After three decades in motion picture advertising, Mike Southerly, former EVP of creative advertising at 20th Century Fox, is stepping behind the camera for his feature film writing and directorial debut with Where We Meet, an indie romantic comedy from Fishbowl.
Starring Madison Shamoun and Jake Short, the film follows two strangers who collide on a Los Angeles hiking trail. Shamoun plays a Black conservative, and Short a white liberal. What begins as a chance encounter spirals into a thought-provoking and emotional day-long journey that forces both to confront their deepest convictions, form an unexpected connection, and walk away transformed.
Joining the lead duo in Where We Meet are Susan Ruttan, Stephanie Blake, Brock Yurich, Tory Trowbridge, Ben Onyx Dowdy, Jonathan Fishman, Lyric Monet Page, Jim Cody Williams, and Kim Yarbrough.
Southerly, who led global campaigns for The Simpsons Movie and the X-Men franchise during his time at 20th Century Fox, later held a senior role at Trailer Park before co-founding Fishbowl with Jim Hale in 2023.
Shamoun’s credits include the Tubi drama Z Suite with Lauren Graham, Amazon’s The Lake opposite Julia Stiles and Jordan Gavaris, and a recurring role on The CW’s All American.
Short is best known for starring in the BBC comedy The First Team alongside Will Arnett. His recent filmography features Supercool with Damon Wayans Jr., Hulu’s Sex Appeal, the teen comedy #ROXY, and This Is the Year, directed by fellow Disney alum David Henrie. He first broke out in Robert Rodriguez’s Shorts.
