome it?
I realized when I made Backlog that I’m a method director. I was a method actress back in the day, and what that means is I get so entrenched in the character that I lose myself in it – that it enraptures me and I become synonymous with the role. That is me as a director – I smile and laugh but most of the time I look like I have the intensity of someone trying to perform brain surgery.
I find that when I’m directing, the metaphorical blinders are so peaceful to me – I’m there for one reason and one alone, I’m the parent to this vision. Directing is the closest thing I’ve had in my life to a religious experience, because you are there with your community together – working toward the same goal of making the highest, purest form of art.
I wouldn’t say I have only one prepared approach to directing, other than my director’s books. I usually compile a 300-500 page electronic-PDF book, of my inspirations for the film, organized by scene and also by character. I include poems, paintings, excerpts from psychology books – anything that will help me understand the character before I work with the actor in the scene. This level of prep is necessary to me – because it’s my way of respecting my actors. If I’m asking them to be this vulnerable for me, and forever on film, then the least I can do is give them all of me and my preparation to meet them on their level.
There’s a famous saying in Hollywood that directing is 90% casting. What was the dynamic like between you, your actors, and film crew? How was the casting process?
It is – 100%. I recently worked with two actresses: Jill Renner and Megan West – who both were so right for the role that I never had to give them direction – and if I did – they were finishing my sentence half-way through the sentence. For Megan’s case, I actually wrote the role with her in mind. So, it was a no-brainer that she captured the character.
Casting-wise, I’ve had the pleasure of either working with a casting director or with my Managers (Jack Peterson and Katie Newman at 3 Arts) who single-handedly sent out casting inquiries to reps on my behalf for Europa. So, I guess, moral of the story, find amazing people like that. Shannon Morrall and Tingting Lyu, my producers on Europa were incredibly helpful in casting, leading the casting sessions alongside me and Tingting was able to refer Valerie LaRose who played one of the leads in the Europa and was an absolute joy to work with.
My crew is one of the more special experiences in my life, because these are people who willingly committed their time and energy to make these films a reality. You are only as strong as your crew, and that’s been proven to me time and time again.
How do you balance artistic vision with the practicalities and constraints of filmmaking, such as budget and time?
I will be the first to admit that I’m still learning this. It is hard when a production says, “dream as big as possible” “just worry about the vision”. I’ve learned that that is not the case, even if said with good intentions. My experience with making 14 short films and now a Feature, is that the importance of understanding promises versus what is actually possible is your main job as a director. I’m grateful to have that understanding that just like anything in life, just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. A great director understands their limitations. You can still be ambitious, and wise about which impulses to follow. And after years of seeing many approaches, I’d like to be the director that delivers great films but also stays on budget.
It’s also important for all young directors to know that oftentimes you are not aware of the budget, and should be, because if it goes over-budget you may look like you were in the know. There’s never harm on asking for some transparency with the producers. It can be uncomfortable, but at the end of the day, you are the director and you are entitled to this knowledge – because as the decision-maker it’s hard to make decisions if you’re going blindly.
You’ll learn! It comes with experience, and I’m very grateful to have gotten to see the way to navigate budget before I step more solidly into the world of Episodic directing and Features.
Part 2 of our interview with Jacqueline Rosenthal continues here.
