With “Driving Lessons,” writer/director Jeremy Brock finally realized a long-held dream. The writer of successful screenplays “Mrs. Brown” and “Charlotte Gray”, and the co- creator of British television’s most successful medical drama, “Casualty”, had started the screenplay of “Driving Lessons” some five years earlier. The subject is intensely personal, a rites of passage story about the influence that an older actress has on an awkward young teenager, the son of a vicar, when he goes to work as her assistant.

This story is loosely based on a vignette from Brock’s own adolescence when he, also the son of a vicar, worked for legendary actress Dame Peggy Ashcroft.

It was only when Brock showed the screenplay to producer Julia Chasman that making “Driving Lessons” became real.

Julia Chasman wanted a debut project for her new production company, RubberTreePlant and “Driving Lessons” was it. The involvement of the UK Film Council’s Premiere Fund changed the dream to a reality.

Chasman and Brock worked closely together refining the script. They hired Alexandra Ferguson as co-producer and together began interviewing crew for the project. As casting director they enlisted the help of Priscilla John, doyenne of casting directors, whose considerable experience includes ”Quills,” “Aragon,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Van Helsing,” “Little Voice,” “Seven Years in Tibet,” “Frankenstein,” “Little Buddha,” “City of Joy,” “A Passage to India,” and “Jewel in the Crown.”

Brock’s script, also worked its magic on actors: Julie Walters talked about the truth of the screenplay. “It’s been five years in the writing, it’s really textured and real and the people are completely layered and whole, all of them, no matter how small.” She was keen to play eccentric, exasperating, hilarious actress Eve Walton.

A trip to America and a meeting with Laura Linney gave Brock a second committed player. “There’s something very satisfying about working with first time directors,” said Linney. “I’ve worked with a lot of them. They have complete understanding of the material, particularly if they are directing their own screenplays. They understand how actors work and they have a decency of character about how to treat a crew.”

The third piece of absolutely vital casting was the adolescent who would play Ben, Linney’s screen son who goes to work for Evie and finds the whole world opens up to him. Rupert Grint of the phenomenally successful “Harry Potter” films, in which he plays Ron Weasley, was keen to play a rites-of-passage role that would acknowledge that fact. Grint was signed to play Ben.

While casting continued, other principal crew were hired – director of photography David Katznelson worked tirelessly with Brock before shooting started, poring over Brock’s storyboards, traveling with him to potential locations.

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