In 'Who's There?', Boston's independent film community makes its presence known - MovieMaker Magazine

      “Who’s There?,” directed by Ryan Doris and penned by the acclaimed A24 screenwriters Todd Spence and Zak White, tells the story of a nurturing stepfather, portrayed by Garland Scott, who eagerly awaits his daughter’s return after a night of festivities. Although he hears her voice outside the door, she does not appear, leading him to suspect that something malevolent lurks nearby.

      The film explores the feeling of being an outsider within one’s own home: the father was married to his stepdaughter’s late mother (played by Kallie Tabor), and both are navigating the complex dynamics of family life in her absence.

      The filmmaking journey, which has just begun streaming for free on Alter’s YouTube channel, also reflects the development of strong relationships.

      Northeast Meets Midwest

      Producer Alecia Orsini Lebeda, a significant presence in New England’s film scene, met Doris through the essential local rental house Talamas, which supplies equipment to everyone from independent filmmakers to large PBS projects in the region.

      Orsini Lebeda jokingly claims her Massachusetts ancestry stretches back to the Mayflower. Upon hearing the limerick that starts with “There once was a man from Nantucket,” she quips, “I’m related to that guy.”

      Doris, originally from St. Louis, relocated northeast when his wife enrolled in veterinary school in the Boston area. “Who’s There?” combines his Midwestern background with Orsini Lebeda’s Massachusetts roots.

      Initially a theater enthusiast, he planned to join the acting conservatory at Webster University in St. Louis until he humorously realized that “conservatory” meant the possibility of being expelled if not well-received. He shifted his focus to film studies at Webster, where he had more agency over his own path.

      It was at Webster where he met Spence and White, who graduated a year before him. Doris served as a production assistant on several of their student films, and the pair gained significant attention when A24 acquired their sought-after script, Mice, last summer.

      By that time, Doris had already been diligently working on “Who’s There?” for over two years. The project began while he was heavily involved in commercial work but yearned to create his own short film.

      “In 2022, I reached out to them because I was getting weary of corporate projects and felt the urge to create something artistic,” he remembers. “I proposed, ‘Hey guys, let’s brainstorm some ideas together,’ and we ended up having three or four Zoom sessions where we pitched concepts. They had a version of ‘Who’s There?’ that was quite similar to what emerged in the end. It was ideal for us: a single location, two actors, with one hiding behind the door throughout, and there was an elusive creature element.”

      This setup allowed Doris to concentrate on taking full advantage of the door, which had significant screen time, as well as the creature, which made a thrillingly brief yet impactful appearance. Audiences at the impressive Sidewalk Film Festival, where we first viewed “Who’s There?”, collectively gasped when the creature made its entrance.

      ‘Who’s There?’ and Opening The Door

      Star Garland Scott, left, and Ryan Doris on the set of “Who’s There?”

      After Orsini Lebeda and Doris evaluated various locations for “Who’s There?,” they eventually decided to film in Doris’ home. This choice offered many advantages, such as enabling sweeping shots through the windows and granting them complete control over the environment, although the property’s front door was not suitable. It needed a mail slot, which Doris’ door lacked.

      “I live right next to a Restore,” Doris explained. “So, I would visit there every weekend to see if any doors might work: What new doors arrived? I had the necessary measurements, and the plan was to remove my existing front door, construct one to our exact specifications, install the correct lock and keyhole — all these details — and then attach it the week of the shoot. Eventually, we found the perfect door.”

      The process involved removing paint, adding a mail slot, painting the door, and configuring it within the frame. However, Doris enjoys this aspect of filmmaking.

      “That’s the most enjoyable part—working with my hands to create exactly what we need.”

      This hands-on approach proved invaluable when it was time to develop the creature.

      Stop-Motion

      Doris and Scott

      To design the creature, Doris and Orsini Lebeda envisioned a being with characteristics of a chameleon, trapdoor spider, and praying mantis. They enlisted VFX artist Tim Maupin, who produced a compelling CG version that stunned viewers.

      However, the CG creature didn’t fully embody Doris’ vision, yet his producer supported him.

      “He needs to be completely satisfied with it,” Orsini Lebeda asserts. “When making a film, you must immerse yourself in the experience to bring it to life. But then,