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Your new movie The Caller
- in a few words, what's it about?
When Sam answers a call from an unknown number, his life turns into a waking
nightmare. A mysterious voice assigns him deadly tasks, each more
twisted than the last. But as the torment deepens, a more terrifying
question emerges—are these orders real, or is he fighting something
far worse within himself? What were your sources of inspiration when writing The
Caller, and is any of this based on personal experiences?
I wanted to produce something that I was able to film by myself that still
had a strong story and would make the audience question the narrative
and the story of Sam and what happened in his past. I have like most
people suffered some trauma, mental
health or similar challenges in my life and pulled on some of those
experiences that many people may be able to relate to. The Caller
touches on many issues including loneliness and isolation. It explores our own inner battles.
You've handled pretty much all the jobs in front of and behind
the camera in The Caller
- so how do you even handle such a project as a director? Well I never had any creative disagreements with the director which made some
things easier (ha). The roles all merged into one in many ways, but as
the director I wanted to produce something that would keep the audience
guessing; is the Caller real? Who are they? Then slowly feed small clues
to help them understand the story and the different layers.
Equally I wanted to them to be engaged in the narrative so they didn’t
even realise that this is just one actor, and that actor is also the
crew. Did you always intend to make The
Caller completely on your own - and based on your experiences with
that movie, could you ever persuaded to do so again?
I have dipped my toe in self-filming before, I made a short called Remote which is a 4 minute comedy short about a guy who loses his
remote control, and also a short film called Toast which is just over a
minute. I saw that other people had made shorts in this way but no one
has ever made a long film completely on their own. So I set myself that
challenge. Because it is over 40 minutes it is technically according to
the American Film Institute (AFI) and he British Film Institute
(BFI) a feature film. This makes The Caller
the first ever feature self-shot
and acted by one person. Would I do something like this again? Absolutely° It’s challenging, but very rewarding achieving something
so unique.
Do talk about The Caller's
look and feel for a bit! The
Caller is quite dark in many ways, and in terms of genre, it crosses over a few, thriller, drama
and horror. It twists from a thriller to something much deeper as the
film progresses, and it makes the audience work a little as there are
subtle clues, both visually and verbally. The colour palette is slightly
cold with a large proportion of the film's scenes at night. The darker
side of Sam is revealed in the nights scenes. What can you tell us about The
Caller's lead Sam, what dod you draw upon to bring him to life,
and how much Andy Blithe can we find in him? Sam is quite a complex character. At times he shows very little
emotion, but then we see his vulnerable side. Elements of my own
character can be found in Sam, we are by no means like twins, but
emotions I have felt or feel have been drawn upon to provide
authenticity to the character. As a police officer in a former life I
have seen the best and worst in people, and again those experiences have
helped to form Sam, as we observe him and his actions. Do also
talk about the rest of your characters in The
Caller, and how did you make sure the viewer wouldn't confuse them
while watching? One of the hardest parts of
making The Caller in many ways was producing something that kept the
audience entertained and fixated, it was therefore necessary to create
other characters that fitted into Sam’s life. From a technical and
creative point of view I had to make sure the plot, the identity of the
caller and the victims was not given away too early on. Again visual and
verbal bread trails were left to build the story to aid the audiences
understanding of Sam, his life and his mind. What the story does not do
is spoon feed the audience, and it's that I feel that makes the whole
thing work and keep them engaged. A few words about the shoot as such
then, and the on-set atmosphere?
I filmed over several months between other projects when I had time and
slowly built up the scenes. I never wrote a full script but developed
the idea as I went along. Also to add some more production value to the
shoot, I took the opportunity to film two killer scenes when I was on
holiday in India and Italy, this gave the film an extra layer in many
ways. In terms of on set atmosphere - it was great - I got on with
myself fine!! The $64-question then,
where can The Caller be
seen? The
Caller is currently doing the festival circuit. and I started that
just a few weeks ago. It has already picked up a Best Actor Award and a
Special Mention Award, so hopefully that will be successful. I have other
films I have produced on platforms like Amazon Prime, Tubi,
Apple TV amongst others and I hope to be able to get the film on those towards
the end of the year. Anything you can tell us about audience and
critical reception of The Caller? The
Caller has only just been finished at the start of April, so only a
few critics like yourself and friends have seen the film. The response
is very positive. Hopefully those responses will continue along with
some more festival wins. Any
future projects you'd like to share? I am currently working on a few projects.
Diamond Dogs is a feature film which is a light-hearted crime film about a diamond heist.
I am producing this alongside my good friend Kris Smith [Kris
Smith interview - click here], who helped me
with Buying Time, a feature we released last year which has just
been accepted for Apple TV. I am playing one of the leads in Diamond
Dogs, a character called Rick. I am also in the early stages of the film
An Ordinary Guy, which I am producing and directing, which is a
true story of an Mi6 agent from the 80s. I’m in pre-production phase
for a comedy mockumentary pilot about the second coming, Anghells,
written by a very talented writer Ritchie Stonian Johnston, another
friend of mine. Finally I am starting on a new documentary about autism,
so i'm keeping myself busy!
What got you into acting in the first place, and did you receive any formal training on the
subject? I started about 10 years ago in my mid 40s. I did some extra work
firstly and have been in films like Rogue
One, Legends, Muppets Most Wanted, Criminal,
to name a few. I then helped out with a
short film done by a student filmmaker. Slowly have built up my
experience from being involved in shorts to features over the last 8
years as well as producing my own films. I don’t have any formal
training as an actor. In terms of filmmaking I did my Masters in
Documentary Film about 7 years ago. Eventually you also branched out into writing,
producing and directing - so what prompted that move, and which side of
the camera do you actually prefer? Like a lot of actors who
are unknown, roles can be months or even years apart and it’s a very
competitive industry. You can sit at home waiting for the next job or you
can be more pro-active and create your own work and content. That's exactly
what I did. Around 8 years ago I produced and directed a 20 minute film
called The Guardian - yes it wasn’t the best in production value and
when I look back I can see the mistakes I have made. To be honest I have
made many mistakes as a filmmaker and an actor, but that is good. You make
mistakes by doing and then you improve. Because making a film is hard,
especially when you have no budget you have to be proficient at many of
the roles. I have learned that and that is why I am able to get things
made. The Caller is a prime example of that. When it comes to which side
of the camera do I prefer - that's a difficult one ... I would probably say
acting but only just. What can you tell us
about your filmwork prior to The
Caller, in whatever position?
Like I have alluded to I have been making films for about 8 years. They
have taken many forms, shorts, documentaries, mockumentaries and now
feature films. I have helped on other projects that have not been my own
and supported others in their filmmaking journey. Actually that is how
myself and Kris Smith got working together. Kris had seen my camera work
on a short I had filmed for someone and he asked if I would help on his
film New Year's Eve. We found we worked really well together and
that we both had a similar outlook, and that was the catalyst for us
making our first feature Buying
Time together. Even though The Caller
is a one person project, filmmaking normally is very much a
collaborative venture. As a director,
you've made both narrative movies and documentaries - so how do the two
compare, and how (if at all) does your approach differ between fictional
and factual film? Filming for narratives and documentaries is very different in many ways.
Narrative is more structured, slower and generally involves more people
in the filming process. Documentaries can be more fluid in terms of
filming and, depending on the type of documentary, you can get these
finished a lot quicker. Where they are similar is in the need to present
an engaging narrative with a story arc, to also offer emotional
reception for the audience. I quite like run-and-gun type documentaries
where you have to think on your feet much quicker. These might not look
cinematic but often the stories are more compelling. Where I feel one of
my strengths is when it comes to both is in my editing. This is key for
creating that compelling story and making sure your audience wants to
watch until the end. How would you describe yourself as a
director, and how as an actor? I think I am quite relaxed as a director and an actor, but
sometimes my face does not portray that. This is because I want to do a
good job and so I work hard at getting the best result possible. As
often I am also the editor I direct with the edit in mind. This can be
helpful but equally can be a bit of a curse. I feel I am receptive to
other people's opinions as a director as I am conscious that I do not
have the monopoly on the best ideas. In terms of an actor I do feel I am
very aware especially of what the director and the crew need. I think
that's because I have been a DOP or have helped with sound. I do feel
actors do need to be aware of what the camera person needs etc. It’s
not just about acting it’s about hitting those marks and being
flexible in your approach. Again it’s a collaborative business. Filmmakers, actors,
whoever else who inspire you?
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For me I would say Clint Eastwood. He is in his 90s and still
directing. I grew up on many of his films and the old westerns. What is
also great about Clint is the respect actors and filmmakers have for him
as an actor and as a director. Your favourite movies? Other than some of Clint’s films like
A Fistful of
Dollars, I always seem to go back to Shawshank Redemption, there is so much
depth to that film and the underlying messages. I always seem to start
watching a film from a filmmaker's perspective - if that goes away and I
get drawn in, then its a good film! ...
and of course, films you really deplore? I don’t deplore any films
but i'm unlikely to watch a rom-com. Your/your
movie's website, social media, whatever else?
Website is www.aturnfilms.com
I am on Facebook, Linked-in, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Just search Andy Blithe.
YouTube channel is @aturnfilms Anything
else you're dying to mention and I've merely forgotten to ask?
I would just like to thank you, Mike, for reviewing The Caller
and giving me the opportunity to answer some of your questions. If any of
your readers out there want to look at collaborating on any projects then
feel free to drop me an email office@aturn.co.uk
Thanks, Andy Blithe. Thanks for the interview!
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