Finding Emily (2026) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A mistaken search for love becomes a study of obsession, ethical deception, public scrutiny, and emotional honesty.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

The Mistyped Beginning

Owen meets a woman and receives a phone number, but the number is incorrect. Mockery from his older brother pushes him to begin an obsessive search.

Key Events

• Owen Works At The Bar — Owen works as a sound engineer at a university student union bar. Characters: Owen Location: Student union bar
• A Sudden Romantic Meeting — Owen meets a woman, falls for her, and receives her first name and phone number. Characters: Owen Location: Student union bar
• The Number Is Wrong — Owen discovers that the phone number he received was mistyped. Characters: Owen Location: Owen's accommodation
• His Brother Mocks Him — Owen is mocked by his older brother and decides to search for the woman himself. Characters: Owen Location: Owen's accommodation

Love Under Observation

Emily develops a thesis about love and chooses Owen as her case study. She secretly studies him while pretending to help with his search.

Key Events

• Emily Frames Her Thesis — Emily develops a thesis arguing that love is a form of madness and an evolutionary impulse. Characters: Emily Palmer Location: University psychology department
• Owen Enters Emily's Study — Owen seeks help finding Emily, and the psychology student identifies him as an ideal case study. Characters: Owen, Emily Palmer Location: Psychology class
• The Search Becomes A Study — Emily befriends Owen under the pretense of helping him while recording material for her thesis. Characters: Owen, Emily Palmer Location: University campus

Email Guy Unleashed

Owen contacts every university student named Emily and becomes publicly known as Email Guy. A podcast performance turns his search into a viral spectacle.

Key Events

• The Anonymous Email Campaign — Following Emily's suggestion, Owen emails every university student named Emily. Characters: Owen, Emily Palmer Location: University campus
• Email Guy Goes Viral — Owen discusses his search on a podcast and performs a song that unexpectedly goes viral. Characters: Owen, Emily Thewlis Location: Student podcast studio
• The Emilies' Party — Owen enters a party attended by the students he contacted and is discovered by Emily Thewlis. Characters: Owen, Emily Palmer, Emily Thewlis Location: University party
• The Party Chase — Owen flees after Emily Thewlis threatens police involvement, with Emily following him. Characters: Owen, Emily Palmer, Emily Thewlis Location: University campus

Love Beneath The Spotlight

The party incident damages Owen's reputation and costs him his job, but his closeness with Emily becomes romantic. Public scrutiny then ends Owen's chance with the woman he originally met.

Key Events

• Owen Loses His Job — Owen is considered dangerous to the student body and loses his job. Characters: Owen, Emily Palmer Location: Student union bar
• A Relationship Emerges — Owen takes Emily to a show, and their growing closeness develops into mutual love. Characters: Owen, Emily Palmer Location: Entertainment venue
• The Original Woman Returns — The woman Owen originally met contacts him, and they meet at a bar. Characters: Owen Location: Bar
• Public Scrutiny Ends Their Chance — People recognize Owen as Email Guy, leading him and the woman to part ways. Characters: Owen Location: Bar

The Thesis Betrayal

Emily breaks with Tristan and tries to reunite with Owen, but Owen discovers her research notes. Emily loses Owen, completes her thesis, and finally admits the truth publicly.

Key Events

• Emily Ends Things With Tristan — Emily breaks off her on-again off-again relationship with Tristan and runs to find Owen. Characters: Emily Palmer, Tristan Location: Leavers' ball
• The Thesis Notes Discovered — Owen finds Emily's project notes and realizes that their relationship was used as research. Characters: Owen, Emily Palmer Location: Emily's flat
• Emily Falls Into Depression — After losing Owen, Emily becomes depressed but receives a good mark on her thesis. Characters: Emily Palmer Location: Emily's flat
• Emily Publicly Confesses — Emily admits her role in Owen's antics and apologizes during her final presentation. Characters: Owen, Emily Palmer Location: University presentation
• An Apology And A Kiss — Emily apologizes face-to-face, Owen accepts, and they kiss to confirm their feelings. Characters: Owen, Emily Palmer Location: University campus

Story Breakdown

• Mistaken First Encounter — Owen's brief meeting and a faulty phone number create the search that drives the story.
  • Unexpected Attraction — Owen meets a woman and immediately begins falling in love.
  • Faulty Contact — The mistyped number prevents Owen from contacting her directly.
• Owen Begins Searching — Mockery and frustration push Owen to investigate every possible Emily at the university.
  • Brother's Mockery — Owen's older brother mocks his failed attempt at contact.
  • Campus Investigation — Owen searches for the woman through the university community.
• Emily's Secret Experiment — Emily turns Owen's romantic search into evidence for her psychology thesis.
  • Love As Madness — Emily's thesis treats love as madness and a vestigial evolutionary impulse.
  • Hidden Case Study — Emily pretends to help Owen while secretly documenting his behavior.
• Email Guy Escalation — The search expands into mass communication and becomes a public controversy.
  • Mass Anonymous Emails — Owen emails every university student named Emily.
  • Viral Song — Owen's podcast appearance and song make him widely recognizable.
• Public Backlash — Emily Thewlis leads opposition to Email Guy, culminating in a humiliating party chase.
  • Student Union Campaign — Emily Thewlis campaigns against the anonymous emailer.
  • Party Escape — Owen is confronted at the Emilies' party and flees with Emily.
• Romance And Rupture — Owen and Emily fall in love before the original search and the hidden thesis destroy their trust.
  • Growing Romance — Owen takes Emily to a show and their relationship becomes mutual and romantic.
  • Thesis Betrayal — Owen discovers that Emily used their experiences in her final project.
• Public Accountability — Emily accepts responsibility for the deception and seeks forgiveness after losing Owen.
  • Final Presentation — Emily admits her role in Owen's unusual public behavior.
  • Face To Face Apology — Owen accepts Emily's direct apology and their feelings are confirmed by a kiss.

Directed by

Alicia MacDonald

Key Cast

• Spike Fearn — Owen
• Angourie Rice — Emily Raine
• Yali Topol Margalith — Emily Palmer
• Ella Maisy Purvis — Meg
• Nadia Parkes — Laura Lewis