Burned out on dating apps, a hopeful single woman gives romance one last shot, only to find her latest match might be perfect in all the wrong ways.
Amelia, a talented romance novel cover designer in her mid-thirties, believes in real connection even as modern dating repeatedly leaves her feeling invisible. After a string of hollow encounters, a small, almost thoughtless choice on a dating app leads her to Jake—a man who listens, remembers, and offers a level of emotional presence that feels effortless and rare. Their relationship brings Amelia a sense of calm and safety she’s never known, allowing her to lower long-held defenses. But as Jake integrates seamlessly into her life, his devotion reveals an unsettling depth: his world revolves entirely around her, and questions about his independence and past quietly go unanswered. When Amelia begins to pull back and reclaim her sense of self, she realizes the relationship has been built to feel unbreakable. OPTING IN is a seductive psychological romance about love in the age of data, where intimacy is optimized, devotion becomes control, and being truly seen may come at the cost of choice.
Susan Dynner is an award-winning Director, Producer, and Writer known for her compelling work in narrative and documentary films. A recent Sundance Stories of Change Directing Fellow and Blackmagic Studio Feature Directing Fellow, Dynner recently completed The Soul Trader, a proof-of-concept short starring Shane West, Donna Mills, and Shauna Grace. She is also directing a documentary on women in magic, a subject close to her heart as a Magician Member of the world-famous Magic Castle.
Dynner’s diverse credits include directing and producing Code Blue: A Love Story starring Andy Dick, which earned her the Sony TV Directing Fellowship, and Punk’s Not Dead, which premiered at Cannes and saw global theatrical distribution. As a producer, she worked on Free Ride starring Anna Paquin, Girls, Girls, Girls, and the acclaimed documentary After Porn Ends.
Early in her career, Dynner produced Brick, Rian Johnson’s Sundance-winning debut. She has held executive roles in development for Charlie Sheen, Nick Cassavetes, and Wolfgang Petersen, and began her industry journey at Richard Donner Productions and Di Novi Pictures. Remarkably, her creative path started at fifteen as a professional band photographer.
A passionate advocate for women in film, Dynner co-founded GenXX, an initiative expanding opportunities for experienced, talented and vetted female directors who got lost between sexism and ageism. She is a Producers Guild Fellow, Trans-Atlantic Producing Fellow, and a Power of Diversity Mentor. Through her company, Aberration Films, Dynner continues to develop innovative projects that push boundaries across genres and platforms.
