“That’s actually typically Scottish, to go really dark with it but still have a sense of pride,” Gillan muses during our interview before the film’s premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. “It’s funny, I think, we all possess this thing where we go like, ‘Scotland’s shit.’ But also, we love it so much.” Again, it is a surprisingly focused film for a first-time filmmaker, but then that’s par for the course given that Gillan has spent many years on sets for film and television, both gargantuan in scope and intimate in scale. Indeed, in her own film, Gillan reunites with Lee Pace, who she co-starred alongside with in Guardians of the Galaxy, just one of the mega-franchises she is a staple of these days after Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle became Sony Pictures’ biggest box office hit ever. And of course along the way, she’s also worked on less bombastic critical darlings, including The Big Short and Oculus. We discuss how all of that prepared her for The Party’s Just Beginning, what she might be interested in directing in the future, be it another passion project about Comic-Con lifestyles or helming an actual franchise blockbuster herself, as well as what it was like going home for the holidays to shoot such a personal story. Plus, chips. Always chips. This is a movie you’ve been thinking of for some years, so as the process evolved, did you always have a clear idea in your mind’s eye of what you wanted this to be? That’s impressive to hear. I know a lot of first time directors are always worried about capturing what’s in the mind’s eye on the screen. Right, yeah. I think one of the parts of being a good director is hiring good people and then letting them do what they do. Well, it actually goes back to the statistic that I read, that the suicide rates in the Highlands of Scotland are significantly higher among young men than the rest of Scotland. I just remember thinking, “This is really strange.” I grew up there, it’s idyllic, it’s such a beautiful place. It’s always been voted one of the best places to live in the UK. So I was like, why do we have this dark statistic looming over us? So the film is me just exploring that. I wanted to tell the story from somehow from my point of view, even though I hadn’t experienced it. So that’s why it’s from the point of view of a girl dealing with the loss of someone in her mid-20s. When did you first read that statistic? It was probably a couple years before I started writing it, so maybe like eight years ago or something. It just stuck with me, because it was such a strange contradiction almost. When you were making this, I know you went home, you shot this in your hometown. But I know it was also the holiday season, so what was it like being home during that time and seeing everyone while making this story? It was a really bizarre experience actually. First of all, I’d come off of three films back to back. I think I did like, Guardians of the Galaxy, this indie movie called All Creatures Here Below, and then Jumanji, and then went straight into this. So I was just like, “Oh my God.” I didn’t know what a normal life was anymore. Did you still have to then direct the crew at Christmas? You know, “Bring the stockings right there.” Yeah, just taking it into my personal life. “Right, you got the turkey?” [Laughs] Yeah, definitely. [Laughs] But you’re clearly shining a light on this very important and overlooked issue, which I think most of the outside world doesn’t realize about some of the more idyllic parts of Scotland. But there’s a real sense of pride of place you’re bringing to the movie. Were there specific memories from growing up there that you wanted to incorporate into the film? Yeah, I have so many happy memories growing up there. But you know, it’s funny because the happy memories maybe don’t look so happy in the movie. But you know, going out with my friends to bars, and drinking are happy memories for me. Then we would always end a night out at this chip shop eating chips. That’s where that ends. So, you know, whereas in the movie obviously I’ve made it darker and a form of self-harm, and she ends up with strangers in alleyways, and obviously that didn’t happen. I was going to ask about it, because that was actually one of my favorite parts, but I was going to say French Fries, but yeah. Oh yeah, yeah, fries, chips, yeah. [Laughs] Yeah, there probably is an element of that. I mean it wasn’t a conscious decision to show people that side of myself. It was more me just telling story a little bit more from my point of view. I’m an only child and spent a lot of time on my own, and I’m extremely happy on my own, more than most people. I’ll go out for meals on my own, go to the cinema on my own. But this character was obviously dealing with something that I personally have not dealt with. So definitely there is an aspect of me in that character in terms of the introvertedness and isolation. Just out of curiosity, as we’re here at Tribeca, are there any other movies you’re planning to see, alone or otherwise? Yeah, I haven’t seen it yet, I do want to see that. Are you going see it? Tomorrow? I am going to try for different screening later in the week. Well as a Whovian, I hope you can work the reunion. Yes, exactly. [Laughs] Yeah, I just don’t love seeing technology in films. It’s just a personal thing. I don’t want cell phones all over it. I mean if the story was about that and really required that, I would obviously put it in a film, but I didn’t want it. It was a personal taste thing. Also, I felt that it didn’t add to this kind of nice feeling of this could have happened at any time. I think that when you include technology it just instantly dates a movie. So, in the future, you would always look to downplay technology? So this is your first feature and it’s very intimate. Do you have already an idea for maybe another personal story or otherwise that you would like to tell onscreen? Yeah, right now I’m adapting this short film I made called “Conventional” into a feature film, and it’s about an actress who was in a horror movie about 10 years ago. She’s on the convention circuit and she desperately wants to remain relevant in this world. Yeah, in the convention circuit, because even her career there is dwindling and she is trying to medicate herself with cosmetic surgery so it’s becoming too much. Have you met people who inspired this? Speaking of fan culture, I really enjoyed seeing the reunion with Lee Pace in this so, I know this idea has been germinating for, I believe six years? So, on the set of Guardians 1 did you first say, I might be working on a movie? You know, I didn’t think of it then actually. I don’t know maybe it was his role in the Accuser makeup that did it, I couldn’t quite visualize it. [Laughs] I mean, I wasn’t even at the point of even thinking about casting at that point. So you know the idea came when we were already in Glasgow, we were looking for someone to play the character, and I suddenly thought of him. I just picked up the phone and I was like, “You would be so amazing in this role, please tell me you’re free and you want to come to Scotland.” And he was like, “Yeah, okay.” I just couldn’t believe that it worked. I know! I’m learning that this is a popular destination. Related to that I know Avengers is coming out next week, and I keep thinking of Marvel class photo of the first 10 years. Does this feel like a film release or is it almost like a graduation? A life milestone for you. That’s a really interesting situation, so you haven’t read the whole script but you’ve also shot, I know, some of Avengers 4. Yeah, we’ve finished all of it. That’s exactly it, yeah. I think a couple of the actors, the main actors, got to read the full script. But also, the Russo Brothers wrote a fake script as well, to like throw people off-track. So even if they did read the full script, they don’t even know if it was the real script. Everyone’s going to be in for a surprise. Also, I know Jumanji 2 has been confirmed. Have you talked to Dwayne or anyone else about going back to the jungle? No, I haven’t yet. I keep on hounding people for information and I’m getting nowhere. So, I guess I just work in a career shrouded with secrecy. [Laughs] Martha? You know I think by the end of the film, she started to really embrace her video game persona. She started to find some enjoyment in being this kind of kick ass character. So I think she would be pretty happy to inhabit her again. I’m sure she would still be unhappy with the outfit though. [Laughs] The more you branch off into being a film maker behind the camera, you’ve worked on the highest level blockbusters and you’ve done films like The Big Short, and Doctor Who television. Do you have any interest in maybe one day directing one of these bigger features? As people come in to this movie, what do you hope people take away from going to The Party’s Just Beginning? I think, if I could start any conversations on the topic of suicide, I think that I would be happy with that. Just for people to discuss it a little bit more, shine a little bit of a light on the subject matter, and the issue. Also maybe chips, if they could just go and get some chips in Scotland that would be great. Oh, well I’m going to say it’s probably chips, because the UK is older than America. And then crisps are what we call chips, and those were invented by Mr. Crisp. Fact. Wow, I did not know any of that. I think that is a great history lesson to end the interview on. [Laughs] The most random thing ever. Thank you.
