Hello, Can you introduce yourself to our readers?
First, thank you for engaging with me and my work.
You’re welcome!
I am Spencer Jamison, a filmmaker born and raised in Richmond, VA. I am the writer, director, and lead of “At Capacity.” I started working professionally as an actor and singer in the theater and film/television as an undergraduate at James Madison University. At my core lives an inner child who found solace in Black sitcoms from the 90s, movie musicals, political action thrillers, and classic romantic comedies. My biggest hope is that the work I create inspires the same kind of wonder and encouragement I received from watching my favorite films, plays, musicals, songs, and television series.
Is “At Capacity” based on a true story?
At Capacity was born out of pure curiosity honestly. I had a desire to make a short last year so I sat with my journal moving through older ideas and brainstorming new ones. At one point, I wondered “what would I do if I was sent to break up with a friend’s boyfriend?” and ran with it. I was definitely influenced by the whimsical ways Korean dramas introduce characters to one another and the audience. I’d never seen this type of meet cute before and wanted to lean into the fun of how unconventional it was. Some of the conversations and the little character quirks are inspired by my friends and family…but the story is mostly fictional.
How long did it take to write “At Capacity”?
I started writing a version of the script in January 2023. At first the concept was going to focus more on two young political staffers having a chance encounter and then the next day they find out they’re also going to be colleagues. At that point, I believe it was called “Mia and Ari” and I was investigating various issues like gerrymandering, city planning, gentrification, and legislative bias. But I decided to simplify and make it more intimate. Finally, I landed on the theme of being at one’s emotional bandwidth and not having the capacity to let anyone in…and that really steered the later drafts towards “At Capacity.” I was writing and tweaking up until we filmed at the top of June 2023.
Was co-star Jake Ryan Lozano who plays Ari Montoya easy to work with? You two have great chemistry.
Thank you! I am so grateful that he agreed to be a part of this project. Jake and I have known each other for almost a decade. We were classmates at the Yale School of Drama and he was one of my first scene partners so we have an established trust as collaborators. I always knew Jake was a leading man and hoped that this short would be a showcase of that. He brings so much insight, charm, earnestness, and wit to the character of Ari. It was easy to play with him on set.
Who or what inspired your love for the art of filmmaking?
My older brother, Jai Jamison, is also a filmmaker. He was my first movie watching buddy and some of my earliest experiences acting on set was with him as a director. Both of my parents also loved films, so they introduced me to all of their favorites early on. There was always so much joy and awe when we’d sit down as a family and watch both the classics and new releases. In high school, I had the chance to take a film studies class with Todd Raviotta that really broke down the technical aspects of filmmaking and contextualized a lot of films for me. All of a sudden, I was re-watching films my family had shown… “Imitation of Life” “The Five Heartbeats” “The Sound of Music” and countless others…with new eyes and understanding.
Are You Working in any other genres or have aspirations to?
I always tell people I’d love to be genre agnostic. I’ve written quite a few half-hour comedy scripts, I’m currently working on a sci-fi action thriller as well as developing an hour-long golf show, and writing my second feature, a second coming-of-age dedicated to my grandmother. For me, it’s about meeting each idea, concept, or story with curiosity and allowing the best storytelling container to reveal itself.
Who are some of the directors or writers that you look up to and who do you want to bring attention to in your field or others?
There are so many multi-hyphenate filmmakers I have been inspired by either for the ways they effortlessly move through genre or how they traverse the different roles they take on in the collaborative process. Michaela Coel is a big one for me. I love how she’s managed to honor her creative life, creating innovative work, while also staying holistic and protecting her private life. I have a good friend, Lauren E. Banks, who is also a grounded filmmaker that I believe folks should keep their eyes on. We also met in grad school. Her focus, drive, curiosity, creative eye, and humility are encouraging beacons for me as I build the foundations of my life and career.
What are you currently working on that you can tell us about?
I’m about to do another pass on a rom-com feature I wrote called, “Caught in the Middle of June.” That one is actually based on a true story of an experience my brother had. It’d be great to assemble a team and resources to get this one made. It lives in a similar tonal world to “At Capacity”…very nerdy, fresh, witty, and tender.
What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers or creators?
Trust and hone your intuition. There are so many voices and ideas projected upon artists, filmmakers, and creators…telling us the way things “should be done.” I’m still actively carving out my own pathway and learning as I go but I’ve already felt a big difference between when I work on projects or with collaborators who feel intuitively aligned and when I don’t.
Surround yourself with people you genuinely enjoy creating with and let your curiosity guide your journey.