James McAvoy on Moving Behind the Camera at Variety’s Future in Focus, Presented by Utopai Studios

Actor James McAvoy joins Variety for a 31-minute conversation at Variety’s Future in Focus, presented by Utopai Studios at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). He talks about moving from acting into directing and producing, what he learned making his first feature, “California Schemin’,” and what drew him to “Faith,” the Paul Andrew Williams film he brought to TIFF this year.

Key moments

• 0:00 – Back at TIFF with “Faith”
• 1:50 – Directing “California Schemin’”: the stress of a first feature
• 2:53 – From “hired gun” actor to producer
• 5:02 – What acting taught him about directing actors
• 8:09 – Lessons from directors Joe Wright and Jamie Lloyd
• 9:57 – Independent film financing: replacing lost funding and adding a cameo
• 12:37 – Returning to acting after directing
• 14:56 – Why he chose “Faith”: pain, loss and courage
• 17:26 – Playing Michael with an understated approach
• 19:40 – Telling a Scottish story in “California Schemin’”
• 23:38 – What surprised him about filmmaking: the sound mix
• 26:36 – Directing again, and press questions that become headlines
• 28:45 – The industry’s “obsession with the new” and keeping faith

About Future in Focus

Variety’s Future in Focus, presented by Utopai Studios, was an invite-only event at TIFF on Sept. 12, 2026 exploring how innovation is shaping the art and craft of filmmaking. The program also included a conversation with cinematographer and director Rachel Morrison and a panel on innovation in filmmaking. Read the announcement on Utopai’s news page or Variety’s recap.

Video: Variety Events on YouTube, shown with the official YouTube player. All rights belong to the original publisher.