Table of Contents
A Bold Start
I made my first feature over nine years ago, right around the time I was in my mid 20s, which felt like an exciting and somewhat daunting stage of life. Moreover, the project itself was a thrilling experience from the very beginning. We premiered “The Boy Downstairs” at the Tribeca Film Festival in year 2017, and it was all gloriously magical. Furthermore, I remember thinking, “This is how movies happen,” as though everything was destined to fall neatly into place. I wrote a script—my very first feature screenplay—then my top-choice actress, who happened to be Zosia Mamet, agreed to star in it, and we ended up making the movie during that same year. I was convinced this was a straightforward process and that I had somehow tapped into the secret of effortless filmmaking.
“How sweet was she?” I sometimes ask myself now, referring to my younger self. I had so much hopeful naiveté back then, especially with so little actual experience in the industry and relatively fresh out of film school. Additionally, I was brimming with enthusiasm, certain that I would go on to make a second feature the very next year. In truth, I was bushy-tailed and starry-eyed, fully convinced that once you start making movies, you just keep on making them. I believed the energy around my debut would be enough to effortlessly propel me straight into my sophomore project without much delay.
Fresh Ambitions
Consequently, I found it hard to imagine any significant hurdles standing in my way. After all, my first feature seemed to come together so quickly—from writing to casting to filming—so I was sure I could replicate that same speedy momentum. I often look back on that innocence fondly, because it felt so liberating to believe in a smooth and unencumbered path. Moreover, I realize now that such a belief is a rare gift. There was a sense of infinite possibility in every direction, and I fully expected my next film to unfold just as effortlessly.
Well, nine years have passed since that first filmmaking adventure, and only now am I finally premiering my second feature at Sundance. It has been a lengthy journey, filled with unexpected delays and challenges that my younger self never saw coming. Indeed, as I stand at the threshold of another significant milestone, it all feels somewhat surreal. I look back on that early optimism with a touch of envy, yet I also cherish the growth and hard won lessons that brought me here. Despite everything, it is undeniably thrilling to be on the brink of unveiling this second feature to the world, and I can’t help but reflect on how much time and experience have shaped this new chapter in my life.
A Tough Moment
I first wrote the screenplay for “Oh, Hi!” over four and a half years ago, squarely in the middle of the Covid era. At the time, I was grappling with a seemingly ordinary kind of difficult dread, and I was also about to turn 31. Furthermore, my life felt like it was in shambles: I was single, I had no job, and the film I had spent the last two years working on was slowly collapsing. In addition, I found myself living in my old childhood bedroom because I got stuck in Los Angeles when the pandemic began. Feeling extremely lost, I tried to figure out my next steps in the midst of that turbulent and uncertain period.
Consequently, I decided to reach out to my agent, since that seemed like the most logical path forward. Quoting “Mean Girls” might seem silly, but the truth is that “she’s not a regular agent, she’s a cool agent.” Her name is Amanda Hymson, and we have been working as a team since I was 26. She has witnessed my life in various states of organization and chaos, and I have always been grateful to have her by my side. It feels like a blessing to know I can lean on her assistance and perspective whenever I find myself staring into the void, unsure of my next move.
During one of those anxious moments, she challenged me: think of a concept that we could film right then and there, with minimal actors and locations. Since so many productions had paused, it made sense to come up with something scaled-down but still compelling. I found the assignment daunting at first, yet it also set my imagination into motion.
A Quick Spark
Only about five minutes after that conversation, I suddenly came up with the premise for “Oh, Hi!” The story focuses on a new couple who embark on their very first trip together. By the conclusion of their first night away, it becomes obvious that they are not in perfect harmony. From that point on, Iris tries everything she can to persuade Isaac to commit to her, revealing just how mismatched and unprepared they might be. That initial spark of an idea eventually blossomed into the screenplay I had been longing to create, even amid one of the most chaotic times in my life.
My ideas often emerge from what is happening in my life, in one way or another, and that pattern certainly held true when I got out of a serious relationship in my late 20s. I found myself re-entering the world of dating with both shock and horror, especially since I quickly realized how different things had become. I am by no means an anthropologist, yet I have gone on enough New York City dates to observe that dating apps have undeniably introduced strange shifts into our shared dating culture. Furthermore, it struck me that throughout history, women have been labeled “hysterical” for countless reasons, and I could not help but notice how that thread still runs through modern interactions.
Modern Confusion
Now, in our current age of dating and hooking up, relationships can develop in a variety of ways, and there are endless options for how we label our intentions and expectations. Because of that, there are so many opportunities for misunderstandings, which in turn lead to new excuses to call women crazy and men assholes. However, the truth is that neither label adequately conveys the complex emotions involved. Additionally, as I observed people stumbling through these modern forms of dating, I realized how frequently conversations went awry simply because two individuals interpreted things very differently.
In reality, every person carries a unique set of fears and emotional baggage, which inevitably influences how they behave in romantic encounters. Yet I found the broad simplification of those complicated emotions—reducing women to hysterical creatures and men to insensitive jerks—both fascinating and strangely funny. Moreover, that contrast between messy truths and easy stereotypes suggested an intriguing foundation for a story.
From that curiosity, the idea for “Oh, Hi!” emerged. I wanted to lean fully into those established tropes and then dismantle them, questioning whether there is actually a kernel of truth behind such labels. After all, is Iris really crazy, or is Isaac actually an asshole? Or are they both simply people who have their deepest fears activated in stressful circumstances? Ultimately, examining these questions seemed like a compelling way to highlight the complicated nature of modern romance, complete with its infinite possibilities for love, confusion, hope, and heartbreak.
When an Early Idea Blossomed
A few days after the initial seed of this idea appeared in my mind, I found myself spending time with one of my closest friends, Molly Gordon. She had also gotten stuck in Los Angeles during the pandemic, so she was living in her old childhood home. By that point, Molly and I had already been friends for six years, and as of now, a full decade has passed since we first met. Our friendship formed around countless shared experiences, especially heartbreak, which fostered a deep sense of understanding between us. Although I was still unsure of how this vague notion in my head might unfold, I decided to tell Molly about it.
She instantly connected to the concept and her enthusiasm felt contagious. By the time that day ended, both of us had resolved to make this idea our collaborative project, and, by the close of that weekend, we had mapped out the entire story in a way that felt surprisingly natural and thrilling. Following that inspiring weekend, I went back to my own childhood bedroom—a place that had become my makeshift workspace in the midst of COVID lockdown—and started writing the screenplay. In the span of just two and a half weeks, I found myself immersed in a creative flow that was unusually rapid for me, given that I typically took much longer to develop my scripts.
Still, this particular tale felt like a rare source of comfort at a time when loneliness seemed overwhelming. It acted almost like a lifeline, helping me navigate the emotional isolation caused by the pandemic. Every day that I spent working on those pages offered me solace and excitement, spurring me on to keep shaping and refining the narrative until I reached a completed first draft.
Finding Collective Faith
When I finally finished that initial draft, I couldn’t wait to share it with Molly and my brother, David Brooks, who was serving as a producer. To my enormous relief, both of them responded with immediate and sincere enthusiasm. Their collective support not only validated the rush of creativity I had experienced, but it also propelled the project to continue evolving through each round of thoughtful feedback and well-considered advice. We all felt a mounting conviction that this story was something unique—something we genuinely wanted to bring to life, despite the challenges of the time. In the end, our joint passion reaffirmed that collaboration, mutual encouragement, and a touch of boldness can transform a spark of an idea into a film worth making.
On September 13th, 2024, we reached the final day on set after completing 21 intense days of principal photography in upstate New York. Leading up to this date, I repeatedly questioned whether the shoot would truly materialize. I wondered if I could really secure my dream cast, if we would manage to lock down the financing, or if everything would collapse once again, just as it had a few times before. Fortunately, everything worked out, and it felt almost unbelievable. By that mid-September day, we had officially made it through the end of filming, and the triumph of accomplishing this project was overwhelming.
Challenges and Triumphs
Despite the sense of victory, the experience proved challenging in countless ways, which is something I suspect applies to every film endeavor. Even so, it was undeniably rewarding and filled with more joy than I had anticipated. After spending so many years focused solely on writing, I was finally stepping back into the role of director. It felt like a homecoming, especially since Molly and I had envisioned a story about a woman desperately seeking love—an idea we had created as a means of exploring our own personal fears and playfully teasing them. We hoped that an audience watching this story would simultaneously laugh, cringe, feel understood, and be entertained.
When I completed my first film, it never crossed my mind that almost nine years would pass before I had the chance to make another one. Yet here I am, preparing for a Sundance premiere, feeling an immense sense of pride in the finished work. The journey might have taken far longer than I initially expected, but looking back, it seems as though it unfolded in exactly the right way. Yes, I realize how sweetly optimistic that sounds, yet it reflects who I am at heart—a romantic who cannot help but see the value in believing that everything happens in its own time. That romantic side of me has propelled me through countless difficult moments, and I owe it a debt of gratitude for getting me here.
Ready for Sundance
Now the stage is set: “Oh, Hi!” is set to premiere at the year 2025 Sundance Film Festival on January 26th. Standing on the brink of this significant milestone feels both thrilling and surreal, especially after so many doubts threatened to derail the project in earlier stages. Nevertheless, all those setbacks and flashes of uncertainty have led to this film that holds so much meaning for me, and I cannot wait to share it with audiences who, I hope, will find some part of themselves in the story. Ultimately, watching “Oh, Hi!” enter the world is an incredible reward after all the years of dreaming, writing, planning, and filming—proving that sometimes, even our biggest hopes can turn into realities.
