Do You Know How To Turn Off The Lights? - An Interview With Mitch Francis

Hi Mitch. So nice to be chatting with you today! Can you share a little bit about yourself, and what got you into filmmaking?

Hi Esther! Really grateful to have this conversation. 

My name is Mitch Francis, and I’m a writer and director who loves storytelling. Growing up, I was a pretty quiet and observant kid who felt things deeply. I was always busy creating — drawing, escaping into video games, getting completely lost in movies. I think I was drawn to the magic of it all, and how a good piece of art could make you feel something you didn’t expect.

I still remember seeing Star Wars: Episode III and being completely overwhelmed by the emotions it stirred in me. It made me realize I wanted to create something that could move people in the same way. That’s really what started it: not a camera or a class, but just this deep pull toward storytelling that makes people feel something real.

I love that! I find that a lot of people with OCD tend to be creatives and deep feelers. Going off of that, do you mind sharing about your OCD journey? How did this inspire your newest short film “Do You Know How To Turn Off The Lights”?

When I was about 27, OCD came out of seemingly nowhere. I randomly began having intense, intrusive thoughts, and developed fears that I’d never worried about before. For example, I would convince myself I had hit someone while driving, even if the road was empty. I also became obsessed with my health and food. I changed my entire lifestyle overnight, not out of a passion for wellness, but fear. I would ruminate constantly, checked things repeatedly, spent hours researching, and was always trying to find some sense of certainty. 

At the time, I had no idea what was going on. However, when I opened up to my good friend Tyler, he suggested I might be dealing with OCD. He’s struggled with it since he was young, and I ended up seeing a psychologist and getting diagnosed.

Years later, Tyler had written a spoken word piece based on his own experience with OCD. When he shared it with me, it resonated deeply. I really saw myself in it, and told him we had to turn it into a short film. I adapted it into a screenplay, he became the main actor, and together we created something that truly captures what it’s like to live with OCD. The goal was to make something honest that could both resonate with people who have OCD, and help loved ones understand their experiences better.

That’s such an important task to take on. As you probably know, OCD is very misrepresented in the media. Even when we see more stereotypical depictions like someone turning their light switch on and off, the audience doesn’t get much more information. 

What I really appreciate about this film is that it really shows the “why” behind the behaviors we do. There’s this internal monologue we hear and intrusive images that flash on screen that explains why he’s so afraid. How did you decide what creative direction you’d take in portraying OCD?

When adapting Tyler’s spoken word piece into a short film, I wanted to show how intense OCD can feel during a seemingly normal, everyday moment. Even something simple like turning off the lights or washing your hands can feel like a lot from the inside. I wanted people to experience that spiral. 

The voiceover was key to that. You can hear when the intrusive thoughts start taking over: the echo shifts, the pacing speeds up, the voice becomes more intense. The editing and sound design also move up with it. There’s faster cuts and louder sounds that build anxiety until it peaks. I wanted the whole piece to feel uneasy. 

I also wanted to create a few moments of relief — just a few seconds where it feels like things are okay before the next intrusive thought takes over. Because that’s how OCD is. It doesn’t let you settle for too long. I tried to mirror that stressful rhythm in the pacing and tone of the film.

More than anything, I wanted people with OCD to feel seen. I wanted to give them a film they could show to the people around them who don’t quite understand, so that they could feel that uneasiness too. Tools like filmmaking can help people begin to grasp the “why” behind the behaviors. It’s not about being neat or quirky, it’s about trying to survive your own thoughts.

I love how art can allow people to better empathize and understand what it’s like to live with certain conditions. You definitely captured that feeling of uneasiness and all the intrusive thoughts that fuel the panic.

Another aspect I think is really powerful is the fact that all of this is happening in a bathroom, mid-dinner. It just shows how easy it is for OCD sufferers to hide their struggles. Why did you choose this environment? 

The bathroom setting actually came from the writer and main character, Tyler. It’s a space where he’s often found himself struggling in real life, so it just made sense. We also wanted to intentionally keep his OCD more hidden and internal. Visually, he looks like any other person stepping away mid dinner, but inside, he’s spiraling. That quiet contrast was important, because OCD often operates in silence. We don’t know who he’s with at the restaurant or why he’s there, but what’s clear is that he’s trying to keep this battle unseen.

Beyond that personal connection, shooting in a confined environment really helped heighten the feeling of being both physically and mentally trapped. Because that’s exactly what OCD does — it traps you in a cycle that feels impossible to break.

I also love how you showed how complicated and illogical our routines get. There have been so many times where I’ve done a whole series of compulsions, just to remember another fear and have to start all over. Or even assess so many “dangerous” options that I’m stuck with which compulsion to do. It truly feels paralyzing. What has been people’s reaction to this film so far?

I think this film helps people see what it’s like to be inside of our heads. Even the most simple tasks can feel overwhelming with OCD. When outsiders can see that internal struggle play out, it becomes easier to understand why we perform compulsions so desperately. And maybe through that understanding, they’ll be able to meet us with more compassion.

The response to the film has been incredibly moving. We’ve had many people with OCD thank us and say the film helps them feel seen. One person explained that even though it’s exhausting to live with OCD, our film gave them some hope. Those types of comments mean everything to us. It tells me we accomplished what we set out to do: create something honest and real that people truly connect with.

Are there any words of encouragement you have for someone who might be struggling right now?

No matter what you’re thinking or how alone you feel, there are many people who understand exactly what you’re going through. There’s nothing wrong with you and you're not broken. Even when it feels all consuming, please trust that you can always regain your life and start to feel like yourself again. With the right treatment and coping skills, things can get so much better.