In Los Angeles, a modestly budgeted film with a tight production schedule is shining a spotlight on the life of a real-life musician while also contributing to a charitable cause.
The film, titled “Burt,” centers around Burt Berger, a musician living with Parkinson’s disease. The creators of this project, Joe Burke and Oliver Cooper, first encountered Berger several years ago during one of his performances at a Malibu restaurant. Captivated by his story, they decided to bring it to the screen.
“He’s got a beautiful personality, a beautiful soul, and makes beautiful music,” Burke expressed. “Oliver and I immediately felt a connection with him. Over the years, I grew to know him, almost as if I were gathering material for a documentary. I kept wondering, ‘Who is this man?’ He moved to Los Angeles in 1974 to chase his musical dreams, but he never quite broke through, never recorded an album. When we filmed, he was 69, and I realized, ‘The world needs to meet Burt Berger.'”
Burke and Cooper not only co-wrote the screenplay but also co-produced the film, skillfully intertwining Berger’s true experiences with fictionalized storytelling.
Despite the constraints of a limited budget and a compressed timeline, the film successfully came to fruition.
“I said, ‘$7,000 is what I have to spend on this movie, can we do it?’ And he’s, like, ‘$7,000, seven days, let’s go!’” Cooper said
“And two months later, we were on set making the movie!” Burke added.
Cooper said the production operated with a very small crew.
“We only had a three-person crew. We had the sound guy, we had Joe running around second camera. Obviously, he’s not getting paid. And then we had our DP who was getting gas money,” Cooper said.
The film highlights both Berger’s life and his determination to continue creating music despite his diagnosis. A portion of the film’s proceeds will be donated to causes related to Parkinson’s disease.
“This is Burt, this is his story and he just happens to have Parkinson’s and he’s not going to let that define him,” Cooper said. “And he’s not going to let that beat him. And I think that’s the beauty of it.”
The film also reflects the filmmakers’ sense of accomplishment.
“We all want to feel like we did something that we can really hang our hat on. And I feel like with this movie, we finally did,” Burke said.
“I can die a happy man,” he added.
“Burt” is now available on digital, and its music, along with the film’s score, is expected to be released next month.
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