We had the good fortune of connecting with Jacqueline Elyse Rosenthal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jacqueline Elyse, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking

To quote Theodore Roosevelt, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty”. Man does that apply to a career in this beautiful rollercoaster of an entertainment industry. Sending out materials and pitch decks into the void can be scary, and you may not hear back for years. But it’s the success stories that get me everytime! All my life, I’ve religiously listened to interviews of established directors, actors, and writers pursuing that project that they believed in whole-heartedly – and usually it is the film that leads to their big breakthrough.

I am a massive fan of taking risks. Pressing send on an email, placing that call, or reaching out to my idols. In my experience, by the third time you reach out, they usually answer. “Who is this girl?” “Why is she so persistent?” I feel like in my life and not just my career, when one door closes, another opens. In the last month, I’ve had a few projects take off and a lot of people have been asking me, what the key was to making it happen.

I really can only say one thing to them. I try really hard to listen to what speaks to me – stories that I feel like have to be told –  and I always ask for help from those who are more advanced than me. These ventures no longer feel like a risk – they feel like a project waiting to be happened one day.

People often see the wins, they don’t see the hundreds of times I never heard back. All it takes is hearing back once from the right person. And when I hear back, I want it to be for something I’m passionate about.

A risk is an opportunity – a chance for a yes or a no. It could be a yes. We’re all dreamers in this career, might as well believe in the yes.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I began this career as an actress, have been a professional actress for 23 years, actually. You may have seen me recently as a Series Regular on Season 3 of TruTv’s Laff Tracks, alongside co-star Chris Redd. Additionally I had supporting roles in Netflix show “Small Shots” and Freeform’s “My Boyfriend is a Robot”, as well as upcoming feature film, “Karma”, that I wrote, directed, and produced under my production company banner Rose Tinted Productions. Right when I began getting acting offers, I realized I wasn’t feeling fulfilled as a creative because I wanted to write and direct.

Although it was a non-traditional decision, I took myself out of the game to enroll in a short Directing program at New York Film Academy, and fell in love with directing and my peers, who I stay in touch with to this day. After a steady two years of directing work, directing commercials and music videos, I applied and enrolled in USC’s School of Cinematic Arts where I am currently pursuing a degree in Film and Television Production, where I am currently the 2022 John Huston Directing Fellow for an Award in Outstanding Directing for my short film, “Til We Meet Again” that was recently distributed by Omeleto and will be available on their channel early February.

It’s been an amazing road at USC. I never thought I’d be meeting people who made my favorite films. Nancy Forner has taught me how to become a story driven editor (and the class she taught me in garnered us a Student Emmy Best TV Series Nomination by the College Television Academy), where I learned how to be the lead editor for the pilot and how to execute editorial leadership on such a tight turnaround and try to execute the responsibility with grace. The best part about being at USC has been the opportunity to learn important lessons on professional advanced projects, within the safe confines of a school environment. My directing professors have forever put a positive stamp on my work as a young director and I am very grateful for the guidance of Jennifer Warren, Robert Townsend, James Savoca, Rebekah McKendry and Anne Hamilton and Sound Designer Stephen H. Flick. Their willingness to encourage my career has prepared me for many career leaps here at USC.

I just completed a film dearest to my heart, BACKLOG, that is heading to the festival circuit this Spring (www.backlogfilm.org). Making this film, with roughly 300 cast and crew members was a true labor of love – with our generous partners and sponsors: Stowe Story Labs, the Bank of America Charitable Fund, the Fox Fellowship, the Irving Lerner Foundation, and the National Giving Fund. I look forward to sharing this film, as we aim to end the National Rape Kit Backlog, a +100,000 backlog of untested rape kits in the US.

I don’t know where this career will take me – and that is actually the most beautiful part of what we do – it ebbs and flows – just like our pieces. They surprise us. When you sign up for a life as an artist/filmmaker you are signing up to be surprised for the rest of your life. I have began mentoring young filmmakers – every day my inbox is filled with people asking me to look at their work. I’m really humbled and my next step is to remember that now I have this platform to make films, I am excited to lift others up with me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Breakfast at Beachwood Cafe, Amoeba Music on Hollywood Blvd (50% bin), Griffith Park Observatory hike – to get some sweeping views, a volunteer dog walk at the Animal Hope and Wellness Center in Sherman Oaks (https://www.animalhopeandwellness.org/) dogs saved from all around the world, a nice Airbnb nap, and then drinks at Spire 73, before a night at The Hollywood Bowl (nose-bleed tickets for the panoramic view) and laid back company (don’t forget the blankets)!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my parents, family, and incredible life partner who are some pretty great people I get to see and share my wacky film journeys with – I don’t know how you listen to me blather on, but thanks!

Website: https://stowestorylabs.org/fiscal-agency-backlog

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backlogfilm/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-elyse-rosenthal-2b76667a/

Other: https://backlogfilm.org/

Image Credits
photo credit: @ashleydouglasdance

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