When prolific Welsh indie director Jamie Adams started looking for his next film, he didn’t start with a big name in mind. He started with an epiphany. For years he had a drawer full of ideas – loose outlines waiting for the right moment. “Only What We Carry” was one of them. But it wasn’t until he was in his 40s and a father that the story fully resonated with him.
“In film school in your 20s, you study great artists. You’re encouraged to admire and worship them,” he told Variety in his first interview about the film. “But over time, everyone starts to reevaluate who these artists are and what we’ve allowed them to do. A lot of them are complicated,” he says, citing Woody Allen, Picasso and Stanley Kubrick.
“I’m a father of three kids now, and we had a lot of discussions about what it means to be an artist and to see these people with new eyes,” says Adams, who is currently up to his knees in editing. “Only What We Carry” explores that shift in a light-hearted way, blending comedy and drama.
Adams has attracted actors such as James McAvoy, Martin Freeman, and Malin Akerman to his projects with his Nouvelle Vague-inspired improvisational filmmaking style and character-driven approach.
But he has reached the top of his game with this new film, which has been recognized internationally by the European Film Market’s International Film Trust. He pulled Quentin Tarantino out of retirement for a six-day shoot with Simon Pegg, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sofia Boutella, Liam Hellman, and Lizzy McAlpine.
Pegg will play “Julian Johns, a once-formidable instructor whose former student Charlotte Levant (Butera) returns to her hometown to confront the ghosts of her past. Joining them is Quentin Tarantino as John Percy, Julian’s old friend whose sudden arrival shakes up long-buried truths,” the synopsis reads. Gainsbourg plays Charlotte’s protective sister, Herrmann plays a restless artist caught between love and loyalty, and McAlpine plays a young man who wants to be a dancer.
Adams said he sensed Tarantino was lost in thought after he shelved the project (The Adventures of Cliff Booth, which Tarantino wrote and David Fincher directed) and contacted him with an outline and a personal letter. He wasn’t expecting a response, but two weeks later Tarantino’s representative requested a Zoom call. Adams logged on, enduring what he said was the worst toothache of his life. His dentist diagnosed him with a psychosomatic disorder. “That’s when you hear his voice,” Adams says. “It’s like Disneyland for filmmakers.”
“Tarantino has proven to be an extraordinary actor,” Adams says. “He was a great guy. He was curious, collaborative, loved acting, and he loved the history of film. I was excited to create a piece in France that felt inspired by Eric Rohmer.”
The film was shot entirely in the upscale seaside town of Deauville in Normandy. Adams described the atmosphere as like “summer camp” and said there was no ego and a collaborative spirit throughout the six-day shoot. As filming took place in late summer, the city was unusually quiet. “It was like being backstage in a studio. The town square looked like a set. It felt magical,” he recalls.
Next, Adams may be considering an even bigger challenge: convincing Martin Scorsese to get in front of the camera. “The era has come when directors who really want to be actors come and improvise. Truffaut was a great actor. Many of the directors were failed actors,” he says.
Please tell us about the origin and development of “Only What We Carry”. How did it come about?
That’s a good question. I’ve been explaining this story for years. Sometimes, when it’s time to think about a new project, I go through my drawer full of ideas and see which ones resonate with me. I’m thinking about this a lot now about my 40s. When you’re in your 20s in film school, you learn about all these great artists. We encourage you to admire and worship them. But over time, everyone starts to reevaluate who these artists are and what we’ve allowed them to do. Many of them are complex. When you’re 20, you laugh at Woody Allen and Picasso, or how they treated Stanley Kubrick and Shelley Duvall in The Shining, or even how Jack Nicholson was told he could only have a cheese sandwich for lunch. It’s part of the myth. Currently, I am a father of three children, ages 19, 20, and 14, and I have two daughters. We’ve had a lot of discussions about what it means to be an artist and what it means to look back at these people with new eyes. I wanted to explore that. I explored something similar in a darker way with James McAvoy in a previous film (Pose). But this time, I wanted to approach it more with my own voice. It’s a comedy with drama. It’s not a joke comedy, but a more human perspective. It all started from there.
How did Simon Pegg get involved?
I had just worked with Martin Freeman and his friend Simon was fascinated by the process and he said he would get involved if I got in touch. So I did what I always do. I contacted him through his agent and sent him what I always send: about an eight-page synopsis and a letter explaining why I thought he was perfect for the role of Julian Johns. Then, have a discussion to see if your points of view align. Then, have a conversation with the characters. Really, they’re led by actors. When I ask a question, they answer and everything they say is true. There is no homework. It’s just a conversation. And whatever comes out at that moment is what we use.
So by the time you started talking to him, you had already decided on the pitch?
I can’t say it’s accurate. But yes, I had an outline — about an eight-page story. This is where I think I can go. In fact, Quentin said he was fascinated by the way I wrote these outlines because there was no set ending. There is room for the actors to act. They can see the overall story, but they can also see freedom. He said he tried writing it himself during his downtime, but it didn’t feel right. I said it’s because he’s one of the greatest storytellers of all time. He naturally wants a beginning, middle, and end.
How did you approach director Quentin Tarantino?
Much like everyone else. I think he was offering something that he hadn’t offered before. So the idea of making a feature film in a week, where everything is improvised from what’s actually called a script, which is like a 30-page scene-by-scene synopsis with no dialogue.
At that point, Simon came on board, Sofia Boutella signed, and Charlotte Gainsbourg joined. I noticed Quentin doing a lot of interviews at Sundance and Cannes (2024) and putting his film project (The Adventures of Cliff Booth) on the side. He felt like he was in a moment of reflection. I also knew that his first love was acting. When I was younger, it was no secret that he wanted to be an actor. He first speaks in “Reservoir Dogs.” So I appealed to that side of him.
I sent him a story outline and a letter. I honestly believed in him as an actor. Improvisation, as I use it, means being present and reacting organically. He is one of the best conversation tellers. I thought that was incredible in character. I didn’t expect a reply. But two weeks later, on Sunday, Quentin’s agent emailed to say Quentin was intrigued and wanted to Zoom.
That day, I had the worst toothache of my life. The dentist said there was nothing wrong and that it was psychosomatic. It was scary. It hurt so much that I was massaging my cheek in the garden.
Then we got on Zoom. And once you hear his voice, you are taken away. It’s like Disneyland for filmmakers. The conversation ranged from everything from movies to a Welsh sitcom called Gavin & Stacey to what his life was like and what my life was like. At one point, he tried to talk about the character and said, “I’ve written quite a few questions about this character here.” And I said, “No, now is not the time. That’s the next conversation.” As soon as I got off the train, I thought, “Why did I say that?” And he told me later that he loved that moment of our first conversation. Two days later he was on board.
What was your character’s conversation with Tarantino like?
I tried to have dialogue between at least three characters. It was about textures, not timelines. What was their childhood kitchen like? What food do they take out of the refrigerator? What does their house look like from the outside? At one point, he decided that his character should have a broken wrist. He showed up on set with the cast. For him, it was symbolic of physically carrying weight. After all, he doesn’t need it anymore. He didn’t overexplain it. He just knew he needed it.
You shot the movie in 6 days. How does that process work?
Yes, we will shoot in 6 days with one camera. We know what we want to shoot each day, but if a scene becomes more important, we leave it alone. If you don’t get the results you expected, move on. Everything is an opportunity. We don’t really do a traditional take, we call it a pass. Usually four or five per scene. You might start with a two-shot in the middle of a pass and end up in a close game. The actors don’t know when it’s going to be close up. They just have to stay there. It’s democratic. Everyone is always listening.
What was the atmosphere like on set?
It was like a summer camp. No ego. No special treatment. We all had breakfast together. There was no special trailer. We were all facing the same direction. We shot in Deauville at the end of summer, so it was quiet. It felt like a studio backlot. The town square looked like a set. It felt like magic. Everyone supported us, especially considering how little funding we have to make these films.
Did Tarantino let you direct it?
I love that question. The real question is whether I allowed myself to supervise him. He came out because he knew he was going to be told. For improvisational films, it’s important for the director to keep the conversation going about the characters and story rather than micromanaging the performance. It’s a thematic thing. he was great. Full of curiosity. Cooperative. He loves actors. He loves film history. He was excited to create something in France that felt inspired by Rohmer.
How do you rate him as an actor?
He’s an extraordinary actor. Innate talent. I’m proud that this movie gave him the opportunity to show that.
Do you think this is the beginning of a new acting chapter for him?
absolutely. Perhaps writing and directing was just the beginning.
You are currently editing. How many videos do you have?
Approximately 36 hours. There was a rush of about 6 hours each day. Editing is like a documentary film. You’re writing a script again. If you give five filmmakers a rush, you might get five different movies back. My voice will be heard there. The final movie will probably be around 85-90 minutes.
Who do you want to get next? Timothée Chalamet?
I think it’s probably Martin Scorsese. It’s time for directors who really want to be actors to come and improvise. Truffaut was a great actor. Many of them are failed actors. I’m glad some of them gave it a try. I would like to try it myself someday. You need to try not to be too shy about it. We love creating scenes. We love to participate in moments of alchemy between people. I feel it’s important as filmmakers to put ourselves at the center of it all. Of course, we don’t know who will be next. I’m always surprised by who I’m attracted to. Let’s take a look.
