"Everything is Fine" In Underground Film From Director Jared Malik Royal

Titled Everything is Fine, this dark comedy short from RSA and Black Dog Films’ director Jared Malik Royal introduces us to a group of people on the subway platform in New York City as they wait for the train. It’s a typical scene in the sense that there are a lot of people and different conversations happening simultaneously. The film is a metaphor for the chaos everyone can relate to thanks to the ubiquitous nature of the digital age. Everything is Fine depicts how one woman navigates the sensory bombardment of an average commute. 

“This piece was inspired by real events of day to day life in NYC,” said Royal. “A few interactions--not unlike those in the film--made me really stop and think. We’re living through times of extreme technological and social change and the effects on culture are starting to show themselves in extreme ways. 

“I structured the story like a stage play that takes viewers front and center from the perspective of our protagonist, as they just try to enjoy the little things in their day. This satirical dark comedy simply observes the obvious--generally many people are not okay.”