Experiencing Interruptions?

A Forced Exposure

A FORCED EXPOSURE follows Peri, a quiet observer of the world with a passion for photography, who finds a certain beauty in images at night. With an opportunity to exhibit her photos, she sets out on one last night of shooting, but surreal and unsettling events on the streets of Los Angeles threaten her usual solace, bringing all of her demons in to the light.

A psychological thriller, A FORCED EXPOSURE is an allegory for the torment of Social Anxiety which brings an empathetic experience of the suffocation & anxiety of the protagonist into the bodies & minds of the viewers.

  • Elizabeth McLaughlin
    Director
  • Elizabeth McLaughlin
    Writer
  • Matthew McLaughlin
    Writer
  • Jayne McLendon
    Producer
    Alive & Well, Lolita Express
  • Veronica St. Clair
    Key Cast
    "Peri"
    La Brea, 13 Reasons Why, Maybe It's You, Unbelievable
  • Amina Zadeh
    Director of Photography
    Rise, Again , Figure 8
  • Shannon C Griffin
    Editor
    A Family Guide to Hunting, The Invisibile Girl, Queenbird,
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Thriller, Psychological Thriller
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 35 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 19, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    25,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital - Alexa Mini
  • Aspect Ratio:
    3:2
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Elizabeth McLaughlin

Elizabeth McLaughlin is an actor and producer, making her directorial debut with A Forced Exposure. Notable acting credits include The Clique, Amazon's Hand of God, Pretty Little Liars, Dexter, Big Kill, Grand Hotel and many others. She has worked as a Producer for the last six years of The SAG Awards. Connecting to her theatre roots, Elizabeth studied Shakespeare at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and in addition, holds a French Language degree. Having spent the last 15 years working many jobs on Film & Television sets, she is thrilled to be at the helm of a piece of her own creation.

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Director Statement

What if the only thing in your way is you?

This is a thought that circles the drain of my mind when in the grips of anxiety and depression. All it takes is a single thought to churn the spiral of anxiety: what if _____, or what if _____ and on and on. It is often the irrational voice that gets loud, drowning out reason. Anxiety can stop you in a moment or for a chapter of your life, and it can show up in many forms. For me, if often presents as a physical experience of the imagined worst case scenario. And so, I made a film exploring exactly that.

A Forced Exposure is a thrilling, unsettling film with dazzling images that is grounded by real experiences and struggles. I've seen anxiety hinder lives and bring them to a halt. I set out to capture the quiet nuance of a specific mental health struggle, social anxiety, and to imbue the physical experience of it into the audience, while leaving space for the viewers to meet the protagonist with their own anxieties and interpretation.

As an actor, I have had the immense privilege of working with and learning from some of the best directors, writers, producers and actors in the business. All the while, I was asking questions, soaking it all in and taking notes for when I would have the opportunity to put it to practice with a story worth telling.

Collaborating with my brother for the writing of this short film, and then filling our creative team with a female led crew and cast was one of the most profound experiences of my life. I hope to continue to create works that challenge preconceptions and open the doors of empathic understanding.

--Elizabeth McLaughlin