Good Vibes Only is a thought-provoking satirical short film by writer/director/producer Sarah D’Ambrosio. The short follows a young woman named Eva in a world where AI companions direct human feelings, reactions, and interactions. Despite her inner instincts to honestly react to situations, her AI companion’s relentless positivity stops her from doing so constantly. Throughout the narrative, this film raises questions about a future where AI may completely take over our lives, feelings, emotions, and behaviours, a thought that might not be so far-fetched anymore. In this interview, Sarah D’Ambrosio opens up about the growing impact of AI in our lives, directing for the first time, and the importance of women creatives sharing women’s stories.


Good Vibes Only hints at a future inability of humans to process situations fully and react to them due to the relentless positivity thrust upon them by their AI companions. Was it a personal incident, or perhaps an observation of the current state of society that inspired you to write this film?

I wrote this before AI use was ubiquitous, and it’s pretty astonishing to see how quickly things have changed. The idea came to me as a bit of a thought experiment when I was out for lunch with some friends. There was a natural lull in the conversation, and as often happens in silence, everyone at the table reached for their phones. That spiralled into: “What if AI told us what to say now?” to help move us along. There seems to be a collective discomfort in silence and in awkwardness, yet so many beautiful bits of life and truth surface there. Our phones and AI promise a reprieve from those daily discomforts with these little dopamine hits, and I can’t help but wonder what’s emerging in that dynamic. It’s just a fascinating relationship that dictates so much of modern-day life. 

The story within this film hints at a future that all of us may be walking towards, especially if we continue to let AI into all aspects of our lives. With newer generations of children growing up with AI, how do you think this will truly impact their future interactions? Are we headed towards a world like that within Good Vibes Only?

That’s interesting. For me, it’s less predictive about the future and more about raising questions about our current collective state. At a rapid pace, it feels like AI has become an active part of people’s lives in several ways – it’s providing guidance, drafting emails, and doing the heavy lifting on problem-solving. There’s something in that quick reliance and deference that I’m curious about. What are we getting at, really? What are we searching for or solving for? Particularly in a culture consumed by efficiency, and where so much of the social content we consume throws a glossy sheen over life.

In a narrative where human emotions are so controlled and dictated, while shooting this film, was there any room for actors to engage in improv? Was this perhaps reserved for when Eva begins to lose control over her emotions and begins to display honest, authentic human vulnerability?

We focused on blocking that had little movement and some inorganic spacing, like symmetrical distancing between the actors. The improv in movement really came in at the moment you’re highlighting, where Eva, played by Hannah Emily Anderson, begins to lose control and faith in the world that she’s part of. Hannah was so brilliant in her instincts here, and she really led the way in those final moments with our cinematographer, Alice Stephens, tracking her expression; there was this great dance and collaboration between Hannah and Alice which was so crucial to capturing that moment. 

You wear many hats in this film as the writer, director, and producer. What were some of the challenges that you experienced in each role?

It was my first time directing! So that was a huge learning curve, and I am very grateful for our team. I felt pretty solid in my sense of visual inspiration for the project and the world, but I had only worked with actors as a producer in the past, not as a director. I was cognizant of wanting to build trust there, so I led with open conversations with the cast at the outset on how they prefer to work and collaborate, and I do think that was hugely helpful. My aim otherwise was to surround myself with collaborators whose work I admired and who I could learn from. I also had such incredible partners in this, who were not only supportive of the project and my approach, but who also really challenged me. 

What was the approach you took when crafting the clean visuals and frames within this film?

I knew that I wanted the world to reflect a highly perfectionist, editorial style atmosphere, where everything is intentionally placed and beautiful. But that also felt cold, a bit sterile, and characterless. That contrast and the world really came to life in collaboration with our production designer, Shauna Eve, and our DP, Alice Stephens. We touched on some of the inspiration and comps for each of the spaces and frames, and they really coloured in and elevated the world. I was so blown away by their creativity and perspective. 

Good Vibes Only features an all-female leadership team across all departments. How important was it to you to ensure that you platform women in leadership roles?

Very. My life is full of impressive, incredibly talented female artists and creatives; yet, our industry is lagging in representation. I’d love to see more stories about women by women, and I’m so thrilled that WIFT+ is giving us the opportunity to showcase and celebrate our incredible female-led team. It was also important to me that a story centred on female rage was told through a female lens. 

Good Vibes Only will be screening at the WIFT+ Showcase on May 13th. What message do you hope audience members take away once they have watched this film?

I’m really curious and excited to hear what people take from it, but I do think that’s very subjective. I hope that people see some of the deep comedy and irony in AI’s involvement in very human, emotional experiences. And for me, personally, the message I take away from the Eva-Margaret dynamic is to trust yourself a little bit more – you know yourself best. 

Quick Takes:

What projects are you currently pitching or developing?

As a producer, I’m currently in development on a dramatic feature film, and in varying stages of post-production on dramatic feature + short films to be released this year and next. 

As a writer, I’m working on a horror feature film, and pitches for 2 series (a dystopian drama and a historical drama) with another dramatic short in the works.

What stage are these projects in (writing, pre-production, post-production)?

Various stages of development and post-production. 

What kind of collaborators are you looking for right now? (writers, actors, producers, crew, etc.)

Across the board, I’m always open to connecting!

How can people get in touch if they want to collaborate or learn more?

Through my Instagram @sarahmcdambrosio  

Any upcoming events, screenings, or launches readers should know about?

Good Vibes Only will start its festival run soon, so there will be upcoming screenings. My Instagram is the best place to learn about them.

Headshot: Calyssa Lorraine
Photo Credits: Alice Stephens