"The Illusionist" is a suspenseful and beautifully acted film that stars dramatic heavyweights, Ed Norton and Paul Giamatti, as well as former "7th Heaven" star, Jessica Biel, who gives a surprising, multi-dimensional performance. The film was written and directed by Neil Burger—who received acclaim and award recognition for his debut feature, 2002’s "Interview with the Assassin"—and is based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Steven Millhauser’s short story "Eisenheim the Illusionist." I recently sat down with Burger, and asked him some questions about his career as well as "The Illusionist," which opens on August 18.

VC: Can you tell me about your education?

NB: I was not a filmmaker but a painter in college, and I studied fine arts.

VC: Did your painting background affect your filmmaking at all?

NB: Well it gave me a good eye for composition, and it made me more aware of my use of color. The second thing is that the way I was being taught was the economy of mark or that every stroke had to be an assertion of something, and in my films every scene is there for a reason.

VC: So you should just give people what's needed to move the plot?

NB: Well I try to give people what's needed and not fluff.

VC: How did you end up working in cinema?

NB: I got my start in films when I made three one-minute movies for MTV.

VC: Can you tell me about your MTV work?

NB: Well there was a campaign I created called "Books Feed Your Head." I created public service announcements promoting reading. But they were not typical reading promos showing people reading books. They were more like music videos only they showcased literature instead of music. They were like little one-minute movies inspired by books, and hopefully they inspired some people to track down the books. Then someone invited me to do TV commercials, then that was the beginning of my career.

VC: What happened after that?

NB: Well, I did many TV commercials for Nike, SBN, MasterCard, and IBM. Some were done here in Chicago with Michael Jordan, and one with the sadly deceased comedian, Chris Farley. That was my bread of butter, and I wrote on the side. Then I wrote and directed "Interview with the Assassin," which was a fake documentary about the conspiracy theory involving the alleged second assassin who killed Kennedy. I actually buy into very few conspiracy theories, personally, and I think they occur when people are trying to understand an unexplained event, and they invent an explanation. The film takes place now, and it's not clear if he’s being truthful or crazy. It's all told from the point of view of the cameraman who is making a documentary about him. It's a very intense thriller. It was very different than my new movie, but there were some thematic similarities. It's a fake documentary about a man who claimed to be the grassy knoll gunman. But it has similar themes as "The Illusionist." They both ask, "What is true?" and they both blur the distinction between fiction or truth and illusion.

VC: How did you get attached to "The Illusionist" project?

NB: Well, 15 years ago, I read the short story that it was adapted from. I loved it, but I was not in the position to make it. I knew it would be a big period piece, and it stuck with me. I mentioned it to the producers of my first film, and they were able to get the rights. I wrote the screenplay, and we got Ed Norton interested, then they gave us the money to do it. It's one of my favorite short stories.

VC: Which directors influenced you?

NB: Well you may not see it in "The Illusionist," but Federico Fellini is my favorite filmmaker. His early black and white films are my favorites. What I like about them is that they are very true to life and they capture what life was like at that time. But there's always a moment when something surreal or supernatural happens and he has such a way of perfectly injecting the supernatural into the light of day, and that really appeals to me. I also like the British director, Mike Leigh and I think his films are extremely cinematic, but in a keenly observed way.

VC: Orson Welles's "F is for Fake" is my favorite film about magic, and it's also about a magician who reveals his secrets. Did you see that film or other movies about magic to prepare for "The Illusionist?"

NB: I've never seen "F is For Fake," but I have seen plenty of films about magicians. I wanted to check out everything that was out there to research the film.

VC: What was it like to work with Ed Norton?

NB: He's amazing and perfect for the role in "The Illusionist." He's a very intense guy, and he has a mysterious quality. The character Eisenheim is also a mystery and an enigma, and he’s also an intense, dark character. Norton threw himself into the role, and he's a chameleon who can change color on demand. He changed his hairline and he really became the character. He learned how to do all the sleight of hand and tricks. He actually did them in the film. He was on the set early every day manipulating a ball or a coin to make it appear or disappear.

VC: What about the other actors in the film?

NB: Well Paul Giamatti usually doesn’t do this kind of role: he usually plays an eccentric or a neurotic. He does have a quiet power you see in this, and he nearly steals the film. He's an amazing actor. Jessica Biel has been seen in more contemporary roles in more pop movies. She’s trying to change her career and fought really hard just to get an audition. Finally we saw her and she knocked us out with her reading. We saw her a few more times, and finally we couldn't keep saying 'no.' She has a fearless quality, which was perfect for the film. It's a breakout performance for her.

VC: Your film is very smart, and whenever a high IQ film without gigantic stars comes out it, usually gets marketed as an art film with limited distribution. Did the intelligent script make it a hard sell?

NB: Well it does make it more challenging to market. People are looking for one basic concept that they can market that can fit in one sentence or phrase like "Snakes on a Plane." This is a more complex story, but it’s a great tale, and audiences have been responding to that. It's a period film, which some people are resistant to, but it's not your typical period movie because it's about a battle of wits between Norton's and Giamatti’s characters who keep trying to outmaneuver each other. It's about perception and a visual game or puzzle.

VC: As a creator of magic, can Eisenheim be seen as a stand-in for a filmmaker?

NB: I think so; he's very artist-like. As a film director you traffic in deceit just as a magician does. The scenarios and setups set up the audience for one thing, while you're doing another in a surprising way.

VC: Do you read reviews of your films, and are you at all effected by criticism?

NB: I do read them and they do effect me. Sometimes, I feel they missed the point somehow, and other times they're right,

VC: Do you have any favorite genres?

NB: I like surreal mysteries, and I think that's what "The Illusionist" is, and I'd like to do more of them.

VC: Where do you see your career going and what projects will you be working on in the future?

NB: I have a script I am preparing for a film that will be very different from "The Illusionist." It will be a road movie that takes place in the United States, about three people who see America with fresh eyes. I just want to do honest movies that are true to their time and give the audience a memorable experience.