KYS is a multi-medium genre freakout collage film about the disappearance of famed vlogger "Kayleigh89" who was reported missing in 2021.
Presented as a “found footage” document assembled from videos posted to various social media accounts, KYS will showcase footage from Kayleigh89’s vlog, home movies and security footage, while simultaneously delving into different vloggers’ experiences as they attempt to uncover Kayleigh’s past and present.
WELLNESS TRENDS
Kayleigh experienced some trauma in her past – as a result, she started exploring various wellness trends (fasting, gut cleansing, sleep depravation, hallucinogenics, prescription pills, etc.) in an effort to “achieve perfection”. The combining of these different trends resulted in her descent into psychosis. As she loses touch with reality, the film follows suit.
It is well documented that Kayleigh struggled with substance abuse issues during her time in the public eye.
CHILDHOOD
The filmmakers have obtained a large trove of home movies, bodycam footage and dashboard videos that help to explain but also complicate the mystery behind Kayleigh’s disappearance. At one point, she was extremely famous… then infamous…
We know this about her:
a) she has a fraught relationship with her family
b) there was a violent car accident in her youth
c) her best friend Shannon Cleary became her greatest enemy and victim…
SHANNON
Contemporary (but unreleased) footage of an interview Shannon Cleary gave while promoting the second season of Limelight reveals a few key facts…
Limelight (a YA show in the vein of Glee) is a massive hit for her and the network
Her mother/manager is notoriously protective and, as a result, Shannon has not given an interview in years
When asked about how she replaced an actress in the role of “Leah”, her mother attempts to cut the interview short
We learn that Shannon and Kayleigh were in a commercial together at age 11
QUANTUM JUMPING PARALLEL TIMELINES
Kayleigh had invested a significant amount of her mental strength into the modern wellness idea of “timeline jumping” believing she could change both her past and future by manifesting her ideal reality or “timeline”.
While no credible proof exists to validate this process’ effectiveness, the negative impacts of this thought process (coupled with Kayleigh’s extensive micro-dosing and fasting) had a dangerous impact on her psyche.
NYC EDITOR
As a result of a mysterious criminal charge, it is illegal for Kayleigh to have access to the internet.
Consequently, she mails her videos, all saved on a USB key, to a mysterious man in New York City.
Important note:
This results in a discrepancy between the time and dates Kayleigh records her videos and when the videos are posted.
We see the NYC man receive and work on these videos --- what is his connection to Kayleigh?
It must be important if he’s willing to take this big of a legal risk for her…
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
1 - We can not be sure of the videos’ sources. While some appear to be pulled from the accounts of various vloggers, there is a subjective unreality at place in much of the content.
2 – Someone was following Kayleigh
3 – We have access to her court-ordered video therapy sessions, but some of them show a clearly agitated Kayleigh being provoked by a malevolent therapist.
4 – It is not entirely clear if the filmmakers are being truthful or if they have their own agenda. It is difficult to tell if the footage is being manipulated or if there is a sinister specter or presence within the video content itself.
