![\"\"](\"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20220916_150622_2-605x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nNY Glam: What projects are you currently working on?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I recently completed my MA in Screenwriting, and am currently working to get my thesis screenplay into development for production. The screenplay received an endorsement from the United Nations due to its potential for tolerance education, because it tells the story of a Jewish inmate and a Nazi guard who work together to keep a concentration camp zoo\u2019s last remaining animal alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve also written the first draft of a novel about a Jewish forty-something heavily tattooed writer who\u2019s struggling to publish a novel that tells his story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My most recent work is a short film script about a white South African man trying to escape his own sense of entitlement and privilege as the heir to his father\u2019s wine farm. The story plays out as a classic horror story, as the man grapples with the \u201cghosts\u201d that linger as his country\u2019s dark past asserts itself into the present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NY Glam: What makes a film great for you? Are there certain qualities that make a film better for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve always believed that a film begins with story. No large budget or special effects can compensate for a story that lacks structure, credibility and emotional resonance. The most powerful films for me are the ones that don\u2019t try to appeal to everyone on a general, mass audience level. I find far more power in a film that tells a specific, nuanced and detailed story about a particular time and a particular place. The interesting paradox for me is that, the more specific the film, the more it appeals to universal audiences due to its authenticity and relatability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NY Glam: As a screenwriter, what is the most important aspect of building a character?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Building characters is challenging because on one hand I want to infuse something of myself to make them real, but on the other hand I don\u2019t simply want to produce clones of myself. I don\u2019t believe there\u2019s a definitive formula to creating character (though many have been presented by many screenwriting teachers). I always begin by exploring the things that give a \u201creal\u201d person character, such as inner contradictions and the way we justify our actions to ourselves. Then, I try to capture those aspects of \u201creal\u201d human nature in a way that is compelling and true to my story. Having said all that, I find it a very difficult process and I don\u2019t have a guaranteed approach that I utilise every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NY Glam: Top 3 favorite projects that you have been involved in?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n NY Glam: Do you express yourself creatively in any other ways?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I am currently the Head of Film at one of South Africa\u2019s preeminent tertiary education institutions. In this capacity I have the opportunity to watch students develop their own creative work, guiding them creatively where I can and helping to prepare them for a demanding industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I studied photography at school and continue whenever I can (which never goes further than Instagram!) I also play classical guitar and recently achieved a Third Dan black belt in karate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NY Glam: What advice would you give to someone who wants to have a career in filmmaking?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I always tell our students that many people talk about starting at the bottom, but what they don\u2019t tell you is that you might need to start at the bottom more than once! I entered the industry as an assistant working for free, and numerous times in my career I\u2019ve found myself having to start again due to relocation to a new city or other circumstances. So I always say there\u2019s no such thing as having \u201cmade it\u201d. For me it\u2019s been an ongoing and often convoluted journey. My career in the industry hasn\u2019t been a straight arrow, but rather a rollercoaster-style trajectory of ups and downs. What\u2019s important is tenacity and passion, because it\u2019s a long and often challenging road. What\u2019s also helped me is to remember that even the \u201cdowns\u201d are valuable. In fact, I\u2019ve learned more from the tough jobs than I have from the easy ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>NY Glam: What can we expect from you in this actual year?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n