Screenwriter Interviews
MovieBytes Interview: Arif Hussein
An interview with Arif Hussein regarding the British Short Screenplay Writing Competition.
Q: Who sponsors this contest, and what is their background in the industry? When was the contest founded?A: The British Short Screenplay Competition was first launched in July 2001 and is managed by Kaos Films, a film production company. It is run in association with UK's top Film School the National Film and Television School.
The BSSC has a number of top industry sponsors namely Kodak, Lee Lighting, Panavision, Pinewood Studios, Write Brothers Inc. and Working Title Films. The competition is also honoured by an unprecedented panel of judges each year which has included: Charles Dance, Oscar nominated directors Kenneth Branagh and Sir Alan Parker, Oscar nominated producers Nik Powell and Stephen Woolley as well as BAFTA nominated producers Leslee Udwin and Natascha Wharton to name but a few.
A: I am the CEO of Kaos Films and founder of the British Short Screenplay Competition. I set up the competition when I saw there was a need for a platform to help budding writers. As a writer myself I know how difficult it is to get started, and I wanted to help others get their scripts to top industry producers. So I started the BSSC and I'm pleased to say it's gone from strength to strength.
Q: Have any of the winning scripts from the contest been sold or produced?A: The top prize at the BSSC is that the winning writer has their screenplay produced by Kaos Films. To date Kaos Films has produced four winning screenplays with an average budget of $340,000 inclusive of the sponsorship package. Some people make feature films with that kind of money. I'm not saying that every film Kaos produces will have that level of budget but the point I'm making is that's the quality of films we are producing. We're not going out with a camcorder and a bunch of amateurs and saying here's your film. Our first four winning films have all been shot on 35mm. THE HANDYMAN by Tom Beach was shot in USA. It was directed by the award winning director Simon Rumley and has won awards at several international film festivals around the world. THE STARS DON'T TWINKLE IN OUTER SPACE by Hank Isaac was shot in Hungary. It is in the process of being entered into festivals. LIKE FATHER by James Walker was shot in Bosnia. It is also in the process of being sent to festivals. THE OTHER ME by Mark Cowling is being shot in UK. Apart from these we know four runners-up were contacted by producer and judge of the BSSC Stephen Woolley personally with a view to possible commission for a feature. Two were contacted by producer and judge Nik Powell. Four past runners-up have managed to sell feature screenplays as a result of being placed in the BSSC and at least six we know of have optioned their short screenplays.
Q: Who judges the early rounds of the competition? What are their qualifications? Who judges the final rounds?A: The early rounds of the BSSC are read by professional script readers. Some of them are writers themselves others are independent producers. These are the same people reading for other studios. The finalists at the BSSC are judged by an unprecedent panel of judges. They include the A list of the British film industry: Kenneth Branagh, Sir Alan Parker, Michael Kuhn, Nik Powell, Leslee Udwin, Natascha Wharton and Stephen Woolley. I'm extremely grateful to these people for giving up their valuable time to help us at the BSSC.
Q: Do the early-round judges read the entire script, or do they stop after a certain number of pages?A: The early round judges read the entire script and they are asked to score on seven catogories: Plot/premise, structure/pacing, characterisation, dialogue, quality of writing, cinematic quality and originality. It doesn't mean that adaptations will not succeed in the competition, by originality we mean that the story is told in an original way. Also we receive many scripts without dialogue. They are not marked down. The process of judging is quite complex and comprehensive. At the end of the day we are looking for a story that captures the imagination and stays with the reader long after the reader has put the script down.
Q: Are the judges looking for any specific type of script? Are scripts of a certain genre more likely to do well?A: No, we do not go out looking for a particular type of script. We are looking for the best screenplay which we will produce irrespective of cost as we have already proved by shooting films around the world. Previous winning scripts have included drama, comedy, thriller and romance.
Q: What do you do promote your winning writers, and to publicize their scripts?A: I believe the best way to promote the writer is to produce their screenplay and send it around the world where it will be seen by producers, directors, actors and agents. The films we produce are also sent to agencies in UK and US. We have a media partner THE TIMES newspaper who promote not only the competition but also the winning writer and the films. The finalists are invited to an interview with the panel of the Natinal Film and Television School for MA in Screenwriting, bypassing preliminary rounds.
Q: What advice can you offer to writers entering your contest?A: Whether you are entering a contest or submitting to a studio or an agent, you want to impress the reader. Try and make their life easy. Check the spelling, formatting and read our guidelines on how to bind your script as per professional guidelines - even if this is your first screenplay. Present yourself as a professional writer, and the reader will treat you with the same respect.
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2007
