Stein was born and raised in Encino, California.[6] His father worked with his grandparents at a film lab and post-production company called Crest National in Hollywood.[6] At a young age, Stein started making films with his friends in his neighborhood. He graduated from Harvard School for Boys (now known as Harvard-Westlake) in 1989 and later received his B.A. in film studies from New York University through the Tisch School of the Arts.[7][8]
Career
Late 1990s
Stein's first feature was Sparkler, a film about a newly single woman in Victorville, California, who crosses paths with three young men on a road trip to Las Vegas. Stein co-wrote and directed the film which featured Park Overall, Jamie Kennedy, Freddie Prinze Jr., Grace Zabriskie, and Veronica Cartwright.[9] The film premiered at the Hamptons Film Festival.[10]
Stein's second feature, Jawbreaker, premiered at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival[11] and was nominated for the MTV Movie Award for “Best Villain”. The dark comedy about three teenage girls who accidentally kill their best friend via a birthday prank gone awry had a wide release in theaters through Tristar Pictures.[12] The film's stars — Rose McGowan, Julie Benz, and Rebecca Gayheart — reunited at 90s Con in March 2023.[13]
2001–2004
Stein's third feature, Put the Camera on Me, premiered at Outfest in July 2003. The documentary takes viewers behind the scenes of the movies Stein made with his neighborhood friends on his Encino cul-de-sac in the 1980s. Stein co-directed and co-produced the film with Adam Shell.[14] The project was released on DVD through Wellspring/Genius Entertainment.[15]
Stein wrote the book for Jawbreaker the Musical,[20] with music and lyrics by Jeff Thomson and Jordan Mann. The stage musical had a one-night showing on July 29, 2010, in Los Angeles, featuring Jenna Leigh Green, [21][22][23] Eden Espinosa, Shoshana Bean, and Megan Hilty. The show also had a reading in New York City featuring Elizabeth Gillies, Jojo, and Diana Degarmo.[23]