Elizabeth Archer

Tensions arise between a pair of roommates while awaiting the result of a pregnancy test. “Thank You For Being Here” is a film about honesty. When my roommate Nick (who plays Jude) sent me the script, I was immediately drawn to its familiar dialogue and the unique character our location played in the film. My challenge as a director was an important one, how can we utilize such a small space to make it both visually interesting and tonally dynamic for twelve minutes? Since we were limited to shooting during a specific time of day where the sun went through our window, my focus in pre-production was blocking rehearsals. I wanted to make sure each character’s movements were motivated and mirrored their dialogue while creatively using every square space of the bathroom. Having lived with a various number of roommates the past few years, I saw myself in this friendship and connected to its rollercoaster of dialogue between Jude and Michelle. It’s a relationship that’s honest: comedic, argumentative, gentle, abrasive, empathetic. For me, this film felt reflective of our current environment. Navigating friendships, especially during the pandemic, hasn’t been easy. We’ve been forced to confront our feelings with close friends and family members while in close quarters. “Thank You For Being Here” showcases that despite our disagreements, we can still take care of one another.