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An Interview with Phil Lyndon, Writer and Star of Fixer

by Mike Haberfelner

May 2021

Phil Lyndon on (re)Search my Trash

 

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Your new movie Fixer - in a few words, what is it about?

 

Fixer is essentially about a local M.P. who will seemingly stop at nothing to gain re-election. The action takes place over one day and we see how he and his “Fixer” attempt to engineer his success through dealing with any opposition – the rival candidates and various other influential factions in the city. The M.P. has a wayward son and he enlists Fixer to take him under his wing to try and bring him into line.

 

With Fixer being a political satire, were there any concrete event that prompted you to write the screenplay, or does the movie rather reflect your general views on politics?

 

The idea of a local UK election being the setting appealed as a challenge because it must be the most boring and dry topic imaginable! I felt however we could do what Shakespeare often did with power plays – focus on the dark hearts and deeds. I steered clear of using traditional political party names deliberately. Instead we have Pro Patriot, Progressive Democrat and Social Equality Parties. It’s a bit of an alternate universe idea, the intention was not to wave a political flag. The setting just provided an arena, characters and motivations.

 

(Other) sources of inspiration when writing Fixer?

 

Fixer evolved after I had acted in a short film The Beast in 2015 with Trash Arts. One afternoon Sam Mason-Bell [Sam Mason-Bell interview - click here], Jackson Batchelor [Jackson Batchelor interview - click here] and I got together to basically discuss an acting vehicle for me and we came up with the basic concept. The idea resurfaced and was used for a competition short but due to the fact all entries had to have an artificial intelligence theme the Fixer himself became a robot! (In the feature I include a line from Adam accusing Fixer of being like a robot as he is relentless…)

 

My writing the feature screenplay came about after some drinks with Patrick Olliver who plays Thomas Chalk. I have acted with Pat on stage and screen over many years and as we had recently sadly lost our friend and film-maker Michael J Murphy I felt it would be great to create a vehicle not only for myself but for some of the familiar Murlyn faces. (Murlyn being the production company Michael and I shared combining our names MURphy and LYNdon.)

 

Inspiration-wise I started with my own character of Fixer. I had a pretty immediate idea of how he would look and behave. I liked the kind of Dirty Harry type of character who seemed to plough his own path, not suffer fools gladly and for whom aggression and violence come easily. Writing for Patrick knowing he has handled roles such as Richard the Third meant I could flower his dialogue and create a real counter point to the more base Fixer. Adam Chalk is a bit like the classic Dickensian juvenile lead navigating his journey amongst eccentric often vile characters.

 

How would you describe Fixer's brand of satire?

 

The whole piece is unashamedly bleak! But there’s a bleak humour weaved into the bleakness! The whole scenario is puffed up in order to entertain and my intention was to bounce around with some variety and keep things from lagging.

 

What were the challenges of bringing Fixer to the screen from a producer's point of view?

 

The challenges of production are often boring realities: Costs, availability of actors and locations, time, the inevitable compromises that have to be made. Having written two novels where you write anything you want and the sky is the limit it’s a crash to the earth dealing with a low budget feature film, but I wrote it knowing the challenges and tried to focus on dialogue and action, character and mood. I knew I would have to hand the script over and then focus on my acting and accepted that.

 

A few words about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?

 

Being a feature the shoot had to be staggered over some time due to availability, not ideal but little by little we got it in the can and completed and that is no mean feat for a feature!

 

Do talk about Fixer's cast, and as writer/producer/star, how much of a say did you have or demand when it came to casting?

 

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Fixer sees some Murlyn Films faces appear. Patrick Olliver as Thomas Chalk, Steve Longhurst as Rupert Flood, Kate Kneafsey as Fiona Raven, and June Bunday as the local news interviewer. Alongside these we see some recognizable faces from Trash Arts. Parts were mostly written for individuals, but some replacements came about through circumstance.

 

What got you into acting in the first place, and did you receive any formal training on the subject?

 

Acting wise I started at school. Performing Arts at college. I joined Am Dram in Portsmouth, then semi pro theatre and worked for a murder mystery company. Met Michael J Murphy in 1987 and acted in eight of his movies and eventually became co-producer. 

 

As an actor I’d say I was a character actor primarily and I try not to replicate what I do project to project. That way you discover more about yourself, maybe escape yourself more too, perhaps that’s the attraction! 

 

You've eventually also gotten into writing and producing - so what can you tell us about that aspect of your career?

 

I’ve written and self published two novels, The Soul Feaster and Dr Chameleon. Currently I have teamed up with a friend I have known since school days to form Bitter Lemon Films, and we have a short film in edit stage currently. I think it will be passion projects primarily looking ahead with enjoyment at the fore!

 

Your favourite movies?

 

I love Call Me By Your Name, no movie felt so real and personal. I don’t often revisit movies these days though, I enjoy all sorts of entertainment for all sorts of reasons. Growing up the Bond films, the original Planet of the Apes, Dirty Harry hit the mark. TV might have had more impact. I still love the 70s Columbo shows and original Mission: Impossible.

 

Thanks for the interview!

 

© by Mike Haberfelner


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Thanks for watching !!!



 

 

In times of uncertainty of a possible zombie outbreak, a woman has to decide between two men - only one of them's one of the undead.

 

There's No Such Thing as Zombies
starring
Luana Ribeira, Rudy Barrow and Rami Hilmi
special appearances by
Debra Lamb and Lynn Lowry

 

directed by
Eddie Bammeke

written by
Michael Haberfelner

produced by
Michael Haberfelner, Luana Ribeira and Eddie Bammeke

 

now streaming at

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Amazon UK

Vimeo

 

 

 

Robots and rats,
demons and potholes,
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love and death and everything in between,
Tales to Chill
Your Bones to

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Tales to Chill
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a collection of short stories and mini-plays
ranging from the horrific to the darkly humourous,
from the post-apocalyptic
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tales that will give you a chill and maybe a chuckle, all thought up by
the twisted mind of
screenwriter and film reviewer
Michael Haberfelner.

 

Tales to Chill
Your Bones to

the new anthology by
Michael Haberfelner

 

Out now from
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