"Grief impacts a young woman as she navigates her development into adulthood, during this intersectionality period of significant growth within online spaces and the digital world as a whole. This story not only exemplifies the power of the internet as a cultural touchstone and social movement, but more centrally focuses on the through line of strength in community in a tangible or physical sense; taking place outside the artifice of digital consumption."

Two years ago, I began the development of My Lovely. This project holds an extremely special place in my heart, as it represents the cementing of the complicated feelings I experienced during the transition to adulthood. Set in 2012, the story follows Mak, a withdrawn teenage girl with a strong fixation on internet star Alana Carey. However, things don’t appear quite as they seem, as Mak slowly begins to notice signs of a larger mystery at hand—with Alana at the center of it all.

We first join Mak during a period of hardship within her family, brought on by the sudden passing of her brother Carter. As she falls further down this rabbit hole, Mak not only finds meaning in Alana’s significance in her life but also reconnects herself to the tangible world, confronting this immense grief. Buried in Mak lies a battle between opening the door towards the future, and grasping onto the past. 

I feel like the internet as a narrative framing device isn’t often utilized to tell more grounded stories that act as the throughline for more interpersonal discussions; instead focusing on the sensationalism of the internet and how it continues to be a place we know little about. However, when I first saw Jane Schoenbrun’s film, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, it opened my eyes to how uniquely the digital world could be used to tell more complex, character-driven stories. World’s Fair in particular has served as a major influence throughout the development of this project.

I lost a good friend of mine in 2022, who had an immeasurable impact on my life, and those around him. Following his passing, I noticed the things we bonded over and the games we played together began to hold a deeper meaning. I revisited memories by doing the things we loved to do together, as a way of keeping him forever present. However, doing this didn’t carry the same feeling or appeal—like watching a show that you felt you were growing out of. His influence on this story is a way I’m keeping the memory of him alive forever due to film's powerful ability as a medium to transcend time and remain ever-present. 

(Casting still in progress, more to be announced)

Mak would argue that she is Alana Carey's biggest fan. She's watched all of her videos twice over, and while never shared publicly, she believes that the two are meant to become best friends someday. Mak isn't awkward or shy, rather she's emotionally headstrong and insecure about herself; caught at this impasse of young adulthood where there's a desire to grow up and an effort to hold onto the fragments of her adolescence. Her connection with the digital world is much more prominent than her connection with reality—confiding almost solely in her best friend Ellie. While she's not disconnected from her parents, she chooses to keep her parents mostly in the dark, as teenagers tend to do. However, her relationship with them as of late has strained following the death of her brother, Carter.

Character Influences

We're All Going to the World's Fair (2021), Juno (2007), All About Lilly Chou Chou (2001)

Ellie is Mak’s closest—and only—friend. While Mak still searches for herself, Ellie already has an understanding of who she is in this unfolding chapter. She carries herself with mature sensibilities and warmth that Mak seeks guidance in. In other words, she's similar to Alana in terms of how vulnerable Mak feels she can be when around her. She has a passionate and animated side to her, as her tendency to talk about everything on her mind usually opens up those around her.

Character Influences

Practical Magic (1998), Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020), Election (1999)

Alana is the “it girl” of 2010s internet culture. Marked by her bubbly and welcoming personality, she is known for her wide variety of video content on YouTube—from DIY tutorials to webcam diaries. To Mak, Alana is an idealized version of herself, and an uplifting figure of whom she's never actually met. However, while her internet persona is that of an uplifting and bright eyed young woman, she is no less a human than her fans. In reality, Her online persona and real life contrast more than her fans can realize.

Character Influences

Perfect Blue (1997), Marina Joyce (YouTube), Spencer (2021)

Barbara is Mak and Carter's mother. Although not mentioned in the story, she previously worked as a writer for a local publication before being bought and restructured. Now she’s at her own impasse—struggling to rediscover her passions in life and move on from her career. The passing of Carter makes this exploration period strenuous, as the disconnect in the family is keeps her in the past, slowly picking up the pieces.

Character Influences

The Iron Claw (2023), Ordinary People (1980), Ghostlight (2024)

Richard is Mak and Carter's father. While Barbara is unemployed, Richard works as a sales operation manager for a large retailer. Following Carter's passing, Richard practices similar habits to Mak, choosing to distract himself with homely television and disengaging from work and his family life. This parallel in their grief causes a greater disconnect between him and Mak, who sees her father as a husk of who he once was.

Character Influences

Hard Truths (2024), C'mon C'mon (2021)

Visual Influences

With the visual style of My Lovely, we're looking to draw inspiration from movements such as German expressionist cinema and Cinéma du look from the 20th century to draw a clear distinction between Mak's connection with the real and digital world. German expressionist cinema is notable for it's direct lighting style, casting strong shadows and contrasts on the characters to evoke this fantastical feeling, so blending that with the vibrant color and spectacle of Cinéma du look will help make this fixation of Mak's more suffocating. 

Three Colors: Blue (1992), Double Indemnity (1944)

We’re also looking toward the lighting aesthetic The Worst Person in The World for Mak’s connection with reality; incorporating heavy amounts of natural lighting in that cast a stark change in Mak’s perspective during her journey.

The Worst Person In The World (2021)

As for framing and shot composition, we want Mak’s computer to have an identity in this story and offer a perspective that connects the audience to this world. Films like We’re All Going To The World’s Fair experiment with longer static shots that capture the characters and environments in their entirety without much intrusion. 

We're All Going to the World's Fair (2021)

The show Severance has also served as a massive influence for our visual approach to the film, through its showcase of extreme wide shots and the frequent utilization of longer lenses. This would allow us to maintain distance from Mak to symbolize her isolation, while also flattening the space to give the feeling of unease or tension surrounding her. In short, we intend for the audience to feel like outsiders to Mak’s life, furthering the debate as to how much of her story we truly know.

Severance (2022-)

Other Influences

While we have found inspiration in films and television for technical influences, there's a plethora of other media and art that have helped shape this project from an aesthetic or thematic angle. Below is a list of other influential concepts and works (in no specific order):

- The Internet Hysteria of Marina Joyce

- "Lizzie's Stream" - online short story

- "Move Fast and Break Things" - book by Jonathan Taplin

- "Very Online Guy" - song by Alvvays

- "Headlock" - song by Imogen Heap

- "The Horrifying Panopticon of West Elm Caleb" - video essay by Sarah Z

- "Suddenly Everything Has Changed" - song by The Flaming Lips

My Lovely taps into a version of the internet that may feel nostalgic for some viewers; a time that fell at the intersectionality of the fast-developing digital world, and the tangible world we had long experienced. This was a time when the internet felt less monetized and algorithmically curated to the user, where the digital world represented a place for discovery and growth. This environment helps better showcase Mak’s progression through the story, allowing her to exist between these two worlds and glean the effects they have on her. But outside of this freedom, the film explores how even then, the seeds of the now-current online landscape were being sown. It marks the moment of cognizance that online drama and narratives could be monetized and made into a spectacle. What felt like a new frontier quickly became a current reality for curated realities and performative activism, disregarding the basis for truth and holistic perspectives.

Mak is someone genuinely fascinated by the internet, not just as a tool, but as a space where creators share pieces of their lives, where communities form, and where stories unfold in real-time. In 2012, the platform still felt personal and intimate, like a digital diary shared among friends. She finds comfort in the creators she follows, treating them almost like companions during her grief.

This makes her vulnerable. She's grieving, searching for connection, and for meaning. 

Her vulnerability becomes a mirror of the internet—more specifically Alana’s own evolution. As Alana shifts in appeal and identity, so does her understanding of Alana in her life. In trying to cope with her pain, she latches onto this source of comfort, which instead opens her up to manipulation, disappointment, and disillusionment.

This film is part of the BFA Capstone program at Emerson College, making this a student-led project and experience. With that, our team—from cast to crew—is dedicating their time and energy for no charge. This team is truly special, and their help in making this film a reality means the world. In return, we want to be able to provide them with the best experience possible with a production that ensures their safety, comfort, and general well-being. 

By donating, you’re helping us provide the best housing arrangements for our non-local cast and crew, a greater variety in meals and craft services on set to keep this team energized and happy throughout production, a greater budget for our art team who are working in the parameters of decor, clothing, and props from over a decade ago, vehicle rentals for transportation to and from set each day, and other expenses such as location insurance costs, additional equipment rentals, and festival submission fees.

Thank you for taking the time to look at our fundraising campaign. We hope you consider supporting our project!

The My Lovely Team

Julia Giordano, Alani Aleli, Luca Bevilacqua, Tyler Metcalf, Harin Srimugayogam, Eamon Hewitt