Adam Singer presents his 16 min film Jew Girl #2 about how a director changes a young girl’s vision. We talked to Adam about his heartfelt inspiration, the support of family, and the process and experience of film.
Q: What is your film about?
A: My film is about a young girl named Jodie who is a complete musical theatre fanatic. She dreams about being a Broadway star and even has her stage name ready—Jodie Blondelle. Jodie imagines her life as if it were a musical on stage. When her school holds auditions for their Jewish themed version of Hairspray, Jodie jumps at the opportunity and auditions for the lead role. However, her sassy and cynical drama teacher doesn’t take a liking to her and relegates her to the background role of Jew Girl #2. Jodie does not take this lightly and pushes forward to pursue her chance to shine in the spotlight.
The film is inspired by the life of my cousin Jodie, who passed away a year ago. This film is all her. It was made for her and draws from aspects of my memories growing up with her in South Africa. I decided to focus on one the most significant events in her life – when she truly caught the acting bug.
Q: What is the creative process like?
A: The creative process was very difficult yet therapeutic. It was hard to write but helped me deal with what had just happened to Jodie. I had the support of my family, girlfriend, friends, classmates and professor during the writing stage. They were instrumental during my writing process and helped me put together the best possible script that would be worthy of Jodie’s story.
I learned how important it is to get feedback from different viewpoints. From fellow screenwriters and professionals to those closest to me and the situation. The feedback and input was invaluable.
Q: How long did it take to shoot this film?
A: We shot the film over four days. The idea was inspired by Jodie’s very own stage play that she wrote and starred in with her friend. My goal is to keep Jodie’s memory alive and this film is one of the ways I’m doing that. When I flew back to South Africa for her funeral, I realized that the film I wanted to make when I got back to York was one about Jodie. As soon as I got back, I started writing.
My crew worked incredibly hard to bring this film to life. The musical set pieces were not easy. My girlfriend Faith even came on board to choreograph the musical numbers. We all worked tirelessly to make a musical that would be the perfect tribute to Jodie but also resonate with a wider audience who can relate to her and be inspired by her.
I’m very proud of the way the film turned out. Sharing it with my family was a great yet sad experience. The entire process was worth it just to see the smile on Jodie’s mother’s face after she watched the film for the first of many times. The CineSiege nomination is a true honour and I’m glad that my goal to keep Jodie’s memory alive has had such a positive beginning.
Q: Why this film? What’s next for you Adam?
A: The same way Jodie had a passion for Broadway, I’ve always had the same passion for film. She was always supposed to be in my movies and in ways, she always will be. This was only a glimpse into the life and story of Jodie. There is so much more to tell and so much more I would like to share with the world. I’ve always wanted to be a filmmaker because I love telling stories within elevated realities. The world of film offers so much more than real life ever could. For me, there’s something incredible about the process of developing a film from script to screen. I hope to find myself working in this area of film and television, where I can develop ideas into fully fleshed out productions in either a writer or producer role. I’m working on a few ideas with some friends, one being a horror musical. I enjoyed the musical aspect of this production and can see myself continuing to develop that part of my craft.
Nirris Nagendrarajah, Contributor
Featured image courtesy of AMPD
