Magicians Watch a clip from Andrew's debut, starring David Mitchell.

Andrew O'Connor has not taken the conventional route into directing. Voted Young Magician of the Year at the age of 18, he then spent a decade as a mainstay on mainstream TV, hosting several TV gameshows (including Chain Letters and The Alphabet Game). He also stayed in touch with the Magic Circle, becoming executive producer for all of modern magician Derren Brown's TV specials (Derren Brown Plays Russian Roulette Live, anyone?).

Now he's attempting perhaps the ultimate magic trick: to not make a mainstream British film disappear as soon as it reaches UK cinema screens. O'Connor makes his directorial debut on Magicians, a low budget comedy vehicle for double act du jour Mitchell and Webb (aka David Mitchell and Robert Webb). As well as directing, O'Connor also concocted the idea - the magic goes out of a couple of tricksters' relationship when one of them accidentally kills his wife on stage - with Peep Show writers Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain.

In the video Andrew talks about the ideas behind Magicians, and why a good night's sleep is vital for any debut director.

Magicians is released in UK cinemas on Friday 18th May 2007.

Interview by Anna Smith | Published 17 May 07

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