How This Director Turned a Vertical Web Series Into a Bold Feature Debut
No Film School: Congratulations on your feature film debut! I’d love to hear more about your previous work as writer and director on the 33-episode web series Keily that your feature is based on.
Emily Elizabeth Thomas: Thank you! Making movies is the joy of my life—it's been my dream since I was old enough to realize that film wasn't magic, but the result of human minds and hands working in tandem to build entire worlds. This moment marks an exciting new chapter in the ongoing story of my career.
In June 2024, I was approached by CandyJar—the studio behind the original Keily web series and now the feature film Keily: Homecoming Dweeb. They had built an impressive track record in the YA romance space through vertical narrative content. Which is, essentially, episodic storytelling in the 9:16 aspect ratio, created to be consumed on a phone. I’ll be honest—I had never even heard the term “vertical narrative” before that call. I had no idea it was such a massive space for storytelling online, especially among Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences. But I was instantly intrigued by the challenge of building a cinematic, emotionally rich world for an audience I’ve never tapped into before, and in the YA genre, which I find incredibly innovative and entertaining.
With my commercial directing background, I’m used to injecting bold visual language into existing brands. So I approached the project with that same philosophy: take something established and put my unique spin on it. My first instinct was not to shoot in 9:16. Instead, my DP Shannon Palmer and I chose to capture in 1:1, giving CandyJar more flexibility in the final crop, while giving ourselves a more painterly, cinema-forward frame to work within.
CandyJar was fully supportive—and energized—by the new approach. They trusted me to bring their beloved IP into a new visual language that would resonate with their fan base without losing my own creative fingerprint. That insistence—that I could and should make vertical content my own—is what ultimately led to me getting the green light for Keily: Homecoming Dweeb.
No matter the format, I’m fiercely loyal to the creative values I’ve developed over the last decade. I was determined to leave a mark in the vertical space—and it ended up being one of the most rewarding creative risks I’ve ever taken.
'Keily: Homecoming Dweeb'Credit: CandyJar
NFS: Can you now share a bit about how this feature-length version came to fruition with Homecoming Dweeb? What did your process look like as writer, director, and executive producer – and what are you hoping audiences take away from this story?
Thomas: Soon after the Keily web series went viral, CandyJar called—they wanted to expand the universe into a full-length feature. Full frame, 16:9, with a ton of creative freedom as Writer, Director, and Executive Producer. I was surprised; I expected a second season in the same vertical format. But they understood that we’d tapped into something their audience was hungry for: beautifully crafted, emotionally rich, real cinema.
The turnaround was fast. Within days, I started outlining the script—mapping out the expanded storyline beat by beat and introducing a brand-new character: Sloane, the queen bee cheerleader with unexpected emotional depth. I also made the bold choice to make Keily an aspiring singer-songwriter, inspired by Keily actress Shannon Austin-Goodin’s killer singing voice and my lifelong love of Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen starring Lindsay Lohan.
At the same time, I called my longtime DP Shannon Palmer, and we hit the ground running. We dove into crafting a richer, bolder visual language right away. I laid down a set of visual rules, sketched out several distinct cinematic looks I wanted woven throughout the film, and mapped specific blocking ideas for the bigger sequences. Shannon built her own bible for lensing, movement, and lighting—and from there, we went full throttle. With limited time, we launched into an intense few weeks of image-pulling, trading film stills, movie clips, and hand-drawn blocking sketches back and forth, day and night.
Our shot list was painstakingly detailed. We rehearsed blocking in my office and apartment in Los Angeles in order to test and refine the rhythm of each scene, with me rewriting scenes as we developed them visually. It was both of our first features, and we were determined to make it count. We really pushed each other. We were so determined to build a world that was bold, expressive, and utterly our own.
I also brought back my original production designer, Ali Isaksen, and wardrobe stylist, Caroline Sebastian, from the series. We already had a creative shorthand, and together we pushed the aesthetic further—sassier, punkier, more layered, dynamic, and fabulous.
I built a meticulous director’s bible that was saturated in mid-2000s high school rom-com-inspired imagery for every department. I came into prep knowing exactly what I wanted. And like all the work I write and direct, the writing process deeply informed and strengthened every frame. Being able to shape the story from the inside out—that’s where the magic really happens.
NFS: Very soon after its release, the original web series gained a cult following across social media and beyond. What do you think it is about Keily as a character, and this larger story, that so many people have resonated with?
Thomas: I’m incredibly proud of how deeply fans have connected with the Keily cinematic universe. Its cult following stems from powerful themes that genuinely resonate, but also from creative choices that were very intentionally designed to spark that connection with young people online.
At its core, Keily begins as a bullying story, but it quickly evolves into something more layered and emotionally rich. I think it resonates so strongly because today’s youth, raised almost entirely online, face bullying in ways older generations, myself included, often can’t fully grasp. Keily stands her ground—she refuses to be defined by shame. She’s a true underdog, and that kind of resilience deeply connects with young people coming of age in a complex world.
The film also explores themes of body image and inclusivity—topics that feel more urgent than ever. The rhetoric surrounding beauty standards, the way we talk about bodies as a society, both online and in the real world, continues to be deeply harmful, especially for young girls. As a millennial who came of age in the early 2000s, I remember when mainstream media pushed a singular, narrow definition of beauty. I’m passionate about creating a different reality for the next generation—one that’s more expansive, affirming, and joyfully inclusive. When audiences see themselves reflected on screen, it’s powerful, and they want more of it.
Stylistically and tonally, I wanted the film to feel like pure eye candy—a visual love letter to the teen rom-coms I grew up obsessing over: John Tucker Must Die, Legally Blonde, 13 Going on 30, Mean Girls. Those films weren’t just fun—they were iconic, burned into the cultural memory with their bold aesthetics and unforgettable tone. With Keily: Homecoming Dweeb, I set out to give this generation that same hit of delicious, high-gloss magic. But I also wanted to elevate it—bringing back the classic high school rom-com in a major way, filtered through my own cinematic lens. I was incredibly intentional in how I crafted this movie – from the fantastical dream sequences, to the one-liners, to the bold visual choices – it was all designed to be devoured by the fan base, and attract new Keily-universe-lovers.
'Keily: Homecoming Dweeb'Credit: CandyJar
NFS: This kind of quirky, coming-of-age story is something I think young audiences are really craving – one that both taps into the nostalgia for early 2000s rom-coms, while completely modernizing it in other ways. What do you hope audiences take away from this expanded story and universe you’ve created?
Thomas: I’m thrilled that viewers are picking up on my nods to early 2000s rom-coms. If I can play a part in bringing that genre back into the cultural spotlight—I’m all in!
One of the things I’m most proud of is how fully the film embraces the ethos of authentic girlhood. This time, I really expanded the emotional landscape of female friendship, portraying it as sacred, grounding, and unwavering. For Keily, her friendships are her lifeline, her safe haven. And for the women and girls who find their way to this movie, I hope the experience makes them feel safe, seen, and genuinely cared for during the 93 minutes they spend in this world with me.
Even the feminine spaces in the film—like Keily’s bedroom, which I designed in close collaboration with production designer Ali Isaksen—are crafted with intention. We styled it as a layered, hyper-feminine sanctuary, a cocoon of safety and self-expression. It feels like hallowed ground. I wanted women and girls watching to feel like this movie was made for them—that it taps into their minds, their fantasies, their dreams. That it’s exciting, safe, dramatic, and fabulous all at once.
During our June 5th premiere at the historic Saban Theatre in Los Angeles, I looked out at the audience during some of the more “girly” scenes, and I saw so many young women watching with real emotion in their eyes. It was clear they saw themselves reflected in this world I built. That moment made me incredibly proud.
'Keily: Homecoming Dweeb'Credit: CandyJar
NFS: This feature is filled with diverse talent, from the cast to the crew. Not only are both the main actors reprising their original web series roles as Keily and James, but you and your Director of Photography, Shannon Palmer, worked alongside acclaimed colorist Walter Volpatto on the film, whose credits encompass such iconic works as Megalopolis, Dunkirk, Green Book, and more. What was this collaboration like between you and Volpotto, as well as the larger cast and crew?
Thomas: There was so much talent on this cast and crew—it was truly a dream. Reuniting Shannon Austin-Goodin and David Kopriva as Keily and James was nothing short of magical. I genuinely adore them as people—I'm basically their stage mom! Watching them grow through these roles was one of the most beautiful parts of the process.
I also had the pleasure of working with some incredible new collaborators this time around—one standout being Walter Volpatto. When my DP, Shannon Palmer, suggested him as our colorist, I was thrilled. Walter is a world-class talent, and his producer Zac Becker, along with Walter’s entire team at Picture Shop, couldn’t have been more supportive of us, and excited to dig in.
Even with Walter’s extraordinary pedigree—he’s worked with some of the biggest names in the business—he approached us and our movie with genuine enthusiasm and care. You get the sense that what matters most to him isn’t the size of the project or the fame on the slate, but the craft itself. For an emerging director/DP team like Shannon and me, his collaboration was a real investment in our creative partnership and our future. His instincts, speed, and artistry blew us away. We’re absolutely in love with the final grade—every shot feels like a painting, just the way we like it.
Emily Elizabeth ThomasCredit: Samantha Scafidi
NFS: Having established yourself as a uniquely creative voice in the romance genre, are there any other genres or methods of storytelling in which you would like to work?
Thomas: I’d love to do more work in the YA and romance genres—they’re vibrant, emotionally rich, and have such a unique impact on pop culture. I’m also deeply interested in horror and fantasy, and would love to dive into those worlds as well. Genre storytelling allows for so much creative freedom, and I’m excited by the possibilities those spaces offer.
At my core, I’m a postmodern genre filmmaker—committed to telling stories about unapologetic women through a bold, expressive, and wildly original visual style. I use the language of genre as a toolkit, often blending and subverting conventions to create something emotionally resonant, unexpected, and entirely my own.
Right now, I’m deep in development on my next feature, MADGiRL—a surreal, coming-of-age drama that explores mental illness, inherited trauma, and the mental health industrial complex through the eyes of a teenage girl navigating the blurred lines between reality and madness. It’s a deeply personal, genre-bending film that furthers my commitment to telling raw, fearless stories about the inner lives of women and girls.
NFS: Is there anything else you would like to share with us about your directorial debut?
Thomas:Keily: Homecoming Dweeb was led by me and a powerhouse team of primarily female department heads—alongside many fabulous and talented men. It’s deeply important to me not only to tell stories centered on diverse female experiences, but to ensure women are behind the camera, shaping those stories themselves.
Hire women. Finance female-led narratives. It’s past time. Our stories are profitable, our audiences are vast, and we are more than ready to lead. We're going to tell these stories regardless, so you might as well get on board.
Popular
Latest
Get our eBook "How to Write a Screenplay" FREE: