Alex Owen, Katy Wix, Lolly Adefope and Many More Star in New Web Series ‘Petrichor’
Those pondering the future of the comedy industry or how to spend excessive time indoors should look no further than a new web-series featuring the best of the UK’s next generation of comics that follows a deluded man trying to make a short film named “Petrichor”.
Our budding film-maker/director/creator/writer/potential star Alex Owen is far more interested in the behind-the-scenes ‘making of’ documentary series (which he offered as a kickstarter reward) than the actual short film itself.
We, an imagined ‘backer’ of the ‘Petrichor’ short film, have the dubious honour of getting to watch 4 episodes of behind-the-scenes footage as our “reward”.
The reward was offered out of Alex’s deluded belief anyone would be interested in his short film, let alone the behind the scenes making of. There aren’t many takers.
Through the 4 episodes, we see that Alex is way out of his depth and far more in love with the real drama of the ‘making of’ than the fictional drama of the short film. So much so that he still hasn’t got round to writing it. He plays up to the cameras, delighting in any mishap as bumps in the road to a huge success, infuriating producers, writers, performers, DoPs, sound guys and, weirdly, an estate agent along the way.
Petrichor is an update on the mockumentary, using the lens of Kickstarter to shine a light on one man’s self-importance and crumbling vision, the behind-the-scenes content for a short film you know you’ll hate just from its title. It’s the comedy he unwittingly makes in trying to make a drama.
It stars the very best of British comedy: Alex Owen (The Pin, Walliams and Friend, Stath Lets Flats), Ellie White (The Other One, Semi-Detached, The Windsors, Stath Lets Flats), Al Roberts (Stath Lets Flats, Truth Seekers, Ghosts, Feel Good), Lolly Adefope (Shrill, Ghosts, Miracle Workers, This Time With Alan Partridge, Taskmaster), Jason Forbes (The Mash Report, Horrible Histories: The Movie, Tracey Ullman’s Show), Katy Wix (Ghosts, Not Going Out, The Windsors, Anna and Katy, Stath Lets Flats), Mark Silcox (Mandy, Man Like Mobeen, Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back), Freya Parker (The Mash Report, Lazy Susan), Kath Hughes (The End Of The F***ing World, After Life, Sally4Ever), Ben Ashenden (Avenue 5, Stath Lets Flats, The Pin), Edward Easton (Porters, Warren, Inside Number 9), Celeste Dring (The Windsors, This Country, Lazy Susan), Barney White (King Gary, Taboo, Ellie and Natasia), Adam Drake (Lazy Susan, Capital, Bounty Hunters) and Shivani Thussu (Ghosts, Pls Like).
It was co-created, co-directed and co-written by Will Farrell (Finding Soho, O Sister Where Art Thou, Command List) and Ben Rowse (Capital, Goose, Tarot). Based on the iTunes number 1 podcast Capital that Ben was involved in, Will and Ben devised storylines, beats and jokes for each scene, then let the cast improvise around them, finding extra jokes en route to a naturalistic performance of the original beats. The episodes were then edited by Will Farrell, Ben Rowse and Harry Zundel. The DoP was Harry Zundel. The score and sound mix was by Charlie Pelling (Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared).
Ben Rowse, co-creator, said: “This was such a joy to make. My only regret is that we didn’t make a ‘making of’ of this ‘making of’.”
Will Farrell, co-creator, said: “Making something about an incompetent director came very naturally to me. It’s the best thing I’ve co-created since my son.”
Alex Owen, who plays the ‘visionary’ creator of Petrichor, said: “Playing a deluded narcissist called Alex was the biggest acting challenger of my career. Massive thanks to Will and Ben for giving me the time and resources to embark on such a staggering transformation.”
Adam Drake, who plays the short film’s producer, said: “Being in Petrichor was an absolute delight—playing a character who’s absurdly out of his depth came even more naturally than usual when working with such talented friends”
