Clint Dyer is an award-winning actor who has a 20 plus year career in film, TV and theatre. Dyer has starred in films such as SUS, The Trail and Mr Inbetween, appeared in the likes of Unknown, Sahara and Mr Bean 2, with Fallout, Trial & Retribution and Prime Suspect among his extensive TV work.
On stage he has worked with top notch directors such as Mike Leigh, Michael Attenborough, Dawn Walton and Philip Hedley. Also an acclaimed producer, writer and director, he directed The Big Life, the first Black British musical to hit the West End, and the critically acclaimed sell-out show ‘The Westbridge’ for the Royal Court.
Among his forthcoming projects is The King of Notting Hill about Michael De Freitas who became the Black British power leader Michael X, founder of the Notting Hill Carnival, as well as the British action thriller Montana starring Ashley Walters and Lars Mikkelsen. Dyer tells Joy Francis why he is passionate about writing, disappointed at the lack of support for Black British talent and the importance of dialogue and challenging themes in scriptwriting.
You are widely known as an actor, director and producer, but you also write extensively.
I had two playlets in the Royal Court’s Open Court season. One was part of Lost in Theatre [one of 10 recorded plays concealed around the theatre]. The other was Muses: Actors and Poets with David Eldridge under the #Surprise platform. With regards to films, I’ve been commissioned by Scala Films, Nik Powell and Stephen Woolley, and by Screen East, Leopard Films and Nadine Marsh Edwards at Greenacre Films. There is a misnomer that there aren’t enough black writers. That’s rubbish. People won’t put money into black films. I’ve made quite a lot of money as a writer but it is bizarre that none of them have come to fruition on film.
There was yet another piece in The Guardian about Black British talent going to America to get the parts their talents deserve. What’s your view on this ongoing trend?
We are not valued unless we go to America. It took me five years to direct something after The Big Life. I wasn’t offered anything as good as that until the Royal Court came along. It was like they [the industry] considered The Big Life as a blip as opposed to a career. I was very lucky to have Philip Hedley there to support me and black work generally. That said I think it’s a great thing that we live in an open market where anyone can go anywhere to work with whom they want – thank god for that. My only disappointment with this situation is that we don’t really get stories about our experiences.
You have a busy schedule with a number of upcoming film projects. One is Montana with Ashley Walters, Adam Deacon and the great Lars Mikkelsen. And it is set in the East End. Sounds exciting.
It is by a very exiting young black director Mo Ali. It isn’t a lead part but I wanted to play a policeman. I haven’t played one in decades and I found it intriguing to do. I like Mo and I think the script is a commercial endeavour in that it is a populist genre film. We do so few of these films that are black led so I was interested in playing policemen after doing all my anti police films. I’m interested in exploring how we really live, but it is really hard to get those films off the ground, especially if you are trying to do it with a black protagonist and lead.
You have just been cast as Michael X in The King of Notting Hill, based on Michael De Freitas. What appealed to you about the part and the script?
I’ve played him twice on stage in the last three years. It is such a powerful way to look at where we are now by looking at someone who in the 60s and 70s was talking about black power and who can articulate the progress that has been made. It is valuable to look at our past especially when our history in England isn’t taught at school in the same way English history is told, though it is the same. We have a month in October for it to be told and that is it. It is valuable to keep popping up with people from the past who were the movers and shakers.
As a producer and director, what is it that you look for in a script?
It’s all in the dialogue. It’s whether or not I like what it has to say politically or socially, or if I like what it has to say emotionally, or if it is a challenge for me. Ultimately it is an art form in which you can express the way you feel about the world.
Your career has been so varied and adaptable. What advice would you give to any budding writers, producers and directors about carving out a career?
Do it all yourself. Don’t wait for people to give you the time and space to do it.