Inside a mysterious group audition, pressure mounts for approval from a god-like director. As one performer cracks, another must decide whether to fall in line… or break the toxic pattern and offer comfort.

“Not Us,” directed by James Kautz (The Bottom, Frankie), plunges viewers into the unnerving world of a group audition where performers are subject to the intense scrutiny of a god-like director. As the pressure mounts, one individual cracks under the strain, leaving another with a crucial decision—fall in line with the group or disrupt the toxic dynamic by offering empathy. The film presents a tense psychological battle, exploring the often harsh demands of creative industries and the resilience required to challenge systemic abuse.

Kautz masterfully crafts a visceral atmosphere in “Not Us,” blending thriller elements with psychological drama to examine the cost of conformity and the redemptive power of compassion. With its gripping narrative and haunting performances, the film challenges audiences to confront the uncomfortable realities of an industry in need of transformation. The raw intensity of “Not Us” leaves a lasting impression, sparking thought on the fine line between ambition and humanity.

“Not Us” explores the intense pressures of a group audition with a god-like director. What inspired you to create this narrative?

The inspiration for NOT US came from the most mortifying audition of my life…

Years ago, as a young NY actor, I was called in to read for the lead in a play out of town. Elated, I boarded a Greyhound and trekked to this massive playhouse a few hours outside the city.

Waiting in the lobby, anxious, sweaty, I was brought into the theater and, to my horror, found the house filled with other actors waiting to audition.
Ushered onto stage by this beaming, gregarious director – who slyly informed me I was the only one called in from NY – he slowly, methodically, beckoned different folks to join me on stage, one by one.

At his prompting, each of us performed our sides.

And, as if personally insulted, this director systematically cut my peers to shreds by comparing each to me. They were sloppy. They were lazy. They were local. And they could leave his theater.

This director kept me on stage for over two hours, “besting” each of those he’d assembled.

It was ugly and punishing and clearly personal. And through it all… I still wanted the role.

Flash forward all these years later, I was describing this brutally uncomfortable experience to some actor friends, and unsurprisingly, they each had their own version of a similar experience. That commonality – of being forced to compete and cannibalize our artistic community for personal, singular glory meted out by someone in power – that became the story seed of NOT US.

How did you approach casting for “Not Us,” and what qualities were you looking for in the actors to convey the complex dynamics of the characters?

I wrote the film for these particular actors actually. I knew each could tow the delicate line between absurdity and psychological horror. I also knew each could portray an actor who wasn’t auditioning very well, yet still respond to acceptance or rejection in a guttural, kitchen sink kind of way.

The film is described as a visceral psychological thriller. Can you elaborate on the techniques you used to build and maintain the suspense and tension throughout the film?

To build suspense, silence and stillness became our best weapon. We tried to push the pin-drop tension as far as we could. That included the camera movement. We used a dolly to hover and creep until, by film’s end, everything grows unhinged. That’s when we swooped into steadicam and just let loose.

The film’s setting—a mysterious group audition—creates a unique and confined space for the story. How did you utilize the setting to enhance the film’s psychological impact?

Tommy, our cinematographer, really helped transform that space into the type of purgatory-like liminal space I’d envisioned. We lit everything from above, giving us this wonderful freedom to move the camera wherever we wanted, and really strand those actors out to sea in that cavernous space.

Empathy plays a crucial role in the film’s narrative. Can you discuss the transformative power of empathy within the story and how it contrasts with the toxic environment depicted?

After years of being cast in some not-so-great spaces, I’ve learned that by building environments that prioritize safety and empathy, artists are able to actually risk and get vulnerable, which is where the creative gold lies.

In NOT US, our auditioning actors are conditioned to ignore their maimed peer and just compete for their role. When Kacey abandons her monologue and acknowledges the crying actor, supports them, the monologue suddenly becomes a scene – and we’re rewarded by the best “acting.”
The film turns on that act of empathy.

How does “Not Us” compare to your previous projects like “Frankie” and “The Bottom” in terms of theme and style?

NOT US is certainly more experimental and metaphorical than my previous work. But it still grapples with themes I come back to again and again: power, identity, the violent consequences of repressing your most authentic self.

What short films have you seen lately that you would highly recommend?

Some recent shorts that I’ve just loved are Intimacy Workshop, The Agent and He Won’t Belong. I adore short films.