Arts & Sciences Director Craig Ainsley’s Sharp Time Travel Comedy in Film Shortage

When Joel wakes after night with a girl from out of town, he overhears her talking with her friends and he can’t believe what the hell they are saying.

Everyone Does It, directed by Craig Ainsley (Whenever You’re Ready), is a sharp and surprising comedy that unravels the confusion and paranoia of a very unexpected morning-after. When Joel wakes up beside a girl from out of town, things initially seem ordinary—until he overhears her bizarre conversation with her friends. Suddenly, everything about her, and the night before, comes into question.

With a fast-paced, witty tone, Everyone Does It taps into the awkwardness and absurdity of hookup culture, twisting it into a surreal mystery. As Joel struggles to make sense of the situation, the film keeps audiences guessing—and laughing—through every unexpected turn.

The film’s premise is both hilarious and intriguing—what inspired the story?
I’m a sucker for time travel movies, and wanted to do something contained and colloquial, and mash that together. I think basically I watched Primer a while ago and that aesthetic stuck with me. The high concept is grounded in the everyday.

If I have an idea for a short, I only write it if I can shoot it. That means it has to be achievable. With this idea I understood it could all happen in one or two rooms. It came to me at 4am when I was lying on the floor next to my son’s cot trying to get him back to sleep. I remember liking the idea and deciding that if I remembered in the morning I’d write it.

More on Film Shortage!