Interview: Writer & Producer Caroline Spence

Caroline Spence (Copyright James Smith)

I am a screenwriter and feature film producer who came to film producing through a series of events. At school one of the few things I excelled in was writing, and the only school activity I eagerly pursued was acting where I appeared in many productions and gained a distinction in drama. I grew up watching all sorts of films from all eras, as well as TV shows from the USA, and used to jot down story ideas of my own, but in those days (70s & 80s) working in the film industry was an unattainable dream and I resigned myself to earning a living in non-creative industries.

In 2004, however, I was invited to appear on a TV show about international property as a realtor, despite knowing little about selling properties abroad. Although a very odd experience, it inspired me to write and present my own documentaries. So, James Smith (director) and I set up Raya Films and we won a number of awards for our documentaries as well as enjoying sell-out theatrical screenings and international broadcast. We moved into commercial work and then experimented with short film, but it wasn’t until I started penning screenplays that I knew I’d found my forte: feature film.

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— Raya Films (@RayaFilms) May 12, 2018

indieactivity: How would you describe your writing?
Caroline: Although I am a woman I don’t specifically write for a female audience. I write for everyone and I have no agenda. Having said that, I always write very strong female characters – they are physically fit, intelligent and can fight! I like to write solid commercial thrillers with flawed, complex yet ultimately interesting characters..

indieactivity: Did you study screeenwriting?
Caroline: I didn’t go to film school or attend any courses relating to the film industry. I learned ‘on the job’. I studied screenwriting from home and read dozens of Hollywood screenplays, working specifically with Ronin (1998) and The Firm (1993) as case-studies. I’ve been working toward achieving the standard of those two masterpieces ever since.

indieactivity: How do you turn an idea in to a screenplay?
Caroline: Although I have turned a few ideas of my own into screenplays, I generally work with director James Smith, my partner in crime at Raya Films. He is an ideas machine and writes (an often incomplete!) treatment, which I then turn into a solid shooting script. I will add my own ideas, characters, scenarios, or even whole acts, etc. so it is very much a collaborative process.

Caroline Spence, Best Documentary Award (Historical) 2006

indieactivity: Do you take courses to improve your craft?
Caroline: I don’t attend courses because I haven’t got the time. What I do is regularly read good screenplays, study them, then study the film in relation to what I have read. I also read and listen to advice, tips or trends from filmmakers or screenwriters on the internet. Christopher Nolan is a good guy to learn from, because he often rewrites the rules of screenwriting, taking chances and experimenting with each new project.

indieactivity: How do you keep in shape as a writer?
Caroline: As a writer it’s important to have life experiences, otherwise you’ve got nothing to draw on. Before I turned to writing and filmmaking full time, I worked in many different industries, from law to the defense industry, accounting, finance and the mental health sector. I’ve also travelled widely, lived and worked abroad and mastered many different sports and activities. This has been an advantage in my current profession – I know business, I know accounts, and I’ve met many people from many different walks of life, and so I have a wealth of inspiration to draw on when writing diverse locations or intriguing characters.

indieactiivty: What is your routine, when writing a screenplay?
Caroline: I have been lucky enough to have been commissioned to write screenplays for people from all over the world, including Texas, Canada, Hong Kong and Australia. I was also commissioned to adapt a best selling novel by an author in Louisiana. The process starts with studying the book, taking notes, and then writing up a treatment. Then there is a lot of discussion and liaising with the author, forwarding each act in turn for approval. It’s important to remember that a book rarely translates word-for-word to a screenplay. There’s much more detail in a novel and it’s impossible to fit all that information into a mere two hours on screen!

Caroline Spence with Mia Mills on the set of ‘Do Something, Jake’. (Copyright James Smith)

indieactivity: How do you develop a character?
Caroline: Most of my characters’ traits are taken from people I have known or come into contact with, so it’s not hard for me to create someone believable. It’s important to remember that people are seriously complex. We all have our faults, our quirks, our preconceptions and if you think “Oh nobody would behave like that… do that… make that decision…” think again, because truth is definitely stranger than fiction!

indieactivity: What do you want from a director during production?
Caroline: My debut movie DO SOMETHING, JAKE is nearing completion and will be the culmination of over two years’ hard work. Shooting the movie was just the tip of the iceberg and it was a baptism of fire. We had no budget for this production, so it was tough on both myself and director, James Smith. Throughout the 23-day shoot, James was calm and level-headed. He knew exactly what he wanted and outworked everybody, even crew members half his age. He rarely took a rest and coached the actors well throughout the whole process. And if there was a problem (of which there were many), he would calmly, rationally, figure it out, solve it and move on. So I hope other directors I work with in future can at least match up to that!

indieactivity: How do you prefer to work with a director during production?
Caroline: I like to work closely with the director. Each morning it’s good to go through the scenes to be filmed during the day, discuss shots, locations, actors/characters. I like to ensure any idiosyncrasies written into the character’s behavior or key dialogue is understood by the director, as well as any backstory or continuity issues.

indieactivity: What can a writer do to get into the industry?
Caroline: If you’re new to the industry, read as much as you can. Go on YouTube and watch as many ‘how to’ videos as you can, and then get as many screenplays as you can and read those. Whether you’re an actor, producer, director, editor, or clapper loader, it’s important to know all facets of the industry. Watch movies. All genres, from all decades and all nations.

Become a movie geek. Study them and learn how to ‘read’ a movie. After all the reading, watching movies, writing and studying, the only way to get anywhere is to go out and make a film. Network and make contact with film producers or get into film producing yourself and shoot your own script! Find other filmmakers you like and trust to collaborate with. Thanks to Sean Baker (Tangerine, 2015) it’s now considered cool to shoot a movie on an iPhone, so take whatever you have and go and film something, learn from it, and then go do it all again and build a portfolio and CV.

indieactivity: What advice do you give writers?
Caroline: Make sure you can spell! Typos and bad grammar look unprofessional when submitting with the hope of selling a screenplay and convincing a producer to take it on. When you have a draft of your screenplay that you are happy with, register it with the Writers Guild of America (WGA). This will provide you with a dated record of your authorship of the material. And if you are lucky enough to get a screenplay optioned, ALWAYS consult a lawyer first. Option agreements can be complex and you will need to protect yourself and your work against any unscrupulous individuals.

indieactivity: Would you like to take part in workshops?
Caroline: One of the organizations that helped us in the making of DO SOMETHING, JAKE was a charity for disadvantaged youngsters, called TWENTY TWENTY – they approached us with great excitement, wanting to assist with contacts and locations. As a result of this we undertook some talks and workshops with them, giving advice and basic training for anyone interested a career in the film industry. So this is something I am happy to do.

indieactivity: Briefly describe your career?
Caroline: In terms of feature film, there have been many ups and downs – there are many rogues in this industry and I’ve experienced my fair share of them… but that’s another story! My screenplays have been lauded by industry professionals in both London and Hollywood, but raising finance for movies can take years.

So, in November 2015, we kicked off principal photography for our ambitious feature film DO SOMETHING, JAKE. Ambitious because it was shot on zero budget with a large, international cast and expansive locations. Hot on Jake’s heels is AGENT KELLY – a maverick, yet visually compelling female-driven thriller shot in the cities and rugged desert of Andalucía, Spain. And in this film I get to flex my acting muscles and play the lead! Both films will be released in 2018.

indieactivity: Tell us about your debut Do Something, Jake?
Caroline: I describe DO SOMETHING, JAKE as “a UK movie with Soprano undertones and a New York state of mind…”. It is a crime/drama/thriller – brooding and dark in places but with a strong thread of humor. In short, it follows the story of an unemployed introvert, unable to read or write, who draws on brilliant ingenuity when the woman he secretly loves is threatened. This is a British film that does not feel ‘British’. This, helped by Hollywood-inspired screenwriting and bold cinematography, plus the appearance of award-winning New York actor, Ed Bergtold (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), and post-production crews from Europe and Los Angeles.

The film will soon be finished and we are planning a world premiere event in the U.K., closely followed by a theatrical release and U.S. premiere in New York City. We have New York publicist MIZZ KELLY PR helping promote ‘Jake’ in the States and as a result we’re getting a lot of interest from potential U.S. audiences.

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