Artist’s Statement:​​ 

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The first word that comes to mind when I think about We’re Bad at This is culmination. It is the end result of over a decade of storytelling. The movie is a spiritual conclusion to a trilogy of feature films that explore the importance of communication for the vitality and long term viability of a romantic relationship. That wasn’t our original intention when we set out to make our first feature Two Dash One One back in 2020, but it makes so much sense now as we sit here on the precipice of releasing our third feature film into the world. Even before we were small/TALL Productions, we were Nate and Rosie - friends who spoke about everything big and small. Through all of that conversation we grew together romantically and professionally. Our art reflects the life we’ve built, and our life reflects the art we’ve created. 

We’re Bad at This, or as we affectionately refer to it at times-WBAT, is the fulfillment of a childhood dream of mine to be a lead actor in a movie. My first love in any of this was acting. I never fell out of love with it as I grew up, I simply discovered how to write and how to direct and how to produce and how to edit and found all of these other avenues to funnel my creativity and desire to tell stories through. As a child, I didn’t possess the deep understanding and appreciation for the work that goes into the actual art form of acting as expression. It seemed that my pursuit of performance as a gregarious portly tween was rooted in a desire to make my parents and siblings and friends laugh, and I loved doing that. However, I never thought about the work that goes into building a character, the thought and care and application of relevant life experience to craft something real for an audience so that they can see themselves in some part of what I am doing in front of them. 25 years later, I challenged myself to do the thing I had been talking about and wanting to do for decades in one of the most meaningful ways I could. If I didn’t do the work, then the movie would suffer, and therefore I wouldn’t honor the effort and preparation of my scene partners and the crew who dedicated their time to making this movie what it is. I couldn’t let them down, and I couldn’t let myself down. I did the work, I built the character of Gus, and I was changed as an artist because of it. I am so proud of myself and the work I did. 

This movie was also the culmination of my philosophy of trusting the creative team around you to make the same movie - something bigger and stronger than what was originally conceptualized or planned. As one of the two lead actors, I was on camera for 95% of the movie. There was no time to watch the playback. I had to be confident in what I was doing as an extension of all of my preparation, and I had to be confident in the team around me. For every set up, I would show the team the blocking I had prepared with my ensemble so each department was aware of the expectations for the set up, then I would set the frame during a camera blocking, and then I would trust the team to execute. I communicated those expectations to Rosie who was operating as the film’s assistant director in addition to her usual producer duties. With director of photography and friend of 15 years Nicholas Ferreiro, I discussed all of the coverage, the plan for the edit as he also served as the film’s intrepid editor, and what the expectations for the flow of each day would be emotionally as well as how it pertained to the angle of the sun. Kallie Tenney, the film’s script supervisor and a great director in her own right, saved this movie more times than I could count from a continuity standpoint. These are all friends and trusted collaborators who were there with me at every moment. When we would get through a take where I felt confident in my performance, I would ask Rosie, Nick, and Kallie if they had anything. If all three said no, I would simply say “moving on.” We made our days and got everything we needed because of each of them helping me execute my plan, and I couldn’t have done it without them. Thinking back to making films in school when delegation was never a privilege, I am so grateful for how far I have come and for the incredible team around me. 

I remember every moment on set - every conversation, every stressor, every laugh, every moment of creative spark. I am indebted to the team that came together to turn one of my favorite scripts into one of my favorite films. I am equal parts terrified and excited to be sharing the film with the world. It’s not mine anymore, but the reality is it was never mine - a fact that I am still finding my way to accepting completely. None of my films are mine at the end of the day, and that’s what I love about them. They’re the end result of all of the conversations and collaborations that went on between the inception of the idea to the final export. All I will ever have is the work I did along the way, the thought and time and energy and passion that I put into every privileged moment throughout the making of this movie. I am indebted to this cast and crew forever, and I am grateful for an opportunity to share the film with an audience knowing everything that has led to this moment. I hope you enjoy We’re Bad at This.