Marc Cartwright’s new short film, We Die Alone, starring Baker Chase Powell, is a deliciously short dark tale that brims with confidence.
How do we meet others and communicate ideas in an online world where clicks and likes reflect our popularity? And how does this affect those who lack the confidence to move beyond the digital landscape? These questions surround our continually changing relationship with the internet as we increasingly live in the personal digital caves we create. For many, the opportunities presented by this insular digital world are preferred to the real ones outside their door; after all, physical meetings are often ruled by anxiety and fear. These themes find a voice in Marc Cartwright’s new short film, We Die Alone, a deliciously short dark tale that brims with confidence.
Aidan (Baker Chase Powell) spends his days in a bubble of social anxiety, his fear of new connections preventing him from meeting people and finding the romance he desperately seeks. As a result, Aidan searches online for love, but despite his longing, he never gets further than brief online messages. But when a young woman named Chelsea (Samantha Boscarino) moves into the apartment across the hall, Aidan finally feels he may have found the one, his heart pounding with excitement as he invites her over for a night of puzzles and pizza. But does Chelsea feel the same? And can Aidan finally escape the bubble of insecurity that holds him hostage? We spent some time with Baker Chase Powell to find some spoiler-free answers.
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How did you get involved in the project, and what drew you to Aidan’s character?
The director, Marc, and I have worked together on several projects and have our own production company, Glass Cabin Films, so I was involved in this project from its inception. I was immediately drawn to Aiden’s character, as I’m always drawn to multi-layered characters who face a struggle they must overcome. I love playing characters who can be perceived as innocent or unassuming to the public but who also harbour a dark, mysterious side.
Aidan is complex, occasionally creepy, awkward, and yet tender. How did you prepare for such a nuanced role?
I think there is a bit of “Aiden” in all of us. Though he is an extreme example, I think most of us can relate to a time in our lives when we were self-conscious or nervous about a relationship or how others perceived us. I used some of my own life experiences to connect with the character and amplified them to fit the story’s narrative.
The interface between real-world connections and online communication is firmly at the heart of We Die Alone. Do you think the internet opens a new world or enhances loneliness for those with low confidence or anxiety?
I think there is good and bad. The good is that the internet and social media allow us to express ourselves openly in ways we mightn’t be able to in real life, and to make connections with people we may never have had the chance to meet. But the downside, I believe, is that while it allows us to create a presence for ourselves, whether on social media, dating sites, or career-oriented platforms, it may not always be the most truthful presence.
The internet creates a buffer between who we really are and how the public perceives us, allowing us to stretch the truth, exaggerate, or even flat-out lie about who we are or our intentions. When you’re connecting with people based only on what you think they want, the connection is inauthentic and only furthers your quest for a real human connection.
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There is something intrinsically old-fashioned about Aidan, from his love of jigsaw puzzles to the retro dial phone he uses at home. This almost creates a sense that he is living in the wrong time. Do you think his social anxiety relates to a modern world he does not feel a part of?
Though he didn’t grow up when dial phones were the norm, I think Aiden finds comfort in the past, drawing on a time so different from the present (like he sees himself) that he can escape and feel safe.
COVID-19 has hit film production hard; how important do you feel it is that short films continue to thrive in these challenging times?
I think, as an artist, even though our industry has shut down, it’s essential to continue creating. Short films are the perfect way to stay creative, whether on your own as a 1-man show or with others (using safety measures, of course), and who knows, that short could be the beginning of a full feature one day!
Finally, what’s next for you?
I am currently working on a feature-length script, a horror drama set in the 1990s South. I hope to get it off the ground once the world returns to normal!
Director: Marc Cartwright
Cast: Ashley Jones, Samantha Boscarino, Baker Chase Powell
We Die Alone, starring Baker Chase Powell, is available on Amazon Prime from the 21st of August 2020, and Gunpowder and Sky Alter this Halloween. For more information, visit the We Die Alone webpage.
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