“Lurker” director Alex Russell in a movie for the first time, shows the scene of music Los Angeles

When Alex Russell arrived for the first day to shoot distinguished outputs, “Larker”, he realized that he might have the experience of anyone who is probably involved.

“I had no idea what I was doing,” the 34 -year -old writer and director, who started in the “Dave” book, admitted from FX and then moved to all of the duties produced in “The Bear” and “beef”. As soon as he started filming the first scene – Russell meets, as Rice breathed a sigh of relief. Well, we have a movie.

It turned out that this is one famous, after it was celebrated globally at the Sandans Film Festival-the first time that he ever contacted in the presence of the Festival-in January to industry and delirium reviews. “It was like the imagination that you hope for, because people really loved the movie,” he says. “You can go to this theater and earn or lose anyone – and for this reason you are like, you shook the last moment.”

“Lurker”, also written by Russell, follows a retail employee, Pellerin, who becomes part of the Madekwe inner circle, a pop singer about the stars. But as he approaches the singer, his relationship takes a shredded turn. Russell relied on his own experience in the scene of music in Los Angeles for inspiration, and invited some of his friends – such as rapper, actor Zach Fox and producer Kenny Bings – to help collect the movie, which was in development for nearly four years.

After selling to the “Article” distributor, Mobi from Sandans, in a competitive position for the mid -number price, the “Lurker” messenger takes to the Berlin Film Festival on Friday for the first time internationally. Below, the rising director discusses the origins of the film, as Casting Madekwe and Pellerin and what might be his next project.

What is the origin of “Lurker”?

This was the first week of Covid in 2020 and I just got the first TV writing job and stopped everything. I was like “well, here is my chance to try to write something longer.” And somehow I just did. I think that the world stopped allowing me to focus, so I managed to write this draft within two months. It was one of those things that came out of you – I felt that I was clearing something about my surroundings.

Was the plan to direct the movie?

No, it was not even a plan to obtain it. The plan was to reach the end of a 100 -page text. Then when there was some interest in the scenario, I don’t think there are many people who were dying to direct it. The tone of this is somewhat defined, so it became a clear option for me to do this, although I had no idea what I was doing. There were people who said I could, and I think it was successful.

The film explores the controversial behavior that continues in the world of chasing the music scene in Los Angeles. How did you inspire your own experience in this world?

This is the big joke of the film, for example, what is the goal of this type of nature between competition in this hierarchy for children? This is clear that this is my play, and I don’t think I have already seen any of the things in this movie [happen]But in the world of possibilities. I heard that people say, “This is the really most of the most of the” most really “, and I also heard,” This is incredible. ” I like you, you don’t know this world. But I feel that you do not have a specific understanding of this world to understand the dynamics of play. This film could have occurred in Furat’s house or at a school – where there is a group of young people who could arbitrarily collect themselves.

What is your inspiration for Oliver? A few people came to the mind: Brookham’s Kevin Abstract, Dijon, Rex Orange County, Dominic Fike …

Well, Dijon and Rex Orange County have already written one of the songs. It is definitely a sub -type, and it is a merging for all the people you think. There was no single model for that or a single inspiration. But anyone who thinks about it may be in the Oliver Inspiration menu.

The American character was written. Then when we threw Archie, we were doing the coach of the word and everything, but then we were like us, “What if he was British? I think Archie British added this kind of accurate difference between him and anyone else in the group. It has shown his strength in a hidden way, as it prevents us from some American artists who believe this is. Even in this subtitle of the DIY pop that Oliver made, this is a mixture of species and I think this is a kind of what I got with this character. Like this man? It is very modern and at this time, or for the year 2018, which is the period. I am sure that Archie was his secret, “I try to be such a man”, or “I try to be the British version of this man”, and the British part can expel you from his smell.

More told me about “Archie Madekwe” as a pop star, Oliver.

For Oliver, it was extremely important to feel the charisma and weakness. The film was a little more flat if you think it’s a rising pop star, which is attributed to anything, but then we never exceeded it. But then when the second half enters and some of his feelings are revealed, you really need an actor who can go there. I felt somewhat he could. You can’t spend much time in decision -making, you just have to start from the bowel feeling. I think in real life, he had charisma. I was at the meeting like, “Wait, do you love me?” So it was the case, I am already. This is an important aspect of Oliver – the people around him want to like them.

What about Lurker Titular, Théodore Pellerin?

In fact, I was the first tape I ever seen, by chance. I am astonished by humanity – it may seem vibrant – but it is very expressive and you can see a lot in his face and what he is thinking about, however it is a mystery. You can also see him counting, but you are not really sure of what he will do after that and this is a large part of this movie. We have seen films like this before, we have seen a kind of obsession before, but many of its performance cannot be predicted. Is there a sweetness for him? Do I feel bad about him? Do I roar him? Do I feel betrayal of his actions? Are I associated with him anyway? This is a kind of fun of this movie, really.

There is also a truly enjoyable support band, including Zack Fox and Sunny Suljic. How do they participate?

I and Zack are friends of more than a decade, and I always knew that I wanted to put it somewhere in this movie. I knew he would add a lot of originality and humor. It is like an improvisation genius-especially if I give it the right starting point, it can make it feel living in the cuff. It was funny because it took a few years to get this movie and it was so, “Well, we are now in the thirties of life, we may only have to admit that he is the old in the group.” There is even a small moment like Matthew like, “How old are you?” I do not think that would have been there if we made this movie three or four years ago.

Sunny was a kind of random, but so ideal that in this scene in Los Angeles, it was firmly established. So he fully understands everything that is going on in the movie. I think I was a little tired of being a child star; I was like, I have to feel this. But it was Archi that he brought as an idea for this role. He was in a music video with Sunny two months ago, and I think Zac Brian. So we met IHOP in Hollywood and had chains and wearing all his own clothes and I was like, “This child is a star – it may not be modest enough to play this Jimmy’s character.” But then, whenever you spoke to him you like, this child is very humble, gentle and good for how Hollywood is his life. He turned to be the sweetest boy ever and everyone loved him. You may have to expect how it will be, and then it is very nice and it is a kind of disarmament. As an actor, I feel this is his first role as an adult, do you know? He went up to that.

Kenny Bates on both the original music and the result of the film. What is the process like working with him?

I knew Kenny forever. We always wanted to work together on something like that, and it was completely perfect timing. He was very ready to record a movie. I was so fortunate that I had this friend that I knew could make the ideal version of this sub -type of songs and we can give him the opportunity to create a degree I felt unique and new. Only Kenny can create any song of any kind at any time, so it was a laughing shortcut when you like, “Can you make some songs for Archi?” Two days later, the songs that were in the movie were completed and I had to explain anything. You are like, you know the type of music you make.

All of these musicians, writers and actors have brought. There are real chains in this movie. But it was all like “Pull to the Studio”, in the same way as rap songs. Like, “Well, let’s come with three violin players to the studio, tell them to withdraw now. I told the oboe to withdraw,” which is very funny. But if there is nothing well, it will be very fast in reaching something else to do. It was very generous to present the feeling of the movie, instead of trying to do the most wonderful thing.

“Lurker” ended in a mode of competitive bids from Sandans. What made you go with Mobi?

I have just made wonderful creative conversations with them and I think they understood this movie as something more interesting and more complicated than you expect. I think this is a lot of people out of it, and many reviews indicate this as well. I also think that Mobi, as a distributor, is really an interesting point. They can really pay a new voice and support a film director, especially in the afternoon “Article”. They really believe in the film, and I think you want to work with people whose interpretation of the material is in a world of what your intention was. So that it shines in marketing, all the way to the trailer. I can see a distributor who wants to pretend that this is a horror movie and the fans in some way. It is a unique tone – it’s very tense and healing, but may not be transferred to the places of violence you may expect.

What after you?

I will write all this year, then I see what comes out of it. I didn’t have to learn a lot of lessons in the difficult way in this first, so I feel that in the next next one can happen. But I will be more willing. Now that you understood what is the guidance, this can be the next type of fufe. I mean, I hope they allow me to do another one. I only found my dialect with this, so I think the next one will be a development of a similar sensitivity. I don’t want to run away from that.

This interview has been edited and intensified.