Jonah Feingold on Directing, Writing, and the Rom-Com '31 Candles'

The Premise of '31 Candles'

• 🎬 The movie "31 Candles" is a rom-com about an unloved, 30-year-old man who decides to have his own Bar Mitzvah at 31 to reconnect with a past crush.
• 🎯 The film explores the question of how far one would go for a crush and delves into the male psyche of transitioning from boyhood to manhood.

The Journey of Independent Filmmaking

• 🚀 Director Jonah Feingold discusses his journey from facing rejection in LA to independently raising funds for his first film, "Dating in New York."
• 💰 He highlights the shift in the industry away from Minimum Guarantees (MGs) towards distribution deals, emphasizing the importance of ownership of intellectual property.
• 💡 Feingold contrasts the experience of releasing films online versus in theaters, advocating for the memorable experience of cinema.

Creative Process and Influences

• 🎭 Feingold shares his multi-hyphenate role as writer, director, and editor, noting the internal conflict between these roles during the creative process.
• 🌟 Inspirations for "31 Candles" include films like "Marty," "Annie Hall," and "The Muppet Movie," influencing its tonal shifts and self-aware style.
• 💖 He aims to create a tone of sincerity, friendship, and whimsy, filling a perceived gap in the market for romantic comedies focused on genuine connection.

Representation and Rom-Com Tropes

• 🌟 The film features a tall actress, Sarah Coffee, and Feingold himself as the lead, exploring visual motifs of looking up and romanticizing the past.
• 💡 Feingold misses the era of rom-com leads who were not conventionally