I'm a Cannes Film Festival award winner - now I want to help other aspiring film-makers

A Blackpool filmmaker is celebrating a top award at the Cannes International Film Festival.

Spencer Shackleton’s remarkable journey has taken him from military service to international screenwriting success - and he is now hoping to give others the opportunity to follow their creative dreams.

Currently working for Blackpool Lightworks, helping to maintain the town's Illuminations, the 58-year-old has quietly built an impressive reputation within the international film industry.

Over the years, he has collected multiple screenplay awards from some of the world's most respected independent film competitions, but his path into filmmaking has been anything but conventional.

After leaving school, he was encouraged to pursue a "proper job" rather than an arts career.

He joined the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm in 1989, serving on operational deployments including Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo and Somalia.

Following his military service, which ended in 2004, he embarked on a successful civilian career as a transport manager and trainer, but a lifelong passion for storytelling never faded.

During his spare time, he began producing short documentary films, gradually developing his skills behind the camera.

It was during the Covid-19 pandemic that Spencer chose to formally pursue filmmaking through higher education.

He studied at Lancaster University through Blackpool and The Fylde College's School of Arts, graduating with a BA (Hons) degree in Filmmaking.

Determined to continue developing both creatively and academically, he went on to complete a Master's degree in Film and Television Production at the University of Lancashire before achieving a Doctorate in Business Administration.

His dedication quickly began to attract international recognition and last year, he wrote the comedy screenplay A Series of Fortunate Events, which was entered into 27 international film festivals and screenplay competitions.

The script has since won an impressive 16 awards, including honours from Hollywood's Best Indie Film Awards, the Hollywood Stage Script Film Competition and the Berlin International Screenwriting Festival.

The screenplay's success reached its pinnacle with victory at this year's Cannes Film Awards, where it was named Best Medium Short Script.

However, personal success is only part of the story. Spencer is now leading an ambitious community project aimed at establishing a dedicated community film studio in Blackpool and the Fylde Coast.

The initiative hopes to secure funding to create a professional space where people of all ages can learn the art of filmmaking, develop practical production skills and bring their own stories to life.

The vision is to work alongside fellow graduates and industry professionals to provide opportunities for those who have always dreamed of working in film but have never had access to the facilities, training or support needed to get started.

"I know what it's like to be told that a career in the arts isn't realistic," says Spencer.

"If someone had encouraged me when I was younger, my journey may have looked very different. I want to create opportunities for people who have the passion and creativity but simply haven't had the chance."

Spencer believes Blackpool has enormous untapped creative potential and that a community film studio could become a centre for education, collaboration and local film production while helping develop the next generation of writers, directors and filmmakers.

From serving his country overseas to earning international acclaim as a screenwriter, his story demonstrates that it is never too late to pursue a lifelong ambition.