“We Just Write Through the Chaos”: Brian Crano and David Craig Explain How Their Real-Life Relationship Helped Them Direct I Don’t Understand You (INTERVIEW)

Based on a real-life experience that took place on an Italian vacation, husbands and writer/director duo Brian Crano and David Craig decided to write I Don’t Understand You, a comedy of errors about two gay men (Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells) who end up making a series of deadly mistakes because of their miscommunication.

It’s a funny film with a sharp script and solid direction. We at FandomWire got the chance to speak with the directors on their process, how they maintained the tone for the film, and what directing a movie is like. Check it out below!

I Don’t Understand You Interview

FandomWire: Since you two are married in real life and worked so closely together, how did you divide responsibilities on set? Or did you just handle everything together?

Brian Crano: We decided early on to do everything functionally as a team. Some directing teams split up; one talks to the camera, the other to the actors, but we didn’t do that. If one of us had a clear vision or idea, they’d take the lead. It helps that we’ve renovated houses together, have a child, and have been a couple for 15 years. Our tastes are really aligned. It feels like one brain working.

FW: What inspired you to blend genres in the film? It’s funny, thrilling, even scary at times. What led you to combine those tones, and how did you maintain that balance?

David Craig: The first act of the story is actually pretty autobiographical; it’s based on our experience adopting our child. Once that situation unfolded, we realized it could make for a compelling horror story. And since it’s the two of us, comedy naturally slipped in. We’d riff off each other, try out bits, and see how far we could push things. The challenge was taking the characters to extremes but still making sure the audience could reconnect with them. And, of course, when you hire actors like Nick and Andrew, you’re guaranteed to get something hilariously unique.

FW: Nick and Andrew play Dom and Cole, who are clearly inspired by you two, autobiographical but obviously fictionalized. How did you approach writing those characters? And how did it feel to write characters loosely based on yourselves?

Crano: We kind of poked fun at each other. We looked at the cracks in our personalities and our limitations, then exaggerated them for our own amusement. We wrote the script during the pandemic while stuck at home, and it quickly became fun and natural to make fun of ourselves and each other. We also wanted to explore the way Americans travel, needing to feel special and safe abroad. That added a silly but insightful layer.

Craig: And when you’re writing something so personal, it’s actually freeing to shift those voices away from yourself. You don’t have to stick strictly to the real story. It gives you permission to play, especially when you’re writing in each other’s voice.

FW: How did you come up with the names Dom and Cole? Was there any significance behind those choices?

Craig: Dom came from wanting something fun and Italian. Brian’s Italian and Jewish, and we just thought, “What’s the most entertaining Italian name we can use?” And we landed on Dom.

Crano: It’s a fun name to hear people scream.

Craig: Yeah.

Crano: It has a kind of punch to it; rhythmically, it just works.

Craig: The first scenes we wrote were really comedic, and having short, punchy names like Dom and Cole just made the dialogue snappier. Try screaming “Samantha” versus “Dom”; there’s a clear difference. Short names are just more fun in that context.

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FW: The film builds off this steady escalation. Did you have a specific ending in mind from the start, or did it evolve as you wrote? How did you structure that rising tension?

Crano: Our writing style is pretty specific; we like to know the characters and their initial conflict, but we don’t map everything out. We prefer to write through the chaos. That way we’re not just hitting pre-planned beats. Instead, we ask, “What’s the worst thing that could happen to these characters right now?” And then go from there. We knew how we wanted it to end, but we didn’t know how we’d get there. We just put them in a tough spot and worked our way through it.

FW: Nick and Andrew are great in the film. How did you cast them, and what was it like working with them? Their relationship in the movie feels incredibly natural.

Craig: We were developing this during the pandemic and brought on our friend Kerry Duran as a producer. When it came time to cast, Andrew was the first person we approached. He loved the script. While we were on the phone, we casually asked if he thought Nick would be into it. Before we could even get it to Nick’s team, Andrew had already sent it to him. Within a week, both of them were in. It was surprisingly easy.

What we hadn’t fully realized is that both actors come from iconic comedy duos, Andrew with Josh Gad and Nick with John Mulaney. So they really understand the rhythm of sharing the spotlight. They weren’t fighting for lines or moments. In fact, they’d suggest shifting lines to the other if it served the scene better. They’d do what was on the page, but they also brought tons of brilliant improv. A lot of that ended up in the final cut.

Also, we realized we’d written a script where the two leads are onscreen together for about 98% of the movie, so they really had to like each other. And luckily, they genuinely did.

FW: I love that Andrew essentially recruited Nick. It sounds like the whole process was super collaborative. When you hit tough creative moments, how did you handle disagreements?

Craig: I’d just fire Brian.

Crano: Yeah, he fired me a lot.

Craig: I think I fired him five times during production. I also gave him COVID, so he had to miss a couple days. That helped.

Crano: In all seriousness, we tried not to let disagreements slow us down. You don’t always know what’s going to work until you’re in the edit. So if we had differing visions for a scene, we’d just shoot both and decide later in post. Honestly, though, we didn’t clash often; our tastes are pretty aligned. We also try not to be too rigid on set. We gather a range of performances, then figure out the best version in the edit. That’s really where the movie comes together.

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FW: I mean, it really seems like you two are perfect creative partners.

Crano: Let’s not get carried away.

FW: Fair enough. Switching gears, what was it like filming in Italy? Did it create logistical challenges, or did it open up unexpected opportunities?

Craig: It was amazing. A lot of the energy in the movie reflects the actual experience of making it. The biggest challenge was the language barrier; there were seven Americans and about 150 Italians on set, many of whom didn’t speak English, including some of the cast. So we were basically making an Italian film in English. But the culture there is so collaborative. Everyone on set, from electricians to grips, had read the script and truly cared about the project. That level of commitment was inspiring. Compared to shooting in the States, it was a breath of fresh air.

Crano: Another great part of shooting there was the prep time we had in Rome. We’d just be walking around and stumble upon a great alley or restaurant and think, “Let’s shoot here.” It gave the film a very organic feel. If we were shooting back home, a lot of those location choices would’ve been made early and locked in. But because we wrote the film without knowing the logistics, we had the freedom to discover things on the ground.

FW: What are you two working on next?

Craig: We’ve got a few things brewing. One project we’re really excited about is a Christmas movie in the same genre-blending style as I Don’t Understand You. It imagines what would happen if all the emotional chaos families dump on you during the holidays became physical. It’s written, and we’re working on getting it made.

Crano: Yeah, that one and everything else we’re developing share a similar tone. We’re drawn to stories about characters in impossible situations who make bad choices and have to figure out who they really are in the aftermath. That’s kind of our sweet spot.

I Don’t Understand You is in theaters on June 6.