Beacon Communications is known for critically-acclaimed, award-winning films such as The Commitments, which was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Picture in 1991 and went on to win four BAFTA awards; Keith Gordon's critical triumph, A Midnight Clear, starring Ethan Hawke; and David Mamet's A Life in the Theatre, which won a Cable ACE Award for Best Dramatic or Theatrical Special. Beacon also produced Sugar Hill, starring Wesley Snipes; Princess Caraboo, starring Phoebe Cates and Kevin Kline; and The Road to Wellville, directed by Alan Parker and starring Anthony Hopkins.

Bernstein was born and raised in Chicago. He went to college at the University of Wisconsin, and was a journalist with PBS and later ABC. He wrote the 1970's cult classic Thank God It's Friday, starring Debra Winger and Jeff Goldblum.

He then went on to write and co-produce Francis Ford Coppola's legendary Vegas romance One From the Heart. Bernstein made his directing debut with Windy City, from his screenplay, which starred John Shea and Kate Capshaw. He wrote and directed Cross My Heart, starring Martin Short and Annette O'Toole for producer Lawrence Kasdan.

Bernstein also wrote and produced the Emmy Award-winning Earth Day Special for Warner Bros. and ABC.

Beacon is presently in production on The Hurricane, starring Denzel Washington and in pre-production on Thirteen Days, starring Kevin Costner and Family Man, starring Nicolas Cage.