How "Hi! You Are Currently Being Recorded" Attracted an Audience Through a Continuous Loop

      On a tranquil street in Woodland Hills, close to the secure neighborhoods of Calabasas, Anna Maguire and Kyle Greenberg embarked on creating a film centered around suspicion and the peculiar closeness of being observed.

      “Hi! You Are Currently Being Recorded” tells the story of Anna (Maguire), a visitor to Los Angeles who takes a stroll while on a phone call. After losing her signal, she sparks up a joint beneath a Neighborwood Watch sign. Her paranoia escalates as she encounters Ring doorbells, security cameras, and other hidden observers tracking her movements. Is it paranoia induced by marijuana? Or something more malevolent?

      Securing a wide audience for short films has always been a challenge, yet Maguire and Greenberg have transformed their low-fi, seven-and-a-half-minute narrative into a model for attracting attention to a small DIY project.

      Greenberg, who works as the head of Marketing Distribution for Utopia Distribution—recognized for bold titles like Red Rooms and The Line—viewed “Hi!” as an experiment in connecting directly with potential fans.

      The film was shot using various types of cameras—from a Sony digital to a VHS camcorder—aligning with the film's theme of a woman being watched from multiple homes.

      “It was really an exercise in making the most of what we had and creating something for fun,” she explains.

      Once the film was completed, instead of opting for traditional short film pathways—such as hoping for a festival acceptance or becoming a Vimeo Staff Pick—they uploaded it to their own website, hiyouarecurrentlybeingrecorded.com, where it plays continuously.

      Miss the beginning? Not a problem: there are 192 opportunities to watch the film in its entirety each day.

      “The film explores the concepts of perception and being perceived, so extending that idea through the website felt organic,” Greenberg remarks.

      The filmmakers highlighted the cannabis connection by releasing the film on April 20, also known as 420—slang for marijuana use.

      With “Hi!” accessible to anyone online, Maguire and Greenberg started spreading the word. When publicists cautioned that the short might not garner much media interest, they chose to engage directly with audiences.

      They dedicated hours to researching Substack newsletters, Letterboxd accounts, and bloggers who write about film, cannabis, or surveillance.

      Then, they reached out to individuals, one at a time.

      “About 95% of our coverage came from cold outreach to people we didn’t previously know,” shares Greenberg.

      They received support from influencers such as writer and filmmaker Max Cea, author of the Nothing Bogus Substack, and cannabis content creator Canna Christiana. On Letterboxd, the film generated a diverse range of reactions; even those who weren’t fans acknowledged that the film’s promotional strategy was innovative and distinctive.

      In its initial weeks, the website attracted 10,000 visits and 40,000 views.

      Maguire and Greenberg view their strategy as a victory for community effectiveness.

      “We need to aim for more than the minimal offerings available in the distribution landscape,” Greenberg states. “Sometimes, if we don’t see the reality we desire, we must create it ourselves.”

      This meant accepting every festival invitation and demystifying the distribution process for fellow filmmakers. Typically, a traditional distributor handles film packaging, marketing materials, release strategy, and takes the film to market via publicity and paid advertisements across festivals, theaters, physical media, and digital/streaming platforms.

      “Many filmmakers lack a clear understanding of distribution because it is often kept in the shadows,” Maguire notes. “At festivals, filmmakers frequently express, ‘I need a distributor,’ but there’s intense competition and ongoing anxiety.”

      Maguire and Greenberg chose to be transparent and straightforward about their direct approach, even hosting an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit and a screening on Discord. They learned that the most engaged audience is one you can interact with personally.

      They also recognized the significance of having a unique angle when pursuing media coverage.

      “Sometimes PR pitches are so watered down that journalists can’t pick up your story. ‘A person made a movie’ isn’t a narrative. The most effective way to communicate your film’s story is by engaging directly with a journalist, writer, or influencer,” Greenberg explains.

      By reaching out personally, they welcomed viewers into the filmmaking process, making film distribution an integral part of its narrative.

      “We might have felt disheartened if the film didn’t ignite any discussion, but it wouldn’t be considered a failure,” Greenberg admits. “We still created it, developed our skills, and made something.”

      They aspire for their direct-to-audience model to be a source of inspiration for other filmmakers unwilling to wait for others to advocate for them.

      “We aim to motivate people to take initiative,” Maguire emphasizes. “It’s not about gatekeeping. There’s room for everyone.”

      You can currently watch “Hi! You Are Currently Being Recorded” at hiy