Interview: 5 minutes with...Christopher Hughes, Actor, Lawnmower.

Putting your work out into the world as a film-maker is a scary thing. Especially when it is your first time doing it. Last year when Ricky and I had finished our rough cut of TEA , I was feeling a little shaky about it. Luckily I had a good mate and long time collaborator (we're both core ensemble members of The Faction) Christopher Hughes who was at a similar stage with his own first short film, Torpedo. So we watched each others films, cheered each other along and re-revved to get the films on to the festival circuit.

Christopher Hughes will be playing Sam in Lawnmower.

Chris is currently in the final stages of making his second short, HATS and I have invited him to get in front of the camera to play SAM in Lawnmower.

Kate Sawyer: Hi Chris, thanks for chatting! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Christopher Hughes: I’m Christopher Hughes, actor and sometime film maker. I live in London and I will be playing Sam in Lawnmower.

KS: Where are you right now?

CH: Sat in my bed on a Sunday morning.

KS: I should point out we’re on the phone. Chris lives with his wife. So…speaking of your marital home…do you have a garden?

CH: We live in a flat. My garden is a selection of house plants and they are solely my responsibility. We recently lost a peace lily to the heat wave. It’s been a difficult time.

Christopher's short film, TORPEDO is currently out for submission on the festival circuit.

KS: So do you know the other people in the building?

CH: Yep, we know our neighbours, they're really nice.

KS: Ever borrowed something from them?

CH: Yes. A pair of trousers, after I got locked out in my pants.

KS: Ha ha ha! That pretty much answers my question. You obviously asked for help in that situation but it was obviously pretty extreme, a level of decency was required! How are you at asking for help in general?

CH: I could be better at asking for help, I suppose. But I do not struggle on alone, my nature enjoys being in a gang. I was recently the captain of a narrow boat for a week and that is a circumstance where you learn a lot about your natural responses. I was trying to be good at something I didn’t know how to be good at, for sure. Should have asked more learned people for their help!

KS: Okay, we’re nearly at five minutes. Time to finish up with a little quick fire…

CH: Go for it.

KS: Allotment or Garden?

CH: Garden.

KS: Lawn or Paving?

CH: Lawn?

KS: Fly solo or collaborate?

CH: Collaboration, always.

Follow Christopher on Twitter to find out more about his films and what he's up to next.