A Day in the Life of a Virtual Assistant in “HEY ALEXA”

Xochi Blymyer, the producer, writer, and production designer, brings a unique perspective to life with her short film “Hey Alexa.” The film explores the imagined daily experiences of the virtual assistant, Alexa, and recently, Blymyer sat down with us to discuss the creation of this creative short film.

“Hey Alexa came from a thought I had of who Alexa really was and what would she be like if she was real” said Blymyer. “How would she get the information that we ask her.   Also, what would it look like if she was someone that only had the information in her office with no computer and no cell phone.”

Blymyer envisioned a character relying on traditional methods like maps, encyclopedias, and research. Additionally, she explored Alexa’s personality, emphasizing the clever and humorous aspects that often go unnoticed.

Blymyer’s favorite part of production was the initial shot. 

“What I had written and spent so much time creating the set, we were finally lit and ready to roll cameras. I literally had a tear I couldn’t stop because I thought it was so great.”

Proud of assembling a talented cast and crew, Blymyer felt a sense of accomplishment as they brought her creation to life. 

“I was so happy it worked so well.”

However, every production comes with its challenges. Blymyer faced a major setback when the original actress for Alexa had to cancel due to a dental issue on the eve of filming. The unexpected turn of events added a layer of complexity to the production, but the team adapted and overcame the obstacle.

“We had a different actress to play Alexa and on the afternoon before our one day of filming, she had a dental issue and her face swelled up. The positive side of things is Stevie (Stevie Lynn Jones), who played Alexa, answered my desperate call and showed up and became Alexa. I can’t think of how we could have lucked out from that momentary panic.”

Reflecting on the experience, Blymyer expressed a desire to have directed the film herself. Despite the initial doubt, she realized the potential of her role as the writer and creator. 

“What I’ve realized is with the amazing cast and crew I had and having written the story, I should have motivated myself to get it done. But I hadn’t ever done a short film, have been the AD to so many directors, I doubted myself. Silly me. Now I know short films are mainly for a director to be noticed. I love that festivals have embraced “hey Alexa” and am happy that writer/producers are also recognized and this has been a wonderful experience.”

Offering advice to aspiring filmmakers, Blymyer emphasizes starting as a production assistant (PA) and gradually working up. 

“I started as a PA, production assistant and worked my way up into the Directors Guild of America. From the beginning I worked with talented ADs and kept learning. I think if they can get started there it gives you the opportunity to see what all the different jobs on the set are. Once you get that opportunity, pay attention, work hard, learn from the experience people.   Also, if your ultimate goal is to be a director or producer, to know what everyone else does on set, makes you much wiser.”

Looking ahead, Blymyer has a documentary titled “Red Dog & Bates” in post-production and is actively seeking funding. The trailer for the documentary can be viewed at vimeo.com/xochi/reddogandbatestrailer, and more information is available on the website reddogandbatesthemovie.com. Additionally, she has a comedy script, “Gambia Untitled,” making waves in festivals and other scripts and projects in development, some of which can be explored on her website gottagrinpictures.com.

“Hey Alexa” is an official selection the Utah International Film Festival taking place February 12-17. It will screen at Maven Cinemas in American Fork, UT.