Peer Review: Alex Boutell

Who are three contemporaries that you admire?

I’m going to apply the word ‘contemporaries’ very liberally here. First up: 

The DANIELS - if only because it reminds me that you can go from the groin pumping insanity of the DJ Snake and Lil Jon Turn Down for What video to the multi-Oscar winning Everything, Everywhere, All at Once in the blink of a (third) eye.  

Martin McDonagh - He’s only made four films but they’re all absolute bangers. In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths, Three Billboards and The Banshees of Inersherin. Funny, poignant, dark, genre bending, beautifully performed pieces of work wonderfully written by him. He flies under radar somewhat but he’s a gem. 

Hiro Murai - Recently, Murai is someone whose TV stuff I always enjoy. He’s responsible for Atlanta, Station Eleven and more recently Widow’s Bay (not to mention the Childish Gambino music video for This Is America) - his stuff is always funny, dark and weird in a way that I aspire to be.  His shows always have outrageously good cinematography too.  

Please share 3-4 pieces of work that exemplify great direction, and explain why? 

The pure density of gags in The Simpsons when the writing was at its peak is spectacular. This clip is very simple and there’s not a huge amount to it from a visuals point of view - but from a rhythm and timing point of view it nails it - and isn’t that what it's all about? 

A lot of the I Think you Should Leave sketches don’t generally go where you think you think they might go - and even if they do they are almost always incredibly profane, which is always a win for me.

Okay, hear me out - I appreciate that Jim Carrey polarises people BUT I can’t help but love all of his choices in this scene. Even though I probably watched this first when I was 15, every time I get up out of a chair I think about swinging out to the side like he does in this scene. Just a shame they never made a sequel - THEY NEVER MADE A SEQUEL. 

Above: Boutell celebrates the comedic timing and rhythm of this scene in The Simspons. 

What do you like most about the work that you do? 

It’s simple, but honestly to have an image, or a scene, or joke in your head, and then to collaborate with a bunch of really talented people who then spend ages thinking about it and crafting it until its eventually bought to life just as you imagined it…that process is still like an insane magic trick to me. It feels illegal to be paid for it tbh. (but I will accept your money). 

Also, when you’re staying in a hotel and you come back to your room they’ve already drawn the curtains for you. Makes me feel really fancy. 

Above: Boutell loves the profanity and unexpected twists in I Think You Should Leave. 

What has your career journey been like so far? 

Sort of like riding on the back of an elephant: exhilarating, unexpected, surprisingly hairy but ultimately ethically unjustifiable. 

What is one thing every director needs? 

The ability to bury all your self-doubt deep, deep down in your stomach where no one else can see it until it’s waaay too late.  

 Above: Boutell admires the creative choices Jim Carrey makes in the fight scene from Dumb & Dumber. 

Who’s the greatest director of all time? Why? 

It’s probably the first one who went “Everyone, I don’t think we need to wear these super wide trousers anymore. I’m not sure they’re helping”.  

Did you have a mentor? Who was it? 

I think the closest thing I ever had to a mentor was Arnold Schwarzenegger in the early films of Arnold Schwarzenegger… which explains a lot. (Disclaimer - I am in no way like Arnold Schwarzenegger.) 

What’s changing in the industry that all directors need to keep up with? 

 You’ve really got to keep your eye on the width of those trousers.