Dropping Off: Finding Connection in Unexpected Places

By Valerie Milano

Palm Springs, CA (The Hollywood Times) 6/19/26 – In an era when so much of life happens through screens, the short film Dropping Off uses those very screens to tell a deeply human story about grief, compassion, and unexpected connection. Co-written and co-directed by married filmmaking partners Will Mayo and Ian Scott McGregor, the film transforms an unusual real-life incident into a moving meditation on loss and belonging. Actress and producer Rebecca Metz delivers a heartfelt performance that grounds the film’s emotional journey.

The film will make its World Premiere at Dances With Films on June 20, 2026, at 4:15 p.m. at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood. It will then screen at Palm Springs International ShortFest on June 24, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. as part of the On the Job program.

As proud media partners of both festivals, The Hollywood Times spoke with the filmmakers and Metz about the inspiration behind the project, the challenges of its innovative production style, and the universal themes at its core.

The spark for Dropping Off came from an unsettling yet ultimately inspiring incident near the filmmakers’ home in Beachwood Canyon. McGregor recalled monitoring neighborhood security cameras when someone unexpectedly drove up a secluded driveway and scattered ashes beneath their bedroom window. What initially felt invasive soon became something more thought-provoking.

Rather than focusing on the mystery itself, Mayo and McGregor became fascinated by the story behind the act. Who was this person? Why did they choose that location? What emotional journey brought them there? Those questions evolved into the film’s premise: a rideshare driver confronted with a request that pushes him beyond the boundaries of his job and into a deeply personal encounter.

McGregor had long encouraged Mayo to create a film shot entirely on an iPhone, but the pair wanted a narrative reason to justify the approach. The solution came through the concept itself.

The entire film unfolds through security cameras, surveillance devices, dashcams, and mobile phone footage. Rather than simply using technology as a stylistic gimmick, the filmmakers integrated it into the storytelling, creating an immersive perspective that feels both contemporary and intimate.

The ambitious production created significant challenges during post-production. At times, twelve cameras were recording simultaneously, generating hours of continuous footage that had to be synchronized with audio and carefully assembled into a cohesive narrative.

“It was a monster of an edit,” Mayo admitted during the interview. Yet the result is remarkably seamless, transforming surveillance footage into an emotionally resonant cinematic experience.

Enjoy our interview:

For Rebecca Metz, joining the project was an easy decision.

Initially drawn by her friendship with McGregor and Mayo, she quickly discovered a script that resonated deeply with her own experiences. Metz lost her father in 2024, making the film’s exploration of grief especially meaningful.

“When I read it, the subject of grief and loss was very present for me,” she explained. “A lot of what the film touches on was already happening within me.”

Adding another layer of emotional significance, filming took place on the one-year anniversary of her father’s passing.

Rather than finding the experience overwhelming, Metz described it as healing.

“I was so grateful to have something creative and positive and communal to do that day,” she said.

Her performance relies heavily on subtle reactions and internal emotion rather than dialogue. Metz credits her transition from theater to film for helping her trust the camera’s ability to capture fleeting thoughts and feelings.

“The camera will see it,” she explained. “You don’t have to push. You just have to allow the character’s life to channel through you.”

One of the film’s most distinctive elements is its portrayal of Los Angeles.

While many films depict the city through traffic, glamour, or urban sprawl, Dropping Off captures a different side of LA. one where coyotes, raccoons, and bobcats roam alongside artists and dreamers.

Metz noted that the film beautifully captures the unique reality of living in Los Angeles, where wilderness and city life coexist. The outdoor security camera footage doesn’t merely advance the plot; it highlights the natural world surrounding the characters and reinforces the film’s larger themes about life’s cycles.

For Mayo and McGregor, Beachwood Canyon itself became a source of inspiration. Surrounded by Hollywood history and reminders of generations of artists who came before them, they found themselves reflecting on legacy, memory, and the invisible connections that tie people together.

At its heart, Dropping Off is about human connection.

The protagonist, Tom is a newcomer to LA who struggles with isolation after relocating from Kansas. Through an unexpected encounter with a grieving passenger, he discovers that meaningful connections often emerge in places we least expect.

That message resonated throughout the interview.

Metz hopes audiences leave remembering that every person they encounter carries a story.

“You never know what fleeting interaction is going to take you down a wonderful road,” she said.

Mayo echoed the sentiment, describing the film as a reminder to look beyond daily anxieties and remain open to life’s mysteries.

McGregor offered perhaps the film’s most moving takeaway.

“I want people to leave the theater remembering the feeling of being loved by somebody that you’ve lost,” he said. “And how that stays with you for the rest of your life.”

The filmmaking duo is already developing their next feature project, an adaptation of the Obie Award-winning play In On It, which has been submitted to the Sundance Labs. Meanwhile, Metz continues her work across film, television, voiceover projects, and independent features.

For now, however, audiences can experience Dropping Off as it begins its festival journey.

With its inventive visual style, heartfelt performances, and universal themes of grief, memory, and connection, Dropping Off proves that sometimes the most meaningful encounters arrive when we least expect them.

Screening Information

Dances With Films (World Premiere)
June 20, 2026 — 4:15 p.m.
TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood

Palm Springs International ShortFest
June 24, 2026 — 2:00 p.m.
On the Job Program