Mahdi Ahmed

ONE DAY ON EARTH

By mahdiahmed on November 3, 2010

In my last post I forgot to mention that I am currently working on a short semi-documentary called ONE DAY ON EARTH for UNDP which comprises of footages only shot on 10^th October 2010 from a Kodak flip-cam on 720p format with 60 fps. Along with me three other artists from Dhivehi film industry volunteered for this project. HUSSAIN MUNAVVAR helped me find KANDI WISAN to lens while MUA is helping me with post production. I’m serving as the director. The rough cut was shown to UNDP staff yesterday for comments. Now I’m working with MUA on re-editing to the comments given by UNDP. I have to hand over this project before 9^th of this month.

Television drama, 3 NOVEMBER which I wrote and directed for Atolls ministry on 2003 was shown on channel MNBC ONE today. The drama was shown on the occasion of 3^rd November. On the same day in 1988, Male’ was attacked by mercenaries from Sri-Lanka to overthrow the government. At the time, I was studying in Colombo. The concept of this drama was how I experienced that day. This drama is shown from the perspective of a youth from Male’ who experiences that day while banished at an island for using drug. This event turns as a catalyst in unfolding his life when he fears about his loved ones at home as tension heightens due to lack of communication. And when he hears unconfirmed news that one of the hostages taken in Progress Light has the same name as his father, he slowly begins to realize he still loves his estranged father.

While this drama was shown this afternoon, I received several calls from ex-colleagues worked in this production. I was almost in tears to see my favorite scene where confused and terrified public gathers in front of the island office. I used no less than 85 extras, a week of rehearsals and a lot of help from my production team especially my cinematographer, Lathee to stage this scene. We wrapped up this scene 45 minutes sooner than the estimated time. We spent an hour and thirty minutes for the entire scene.

This drama was my last directorial effort…