Céline Roustan

Tiffany starts her shift as a security guard and makes the rounds—her night feels like any other on the job until she hears a sound coming from the roof. What she initially believes is a brief and mundane encounter will actually prove to have a lasting effect. With Elevate, writer/director Dylan Boom crafts a subtle and effective drama that explores topics of class and race via a naturalistic approach. 

It was at work that Boom would notice a security guard coming in for her night shift, working at the desk on the first floor. He shared with us that it sparked his interest, but that the idea for Elevate really came together when he realized “the entire building was a direct metaphor for the class system”. This prompted the set-up for an encounter between two people from different floors with the aim of penning a narrative where “two people from different places in the building could meet one another under unusual circumstances”.

The slice-of-life aspect of the setup is essential in making the character’s coming together feel unforced and ultimately compelling. Boom gives the film the time to convey what Tiffany’s shift is like, from gruff authority to fearful meekness and back again, giving us a sense of space. The naturalistic approach in both the visual style and the writing preempts the melodrama that films of this ilk sometimes succumb to, as the conversation between the two protagonists feels genuine and as real as it gets without resorting to gimmicky topics. 

The chemistry between Tracie Thoms and Jason Butler Harner is essential in carrying the film

A two-hander for much of its runtime, for the film to truly be as effective as intended the performances had to strike the right chord. Boom took no chances and cast an established actor, Tracie Thoms, in the lead role, in order to carry the emotional weight of his film. From the first scene, Tiffany is instantly likable—kind, but complex—one instantly gets the sense that character is more than a narrative tool to serve the story. This ineffable but powerful quality quickly creates a connection between her and the audience as we tag along on her shift. Thoms and Jason Butler Harner, who plays Paul, share an intriguing chemistry as their conversation progresses into deeper territory. While most would say that the last scene was predictable, it does allow Thoms to wrap the film with one last powerful portrayal, as her character tries to grasp what just happened. 

We are excited to host the online premiere of Elevate as it is still making its way around the festival circuit, having made notable stops at the Palm Springs ShortFest, Santa Barbara, and HollyShorts. Boom is currently working on the feature adaptation of the film.