An Interview with Philip Gardiner, Director of Awesome Killer Auditions

by Mike Haberfelner

June 2013

Films directed by Philip Gardiner on (re)Search my Trash

Your movie Awesome Killer Auditions - in a few words, what is it about?

It's very simple really. Take X Factor and make it as cheesy as possible (yes, even more cheesy than it already is). Add in some really bad acts and some weird characters, throw in a few unknowns and see what happens.

Now I might be wrong, but casting shows like X-Factor, Pop Idol, The Voice or whatever they're called these days seem to have been a source of inspiration for Awesome Killer Auditions - am I at all correct in that assumption, and your personal take on these shows and the "talent" they spawn?

It was a total piss take from start to finish and not just the acts. Even the judges were put together to create that edge. Like Simon Cowell, the one who is obnoxious and one who sucks up to the acts.

Other sources of inspiration when conceiving Awesome Killer Auditions?

A little of Die Hard maybe :)

Eirian Cohen, Rudy Barrow

You decided to shoot Awesome Killer Auditions with two cameras in one long take - why, and in retrospect, do you stand by your decision? And honestly, was there any "cheating" involved?

The reason I wanted to do it was simple, the natural flow of a room full of real talent of which 90% had no idea what was going to happen. You can't stop and start something like that and still have that feeling of shock. Most of them had no idea. In fact only Rudy [Rudy Barrow interview - click here] and Eirian [Eirian Cohen interview - click here]  knew what was going to happen and even they didn't know how people would react.

Do talk about your cast for a bit, and what made you choose exactly these people?

Rudy was a simple choice, because he is brilliant at improvisation. Michelle [Michelle Gent interview - click here] on the judging panel because she's a female version of Cowell – she speaks her mind. The rest were all told to come up with their own act and to try and make them all different. A lot of credit goes to them all because they really did do great.

The little acts your actors perform for their "auditions" - were they at all pre-planned or did they come up with those themselves?

Mostly all by themselves with a little discussion before hand. Some really funny stuff in there that you just couldn't have planned.

Now honestly, how difficult was it to keep a straight face during all of the proceedings?

I was crying with laughter behind the camera I can tell you. Funniest film I ever did.

What can you tell us about the actual shoot, and the on-set atmosphere?

There was a lot of anticipation and a few nerves because they were all told something bad would happen when they least expected it and nobody knew who the stooge was.

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What can you tell us about critical and audience reception of your film so far?

I have no idea whatsoever. Anybody who knows me will tell you – I make a film, I forget about it and move on to the next. If I cared about critics and such I would have given up and shot myself a long time ago!

We might want to add here that Awesome Online Magazine is an actual magazine - care to talk about it for a bit?

It was an idea to create something that was only positive, no moaning, no gripes, just celebrating all the talent, all the great indie things like music and movies. It has an amazing readership.

Since Awesome Killer Auditions you have made a handful of films we have already covered elsewhere on this site [Exorcist Chronicles-interview, Dead Walkers: Rise of the 4th Reich-interview] - any other current films and future projects you'd like to share?

I am working on several things at the moment. Some of them are under wraps right now and some are well, with money men and you know how long that crap can take. Just finished a documentary on Exorcisms and another on the Loch Ness Monster with some shocking new evidence that came to light and another that we are now in the research stages of that is very secret. We had some footage come in that you would not believe and so I am planning a trip to Slovenia in the next few weeks to go and get to the bottom of it.

Your/your movie's website, Facebook, whatever else?

Best place to go www.gardinersworld.com, where there are links that go off in all manner of directions.

Anything else you are dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?

Looking forward to your next appearance in a film! [Awww, thanks Phil! - Mike]

Thanks for the interview!

© by Mike Haberfelner

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