Weaving in and out of the reality of this last argument, the closing scene of a relationship. ‘What we say, What we mean’ aims to tell this most painful of life experiences with it’s full depth of thought and emotion, offering an alternative perspective. As the reality is never quite everything we meant it to be.
Director’s Vision for ‘What We Say, What We Mean’
There’s a habit in the media and film of sensationalising and idealising dating, relationships and breakups.
I wanted to tell story which conveyed a more nuanced and deeper perspective on how and why a relationship can come to an end. The reality is often painful and disjointed, full of ill thought out and reactive communication, sometimes paying little resemblance to what the relationship was. In the aftermath, regret and sadness start to break through the anger or denial and we are sometimes left with a new found clarity on the good, the bad, in ourselves and our ex partners which becomes lost in the heat of the moment.With ‘What we say, What we mean’ I wanted to provide a stage where both realities could play out and intertwine. Both existing in tandem to convey the complexity of what is unravelling before us. Simple, representative visuals and gritty ‘lived in’ characters allow space for the two conversations to coincide with out becoming detached from reality. It provides this space between the two characters to reflect on what was and no longer is, to honour the relationship and each other. Letting go and saying Goodbye.