While up north at Grimmfest 2010 I had the chance to sit down with British film director Paul Andrew Williams. Having directed three films to date (London To Brighton, The Cottage and Cherry Tree Lane), he’s leaned towards horror but doesn’t see himself exclusively as a horror director.

We talked about his films, critical opinion of his films, future projects and why Aliens is the best film in the series and our differing opinions on Avatar.

Yes, it was an interview more like a rambling and fun conversation going off on tangents before circling back to the main point. One of the nicest and fun interviews I’ve ever done. Williams also gave me an exclusive update on a future project but asked me not to say anything. I’ve been sworn to secrecy and shall refrain from revealing it. I will say it sounds very cool and that is all.

We’ve met before very briefly at the Curzon in Soho. It was the Cherry Tree Lane screening with Q&A afterwards, and I told you I thought Mark Kermode’s review of your film was wrong.

Williams: I respect Mark Kermode and it’s great he talked about it but yeah, I disagree with him as well.

Have you found that Cherry Tree Lane got mixed reactions and reviews?

Yeah, a lot of people get it and some don’t. It’s fair enough. People take what they want to take from it.

How was the seminar earlier?

It was fine. I’m always surprised people are interested. Are you here for the whole festival?

Yes. I came up to Manchester this morning after seeing 127 Hours at the London Film Festival.

What did you think?

I didn’t like it. I wanted more of a horror film.

Really? I saw a rough cut. At first I thought ‘am I going to like it?’ and by the end of it I did. It’s a good film. I haven’t seen all his movies but Danny is one of those directors I really admire. And that’s what’s interesting about film, you can find somebody who likes one of your films and hates the others, you know?

When you followed up London To Brighton with the horror comedy The Cottage, there was a bit of ‘why’s he done that?’ But it’s got Reece Shearsmith and Andy Serkis starring. I like the film.

Thanks, and yeah, they’re both great. When you make a movie you don’t concentrate on how it’s going to be received you just concentrate on making it. I was very grateful for the response to London To Brighton and obviously I didn’t know it was going to be received so well. In a weird way it puts a lot of pressure on you and then when I did The Cottage people maybe thought ‘he just wants to be a horror director’. The thing is, in all honesty, a lot of people were asking to make a film and I had no money whatsoever and The Cottage was the closest thing I had to a shootable film. That’s why we did it. It’s as simple as that. I’m proud of it and I like it.

How did Cherry Tree Lane, your latest film, come about?

Basically I had another film going and hopefully that’s still going to happen and any director these days is spinning a lot of plates, and there was one which was getting very close and being pulled back a bit. Then I just thought ‘fuck it let’s make this’. Writing it to shooting it was three months. Again, it’s a film I feel passionate about and I made it for a reason. It was a low budget shoot and we filmed it in one house. I made it in a certain way and some people get it and some don’t.

Where did the idea come from?

I liked the idea of filming in one location. Not for practical reasons but dramatic ones. The idea was the perception of things like being mugged, road accidents, all sorts of stuff, are only ever really influenced by the media and it is sanitised information. So we have this idea of what life would be like if you got mugged and in movies they’re all big dramas and actually, I’ve been mugged before, and it wasn’t a big exciting drama it was mundane.

Did it leave you hyped up and fantasising about revenge afterwards?

It sort of left me thinking ‘why didn’t I do that?’ or ‘why did I react like this?’ and there was a time when I was a little bit scared but you don’t really realise what’s going on. You don’t know how you’re going to react to it. There’s no message it’s just what I believe might possibly happen.

That’s the criticism Mark Kermode put across. He wanted a message movie.

If you want a message go to a fucking lecture. I don’t think every film needs a message.

I thought it was a very suspenseful and tense experience. Isn’t that enough?

Just because you don’t get a higher meaning about it … people watch films for different reasons.

Do you care about critical opinion of your work?

I do. Critics can really elevate your movie, which is great in commercial terms. Unless someone is wrong -as in factually wrong – or just slagging me off, that annoys me. But why should I be offended by somebody not liking my film?

Did you go to film school?

I used to be an actor. I got into directing because I wanted to work with actors. All you need to know is what you want to see and if you’ve got an idea of what you want to see then the rest of the team should be able to get that for you.

What’s next for you?

I’m working on a project that’s sort of set here but it’s for an American company and a British company. I can’t tell you what yet. I can tell you off the record (he did and it sounds great!). I’m writing another film and there’s a period piece based on the Bronte sisters. There’s lots of things going on. And I’m trying to live my life.

So you’re not one for all the media parties and awards dinners then?

No. I like staying at home. I’m quite lazy. I’ve just got the Alien films on Blu-ray.

What’s your personal favourite out of the four?

Aliens.

I agree.

It’s weird because a lot of people … I’ve just done a top ten horror films thing for Total Film. A lot of people would put Alien whereas I’m a fan of Aliens. Apart from the fourth one, which I’ve only seen once, all three stand up.

Yeah, Fincher’s is very underrated.

There’s some great documentaries as extra features and I love all that. He’s gone on to make some elaborate films and you kind of forget he made Alien 3.

Speaking of James Cameron, did you see Avatar?

Yeah, I did.

I hated it.

Really? The thing is James Cameron is an amazing director in terms of details and what he’s done. Avatar hasn’t got the best script but on an immersion level, it is an experience you’ll never get again. Why didn’t you like it?

I thought the script and dialogue was terrible. Really cheesy stuff.

He’s got to make it like that so the masses get it. I was really immersed in it.

Do you ever think about doing something big – maybe not ‘Avatar big’ – but something on a larger budget?

I don’t know. I think it would frighten me a little bit. I like working with characters and films like that characters are secondary. The main character of Avatar is the visuals and the technological side. Look at The Terminator it was a great character and he made it really on a low budget.

Thanks for chatting today, it’s been great.

Thanks, man.

Filmography:

Cherry Tree Lane (2010)
The Cottage (2008)
London To Brighton (2006)