Mahdi Ahmed

SYSTEM RESTORED…

The crashed computer system at KID PRODUCTION studio where SAZAA (PUNISHMENT) is being edited has been restored a little while ago, with a little help from me. Well, I’m no whizkid but somehow I managed to fix it. I haven’t a clue how I did it but I just did it. Period.

After the system was restored, I watched the new parts Semi has edited and they look simply fabulous. Semi is back at editing where he left off when the system was crashed. The man is happy and so am I.

Before I left the studio, I asked Semi to show me the bittersweet scene he edited the other day which has turned out to be my favorite scene. But this time I asked Semi to add a melancholy music track, which I have been keeping in my pendrive that I have been listening to when I began writing this unfinished screenplay that was halted after the first act many years ago. The music track fits to this particular scene like a glove. It’s awesome, bittersweet and endearing. Best of all this scene never had any dialogues yet I could feel the deep love between the two leads. Simply magical.

Semi and I have negotiated with SAZAA director Hussain Munavvar to start production on a new film. He can get hold of a story written by any popular story writers around. Then he can leave the rest for me. And once he completes principal photography, Semi can take over post-production. Munavvar said he will think about it.

On MIKOE BAPPA BAEY BAEY (COME MY BABY’S FATHER), I am ready to begin writing. Hopefully tomorrow, I will start clattering my keyboard. Stay tuned…

SAZAA IN EDITING…

This evening, I was so looking forward to see the new scenes of SAZAA (PUNISHMENT) that Semi has edited. But when I called him, he gave me very depressing news. The computer system that SAZAA is being edited crashed. However, he managed to restore the system temporarily and at the time I called, he was making a backup of what he has edited so far. I just hope nothing goes wrong.

When Semi first started editing and before he could cut or splice a scene, the system crashed. After a week of sending the system to several tech guys, it was fixed. However, a week later since Semi started editing, tonight the system crashed again.

Despite the setback, Semi is still upbeat as he’s able to backup everything he has edited. But this could hinder his speed a little bit. He was so committed.

Finally, Ravi called the owner of the house screenwriter Ahmed Rasheed suggested to use for MIKOE BAPPA BAEY BAEY (COME MY BABY’S FATHER). Ravi said the discussion with him went well. The owner is ready to rent us the house immediately. But we cannot start production just yet since Ramadan is around the corner. So Ravi said that he will call back after Ramadan. We are scheduling to start production a week after Ramadan is over.

ERRATUM…

In my previous two posts, I have made a typing mistake. Thanks to screenwriter Ahmed Rasheed for bringing it to my attention. I typed the title of his screenplay as MIKOE BAPPA AADHEY AADHEY. However, it should read as MIKOE BAPPA BAEY BAEY which also means COME MY BABY’S FATHER. In case you all didn’t know, the title is actually a lullaby.

As for an update on rewriting this screenplay, I am almost done with the re-structuring. Writing will begin soon. I’m estimating to wrap up the final screenplay within a week.

Meanwhile, we have also started on production logistics. Last night, we asked screenwriter Ahmed Rasheed to contact the house owner of the house he suggested that we should set the production. Ahmed was prompt at helping us. Now the ball is in our court. Ahmed said the house owner wants us to call to hold discussion on the production details. Sometime last night, Ravi should have called the house owner. I will update once I hear from Ravi.

Still staying with this project, Ravi has come up with this idea of including an end credits song for the film in the vein of the song we have included in INGILI. But MIKOE BAPPA BAEY BAEY will have a completely different take. More on this later…

I have wrapped up subtitling JINNI and it’s been handed over to Fatthaah. I felt that this film had an anti-climax considering the horniness the she-jinn were brewing ever since she saw Seezan, the protagonist as a toddler. Looks like djinns too have pedophiles amongst them. And unfortunately, it was hilarious to see when she-jinn finally blows, ahem, all this blood gets splattered. I always thought djinns were made out of fire. Probably not horny djinns…

Editing of SAZAA (PUNISHMENT) is going swiftly. Hopefully tonight, I will get to see the new parts Semi has edited.

I have been really warming up on the proposition made by Youppe. I’m thinking of closing that deal with him by restarting my already structured screenplay, 40 (FOURTY). But it might not be the final decision. I’m still warming up a little bit more. All I know is that I will say yes, but with which screenplay is the question.

And on a final note, today I started office at a new location. Instantly, my brain went to a coma. It’s still sleeping.

A FRUITFUL DAY…

Night before last, I woke up from my sleep at around 0230 in the morning with a heavy head as if my whole skull’s been filled with water or something like that. What happened was, in my sleep I restructured MIKOE BAPPA AADHEY AADHEY (COME MY BABY’S FATHER), the short screenplay my producing partners and I acquired last week from Ahmed Rasheed, the rookie screenwriter from L. Fonadhoo. This is a weird habitual nocturnal occurrence of mine whenever my thoughts are deeply in to writing something interesting. Not that any other screenplays I have written so far without this occurrence were less interesting. In fact, it has happened for all of my screenplays, but with different degree of heaviness.

Anyway, I hurried downstairs, pulled out the hard copy of the screenplay and started scribbling all those ideas that were developed in my sleep. All I did was stretched the original screenplay, added suspenseful events and enhanced the principal character with reference to the character’s history.

Yesterday, at Underground I met with Ravi, who will once again fill the director’s shoes. I briefed him on my take of the rewrite. Simply, he liked it very much. However, what he didn’t like was the fried chicken and fries dish he ordered. It took us a while to figure out if the chicken in that dish was actually a piece of fried chicken. It looked more like a banana fritter with fries.

To add more on this project, Ahmed Rasheed suggested at setting the production in L. Gan where he thinks a remote house there is the perfect location. He then mailed me several pictures of this house. Ravi and I think this house is really the perfect location. We have asked Ahmed if he can help us complete production there. He said it could be done. We’ll start final talks with him once I complete the screenplay adaptation. Stay tuned.

This evening, I dropped in to KIDS PRODUCTION studio to see the editing of SAZAA (PUNISHMENT) Semi has done so far. All I can say is that my smile will put the Cheshire cat to shame. Semi has done a remarkable job. He has edited the first hour of the film. The principal actors have given superb performances especially the leading lady, Niuma. Her moments of silence were topnotch. I have a feeling this is going to be her first leading role with less dialogue. Looppe in his first major role gives a praiseworthy performance keeping up with Niuma. The introduction scene of Ismail Rasheed aka Copee Issey is a real hoot. He’s simply terrific. For my viewing pleasure, Semi added natural sound to the most bittersweet scene of the film. It was so awesome. Can’t wait to see him complete the editing.

Later this evening, Semi and I went to Olympus Cafe for a coffee. There I met Youppe, one of the most prolific actor/ director of Dhivehi film industry today. I must say that it was a very fruitful meeting. And he made a tantalizing proposition. If I write him a screenplay, he would produce and direct it and would give me a profit percentage from the theatrical and DVD sales for a year. I am going to warm up on it.

Later, Movie Maldives owner, Shakeeb joined us. It was him who bought the screenplay MARUVUMEGEKURIN (BEFORE DYING) which I wrote for Suja who once worked as a producer at TVM. After buying that screenplay, Shakeeb re-titled it to VAKIVUMUGEKURIN (BEFORE PARTING). To refresh on this screenplay, it’s about two strangers who meet, unbeknownst to each other has something in common.

I tried to convince Shakeeb that he should produce that screenplay with Youppe at once, rather than keep it shelved forever. It’s been more than three years since I wrote it. Youppe said he is more than happy to begin production. Before I returned home, I did manage to strike a dialogue between Shakeeb and Youppe over it. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

In a nutshell, the whole of today was cool…

STILL LOST IN TRANSLATION…

The last time I posted an article, I was ‘lost in translation’. That was on May 13, 2009. A year, 2 months and 17 days later, guess what? I’m still lost in translation!

Back then I was lost translating Fatthaah produced VAA LOABI ENGEYNAMA… (IF YOU KNEW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU…). But this time around, I am lost translating his directed JINNI (DJINN). Before you all disappear in fright hearing the word Jinni, let me assure that this film doesn’t scare a bit because rather than being a scary Jinni, it has an overly horny one. Then again, whatever horniness that that she-Jinn does with Seezan, the protagonist was either out of the frame or behind the camera. Anyway, after close to three hours of horniness, whoops, sorry I mean translation, I am left with few minutes of running time to wrap up this project.

Before I begin recapping what I did during my absence from blogging, here’s the main reason why I was absent. I was frustrated and was on a nervous breakdown because of how things turned out for my first co-producing gig, INGILI (FINGER). There, I’ve said it as simple as I could and it’s all true!

At the time I posted my last article, I was way too busy with the pre-production of INGILI. However, once the principal photography started on May 17, 2009 in K. Gulhi, unfortunately from there everything went downhill. INGILI was topped with one unfortunate incident after another. The production which was scheduled for five days, stretched to fifteen days because of bad weather and other major unforeseen events. The budget skyrocketed. And then there were creative differences, theft and accidents amongst other things. Probably fate was enraged thinking that we were referring INGILI to the wrong finger. Who knows, fate works in mysterious ways!

And I couldn’t be more right. Fate kept mother of all tragedies for INGILI until principal photography was over. On August 10, 2009, the producers of INGILI had the most shocking news that the story of INGILI was not an original and it was a complete rip-off of the last segment, THE MAN FROM THE HOLLYWOOD of 1995 released FOUR ROOMS. Upon hearing the news, the producers fizzled out. We were shattered. That was the last nail in our coffin. INGILI was shelved indefinitely. Music soars and drops abruptly. FADE OUT.

To a black screen in white appears, MORE THAN A YEAR LATER… FADE OUT.

FADE IN. July 16, 2010. Popular local heavy metal band, TRAPHIC JAM released their album that night. Their album includes the end credit song of INGILI with the same titular name which they made for the film itself. During this function, before the band performed that song live, the first official trailer of INGILI was released. The trailer received a warm reception from the crowd. INGILI producers have woken up from their long deep sleep, without a kiss though. INGILI is back on track again. However, I must admit that there’s lot of work to be done. We have fast tracked the project for a late December 2010 or an early January 2011 release. Let’s hope fate has made truce and have realized that we were referring to an entirely different finger.

During my absence, the screenplay, VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYA (FAITHFUL TRICKSTER) which I wrote for Seezan, for some reason I don’t know, was shelved. Apparently, he did fly to Sri Lanka for location scouting, but something stopped him from going any further with the production. No reason was explained until a month back, my friend Zareer, with whom I have co-written some unproduced screenplays, tells me that Seezan met with him asking him to re-write my screenplay. Now, that kind of made me unintentionally deduce why Seezan shelved the screenplay. Simply, he wasn’t satisfied with it. I must recall, he wasn’t satisfied with the first write either. Jeez! What do I call his actions? If he had a problem with the screenplay, shouldn’t he have spoken with me first?

Speaking of not acknowledging my efforts in anyway, head of YAARAA PRODUCTIONS comes second. She hired me to write a screenplay called MAMMA (MOTHER) based on a real incident happened before her very own eyes. After tiresome structuring and some deliberately quick writing, I presented a draft to which she was to made changes so that it would save time for her and me to amend a draft rather than the final screenplay. Once she made the changes, I planned on writing the final screenplay. That’s what I explained her upon giving the draft. She was supposed to submit the changes within a week. But alas, since then five months have passed. I am yet to hear of a single amendment. All I am hearing now is that her production company is getting ready to produce MAMMA (MOTHER). What do I call her actions? I’m lost for words here. Help, please!

Late last year, I completed a feature length screenplay for Fatthaah called LEYKARUNAIN (TEARS IN BLOOD) to be produced by DASH STUDIOS. Due to few setbacks in completing the songs needed for the film, the project kept postponing. Now Fatthaah reports that, he will begin principal photography in late October, not next year but this year. Thank God, I really do want any of my screenplays get produced rather than being shelved!

In short, LEYKARUNAIN is a romantic drama with couple of issues I have tried to make controversial. Then again, how controversial it gets depends on how FATTHAAH translates the screenplay to the screen. I hope he does a good job. He has been treading on horror land for some time now. Maybe it’s time that he gets back to what he does best with LEYKARUNAIN. He still has RAANIYA put on hold for next year.

Around late April Hussain Munavvar, head of KID PRODUCTION asked me to doctor a screenplay called SAZAA (PUNISHMENT) which was written by a screenwriting friend of his. She was the one who took home best story for a television series at the Crystal Awards held on April 17, 2008 where I was nominated three times while she was nominated only once. Munavvar was set to direct and was a week away from principal photography. After a read, I told him that the screenplay needed more than few patching up to do. In fact, it needed to be re-structured, characters re-developed and the entire screenplay re-written. And to do that I told him I needed fifteen days. He then signed me up to rewrite within the estimated time.

I restored the basic plot of the original screenplay and did a complete overhaul with new plot points, believable circumstances, strong characters and a wicked twist at the end. Man, I love to twist… wickedly! I wrote the first half within a week and that was enough for Munavvar to start principal photography. And I planned on shipping the final half before they could finish shooting the first half.

With just two days away from sailing to B. Maalhos for principal photography, Munavvar faced a casting difficulty. One of the actors playing a principal role was having an attitude problem and was too overly demanding. Munavvar found it difficult to handle the situation. He then had an emergency meeting with Eternal Pictures honcho, Ted who advised on giving that part to the actor who was already set to play the leading role. Munavvar took Ted’s advice, dropped the problematic actor from the casting list and then gave the leading part to a promising young actor who had never played a major role in a feature film so far. Munavvar informed me of the changes and I brought all those changes to the screenplay immediately. In the end, the whole casting changes turned out to be a blessing in disguise. These changes gave the screenplay a certain fierceness that was missing from the first rewrite.

Principal photography of SAZAA has been completed and is currently on the editing table. To my delight, Munavvar hired Semi as the editor with whom I have collaborated on VAA LOABI ENGEYNAMA… He won best editor at the National Awards and we both shared best sound for the same film the same year. Semi has already edited the first 45 minutes and I must say that it’s looking good.

After I completed SAZAA, during May I started INDHIRAAS (DECADENCE) for DHEKEDHEKEVES PRODUCTIONS as a starring vehicle for actor MUAA ABDULLA. Though the story is kept under very tight wraps, I can spill few beans. This would have the most physically demanding role for any actor in the local film industry, yet. The protagonist is an anti-hero who is also a low life who sees his life slipping in to decadence. I wrapped up INDHIRAAS two days after World Cup 2010 started.

Then there’s another screenplay I’m responsible to write which is sort of an unofficial sequel to a TVM produced made for television movie called ORCHID EYNAAGE MAA (ORCHID, HER FLOWER). It was aired more than 20 years ago and my screenplay is supposed to pick up the main character 20 or more years later. The leading actor of that movie, MOHAMED RASHEED aka DHARAA acquired the rights and assigned me to write. To prepare myself for the task given, I even had a face to face conversation with its legendary director, Hussain Shihab. I explained to him on my take for the follow up. He gave me very helpful tips, ideas and I must say that that meeting with him was very memorable. I even have his blessings.

Three weeks back, as I was seriously in to structuring this screenplay, out of nowhere I hit a snag. I fell in to a writer’s block due to some frustrating events that took place at my office. Even mentioning about it here, gives me a migraine attack. So I’ll save my weakened head. Presently, I am fighting hard to get my writing mood back. I have already informed Rasheed about my dire situation and he was very understanding.

Last but not least, the producing partners of INGILI have bought all the rights of a short screenplay called MIKOE BAPPA AADHEY AADHEY (COME MY BABY’S FATHER) written by Ahmed Rasheed, a rookie screenwriter who is a friend of mine from L. Fonadhoo. He also heads a production house in his island called MANDHEYRAA PRODUCTIONS. It all happened when he mailed me this screenplay, his very first screenplay to comment. I found his 26 paged screenplay had potential for a feature length movie, just like the short story of INGILI. On his request, I met with few producers whom I thought might be interested in buying this screenplay. Everyone I spoke with said they were interested but failed to collect the soft copy of the screenplay for a read. Even Ahmed met in person with one of the high profile actor-producer-director who was at the time shooting a film there in Ahmed’s island. Ahmed said this actor took the screenplay for a read and was never heard of him again.

Few weeks later when all hope was lost, when Ahmed finally decided to produce his screenplay through his own production house as a short film, I had an emergency meeting with my producing partners and explained the boldness in his screenplay. Then I called Ahmed and asked him that we were very interested and if he could change his mind on selling his screenplay. The very next day, Ahmed spoke with his collaborators and decided on selling his screenplay to us. That was when my second producing partner, Ravi of R² PRODUCTIONS had a read and gave the green light. I called Ahmed and sealed the deal immediately. The rights to his screenplay were acquired on July 24, 2010.

MIKOE BAPPA AADHEY AADHEY is about two characters at one location which has a resemblance to, yes, the concept of INGILI. But this time the two characters are of opposite sex. I don’t want to reveal too much about this screenplay which I am currently structuring for a 75 to 90 minute feature. I will shed more light on this when this is made official. Until then, I end this article.

Thank you for reading…

lost in TRANSLATION…

It’s been a while I haven’t posted anything. Why? I was lost in translation. However, here’s a quick recap on what happened since my last post.

A day after my last post, FATTHAAH commissioned me to subtitle his national award winning film, VAALOABI ENGEYNAMA. This task contributed to my absence heavily. It was good to watch this film after a very long time. However, this time around I had major outbursts of anger!

FATTHAAH gave me the official DVD of the film which was sold out a year ago. To my horror, the DVD version was manipulated brutally. Moreover, I was angrier and frustrated that FATTHAAH, the producer was unaware of it. Only when I reported, he came to know. I wonder if he’s been living on this planet.

So how was the DVD manipulated? This is how? Commercials of around three or more minutes long which were supposed to be inserted in to the running time of the film, the person who authored the DVD ignorantly instead of inserting, had the commercials replaced over the scenes of the film. This I consider is a big crime. If I were the producer, I would sue whoever this person is. Now the DVD version of the film has several scenes missing including very key scenes. VAALOABI ENGEYNAMA on DVD looks disjointed and ridiculous. It’s a shame!

During my absence from this blog, pre-production on INGILI progressed swiftly. The set construction is completed. The picture below is taken from a cell phone.

The production team is preparing to leave to K. GULHI for principal photography on 16^th May. That’s coming Saturday. Cast of INGILI has started rehearsals and in the meantime, one of the actors is practicing the special skills required for the character he is playing. And the actor who was initially serving as a producer has given up his duties as a producer due to, let’s say for personal reasons. Nevertheless, INGILI still has three producers attached. Our DP was interested to be the third producing partner and became one instantly.

Director RAVI has confirmed the famous rock band performing the rock song for the end credits of INGILI. He has given the band leader a brief synopsis of the film so that work on the lyrics can begin. The production team will be promoting this song for the marketing of the film. The band and the cast will be revealed later.

The three amigos, I mean the producers have confirmed the final production budget two days ago. Production manager will be handling all the finances and will be requesting the producers to release the budget.

The production team has also started work on poster designs of INGILI. We had a sitting a day ago and came up with several concepts. More on it later…

And finally SEEZAN returned from NUWARAELIYA after location scouting for VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA. He has even approved the final screenplay. Phew! He’s really excited and is planning to start principal photography around end of this month.

That’s all for now, and oh one more thing. I also did subtitling of TED’s two short films titled MIRAGE and CROSSROAD. That’s all for now, folks!

INGILI set construction pictures…

I have received four exclusive pictures of the construction of INGILI set in K. GULHI. Sadly, they are in low resolution. However, the chief carpenter overseeing the construction reports that the work is going fine in high resolution quality and they are going to give our production team, especially director RAVI a real surprise.

Today TED, our production consultant gave us the idea of presenting the set to the people of K. GULHI as a token after production ends. We thought it was a splendid idea.

After the production, we are scheduled to revisit the set to shoot the music video of the end credit song.

Producer/ director RAVI and the entire production team were delighted with the progress.

More news, later.

what, a song in INGILI?

It’s not just any song that the production team has decided to include at the end credits of INGLI. This evening, we had a special meeting after the usual meeting we have with TED, our production consultant. It was yet again over coffee with, no, not with Karan, but with a heavy metal band who’s at times very controversial and has taken the Maldivian youth by storm. At this point, I’m not allowed to reveal the name of the band for several reasons which I cannot write for several other reasons. Oh man, this is so hard not to disclose the band’s name. I wish I’m permitted to give a hint, at least.

The band consisted of their famous leader, their drummer and their guitarist. From the production team’s side, director/ producer RAVI, producer/ actor, the other actor who is overseeing the construction of the set, our DP and then there was me. Guess I too should give myself a cool slashed designation. I’m producer slash screenwriter then.

The band was delighted with our proposal to include their song for the end credits of INGILI. We gave a brief verbal presentation of INGILI storyline and they felt, it was nothing short of being extra-ordinary. The entire production team of INGILI was flattered. I’m sure our grins would put a Cheshire cat to shame.

Apart from composing a song for INGILI, the band was willing to offer any help they can give to the production of the film. INGILI will make history in Dhivehi film making, if no other Dhivehi film releases before INGILI with an inclusion of an exclusive heavy metal song.

I’m asked to prepare a small summary of INGILI so that the band can start work on the lyrics immediately. However, at the moment they are busy with several shows. After mid-May, they are going to be free and have planned working on the entire music composition of the song to be included in INGILI.

In the meantime, the production team of INGILI and the band will be signing an understanding over the rights of the song. More news on that, as it happens. In short, it was one of the memorable meetings out of memorable meetings the production team of INGILI have almost everyday over coffee with, no, not with Karan, once again…

latest on INGILI…

This evening producers of INGILI decided first week of May to begin principal photography of INGILI. Earlier it was planned for last week of this month. However, due to director RAVI being chosen to oversee the election of DHIVEHI FILMS ASSOCIATION to be held on 4^th of May, the production of INGILI was postponed for a noble cause. Presently, Dhivehi film industry is really in need of an association.

The meeting this evening was very productive. RAVI, MUA and I not only worked on the rough budget of INGILI, but also post production details including the marketing plan. Production DP and our actor who is supervising the set construction in K. GULHI also participated.

Since I am not allowed to reveal the discussion we had this evening, its better that I end this post immediately. Otherwise, I might end up revealing everything. All I can say for now is that the status of INGILI is going GOOD.

PINK FAIRY rough cut…

Today, I had the opportunity to view a rough cut of PINK FAIRY, a children’s movie to be released in June by FATTHAAH. However, it’s directed by his current DP, VISHAAN (aka KANDI).

I wouldn’t want to spoil the storyline, but PINK FAIRY had some good fantasy moments and had a family appeal to it. But I felt that the film could have been much better had FATTHAAH worked on the screenplay at the pre-preproduction stage. After viewing, I gave my feedback and emphasized on areas that could be improved to give PINK FAIRY more strength as a film. Few additional scenes and a reshoot of a very important scene, which now hurts character development of the protagonist, would make PINKY FAIRY a delightful treat for the entire family. FATTHAAH said he would consider my feedbacks.

I am not going to give a review of the film but I am tempted to mention that the performances given by the child actor and her father played by a budding actor look promising. I don’t remember seeing such good chemistry between a child and a father in a Dhivehi movie before. Both of them are two diamonds in the rough, so I thought.

Since I watched a rough cut, all the visual effect shots, music and natural sound were not included. Even then, the film had a charm. I am not sure if I am supposed to write this post on PINK FAIRY, but I hope to God, FATTHAAH wouldn’t mind.