Mahdi Ahmed

fast tracking INGILI…

Okay, here’s the bitter truth. We have hit a snag. Things are not going too well for INGILI. Pre-production is hundred times slower than a snail, we are lagging miles behind schedule and we still haven’t found the right location. This sounds not only bad but tragic for a movie that boast only one scene, one location and two actors. What did I tell you, it’s the bitter truth?

Panic button’s been hit and the siren has started blaring. Today we, the production team sans the co-producer/ actor in N. VELIDHOO who is expected to return home tomorrow have decided to speed up the pre-production. Our plan A has failed. Plan B was crashed and burnt yesterday. To bounce back, at an urgent meeting this evening, we have worked on a plan C.

The new plan includes visiting K. GULHI next weekend. No, this island was not in our location scouting list. Yes, GULHI has better and easy connections than HURAA or MAAFUSHI. So a trip is set and we have contacted some friends there.

Since the whole movie is rain drenched from start to finish, previously we were vague on how to make rain. But in plan C, we have worked that out too, thanks to Ted who came up with an easy design for us. He is giving us tremendous support. He has even agreed to help us on cinematography once the location is confirmed.

Director RAVI is halfway through the storyboards. Once he is finished, we will sit down to work on production dynamics based on his storyboards.

Let’s hope plan C works. If not, there’s still 23 letters left in the English alphabet…

an unexpected delay for INGILI…

After two days of intensive scouting for location in N. VELIDHOO, co-producer/ actor of INGILI has revealed yesterday that his island of birth hasn’t the right location director RAVI wants. What a real bummer! That means, INGILI is going to slip behind schedule and the actual date to start principal photography will be rescheduled. The production team will reconvene once he returns on Saturday.

Our sight are now set on K. MAAFUSHI and K. HURAA. We are hoping to find what we are looking for from either of these islands.

rewriting VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA begins…

It’s customary that I keep myself away from any written screenplay for a while before I begin rewriting them. Gives me a better perspective to what I had written earlier. VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA was no exception. I have started rewriting it yesterday.

I have completely changed the drama dynamics of one particular scene so that SEEZAN can have fluid camera movements around his subjects. Previously the drama was created inside a parked car. He could have had his camera movements anyway, so I thought.

I have already structured four bridging scenes to the climax. And the climax itself needs to be rewritten. I have written shorthand of all that needs to be written.

In a day or two I am going to finish off this project. However, the rewritten screenplay will be submitted only after the weekend. During the weekend, I am hoping to go through the final screenplay one more time.

Will keep updated once I am done.

Cheers

status update for INGILI…

Hopefully today, if not surely tomorrow, one of the co-producer slash actor of INGILI will fly down to his island of birth to build the set required for the production of INGILI. We, the production team were unsuccessful at finding a right location director, RAVI has visualized. Since we were skidding behind schedule, location hunting was halted and turned to plan B. We have decided to build the required set that was designed giving careful attention to camera movements. More than anything else, RAVI wants fluidity in his storytelling.

After helming a short film for ETERNAL PICTURES last week, on Monday, RAVI will sit down with his long time cinematographer to start work on INGILI storyboards. He has confirmed 5 days to wrap storyboarding.

We have also confirmed a talent to compose the music for INGILI. All the names including cast will be revealed officially a day before the production starts.

INGILI is being fast tracked for a mid-April shooting and an early June release.

rewriting VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA…

SEEZAN has spoken. He has given his comments after reading the draft of VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA. Below is a brief summary of the long conversation I had with him on Friday afternoon.

First and foremost, he wanted the climax to be corny, the way I see it, that’s the only way the climax would turn up if his changes are incorporated. Unsurprisingly, like the trend of many local directors and producers these days, he wants the audience to cry an ocean. What, from a film that was written with a noir genre in mind! Anyway, he gave me his version of the climax or what he imagined, at which I was not able to digest even a little bit. I felt that not only his climax would make the characters and their inner selves unbelievable but the whole concept would turn unrealistic. Last but not least, he wanted more melodrama at situations where drama or melodrama was not required.

After much thought, I came up with a possible way to make the climax closer to what SEEZAN imagined but less what he imagined. However, to achieve this, I need to write few extra scenes that would lead up to a climax that would satisfy SEEZAN. Well, in this afternoon’s conversation with him, I explained to him of the new climax. Luckily, he was convinced. Phew!

It took more than thirty minutes to make him understand my point of view. For some odd reason, by then I was mentally tired, but I managed to ask him about other changes he wanted. He had a total of five additional changes, all of them to which I only agreed when he justified his reasons. That was when I switched myself to listening mode meanwhile making shorthand notes of what he was trying to explain. After he was done, we hung up. I must say that even though I disagreed to most of what he said, at the end of the day, it’s his baby I am writing and I am fully obliged to write and rewrite to his standards.

I will begin rewriting in a days time, and hopefully within three days I can submit a screenplay that SEEZAN approves of.

VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA revisited…

VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA (FAITHFUL TRICKSTER) was handed over to SEEZAN yesterday at the same place where he first assigned me to write it. More than a year ago, he and his then producer, HASSAN sat with me at the terrace restaurant of CENTRAL HOTEL that gave us a view overlooking Male’ in 360 degrees. It was an evening. The sun was beginning to set.

Fast forward to yesterday, the same place, the same time, however without HASSAN, I sat with SEEZAN to submit the draft screenplay of VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA. It was a memorable moment in that sense, I guess. SEEZAN was ecstatic. He assured that he’d read the screenplay last night. So I am hoping that he’d call me with his feedback sometime today.

If he has any feedbacks or amendments, I have timelined to rewrite within two days, but only if his comments are justifiable. But if I find his changes spoiling all the fun, then I am going to refute with him until he proves me wrong.

Yesterday, SEEZAN also showed me a teaser poster concept of VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA which he will run as a slide during the commercial break of his upcoming movie, KARUNAVEE BEYVAFAA (TEARS TURNED UNFAITHFUL or something like that) which opens on April 7th. I think he comes up with strange titles that speak of being faithful or unfaithful. That’s no problem as long as he stay faithful to the noir feel I have created in VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA.

SEEZAN is scheduling to officially launch VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA around 25^th of April where he will unveil all casting details as well. He promised a surprise on that day. Can’t wait to hear what it is. After official launching, he and his producers are scheduled to fly to Nuwaraeliya for location scouting. Well, that’ all for now and will return with updates as they come…

the final twist to the final twist in the final twist of VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA…

Today, 29th March of 2009, a day before the deadline, I have completed twisting VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA (FAITHFUL TRICKSTER) which was started writing under the title, THINESKAN LOABI (LOVE TRIANGLE). After more than a year of shelving, writing, shelving, writing and retitling, I have finally exorcised this curse off me. I may have finished writing a day early but I will be handing over the draft with spiral binding, of course, to SEEZAN on Tuesday. I just want a day, to go through the screenplay from beginning to end, see if it holds on its own or if the plot has left any unanswered questions since there’s lot of red herrings and twists and turns thrown at every possible corner. This has more twists than a pretzel, I must say. I have also given full attention to make it easier for the audience to understand the intricate plot and will once again examine that too. That’s all happening tomorrow. I hope I don’t get any impromptu ideas to add more twists.

Last Friday and Saturday I have worked from six in the morning till twelve in the afternoon. Then resumed writing from four in the evening till eight at night. I finished the screenplay today, before twelve. I guess when I get in to the right groove, there’s no letting up. Probably, the third act was more fun than the first two acts since tables get turned unexpectedly with every passing minute. What I enjoyed writing most was the build up to the climax and the climax itself and the unexpected twists and the twist that comes after the final surprising twist. Okay, I am lost here! How are these twists arranged again?

How much tempted I am inclined to give a summary of the plot, doing that would definitely spoil the fun. It’s really hard to resist this urge to reveal the plotline, that’s why I am writing off this post for now. When this temptation subsides, I will return with SEEZAN’s feedback. I just hope he can get out of the entangled plot easily. If that happens, I believe I have achieved!

INGILI preproduction status…

The production team of R2, DV Productions and NQP have started preproduction of INGILI. The design of the set needed for the film has been drawn accordingly to the visual demands of director, RAVI. And he has approved it. However, the snaps of the different locations we have recieved so far from 4 different island, have failed to meet visual dynamics of the screenplay. The production team have requested for more snaps from three other islands.

Hopefully, on early week of April, one member of our production team will be flying to N. VELIDHOO where he will do some scouting himself. If he finds the right location, arrangements will be made to built the sets including the water system to create rain.

Director RAVI and his DOP have started work on the storyboard. His DOP seems to be more excited than we are and have decided to cut his fees down to nil. But the producers have disagreed to his decision. When the storyboards are done, we’ll have a sitting to bring important amendments.

Will give more updates as they happen.

DHUNFINI officially retitled…

It’s now official that the screenplay I am writing for SEEZAN will be called VAFAATHERI KEHIVERIYAA (FAITHFUL TRICKSTER) and not DHUNFINI (FOG). Alas! SEEZAN made this decision in an interview given to AAFATHIS daily today. He made this move after discussing with several talents working in Dhivehi film industry including his producer. Two days ago, he mentioned that his producer also liked the official title. It seems that that title has the ability to tease the moviegoers on checking out who a TRICKSTER is, who’s also FAITHFUL. Anyone in real life and not in reel life who is? Anyhow, I guess from a commercial point of view, they have a point there.

However, I am going to wrap up this screenplay under the working title, DHUNFINI. It’s more relevant to the storyline and gives me more depth visually when I am writing.

As for a status update on the screenplay, I have started writing on the new changed structure. And I must say that it’s going good. My deadline is end of this month. Hopefully, I will give SEEZAN a draft on 31st.

Referring back to that interview, SEEZAN promised that he’s going to give the moviegoers a BIG surprise on the casting of the second leading actress in the film. I wonder who she might be. Let me guess… I have no idea. I just hope she fits her character though. .

More news on the screenplay later.

INGILI status update…

Location scouting has begun for experimental film, INGILI which will be produced under the banners; R2, DV PRODUCTIONS and NQP.

The production team has been contacting several islands to find the one and only location that will be shown through out the entire duration of the film.

However, the production of INGILI has set of preferences for the location where the highest priority is enough space for the camera dynamics. If need be, a set will be designed on an existing location. There will be lots of water works as the film takes place on a very stormy night. Expect some lightning too. Thunderclaps can be added at post production. Therefore, the latter is not a problem.

The production team has received snaps of some of the locations available in F. NILANDHOO and N. KENDHIKOLHUDHOO. More are expected from other islands including AA. BODUFOLHADHOO who has shown a keen interest on having the production of INGILI there.

Hopefully, before director, RAVI returns from India, he will have enough locations to choose from.

The only two actors in the film, has started prepping on their roles.