Experiencing Interruptions?

Every Digital Ghost

"I never do this," says Joe as he sees Sally for the first time on video chat. They appear to be a typical internet courtship story, in which two people are seeing each other's faces and hearing each other's voices after meeting on social media, writing each other long letters and chatting via IMs. They are nervous about meeting, but they have lots to talk about and it's fun . . . for a while. But soon the mood grows dark, as Sally makes a shocking revelation to Joe, which escalates into a white-knuckle suspense game that grows darker and darker. In the end, only one of them can win. And that may one of them has to die. Shot in June of 2020 during the first and most terrifying wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, EVERY DIGITAL GHOST was written in a single sitting by genre scribe Stephen Romano and then performed, recorded and live edited in one take, directed by and starring acclaimed maverick filmmaker/actress Tonya Kay. It's a "slam poem" movie of raw, experimental power, showcasing singular talents, with a compelling supporting performance by Morgan Peter Brown.

  • Tonya Kay
    Director
    The Ascension of Ava Delaine, Ripley's Believe It Or Not! "Curious Christmas", Coming Out, Band
  • Stephen Romano
    Writer
    Black Light, Web Cam Girls, 42nd Street Forever
  • Tonya Kay
    Producer
    The Ascension of Ava Delaine, Ripley's Believe It Or Not! "Curious Christmas", Coming Out, Band
  • Stephen Romano
    Producer
    Black Light, Web Cam Girls, 42nd Street Forever
  • Tonya Kay
    Key Cast
    "Sally"
    Animal Kingdom, Puppet Master Xl, Saving My Baby
  • Morgan Peter Brown
    Key Cast
    "Joe"
    Absentia, The Dungeon Run, All The Creatures Were Stirring
  • Andria Chamberlin
    Cinematographer
    The Shadow Guide: Prologue, Lost Beneath the Stars, The Ascension of Ava Delaine
  • Andria Chamberlin
    Technical Director
    The Shadow Guide: Prologue, Lost Beneath the Stars, The Ascension of Ava Delaine
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Thriller, Drama
  • Runtime:
    29 minutes 33 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 1, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    1 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Zoom
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Shockfest
    online for pandemic
    United States
    December 15, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Studio City International Film Festival
    North Hollywood, CA
    United States
    November 21, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Indie X Film Festival

    United States
    Winner: Mobile Short
Director Biography - Tonya Kay

Tonya Kay's career started as a professional dancer on Broadway and in blockbusters. Expect to see dynamic physicality, choreographed camera movements and a fascination with bodies glorified in all their gross, hilarious and sensual shapes in Tonya Kay-created and directed works.

Mentored by Birds of Prey director, Cathy Yan, Tonya Kay's film directing debut, The Ascension of Ava Delaine (Amazon Prime), was called a "ridiculously difficult" 5 min single-take film shot entirely on drone and won the AT&T SHAPE Film Awards with notable funding awarded at Warner Bros Studios. Tonya Kay reveals, "What you see from the drone front is the movie. What was happening behind those walls was a whirlwind of rambunctious nudity and focused determination."

Her tv directorial debut premiered on The CW in Ripley's Believe It Or Not! "Curious Christmas" segment, which she also wrote. Indie Shorts Mag says; "The bold, experimenting spirit of Tonya Kay ... revels in attaining new heights."

Tonya Kay was named one of "30 Female Directors You Should Know" by Festigious Mag and was honored as an "Exceptional Woman in Production" by StudioDaily at the Cablefax Awards.
With an established film/tv acting career, Tonya Kay works quickly and powerfully with actors' unique psychology. She just wrapped direction on two quarantine films and three music videos, is writing a dance film and developing dark musical comedy, Anita Berber Is Dead, into a feature.

When not on set, Tonya Kay is the go-to gal for hot rods in Los Angeles. She produces elaborate automotive photoshoots, writes the most-read column at RacingJunk.com and throws live classic car shows with sell out attendance.

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Director Statement

Every Digital Ghost was a technical experiment I manifested in the height of Los Angeles isolation during the 2020 pandemic. Film and television production was shut down entirely and I envisioned creative solutions to forge ahead in safety and make a movie!

The story line was written by Stephen Romano in a single-sitting and plays upon the isolation of the dire times the world was experiencing. I, as Director, chose to shoot the film in isolation as well, mirroring the social desperation of this very real moment in world history. No cast nor crew interacted personally with one another during the course of this film shoot.

To up the ante artistically, we chose to not just shoot in isolation, but to film live, over the internet on mobile devices in a single-take with live editing by Cinematographer and Technical Director, Andria Chamberlin. Actors Morgan Peter Brown and myself were challenged in a very non-traditional way to deliver a half hour of continuous action without cuts, more akin to theatre acting than film.

The results are an authentic (and disturbing) conversation about social media filmed over the internet with live editing - all happening from separate, remote locations.

And now, the cast and crew of Every Digital Ghost can honestly say we've shot a 30-page day!