Directors Statement  For me, The Gray Area is about uncertainty. The difficult decisions we face in life rarely have clear solutions; questions of morality rarely break down as simply right or wrong. Our characters struggle with the ambiguity surrounding their best friend’s death. Did he accidentally overdose? Was there foul play involved? They decide to search for the “truth,” but the basis of this decision is merely a hunch. The subsequent series of events unfold as our characters piece together unsubstantiated evidence they hope will lead to an answer. Though the truth may be within their grasp, the tangential nature of their arrival is undeniable.
    Our interest lay in examining the emotional impact of this ambiguity. In the film, it begins with their culpability for Gavin’s death. Without any concrete answer as to how he died, the friends begin to wonder if they could have prevented the outcome. This questioning grows into fundamental doubt about their core values. On one hand, Jonah, a recovering addict, believes change can only come from within. Christian, who has found direction in his own life from his experience within the hierarchy of the military, can’t comprehend why Gavin wasn’t forced to get to sober. Somewhere in the middle, Joey simply wishes they were around so Gavin would have known they cared.
    We intended to depict the events in the script with as little bias as possible. In other words, we didn’t want to inflect any semblance of judgment on the actions of our characters or the validity of the decisions they made. This method was to ensure that the audience feels the same sense of doubt that the boys do through every step of the story. At no point does the film give the audience any more information or hint at answers to any questions. This way, we can ensure the audience is planted firmly in our characters’ shoes.

—Chapin Hemmingway, Director of The Gray Area