Produced By - #2 - Alaa Alibrahim: Former Syrian Refugee on a Path Of a Screenwriter

Starting point is 00:00:04 Allah Alibrahim is a recent screenwriting postgraduate who focuses on script writing and specializes in sound design. As a Syrian refugee he moved to London a few years ago where he decided to pursue his passion for filmmaking. After successfully completing his studies, he is currently finding his way into the industry with sound design or screenwriting, while developing the script for TV series. Before moving to London, he worked as a pharmacist in Syria and explored many countries in Europe and Asia. He shares his experience of what was it like to live there, compares the cultures and shares some childhoods. Listen to this episode to get inspired by his difficult journey, what life changing event led him to pursue filmmaking at an older age than his peers and get

Starting point is 00:00:50 inside into foreign cultures he lived in. Enjoy it. Hello Alam, welcome to the show and thank you for joining us. I thank you for having it. You've got quite unique and interesting story. Can you please share a bit about your background? So my name is Allah Alibrahim. I am Syrian refugee. I helped to live my country about 10 years ago because of the war in Syria.

Starting point is 00:01:21 And I was relocated in the UK about six years now. My background is pharmacy. I used to be a pharmacist's back wall. And later I have to change my career. when I arrived to the UK so it's a very long story but in general I would like to say I came to the UK

Starting point is 00:01:41 and I started working in a pharmacy but as a trainee and also I had to convert my qualification in a process that would take at least three or four years including studying university qualification to become UK citizen no to work in the UK

Starting point is 00:02:02 as a pharmacy they don't recognize my qualification because it's not from here or at least from the European Union. So I had to do some trainings and I had to study and I had to do like very long process. But fortunately I did not go through it and I had to change it into something. Fortunately. So why did you decide for film? Is that something you've been passionate about? If I say so, yes, I always thought like I like to have something related with films since I was a little boy.

Starting point is 00:02:41 I love the making of films from early stage until the final product. So was it kind of fulfilling your lifetime dream? Absolutely. Maybe it's because of the place that I came from. I believe like I had a good childhood. We used to have subscription in a film store when we were kids like it was back in the 80s. And I said there's a funny story when I was four or five years old. Me and my cousins, I had four cousins older than me and we grow up together because we live next to.

Starting point is 00:03:23 And my eldest cousin, we usually go and rent some films like, you know, cartoons or, other stuff for kids. But my eldest cousin, on one day he brought a horror film. At that time, I think they might be no age restriction to watch such films. My father was at work. My mother was in the kitchen. She doesn't know what we are watching in the living room. So he brought a nightmare on Elm Street for four or five years old. Was he also five years old? No, he's like, like he's a teenager, much older than me. So he brought it on purpose? He likes horror films, and I was little boy, so I watched that film with them.

Starting point is 00:04:11 And after the end of it, he told me something that Freddy Kroger will visit me when I go to sleep. For many years, I could dream about Freddy Kroger and... I can imagine that that age, it must have been super scary. It was scary until I watched a program the making of that film, that specific film. And for a sudden it was a relief for me, how they made this character and other stuff, how they make these scenes. So when I watched that, it was a big relief for me. Yeah, I can imagine. I started to enjoy it.

Starting point is 00:04:49 And that was like after many years, after four, five years later, but after that, after that, I started to enjoy it. horror films. I was still young but I was okay because I know now. So is it your favorite genre or it's just a genre that you don't mind? Probably the most thing that we used to watch is action films like the Blastafers films. Also comedy. We like comedy films. Can you see some examples? It will be nostalgia. The action films Probably the Terminator when it came out, it was something huge. The first one and later the second Terminator also. Probably we watched it like 100 times in three days.

Starting point is 00:05:36 We watching it again and again because it was good and we were... It's still amazing movie today and if I watch it when it came out, it must have been breakthrough. Indeed, yeah, yeah, that's true. So, yeah, that's probably my background and my... early childhood and my early connection with films. Later, when started to have the CDs, I used to rent some CDs with my best friends.

Starting point is 00:06:06 Every week, like every week we rent two or three films and to watch. Probably I've watched many, many films. Back then before Netflix. Yeah, exactly. But probably most of them were commercial films, not like something. Not art. Not art, yeah.

Starting point is 00:06:26 Why didn't you study film back then or in the first place? Was it because there weren't such opportunities? It was difficult to study. That stuff in Syria. I studied pharmacy as the desire of my parents. So they wanted me to study that. I said, okay. And it's not a bad thing.

Starting point is 00:06:47 I worked in a pharmacy in Syria and I believe I was good in it. Did you enjoy it? Yes, but when I came to the UK, I won't be honest here. I worked about three months in a pharmacy here and I did not like it at all. I feel the system here is good, but you have to follow only the guideline. There is no creativity here in this profession. Pacom used to make some treatments in the pharmacy, depending on each case like we control what we put in that.

Starting point is 00:07:22 Also, the relationship between the pharmacist and the customers and the patients in Syria, they have more dip. Here it's like you just give them what they want on that's it. You don't have that deep connection like what we used to have backwall. And just to be able to imagine what does it mean under pharmacy? It's like someone who's selling medicine in pharmacy or some kind of doctor or what is it? In Syria, it's more like a doctor. So it's not like the person who's standing behind the counter and selling that medicine. So then you came here and you would normally continue being a pharmacist, but because you couldn't, that's why I picked them.

Starting point is 00:08:10 It's not why it's right. I was going to do pharmacy anyway, because this is what I want. What I know, later I had some illness. it prevented me from continue with training in the pharmacy I had to do a surgery like the illness was

Starting point is 00:08:27 I had bowel cancer it was a big shock for me then I thought I have to sit down now and think what I really want to do in the rest of my life instead of doing something I don't like

Starting point is 00:08:40 so I thought like I want to do something related with art because I always wanted to be an artist The initial idea was to be a film editor. Middle Sixth University offered to help Syrian refugees to study. So they made like a test for Syrian to do and who passed a test will be able to study.

Starting point is 00:09:07 So I was sponsored with the university and the student union there to study at Middle Six and I chose to study film. I started with a foundation year because I don't have to study. previous background in film or in media. Later I started to study BA film. My initial thought was to be a film editor but later I found myself better with sound and I enjoy working with sound more so I did sound design, graduated last year and I continued later and I started studying masters in script writing and I just finished successfully. Yes. And just to come back to the exam that you had to do to be accepted to Middlesex. Was it like exam of some general knowledge or what kind of exam was it? Yes it's about English language like

Starting point is 00:09:59 in general knowledge. So did you learn English back in Syria? Yes, English actually was my third language, my second language was Russian but now I speak English much better. Why did you actually learn Russian? I lived in Armenia and in Ukraine and I completed my master's in pharmacy in Ukraine. How did you find the language? Because for example, I studied Russian as well and I'm not saying it was easy but it was easier since it's Slavic language. It's my native language. So I wonder what it's like if your first language was Arabic. I think because we have similar pronunciation or some letters like the difficult one in Arabic and I

Starting point is 00:10:48 I felt it's okay, besides the grammar, because Arabic is very complicated. And Russian, yes, they have some grammars, but it's okay to learn these grammars, school-term with Arabic, so yeah. What was the reason to study English in the first place? It's just like saying another language at school, but I wasn't good in English, to be honest, when I just arrived to the UK, so I started studying in a college, beside during the university at daytime. Why did you choose to move to the UK?

Starting point is 00:11:22 Was there a specific reason for UK? No, I left Syria about 10 years ago and I moved to Jordan, where I lived there. I was offered to come to the UK under the resettlement program for the refugees. And I said, yes, I did not choose the UK in specific. They chose. So you could have ended up in a different country? The first country that offered me to go was Canada. Oh wow, that doesn't sound bad.

Starting point is 00:11:54 Yeah, and I waited six months, but no one called me back again. Then they called me the UNHCR and they said, The UK is taking families, would you like to go to the UK? I said, okay, yes, I would love to. At least the weather here is much weird. Did they also offer you city to go to, or did you have to, or could you have picked to go to London? No, actually it was by chance.

Starting point is 00:12:22 I did not choose to go to London and I was legitimate. So how did you feel like when you came here for the first time? It's going to be like a fresh start for me. Living in Jordan was not easy because I was a refugee and a Syrian there. The laws there did not help refugees to work and to do many things. So these legislations were against us and it made many obstacles for us to live there

Starting point is 00:12:54 so it was really tough for us there like you have to walk for many hours a day and the payment was maybe the half of the wages the normal people would solve. Yeah, it was tough there. And did you live in the capital or some other cities? Yeah, I lived in,

Starting point is 00:13:13 Amal in the capital of Jordan. What's the city like? I love the city there. Is it nice for a tourist as a destination? It is. It is. Actually, Amman is a beautiful country. They have different places.

Starting point is 00:13:30 Could be an attraction for tourists. For example, Petra, which would... Yes, I heard it. Is it the city in a wall, like in rocks? In great. Wow, yeah. Beautiful. So, you mentioned

Starting point is 00:13:43 You also lived in Armenia and Ukraine. What led you to those countries? Mainly because of the relationship between the countries, Syria and these countries. I won't say it's much better, but it's like it's easier for Syrians to go there, to study or to have a visit or something. It's difficult for us to come to Europe. You have to get a visa, which is, I don't know why at that time was difficult for us. But in Armenia was easy, you just go there, you don't need a visa, you just travel there.

Starting point is 00:14:18 And Ukraine also had an easy system for a student to get a visa and travel there. And also the cost of study is affordable in these countries more than other countries. And doesn't Armenian language also have different alphabet and doesn't it also sound different? Yes, yes. And you know that one as well. Oh, no. I used to know some Armenian because of living in there, but I never learn how to read the alphabet because it's very difficult. Besides, I thought I don't need to learn it because I'm not in Armenia. I'm studying in Russian. Can you see a bit about the countries? What is Armenia and Ukraine like or what it used to be like?

Starting point is 00:15:06 I've never been so far, so I'm curious. For Armenia, it's very similar to see. Even the culture, we have many, many similarities. And I felt like I moved to another city. That's how I felt about Armenia. And even the weather is similar to Syria. In Istanbul, yeah. Yeravan, yeah.

Starting point is 00:15:28 Did you live there? Yes. A beautiful country. People are very connected with their heritage, with their coast. Yeah, I really respect that. So you felt wealth there? felt well there. You liked it? Yes, I did.

Starting point is 00:15:45 Besides, there were many Syrian students. I made many friends. So I did not feel strange there, because I had my friends everywhere. And what about Ukraine? Was it in Kiev? No, I lived in Kharkov. It was different, different experience, like I felt. Now I am in a different planet because everything is strange for me. It's new for me. Was it kind of more European?

Starting point is 00:16:14 Or in what way was it different? They have something about the European culture, but they still, you know, the old Soviet countries, they have their own culture, which is much different from the European culture. They have their own traditions, yes. What I found difficult was the weather. Was it cold? So cold. So cold like so.

Starting point is 00:16:41 This snow on the streets last maybe for six months. Maybe a silly question, but does it snow in Syria? It does. Oh, does it? It does snow, but it's like, maybe it lasts for one week and it melt down. It doesn't last for months, which is normal thing in Ukraine or in Russia or these countries. Any other country you lived in? Yes, Kuwait.

Starting point is 00:17:08 Oh, wow. I was born there, actually. and it's totally the opposite temperature. Maybe Kuwait is the hottest spot on air that was recorded a few years ago. But still, I love Kuwait as well. And somehow I'm connected maybe because I lived there and I studied there for my primary school there. So yeah, I feel I still connected to that country. Does it mean that you have or you had Kuwaitan citizenship since you were born there?

Starting point is 00:17:39 No, they don't give the citizenship. for newborn baby there. Do they give it only to permanent citizens and their babies, or how does it work there? I'm not sure how to assist them their work about a citizenship,

Starting point is 00:17:55 but probably it's more difficult. Even my father worked there maybe for 30 years and he did not get their citizenship. Did you live in the Kuwait city? No, in different city, but in general life the whole country is

Starting point is 00:18:11 not so much big. You can go through from south to north in a few hours. Was it even back then when you were born? Was the country already so developed as it is now? Of course not, but in general, Kuwait is a very developed country. I mean, yes, not as developed, but was it kind of obvious that it's going to be rich and very developed thanks to discoveries of oil and stuff. Yeah, they were already discovered at that time in the 80s and in the 70s. And comparing Kuwait with other countries, yeah, one of the past or quickest country in development and in the technology

Starting point is 00:18:52 and everything you found in there. I think I usually saw recently that it's the richest country in the world if you counted GDP per, what is it called, PPP per person. Yeah, I think Qatar and Kuwait are. Oh, okay. Oh, it's probably Qatar. That are the number one. I've got them mixed because they are kind of on a similar location.

Starting point is 00:19:15 Both start with K and both are small and super rich. But still like their currency is the highest comparing with the dollar. What is it called? Quetian dinar. I think it's one quater dinar is equivalent to... I'm not sure. three dollars or five dollars something like that baby five dollars and do you still visit the country if you can i would love to go there like last time i visited kuwait was in 2005 i went there and i

Starting point is 00:19:49 have some relatives living there but my best thing that i visited my school from childhood was it still there in a different location but it was there the same school so yeah i was have to visit by old school. It sounds like a great destination to visit. It is. Maybe I would advise anyone to visit Kuwait during winter or early spring. Like now, it's a perfect time to visit Kuwait because the weather there is so nice. Now as of beginning of March.

Starting point is 00:20:25 Yeah, like a prurier at March is very nice to visit, yeah. Yeah, when it's not so crazy hot, right? Indeed, yeah. So is there another? country you've been to Saudi Arabia I've been to Lebanon like short visit not like actually lived there is there anything worth mentioning about these countries something you enjoyed or that left some interesting memories or experience probably like Saudi Arabia now they have the revolution now in Saudi Arabia is amazing in the

Starting point is 00:21:01 technology the opening to the world is so great. The vision for 2030, they had a vision. Now this country is open to the world and their plans for the vision they have 2030 is something really amazing to watch how they are developing the country,

Starting point is 00:21:22 the people. I want to go there and maybe to live there one day. I saw that there they are or they want to build a city. This is like a super long line that goes, I think, from the sea. Acro is such a big part of the country,

Starting point is 00:21:39 and it's, I think, in the middle of the desert. So it doesn't really make sense, but at the same time, it sounds so visionary and really cool. Yeah, I saw it. I think it called the line. Yeah, like it, probably. Yeah, it called the line. Also, the Neon project is something.

Starting point is 00:21:56 Wow. What is it? Neum. Can you say a bit more about it? I'm not sure what it is. They are creating big sea. in the area of Red Sea, in the north side I believe of Saudi, next to the Red Sea, and it would have a lot of potentials

Starting point is 00:22:14 and it would attract a lot of differences to start there. I think I read somewhere that they want to compete with United Arab Emirates because they are so developing and attract a lot of tourists, so Saudi Arabia maybe wants to do something similar. Exactly, yeah. So I guess we will see in the future. Let's come back to your study. and to the film?

Starting point is 00:22:36 You found interest in sound. You did something that you want to pursue for the future? I would say yes. I have some plans for myself to do sound as a job like a day job. And hopefully to do writing something like a side gate or some side job. Something like a hobby

Starting point is 00:22:56 could turn some profits back, hopefully. Studying cryptwriting took me away from doing sound for in the last year. But now after finishing, I started to recap and I'm trying to fresh up my memory about everything, the stuff that I learned. So have you got a plan how to start or how to enter the industry, how to start looking for work? There was a radio station very close where I live and I applied for a job there for training. I still waiting for the response. Also, now I'm doing some work with a theatre.

Starting point is 00:23:36 Are it called Chicken Shit. Chicken sheep? Chicken shit, yeah. Because the theater in North London, they work with children in general, all ages, all backgrounds. I met someone there last year by chance and now I'm collaborating with them on a project, a script supervisor to improve and to expand the project. Hopefully, something will see the light. Yes, that's interesting. Maybe then you will have both work in sound and work in theater and don't know which one to choose.

Starting point is 00:24:10 I would do anything. I feel like I want to do everything in terms of writing and in terms of doing sound. But my passion about writing, to be honest, not to write in English, to write in Arabic, and to write some TV series or films for Arabic viewers. I had so far like three projects now. I'm working on one of them. I had three ideas. I bought them on paper. And I'm working on a TV series now. It's based on a film I looked before.

Starting point is 00:24:41 This is project, the journey for chicken shit. After finishing that, I will have more time to focus. And can you say why it's called chicken shit? This question, I never asked of it. Because you said it's for children, right? I'm a bit surprised. Yeah, maybe because. Because it's for children, check a shit, this is like.

Starting point is 00:25:02 Yeah, something that stays in your mind when you are kid. So you said you are writing or you wrote some scripts and you are writing a script for TV series? I started working on a script for a TV series, yes. What's the goal? Do you want to pitch it to studio or some production company? I hope so, yes. As you said, Arabic one. Yes. And for Arabic viewers, we have, each year there is a race.

Starting point is 00:25:28 for TV series in old countries during Ramadan. All TV channels try to buy and to produce TV series as much as they can. And like there is a big opportunity for anyone to work for that month. If you did one TV series a year, it would be enough for you. Oh wow. I can imagine if they adapt your script. It's a big thing. Makes you probably famous.

Starting point is 00:25:53 It gives you more work, plenty of money. It would be like a kickstarter because you're one. work has already been produced, so it's always the first step is the big steps for you to make. And once it gets adapted by Netflix, you are done. You will not know what gig to choose. There will be too many. That's true, yeah. So is there specific Arabic TV or a company that you want to pitch it to, or how does it work? It depends. There is some production companies. Also, there is TV channels that produce themselves.

Starting point is 00:26:27 produce themselves by their own studios. The challenge is to pitch for everyone until you find someone who will be interested. I'm sure there is also big competition. Absolutely, yes. So fingers crossed. And what's the main reason why you are writing in Arabic? Is it because it's simply your native language, so you feel like you can express yourself better? That's true.

Starting point is 00:26:53 It's not only the language, also the culture. I lived in many countries, many Arab countries, and I know the mentality and the cultural people there. So I could do something, write something close to them, relating to them. And during my study here, I wrote my final project. It was a Syrian story for British audience. And I made a lot of research about how to write something for British audience. And the story would something different. from the original because I need to change it.

Starting point is 00:27:29 So it fits. Exactly, yeah. If I want to show it back to Arab country, to Arab audience, it won't be the same. I have to make a lot of changes. Yeah, that's understandable. Do you want to say more about the script you are writing, or not yet before it's published?

Starting point is 00:27:47 I believe not yet because it's like their ideas. I could share something about the previous project, which is a film, feature film. feature film. It's called Finding Mr. Baster the story started in Syria. We have multi-protagonists, multi-stories, they are all connected and somehow. Some of the characters come to the UK and live here and the story ends here in the UK. This story focused on the Syrians inside Syria during the war. All refugee stories focus on them when they leave or when they arrive to their new country, but none of them focused on the refugees inside their countries. So this is something

Starting point is 00:28:30 focusing more of our part. So is the TV series the adaptation of this into TV series? It's going to be an adaptation for this, even though I believe for political reason it would be difficult for Arab TV channels to adapt this story. But I believe Netflix would be able to take this. Let's hope. Can you say a bit about the process of what is like? to be writing script for TV series. How long it is? It's going to be about eight episodes, about 30 minutes each episode. So does it mean 30 pages multiplied by 8 for the script? Yeah. That's a lot.

Starting point is 00:29:11 It is, yeah. But the story itself has a lot of potential and even more, because I have multi-protagonists, so I have the potential to write a lot in that. and to fill the story. But the different thing is the structure would be different from writing 40B and writing as a film, so each episode would have its own structure as beginning, middle and end.

Starting point is 00:29:38 Just to get an idea, how long does it take? To write, let's say a page, one episode, the whole series for someone who doesn't know this stuff. Just estimate, I'm sure that it's hard to say. It is hard to say because I'm doing different stuff

Starting point is 00:29:53 the same time and I'm not focusing on this at the moment. Try to finish the play for the theater now and afterward I would have more time to focus on. So it would take months, maybe two, three months. Yeah, that makes sense, especially if you want to make it kind of perfect, so there's potential to succeed. Exactly. Can you tell us more about the education? How did you find study in film? How did you enjoy it?

Starting point is 00:30:22 I did. At the beginning, maybe for two, three weeks, I kept hearing a voice inside my head. I did not understand anything. What they are talking about, I have no idea. And maybe my issue was the language. What I mean by that, not only English language as it is, but maybe the age gap with my colleagues, I was 38 at that time. I was studying with other students who are maybe 20 years. and I don't understand their language. What they are talking about, I felt like I am maybe outdated or something. Little by little, maybe I managed to live young again and understand everything was there not. So you graduated successfully film? Yes.

Starting point is 00:31:11 I was graduating during the COVID or shortly after COVID. It was challenging, and it was upsetting, especially for the last year, We were working on for the major project and we're planning for it and we even traveled away to the location and stayed there for a few days for this shoot and we made a crowdfunding video there. And at the end, we couldn't film it. Because of COVID, right? Because of COVID, yeah. I got COVID and later one of the actresses couldn't do it so we had to consult the project and to do something different.

Starting point is 00:31:49 Yeah, what a time in. What did you do instead? I had a film and I have rebuilt the sound for it from Scratch and do the sound design for it and to record some stuff like only sound and some sound effects by myself and create some sound. How was it in the end? Very good. Did everyone have some kind of alternative assignment?

Starting point is 00:32:15 Exactly, yeah, depending on your role because I was doing sound. so I have to just some design for a film from the archive. Can you highlight some aspects of the university that you enjoy and some aspects that you feel like that could have been done better? I just not think about that before, but I think how easy to access to the information to the knowledge is much better, especially here in the UK. Maybe in my time we did not have computers and internet to help us to study, but now everything is more accessible. They have all the tools to help you. We don't only study the theories and stuff like that.

Starting point is 00:32:59 We actually practice things to learn how to do it in a professional way, which is very, very good. And is there something that maybe there isn't, but is there something that you didn't like or you felt like could have been that better? If I was listening to someone who would want to go to university to consider both benefits and negatives. I believe if someone loves what he's learning, he won't find anything negative,

Starting point is 00:33:27 or you won't look at all the negative things. He will focus on how to learn and how to achieve, how to finish his course out, finish it like in a good way. Did you decide to study masters because there was a COVID, so there was a probably difficult situation in industry you're in the market or would you study masters anyway? What was the reason for that? Few reasons. One of them is yes about the COVID and the work. The other thing is it was a big challenge for myself because writing was always big problem

Starting point is 00:34:02 for me writing in English and doing the masters in script writing maybe helped me a lot to overcome this problem and to enjoy it later. So do you feel like it helped? Very much, yeah. How hard or how easy was it to apply for it and get accepted? I don't believe it's hard to be accepted for the masters, maybe because I already wrote some stuff. I had some materials before,

Starting point is 00:34:32 and I have submitted them before I get exception. So after probably when they read my stuff, they told this is maybe I have something. original I could work on to improve here so yeah what was the final project like I assume it was some kind of script yeah it just script it is a script for a future film like the one-hour film was it 60 pages then yes how was it I assume you enjoyed it very much the most thing that I enjoyed was in the by then in the show games when we had few actors who came to read part of our scripts and hearing my story from them and they were acting, critic with acting, it was so good to hear and it was so,

Starting point is 00:35:23 like a moment I was proud of. Did you get a good grade? I had good grades, yes. Maybe it will get adapted in the end. Maybe I would hope to and I am waiting at some moments for the feedback of a tutorist and after that I am going to rewrite the same. script again, how to improve it, which would be very valuable. If you sum up your experience at the universe, would you recommend it to someone who wants to pursue similar career path or want to become a filmmaker? I would recommend it for anyone, of course. For me, because I did not have any background, I've learned a lot, and I gained a lot of experience,

Starting point is 00:36:05 not only learning about the tools and how to do a thing, no, it's to learn how to deal with other people how to deal with your colleagues and how to work in a team. That's very important for anyone who seeks to work in the industry, so they need to learn how to work with others. It links to the next question. What would you recommend or suggest to starters or to anyone who wants to work in this industry? What kind of traits or skills to gain and what kind of traits to develop? First of all, it is important to read as much of health.

Starting point is 00:36:41 as you can. Tudors always give you like reading list. Try to read as much as you can with this because it's very important for you to learn, especially about the stuff that you want to be specific or specialized in. Also try to practice practice practice practice practice at much as you can. The more you do things, the more you master it. But this is very important as well. Don't depend on the university itself. Try to do self-learning. With this you could improve your skills, you could shine later because you have knowledge, more knowledge than the others and you can do probably something much better. Great points. I can only agree with that.

Starting point is 00:37:25 Is there something else university related that you would want to share? Maybe for the students, I would share something for them. I have noticed during all these years that every year some student drop out of the university because they feel they can't do it or they hesitate or whatever reason they have. I had that feeling sometimes, yes, but what helped me that I always realize and I always have a vision of the final day of the year, how proud I'm going to be. When I finish this, when I have this achievement, this vision was always in my mind that this is the day that I'm looking for. This is my huge that I need to do and I need to focus. Do you have a vision

Starting point is 00:38:09 now when your script is being adapted? Yes, of course. Of course. The story that I told you, maybe like it's a bit taught to be something to sell it or something like that. But it's still something in my portfolio. But the other stuff I'm planning for, for example, the horror film idea that I have, something could be selling and maybe one day. I believe that I'm going to do it one day.

Starting point is 00:38:36 We'll invite you to podcast again when it's Netflix or something. Sure with pleasure. To talk a bit about yourself, do you want to share what are your hobbies or what do you enjoy doing in your free time? And my free time. Maybe cooking is my biggest hobby, learning new recipes and... What's your favorite cuisine? Sterean, of course. What kind of question?

Starting point is 00:39:03 Can you share a tip on some delicious dish? We will Google it afterwards. Syrians are famous for meat dishes. Maybe salads like Tabuli would be something very famous for something very popular for Syrians everywhere. So Tapule, like I recommend it or anyone to try this salad. We'll have a look. And what kind of meat is used there primarily? Beef are plunge.

Starting point is 00:39:29 Sounds good. Like Kidby, which is a meat dish, like a burgl's shill. stuffed with meat and onion with some nuts maybe. I will have a look because it sounds good. It is it. Some other hobbies? I drove from time to time like I do some painting and maybe now I started to enjoy going out, walking and stuff.

Starting point is 00:39:55 When it comes to drawing or even writing scripts or the sound stuff, do you put it somewhere online or on the internet where you keep it for yourself? The stuff that I wrote already. Yeah, anything that you produce, either what you wrote, maybe some sound stuff or Drovin? Not yet. I have some stuff online for the stuff I produced for sound. It was like training and practicing stuff. Like I had a YouTube channel, but it's just for keeping my stuff there.

Starting point is 00:40:25 But for my writing, no, not yet, I'm planning first to pitch it before. It's just that if you want it or... that if you want it or if you had something we can always put it to the show notes and people can have look or can follow you if you had something. Yeah I could share with you my LinkedIn from time to time I share some stuff there so yeah. If we had some listeners interested in following you or learning something from you we can share your LinkedIn if you want it and maybe they can connect or follow you for inspiration. I don't we didn't discuss much the sound. We discussed primarily screenwriting so do you want to elaborate a bit on the sound what do you

Starting point is 00:41:06 enjoy about sound maybe what specifically would you want to do if you want to hold the mic or be the mixer or recorder so with sound I like your stuff like mixing things together creating sound effects sometimes you don't find sound effect good enough or how I say it matching what you see maybe like the feeling that you are seeing on screen so I like to create some sound effects myself. Also I like polysound making polys sound. Can you explain what is it for someone who doesn't know? For example, you are doing some steps in studio for the movement on screen, for example,

Starting point is 00:41:52 or you break something in the studio and you record that sound to match something you see on the screen. screen. Probably something very enjoyable. Then I'm sure you can be quite creative. Indeed, yeah. I feel like I'm very good with that part. To record sound, yes, but it's still not I enjoy much, but I enjoy working more in the studio. Yeah, that's understandable.

Starting point is 00:42:19 Do you have a favorite composer or even screenwriter? Maybe I would say directors because they write their own films. I like Christopher Dolan. for Dolan and I like Quentin Tarantino. What I like about Tarantino is the dialogue, the way he uses the dialogue and how he tells stories within the story. I always admire that. Yeah, me too. Is there something that I forgot to ask you or you would like to add or come back to? I think we covered everything here just for anyone who wants to do things or who wants to have maybe a job or the dream to do something.

Starting point is 00:42:59 You have to believe in yourself that you can do it. Whenever you have that thought in your mind, that's it. You would be able to do anything you all. Yeah, I only agree. I think it's a great thought to finish. As I said, we'll be happy to do, to meet again once you feel like you've got something to share.

Starting point is 00:43:19 Sure. Thank you so much for having me in this interview. I'm looking forward to your podcast. It's my pleasure. I also found it very interesting when it comes to geography. It was great to catch up with you to see how are you and also to learn something both about sound and screenwriting because that is something that I didn't know much about before.

Starting point is 00:43:43 And I'm glad to see that you still continue pursuing your dream and wish you good luck at it. As we said, it will get adapted. Thank you so much. Thank you very much, Allah. Thank you, Salas. Thank you. Thank you for listening to Produced by.

Starting point is 00:44:04 Subscribe to our podcast on your favorite podcast app, leave a review or send us your feedback. For more information about the host, links from the episode and ways to connect with us, visit the show notes. If you know someone who would be an ideal guest for our podcast, please get in touch. Thank you and see you soon.

Produced By - #2 - Alaa Alibrahim: Former Syrian Refugee on a Path Of a Screenwriter

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