How Did That Happen?!

“How Did That Happen?!” Director’s Statement
“How Did That Happen?!” is a silly show about serious topics. When I first heard some of the real-life stories and experiences that inspired the writer/creators of “How Did That Happen?!”, my initial reaction was definitely a laugh. But the accounts also made me think a lot about the way we all treat each other, and the assumptions people make every day without realizing it. Some of those assumptions are about race, while others are simply about people’s identities or backstories. But everyone uses them as shortcuts, and everyone is affected by them in profound ways. At its core, “How Did That Happen?!” is a show about those assumptions.
I’m a big believer in using humorous moments to disarm audience members, and make them more open to thoughtful and productive dialogue. Humor allows us say truthful things about topics that we might not otherwise feel comfortable discussing; and the sort of misunderstandings we see in the show, while absolutely humorous, are also important to many of the conversations we are having right now as a culture. While “How Did That Happen?!” is a resolutely playful comedy, its reason for being has a lot to do with taking a hard look at how we form our biases, both conscious and unconscious.
As one of the most multi-cultural backdrops in the country, New York made the perfect setting for a show about a diverse group of people whose lives cross in coincidental ways on a daily basis. It was also the place that many of the stories that inspired the show actually took place. Growing up as a kid in New York, I had no idea how lucky I was to be surrounded by such a variety of people, nor was I aware how few places in the United States offer that degree of diversity. I just took it for granted, and it wasn’t until I lived in other cities around the country that I started to appreciate this aspect of New York life. And as a New Yorker, many of the situations we depict in the show had special resonance with me for that reason. But I hope that we succeeded in presenting them in a way that will have resonance for anyone.
Just as the idea for the show was based on real experiences, I wanted the feel and look of the show to be realistic, even when some of the situations seem ridiculous. So we really tried to keep the feel naturalistic, observational, and honest. Fortunately, given the very limited resources we had at our disposal, this was both an appropriate creative decision as well as a product of necessity. We used natural sound wherever we could, and tried to keep the editing and effects as unobtrusive as possible. We wanted the moments to be the focus, not the style used to put them together. And the struggles we all faced in creating the project helped bond the team and really made us appreciate how much everyone has given to the project.
In the end, I hope we created a piece that would give any person something to laugh at, while taking away a few things to think about. Making it certainly did that for me, and gave me the chance to make some amazing new friends in the process. Working with such a special group of creators, artists, and actors was rewarding not only because of their collaboration, but also because of their friendship. I feel less like the director and more like the partner of a really fun group of people who came together to create this show together. And since the pilot is really more of a setup for a show to come than part of the show itself, I truly hope we’ll get to tell more of the actual stories that inspired “How Did That Happen?!” as we continue this journey.