Sara Spring

Producer and former Paramount executive Shares Overseas Production Experiences

Sara Spring is an incredible producer and former studio executive with a penchant for Luther Vandross.

Some may call her an international woman of mystery as she has shot all over the world in places like Spain, France, Italy, England, Ireland, Jordan, Morocco, Greenland, South Korea, and Tahiti. Her uniquely holistic approach to production is a result of working for studios, production companies, and as a freelance producer for 20+ years.

Most recently, Sara was a non-writing EP for the Netflix series Warrior Nun, which was shot in Spain. She also produced the sixth season of SEAL Team for CBS/Paramount+.

During her 17-year tenure at Paramount, she oversaw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Adventures of Tintin, Flight, True Grit, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and Mean Girls.

She eventually took a big leap, leaving Paramount for Sony Pictures, where she was an executive VP of Feature Films, overseeing films like Ang Lee's Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk and Queen and Slim.

These days, Sara is developing and consulting. She is also an adjunct professor for UCLA's graduate film program.

Join us as we dive into the benefits and inherent challenges of shooting overseas, her 1 million dollar mistake, and why she dreaded becoming a studio executive.

Enjoy!

xx cg

“When you get on a production, you’ll know: You’re either bitten by the bug, or you’re not. And I was bitten. I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”

- Sara Spring

Episode Transcript