screening
Behind The Seen: Nanette Burnstein
Alternative Press - Rob Ortenzi on 2/20/09 @ 1:00 PM - altpress.com
How did you come up with the idea for American Teen?
I came up with the idea years ago after being inspired by a film called Seventeen, which was a documentary about 17-year-olds in a small town in America in the 1970s. On a really personal level, I also wanted to make this film because high school was a very important time in my life, and I was able to figure out who I was by the end of it, which I felt was a major accomplishment looking back. I wanted to make a film that addressed all that pain, heartache and struggle for identity you experience at that age because I think that's something we all go through. It's a rite of passage that's pretty universal in this country.
A lot of the film is funny, but you aren't making fun of the actual kids. Was that difficult since high schoolers can be so dramatic and it's difficult to take them seriously sometimes?
Yeah, it's always easy in documentaries to just make fun of people because we all have flaws, but I tried to pick people who I admire who are flawed and complicated. I really want the audience to laugh with them rather than at them, because I don't think you truly understand your subject if they're just the butt of a joke. I think if you empathize with the characters and really understand their motivations and what they're going for in life, and they happen to have a good sense of humor, then you'll happen to laugh with them instead of at them.
Why did you settle on Warsaw, Indiana?
I looked in the Midwest because I feel like middle America is where a lot of the population lives and also there's innocence and timelessness to that part of the country. I knew that I wanted it to be in a town that only had one high school because I felt like there would be more social pressure that way-and I also wanted it to be a town that was both economically and racially mixed. I called hundreds of schools in different states and found 10 high schools that were excited about the idea of the film. From there, I went to each of the high schools and interviewed all the incoming seniors who were interested [in the project]. I found the most compelling stories in Warsaw, Indiana.
Finally, what was it like spending two years of your life working on something that comprises a time period that most of us are still trying to forget?
[Laughs.] Well the thing is we do try to forget it, but it's impossible because it keeps creeping up in our lives. When I find these moments of insecurity in my life, I can trace them back to moments in high school-and probably much more so now because I've spent time thinking about my high school life a lot more. So it was definitely a very enlightening experience for me. I learned a lot about myself that I guess you could say I tried to forget...but it was useful. -Jonah Bayer
American Teen hits theaters July 25. For more info, head to americanteenthemovie.com.
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