You Know You Wanna Stay: Navigating Power, Nostalgia, and Teenage Complexity
Behind the Scenes with Alex Heller on Capturing Teen Emotions, Tension, and Vulnerability
You Know You Wanna Stay captures the tension of adolescence, the subtleties of power dynamics, and the emotions that shape our formative years. Directed by Alex Heller and produced alongside Russell Kahn, Lio Mehiel, and Alex Heller, the short film relies on a single location, a handful of actors, and carefully orchestrated visuals to tell a story that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
We spoke with Heller about the making of the film, the creative strategies used to keep the story dynamic within a small apartment, and how memory and nostalgia shaped every frame of this compelling short.
Working with Elsie Fisher and Russell Kahn, how did you get such authentic performances from your lead actors? Were there particular moments on set that stood out?
We talked a lot ahead of time, focusing on digging into the layers of subtext in every line of dialogue. I feel like teenagers never say what they’re really feeling — sometimes it’s intentional, sometimes they’re embarrassed, and often times they’re not even in touch with their own feelings. Elsie and Russell did a great job of piling layers on top of their characters’ intentions. Key moments for me are when Russell is able to manipulate Elsie into staying in his house. I don’t think either of their characters are fully aware of the power dynamic being exploited, but we as an adult audience are, and that’s what makes it so excruciating.
Elsie Fisher delivers a raw, layered performance in You Know You Wanna Stay.
“Teenagers never say what they’re really feeling — sometimes it’s intentional, sometimes they’re embarrassed, and often times they’re not even in touch with their own feelings.”
The film takes place in essentially one location, yet the story stays gripping and engaging. What challenges did you face in keeping it dynamic, and how did you overcome them?
There are chapters to the story, during which the dynamic between the two characters shifts as tension escalates. We divided these chapters into different corners of the small apartment, so even though it’s a single location, we feel movement and build. The presence and absence of sound (music, TV, car radio) also provides subtle chapter markers. We might not register the progression in an obvious way, but we feel it.
You Know You Wanna Stay explores the vulnerability of adolescence with Elsie Fisher.
“The presence and absence of sound… provides subtle chapter markers. We might not register the progression in an obvious way, but we feel it.”
Brody S. Anderson’s cinematography is atmospheric and contributes to the narrative. How did you work with him to create these visuals?
Brody and I have worked together before, and the main thing we take into consideration when shooting is perspective. At any given moment of a film, whose story is it meant to be? In this case, the film is split between two key perspectives: Elsie’s, and a birds-eye audience perspective. We are meant to shift between feeling her emotions and choices firsthand, and nostalgically viewing the fallout — making conclusions that her character isn’t aware of. Brody also did the color grade, and aimed to create a warm, nostalgic atmosphere that tugs on our memories of that formative period of youth.
Savannah Birnbaum’s production design really reflects the characters. How did you translate character traits and emotions into the visual environment?
Savannah and I (two millennial women) really channeled our memories of that “cool” guy that everyone knew in the 2000s. On a tight budget, she searched for pieces that spoke to the music-lover archetype — what made the misfit/skater boy/musician think he was cool back then? What made vulnerable misfit girls buy into it? What can we reflect on now and find humorous? We were super economical with our choices and tried to build a world that felt immediately nostalgic and warm. The environment is meant to be inviting, otherwise, why would Elsie’s character feel compelled to stay?
How did the limitations of budget, space, and time influence your creative decisions, from writing to filmmaking and editing?
I’m usually drawn to a single-location short, it’s easier to make and I think it’s possible (and interesting) to capture an arc of drama within a single scene. A good story can be told simply, and for indie filmmaker with few resources, sometimes you have no other choice. Throughout this small production, every choice Russell (lead producer in addition to actor) and I made was influenced by budget, as we called on our friends for favors (our actors, Brody the DP, Savannah the Production Designer, David Brown the editor, Lio Mehiel a producer). We’ve built a network of amazing artist friends whose generosity made this possible.
Elsie Fisher and Russell Kahn in an early scene that sets the tone of You Know You Wanna Stay.
“A good story can be told simply, and for indie filmmaker with few resources, sometimes you have no other choice.”
The story feels personal and specific, yet also universal. What inspired you to write it, and how much of your own experience shaped the narrative?
I was inspired to write this short because of a similar experience I had with an older male friend when I was 14. There’s so much of that “friendship” that I didn’t understand at the time, but that I now see with much more clarity. I think this type of power dynamic in a friendship is one that many women have experienced. This is part of why the story is set in the past: whether you were a teenage girl in 2007, 1987, or 2017, we aim to trigger the feeling of a flashback.
Russell Kahn in a tense, pivotal moment from You Know You Wanna Stay.
Do you see You Know You Wanna Stay as part of a larger project or theme you are exploring?
I think YKYWS is a contained, 9-minute story that is exactly how long it needs to be in order to send its message. However, themes of power dynamics, insecurity, and relationships between teenagers are creatively inspiring to me and are definitely present in other work. If I were ever to expand on this film’s universe, perhaps one day I’d be interested in telling a story about a web of young girls affected by the same egomaniac guy.
After completing this short, what are you working on next, and how do you see your filmmaking evolving from here?
I always want to keep making short films between longer projects. I think shorts are so important to stretch yourself creatively, sharpen skills, and stay active as a filmmaker. If I ever happen to come into some additional money past my rent, it’s usually going towards a short. I’m hoping to direct my second feature next year, but I’ve always got a short script in my back pocket ready to go. Currently, a 5 page ghost story.
“I think shorts are so important to stretch yourself creatively, sharpen skills, and stay active as a filmmaker.”
Looking back on the production and festival success, what advice would you give other filmmakers making a short?
Don’t be afraid of simplicity. Rehearse with your actors ahead of time so everyone walks onto the set on the same page and ready to go. Think about the visuals of your script (acting, shooting, editing) while writing: could 8 lines of dialogue be replaced with one facial expression? Work with people you trust to take the job seriously, then empower them creatively and give them freedom to be additive to the vision.
Were there any unexpected moments during production or post-production that taught you something new about filmmaking?
With every project I make, I get a better understanding of how to execute tone. Tonally, this film felt exactly like what we set out to do. I also continue to learn more about trusting an audience, and how capable they are with interpretation. People like to mentally engage and do work to derive meaning from the art. We don’t need to spoonfeed them.
Explore more about You Know You Wanna Stay:
Writer/Director: Alex Heller
Producers: Russell Kahn, Lio Mehiel, Alex Heller
Starring: Elsie Fisher, Russell Kahn
Featuring: Jenna Levin
Director of Photography: Brody S. Anderson
1st Assistant Camera: Hao Yu
Gaffer: Cooper James
Production Sound Mixer: Daniel Enrique Bonilla
Production Designer: Savannah Birnbaum
Editor: David Brown
Sound Design: K.C. Conway
Music By: Finom, Beard Valley, Cassandra Jenkins
IMDb Page: You Know You Wanna Stay
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