Indie Spotlight: Giles Alderson interview
Anyone can talk about the newest blockbuster. But indie productions tend to get looked over. Den of Geek wants to even the scales...
Earlier this year I saw a British indie movie about vampires. Nothing particularly newsworthy there, you might think. But Night Junkies (written and directed by a first time filmmaker, shot on a shoestring) was actually really, really good. It starred an actor named Giles Alderson, who’s since popped up as ‘creepy Steve’ in the UK-based LonelyGirl 15 spin-off, Kate Modern. So, since he’s in London and all, we thought we’d have a chat to him…
Den of Geek: How did you come to be involved in Kate Modern?
Giles Alderson: It’s funny how this industry works – sometimes it is about who you know. The producer is a good friend of mine and requested to Miles Beckett (the creator) and director Gavin Rowe that they see me. I met them and did my best psycho-religious- but-with-a-nice-streak-guy… and here I am.DoG: Had you watched any Internet drama before Kate Modern?
GA: No, I didnt know they existed. I knew there was smaller stuff, as in virals, but I’d never heard of LonelyGirl15. Which is a shame, as it’s a great medium.DoG: The level of fan interaction (and speculation) is pretty high on Kate Modern and indeed LG15 – what’s that like for you?
GA: It is pretty high, yeah. There’s some really cool people out there who are massive fans and I am really appreciative that they are so interested. They mainly ask about the Hymn of One (HOO) and why I’m interested in Kate but the storylines are so hush hush I’m not supposed to reveal anything.DoG: What’s the actual process of making Kate Modern like, as opposed to working in film or TV?GA: It’s very fast. With film you have more preparation time and although we do rehearse it’s more like a soap, especially for the guys in all the time. But everyone is so nice and the good thing about shooting like this is you can take risks and I’m constantly learning things.DoG: The other thing I recognise you from is Night Junkies, an indie, London-based vampire movie. What attracted you to that? It seems to be quietly doing quite well, are you pleased by the reception the film’s got?
GA: Absolutely. Night Junkies has been fantastic for me. To have such a low budget film do so well is incredible. I loved filming Night Junkies, it was a joy. Everyone who worked on that film deserves so much more. We created a wonderful vampire story about love and loss and with all the vampire films out there that is a massive achievment.
DoG: Shoe-string budget productions aside, you were also in I Want Candy; how different was that? D’you think the British film industry is particularly hard to break into – it can seem pretty insular much of the time?
GA: Yes, I agree. You do tend to see the same faces but that’s because they are very good at what they do, so it is hard to break into that. With I Want Candy it was a chance for the filmmakers to bring in some new talent as well as some stellar cast members to keep the film more grounded and real. I personally think I Want Candy is a great movie. It’s silly and fun, like the old Ealing comedies used to be, except this one’s got more smut in it.
To be honest there wasn’t that much difference shooting on a bigger budget. You’ve still got to love what you do and enjoy your time on it. But I suppose I was able to express myself more with Night Junkies, because it was a bigger part and I felt I could take it further than I could within the confines of an out-and-out comedy.DoG: Where do you go from here? (Obvious question, but plugging stuff is always good…!)
GA: I’ve just wrapped on two features. One set in Scotland called A Dying Breed which is a post-apocalyptic thriller, where six survivors battle it out against the elements and each other. And the other is called Diagnosis: Superstar which is a comedy set in a mental home. I play a depressive who gets the lead role of Romeo in the annual play to raise money to stop the place getting closed down. It’s such a wonderful story and such a challenge to do. I found myself getting more insular and depressive and I didnt have as much fun on set as I usually like to. It was hard but I think the film’s going to be fantastic.
I’m also working on Kate Modern until Christmas, so expect more twists and turns and HOO revelations…
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Sarah is a freelance writer and editor. She loves horror movies, unusual storytelling techniques, and smoking jackets. Ask her about the Saw movies. Go on, ask.