Spurling film makes Beverly Hills festival

Being shortlisted for Feature Screenplay in such a prominent festival at the heart of the film industry will give her access to some of the world’s most influential industry professionals when she attends in April.

The timing is ideal — she is currently seeking out an agent, producer, director and cast for her film Empire of the Air. It is about the 1930 explosion of the British R-101 blimp over France, in which 48 people were killed.

“This gives me a great avenue. If I went out to L.A. without this it would be difficult for me to meet anyone but the category is purposely created to introduce the screenwriters to the people they need to meet.

“A lot of producers will not accept unsolicited material — they don’t even read them but this will get me up to that next level.”

The five-day festival is one of the most exclusive festivals in the world and is dedicated to independent filmmakers. While it aims to celebrate the best talent in the industry, it is also a hot spot for talent spotting and deal making.

In the meantime Ms Spurling is using her existing contacts to set up meetings ahead of her L.A. trip. These include former head of drama for the U.K.’s Channel Four Gub Neal, whom she met in November as a winner of the Face-2-Face networking competition sponsored by British Airways. He is already interested in becoming a production partner in the film.

She is also planning to meet with the executive producer of Desperate Housewives, Charles Skouras as well as Bermudians in L.A. who may be able to introduce her to influential friends in the industry.

Ms Spurling estimates that the film would require a minimum budget of $10m as it requires extensive CGI including an exploding blimp.

Based on a true story, Empire of the Air follows the ill-fated maiden voyage of the R-101 airship and subsequent government cover up. The film includes the renowned medium Eileen Garrett who claimed a dead pilot communicated to her, warning that the tragedy was coming.

Ms Spurling said she would love to have Catherine Zeta Jones play her role.

“They say when you are writing you should always cast your main characters as that helps you visualize it,” Ms Spurling said.

“I always imagined Catherine Zeta Jones as the medium, which is the best role and certainly the most demanding. This is fantasy and she would be perfect.

“This is a British story so it would be ideal to have an all-British ensemble. I’d like to have Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor in the film.”

Ms Spurling has written to Michael Douglas, who narrated her documentary The Lion and the Mouse, about her desire to cast his wife in her film.

It is early days yet, but if Ms Spurling wins in her category, it would be a springboard to future success: “It would be like getting signed to an agency,” she said, “and that opens the door to Hollywood — which is otherwise a closed shop.”