Interview with Asad Shan on Screenwriting

I remember meeting up with Asad Shan. He's a really down-to-earth guy with a plethora of knowledge on film-making and screenwriting. His advice is so valuable and I think any aspiring screenwriter can benefit from his wisdom and experience.

Asad Shan's profile is extensive. He is founder of Iconic Productions, which encourages new talent in the film world, host of ZING’s Brits' Bollywood, face of Zee Network and most recently, Screenwriter/Director/Actor (yes, all three) on '7:Welcome to London' an Iconic Production.

R: How do you do it all? I mean, the role of screenwriter, director and actor certainly do fall harmoniously within the world of movie-making, but for you to have all three of these roles together for ONE film! How were you able to distinguish between these roles?

A: Actually, there were four roles as I also co-wrote the script... nothing like a control freak –jokes apart I think being a methodical person I was able to separate all four roles – once the story had been written the producer side of me made sure the money was raised and budgeted for. I think the hardest was the Director role and the actor role because being a perfectionist, the director in me always found the right balance in the actor, where actors can be greedy. I believe the UK Film industry and UK Asians are supremely talented and we have a big market here; they just need to work with the right team and well … you will see the results.

R: You have worked very hard on this film and it seems like you had a fantastic crew! What inspired you to come up with a story like '7: Welcome to London?'

A: The story of '7 Welcome to London' is about all of us. The people around me inspired this film. I knew that one should always feel connected to the emotions around one's self and that’s what the story of '7 Welcome to London' is all about. It will connect with

your emotions and once you leave the cinema, I promise you that you will be talking about it for a long time.

R: What do you hope that the viewers will take away from this film, to release 9th of March?

A: Basically if you want a guaranteed entertainer that is a super fast-paced romantic thriller slick British thriller, (Read Guy Ritchie) yet retains the Desi feel (Read Karan Johar) then '7 Welcome to London' fits the bill. It is a must-see for the whole family.

R: Was it difficult to choose the cast?

A: We were blessed to have a fantastic bunch of actors in our film. Aliakbar Campwala is from Mumbai and plays the Rajinikanth loving Goldie. Tim Hibberd is an established theatre actor and he will blow your mind away with his performance as ACE. You have Rob Thorne (Sky Sports Betfair), Musa Ahmet (The Infidel) and loads more talented individuals. My beautiful leading lady is Sabeeka Imam who is UK’s number one Asian female model and was featured in most of the biggest fashion campaigns. Chris Dickens is a legend, one of my favourite editors in the world. He edited films like 'Hot Fuzz,' 'Shaun of the Dead' and 'Slumdog Millionaire' for which he won an Oscar. Having him on board as a consultant producer and supervising editor was my ace card and I knew I was in safe (read Oscar) hands.

R: What genre/subgenre would you place this film in (ie. Action, Romance, Suspense....) and why?

A: It's everything and more – see... '7:...' has something for everyone in the family, action and suspense for the boys, and a thrilling romance for the girls.

R: Could you describe the feeling of watching your words come-to-life on screen?

A: Well, let's put it this way.... I had a box of tissues close-by. I went through a range of emotions whilst watching the film. There was a certain glow within and a real sense of achievement, but I guess the most important feeling of pride came when I saw my mum's face when she saw the first rough cut.

R:What inspirational and technical (pitching producers/agents) advice do you have for aspiring screenwriters?

A: Screenwriters need to have a two-minute pitch ready where they can verbally sell their script alongside a final draft copy ready. Make sure you register your film and story. Be confident and be ready to be criticised as you are the one who went up to them so do not take it personally. More importantly, if you know you have a good film, then make sure its in good hands.

Poet-ics

©www.envythis.co.uk

The technicalities of poetry is something we often don't consider when we wish to pour our hearts out into varying lines, built up to stanzas, which are broken up for pause or dramatic effects, containing the intricacies of punctuation and grammar.

'Punctuation and grammar?' you ask. 'Poetry comes from the heart,' you say.

Yes, poetry does come from the heart; it is the revelation of your most inner-self to the world. It is the written word that does not represent you, but simply is you.

I remember taking a creative writing course at University with Dr. Rachel Wetzsteon who, unfortunately, is no more.... She was a lovely teacher, who taught me invigorating secrets of how to write poetry. Every secret revealed was never really a 'secret,' it was simply my lack of knowledge thereof, which she provided to me.

Most importantly, she is the person who taught me that the structure of a poem, the choice of punctuation of a poem has a purpose. Poetry is not the random choice of mere words that splatter onto the paper to reveal your self. Rather, the way you break up your stanzas, the number of lines you choose to write, the way you choose to write them...the overall technicalities of the poem must make sense...make sense...every move has a purpose.

Here is just one poem (published in Celebration of Young Poets) I submitted as part of my final paper (collection) for her class:

Lavender Scarf

Before the gloom of the night,

Seeking exploration,

The lavender scarf slips off my neck.

In complete awe of the world,

It soars with the breeze.

As the sea twists into a grayish mist,

Maroon brick houses turn dark caramel,

and oak leaves are tinged teal,

The lavender scarf seeks freedom,

As I desperately chase after it.

The scarf wanders above cities and towns,

It skulks through the rotting slums,

It glides over the velvet countryside,

Feels the thrill of infinite curiosity,

And smells the essence of nature.

Soaring lavender, then purple,

Purple, then blueberry,

Blueberry, then ebony,

The lavender scarf re-wraps around my neck,

Where the journey ends.

Dr. Rachel Wetzsteon attended my wedding on 2nd August, 2008 and gifted my husband and me with one of her manuscripts, '282 Time Pieces.' She was always such a cheerful soul. Her wedding note to us was 'Hip-hip and hooray to you on this resplendent very happy day!-All best wishes, Rachel Wetzsteon.' Here are a few of my favourite lines I've cherry-picked for you, from her book:

Dr. Rachel Wetzsteon, my Creative Writing Teacher at University

'Cafe Time

How long have I been

sitting here? Some equation

of cup and napkin...'

'Dorian Gray Time

His bright eyes twinkle:

with each malicious frown he's

got one less wrinkle'

'Lovers' Time

Till you come, such is

my fate: to watch each minute

ooze by on crutches.'

'Mom Time

It's a minute past

midnight; you're grounded for as

long as hormones last.'

'Eden Time

They spent every day,

blissfully ignorant, in

amorous delay.'

'Hamlet Time

"Out of joint" 's too mild:

courtier, soldier, scholar

trembles like a child.'

'Monet Time

Light at great speed will

dapple then flee the facade

of a cathedral.'

When spilling your heart onto paper, consider poet-ics.

Three Thousand Miles for a Wish

'Three Thousand Miles for a Wish' is a work of non-fiction, a moving memoir about one woman's journey to find herself...through performing Hajj. It is a truly gripping story that tugs at one's heart.

I commend the author, Safiya Hussain, on her bravery. Writing one's own memoir, getting back in touch with one's emotions, is challenging! One even asks 'How do I describe my own life in the written word?' or 'Where on earth do I begin?'

It is the piecing together of a number of a short life stories, each harmoniously becoming one large work of art. It is not easy revealing one's inner-struggles, most intimate moments, to the world.

It's about time a book about Hajj was at the top five most downloaded Amazon ebooks as was 'Three Thousand Miles for a Wish.'

And how could one resist a book that contains such beautiful lines like:

I stared and stared at the girl in the full length mirror, unable to move. Who is she? It had to be me, of course. Not an angel. I had changed into my ihram.

Her [a mother's] love for me was a vast ocean in comparison to the droplets of love I had received from anybody else. Had she known of my sorrows, she would have taken her heart out of her beating chest and put it in the space where mine had died, I am sure.

I had the honour of interviewing the exemplary non-fiction author, Safiya Hussain.

1. How did you decide where to begin?

Sometimes, if you are lucky, something phenomenal will happen in your life that makes you utter the words 'I have got to put pen to paper, and write about this'. That's what happened to me when I went to Mecca for the journey of Hajj. A week after I returned from Saudi Arabia I got this urge to write my story and share it with the world. I was never a writer and I never knew I could write. But when my pen touched my paper the words began to flow and flow until they created the story that is today 'Three Thousand Miles for a Wish'.

2. You mention your mother a lot in your writing. Was she your inspiration?

My mother is my rock. Her faith is incredibly strong and I aspire to be like her one day. Throughout the ups and downs of writing this book she would always say 'don't give up - God never lets a person's hardwork go unrewarded'. Without her, there would be no book.

3. Why was it important for you to have this memoir published?

Something inside me, something unexplainable, would not let me let this go. It wasn't just a desire for me to write this memoir, it was more a need. I felt I needed to share this story with the world and to give them a little bit of what I had experienced first-hand.

4. What do you hope readers will learn from your novel?

That, after despair, comes hope.

4. What was the most challenging part about writing your novel?

There were two things that made me sweat profusely:

Firstly, waking up every morning and fearing that I would lose my words. There is no science behind writing, one day I would find myself writing as though this is all I've been doing my entire life and there are other days when no words would come out. I am not sure what it is that causes these two extremes but it is scary - especially when you're in the middle of a book and realise that this could be the end!

Secondly, the thought of sharing such personal details about my life and my character with everyone. I tried not to think about these worries until I had completed the novel. When I finished writing the last word, that's when I asked myself, 'Right, am I ready to share intimate details about my life with the rest of the world?' The answer was always 'no' but every night I would fall asleep knowing that if I died, the one regret I would have was to never publish this story...to never have shared this beautiful journey of Hajj. I still feel nervous about laying my soul bare in this book, but I don't want to die with regrets.

5. What advice do you have for aspiring non-fiction writers?

Write from your heart. Don't write the way you think people want you to write. Let your heart speak out the words and they will eventually find their way to your pages.

6. What is your upcoming/next/new project?

Since I realised that I have some sort of way with words, I have blogged here and there and have plans to write three more novels. Stay tuned for those!

Download 'Three Thousand Miles for a Wish' as your latest ebook or purchase it, via AMAZON.

Follow Safiya via TWITTER and/or visit her website, http://www.safiyahussain.co.uk/

An Author's Image

Photographs taken by Mizan Ahmed, www.envythis.co.uk

Why is an author's image so important? It is significant for those who are curious about the person behind a piece of written work. But it is not ANY image that portrays the essence of an author. On the contrary, the image must look professional, natural and display a sort of 'author etiquette.'

I think Mizan Ahmed did a great job capturing my personality in these images. He gave as much attention to my candid/posed behaviour as he did to my book and signature. Therefore, an author's image is not limited to his/her attire or makeup, or even whether or not the picture is gray-scale or in-colour; it takes a great photographer to shoot a great image.

As a public figure, the author can use images for interviews, fan pages (ie. Facebook/Twitter) and personal website. It is for those readers, out there, who are curious to know the essence of an author, if unable to know him/her personally. The best advice I can give to any aspiring author who is ready for an image... 'Be yourself.'

Does the Plot Make a Good Read?

You could give birth to an amazing plot, out of the most vivid imagination and describe it verbally to anyone. For example, 'A girl was murdered in the park, her body's like all over the snow, right?' But, does that plot make for a good read? I was posed this question last night and felt a need to share my thoughts with you.

If you were to read, 'A girl was murdered in the park....' would the line have honestly gripped you, pulled at your heartstrings to a point where you want to read further? Sure! Maybe...if it's in a straight-forward, to-the-point news article.

But, would that same line have gripped you if it was written in novel-format?

Let's say that you read this one line, then you picked up another crime fiction novel and it read something along the lines of, "The pristine white snow was not the same as it once was, etched by the stains of Sabrina's blood."

I made that line up and I'm hoping that it gripped you a lot better than the original one. There's colour mentioned, the victim has a name, and words like 'pristine' and 'etched' sound a lot better to me than 'clean' and 'marked.' I could have also used the terms, 'pure' and 'smeared.'

I always say that every story is worth telling, but when posed the question of whether or not a 'good plot' makes for a 'good read,' I'd say that the challenge is how to write it. Description is key.

When it comes to crime fiction masterpieces, there's Agatha Christie, Henning Mankell, or Stieg Larsson, experts on transforming their fantasies into written format and describing the plot as picturesquely as a movie clip.

Being a fan of the Swedish TV series, 'Wallander,' which was introduced to me by my husband, who was born and raised in Sweden, we've been reading one of the greatest crime fiction novelists of our time, Henning Mankell. And if you like Mankell, you'll love Larsson's Millennium Trilogy.

Practice will never make perfect as every writer, like any artist, is a perfectionist, knowing fully well that achieving perfection is impossible. BUT, practice can certainly make for excellent writing potential.

Walk a Straight Line!

I just finished editing my first chapter. I realized the importance of consistency, walking a straight path instead of a zig-zag, or walking on a smooth road instead of a bumpy one!

Italics

CAPITAL LETTERS

" 'Quotation Marks' "

How you choose to write the name or title of something is crucial.

For example, if at one point, you write 'Friends' and you're happy with it, don't write Friends.

If at one point you write Her Feet Chime, then don't write 'Her Feet Chime' and write all novel/book titles in italics.

Writing is an art and you, as the artist, must make choices on your own personal style for your canvas...blank page/Word doc.

I'm sure you understand the importance of consistency. I know I do; hence why, I have a separate document called 'Notes' in which I write all of the important words and notes to refer back to when I murmur to myself,

Wait a minute, did I italicize that word in the first paragraph or use quotation marks around it?

The Biggest Burden-The Biggest Hope

The biggest burden in life can be 'compromise' because it forces us to conform with the circumstances.

The biggest hope in life can be 'compromise' because it forces us to seek peace.

Compromise is like a tight rope, one can be stuck in the middle of it for a long time before deciding which 'end to meet.'

It can be painstaking, heart-trending, or...alleviating, heart-warming.

The biggest challenge in life is 'compromise;' it requires mental, physical and emotional strength; it makes us powerful and hopefully, worth a reward in the end.