Shamier Anderson, known for his roles in John Wick: Chapter 4 and Apple TV's Invasion, is stepping behind the camera for the first time with a project that might surprise his fans. His directorial debut, Call Me Tim, is an 18-minute mockumentary that he wrote, produced, directed, and stars in. The film follows a city outsider who buys a rural hunting shop, sparking a rivalry with a local animal rights activist.
In a recent interview, Anderson explained how the project came about. "As a creative, you kind of get bored, and you start doing things in your off time," he said. "So I wrote a script. Not only did I write a script, I decided to shoot this script and made it a short film." The film, which he describes as following "the Blackest redneck in the north," is a comedy that draws from his own love of the outdoors. "When I'm not working on set and doing these big, big franchises and big hundred-million-dollar movies, I like to be on the farm," he shared. "I like to be in the wilderness, I like horses, I like country shit."
Anderson shot Call Me Tim in just two or three days in his hometown of Toronto, with friends as his crew. The quick production didn't stop it from making a splash: the film was accepted into the Toronto International Film Festival's Short Cuts program and sold out both screenings. "It's amazing," he said of the reception.
The actor has big plans for the project. He's a fan of mockumentary-style shows like Letterkenny and Trailer Park Boys, as well as the films of Christopher Guest. "My North Star is to turn this into a long format," he revealed. Instead of pitching a traditional script, he used the short as a proof of concept, and it's already attracting attention. "I've been getting a lot of calls about this from some high-level producers that want to meet with me," he said, adding with a laugh, "Hopefully, the next time we talk about it, 'Shamier, Netflix just bought your show in a competing situation, and Apple can't get it.'"
Anderson also reflected on his time in the John Wick franchise, where he played the Tracker, and discussed the ending of Invasion, which he's at peace with. He shared his passion for collecting and even revealed his go-to karaoke song in a fun segment.
Premiering his directorial debut at TIFF was a special moment for Anderson, especially since he got to share it with his family. He even recorded his mother and aunt's initial reactions to the short, a memory he treasures.
Looking ahead, Anderson is excited about what's next, including a feature with Netflix. But for now, he's proud of the little film that could. "It was a passion project," he said. "It was important for me to capture that."
For more from Shamier Anderson, including his thoughts on favorite books and other upcoming projects, check out the full interview above.
