{"id":5262,"date":"2018-02-01T16:37:46","date_gmt":"2018-02-01T14:37:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insight-egypt.com\/?p=5262"},"modified":"2019-07-26T16:40:30","modified_gmt":"2019-07-26T14:40:30","slug":"hani-osama","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insight-egypt.com\/?p=5262","title":{"rendered":"Hani Osama"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Avante-Garde\u00a0 Filmmaker<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ever since the acclaimed film production company, \u2018The Producers\u2019, was launched, mainstream taste of the Egyptian audience in television and cinema has been incontestably refined, where their demands have surpassed an affinity for mere entertainment to include thought-provoking content and top-notch direction. Hani Osama, who has co-founded the company with Hadi El Bagoury, has since raised the bar sky-high with his eccentric films and TV series on some of the most controversial social taboos. Some of his masterpieces include \u2018Lamoakhza\u2019 (Excuse My French) and \u2018Sheikh Jackson\u2019. The pioneering filmmaker talks to (in)sight\u2019s Rania Badr about his journey in the industry so far, and some of his future projects. <\/em><\/p>\n

You\u2019re now inarguably a filmmaking icon in the Middle East. How did it all begin?\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

TV commercials have always fascinated me as a kid, and that has driven me to direct a few advertisements when I was still in school. Eventually, I felt more drawn to the happenings behind the camera. I realised how it was a much more crucial step to the outcome, so that\u2019s when I decided to shift to production. I began producing commercials before I graduated from university, got acquainted with directors like Hadi El Bagoury and worked with him for a while before founding our production company \u2018The Producers\u2019, which has been around for 18 years.<\/p>\n

The focus of \u2018The Producers\u2019 at the start was also TV commercials, correct?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yeah, we started producing commercials and music videos, which we still continue to make, but it was around eight years ago when we decided to expand. Our first deviation from this was \u2018Ard Khas\u2019 (Private Screening). It was Hadi\u2019s idea, and I think it was unconventional to the public to shoot a series using cinematic techniques. We had been making commercials for years now, so quality is always a result we don\u2019t actively work on it comes naturally at this point. We thought, \u201cwhy not produce a drama with the same quality?\u201d And this marks the start of our journey.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s when \u2018Wahed Sahih\u2019 (A Whole One) and \u2018Excuse My French\u2019 followed?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hadi was the one who directed \u2018A Whole One\u2019. \u2018Excuse My French\u2019 was our first project together in cinema with the producer, Mohamed Hefzy. We then produced the TV series \u2018Zarf Eswed\u2019 (The Black Envelope).<\/p>\n

Not many in your shoes produce both films and TV series. What\u2019s the difference between the two?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

You\u2019re right, it\u2019s unusual, especially because we also produce TV commercials. I\u2019d say what\u2019s common between the two processes is how much attention we pay to quality, whether it\u2019s a short project, like a film, or a longer one, like a series. In technical terms, the disparity is huge, but this is what they both have in common.<\/p>\n

Do you have a preference for either? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

When a project is more compact, that gives you the chance to perfect the most intricate details, and that\u2019s what makes films my passion. Then again, some projects can only be rendered into TV series like \u2018Sabea Gar\u2019 (The Seventh Neighbour) and \u2018Ana Shahira\u2019 (I am Shahira), and this also includes our upcoming projects, which will comprise multiple seasons. Yet, I\u2019d say cinema is my number one passion.<\/p>\n

The eccentricity of \u2018The Seventh Neighbour\u2019 must have been a risky adventure. What drew you to this project? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The subject it held was what intrigued me the most. \u2018The Seventh Neighbour\u2019 was not just an intangible concept; Heba Yousry, Ayten Amin and Nadine Khan had already screen-written some of the episodes. Sure, you can vaguely talk about the story of the protagonists that takes place in an apartment building, and it sounds interesting on the surface, but when you read the script meticulously, you\u2019ll either be more intrigued or decide that it\u2019s not your cup of tea. The details Heba employed in her writing, and in the dialogues, were extremely tempting to me. The nature of the series compels you to go beyond commercial boundaries, and yet, the core subject caters to mainstream audience. So I realised I can create a commercial project without the mainstream elements that an audience might expect. Personally, I love to venture when I sense a certain project has potential, and I\u2019m thankful that it worked out in my favour.<\/p>\n

The series introduced new faces to the industry. Was that part of the plan?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The three directors saw that the nature of the film did not necessarily urge you to hire certain actors, and yet, we still casted stars, but we also introduced fresh faces. I love working with stars, and \u2018Hepta\u2019 along with \u2018Sheikh Jackson\u2019 would bear witness for that, but I also have a penchant for diversifying the cast when I have the chance, to make that sort of balance between stars and new faces.<\/p>\n

Was the critical acclaim \u2018The Seventh Neighbour\u2019 received expected? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I knew it would succeed, but not like this. Sometimes you only produce a film because it matches your interests and you don\u2019t expect it to be a box-office hit, but drama is almost always produced for business purposes, so I wouldn\u2019t have worked on it had I suspected it would be unsuccessful.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for the series? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Season two will be aired this month and the third will be aired around October or November, and we will do our best to always air two seasons per year of \u2018The Seventh Neighbour\u2019 at these timings.<\/p>\n

\u2018I Am Shahira\u2019 is a very unconventional novel to adapt into a series\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Adapting novels into films and series is not a new experience to us. What makes \u2018I Am Shahira\u2019 different is that it\u2019s two volumes, each told from a different perspective. So it\u2019s new to us in the sense that it\u2019s a 60-episode series, but it\u2019s divided into two parts, each pertaining to a different perspective. That\u2019s what drew in \u2013the way it\u2019s told from the point of view of the woman and then the man\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Producers\u2019 have pioneered the idea that TV series can be aired off-season, and not just in Ramadan. What encouraged this idea? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I had worked on multiple series in Ramadan including \u2018the Black Envelope\u2019 and \u2018Le\u2019bet Iblees\u2019 (The Devil\u2019s Game), but there was always the risk of having your series overlooked among so many others. I believe \u2018The Black Envelope\u2019 deserved more credit than it received. It makes no sense to be absent from the screen for eleven months of the year, when you have the chance to air your work at a time when it can be appreciated. When I started making 60-episode TV series, I decided to air my work off-season, and I knew that others would follow, they were just waiting for someone to give the first cue. \u2018Al Tofan\u2019 (The Flood), which was also a great success, had aired alongside \u2018The Seveth Neighbour\u2019, and I think this emphasised the importance of screening TV series off-season.<\/p>\n

Do you believe that the format or nature of some series are only suitable for Ramadan? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s plausible. The subject of the series can impel you to reconsider when you decide to air it, and this also goes with films. Some movies have a winter air to them, which cannot be screened in the summer. Similarly, some flicks are only suitable with Eid. The idea of genres befitting a particular season is not foreign in the industry, but then the problem of not having any season in Egypt besides that of Ramadan arises. When great works become available all-year-round, that\u2019s when we can begin considering this idea thoroughly.<\/p>\n

Recently a statement has been issued by Egyptian TV networks to reduce their budget during Ramadan. How does this affect you? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a great step that had to be taken, although I don\u2019t believe it suffices. It\u2019s not just prices that play into this, but also quality. Parallel to this, we must continue introducing new faces to the industry, not just actors, but the whole crew team, d\u00e9cor experts..etc. This will automatically help you create works at a lower cost, rather than be stuck with big names that become an obstacle when you want to produce something on a budget.<\/p>\n

Do you think the rising of salary scales in the industry is logical or problematic? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s definitely problematic. Drama production has always been the medium through which stars are made. The next step for them is cinema. But if you hire a celebrity, who demands millions, and assign them a single role in a series, you\u2019re practically deteriorating the natural cycle of drama production for everyone else. It\u2019s okay for movie stars to participate in TV series, but they must also abide by the rules of the industry, not bring their own rules to it.<\/p>\n

Being one of the most controversial and successful movies last year, are you satisfied with the outcome of \u2018Sheikh Jackson\u2019?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The film is over three years old, and this ranges from the moment Amr Salama told Mohamed Hefzy and I about the idea. We were so excited and started working on it, but had a production break for a while and resumed a year later. So when it was finally screened, it was like a long and arduous birth of a project we\u2019ve been working on for so long. The international feedback we received was totally unexpected but well-appreciated. Getting nominated for an Oscar really raised the bar for my expectations as well. Sure, eventually it wasn\u2019t short-listed as we had expected, but still the buzz it created on an international level was fulfilling. It\u2019s a film I really enjoyed making.<\/p>\n

How did you take the wide criticism of the film, namely when it was accused of blasphemy? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Personally, I welcome all kinds of criticism, and it is never met with a biased attitude on my part. Differing opinions still have a point of view that I respect. But when it comes accusations of blasphemy\u2026 none of us had this intention, and the film does not depict religion in a disrespectful way. I don\u2019t even consider this criticism, I see it as an attempt to fish for people\u2019s attention, so I shrug it off.<\/p>\n

What can you unleash to us about your next anticipated project \u2018Ragol Al-mostaheel\u2019 (The Man of the Impossilbe)? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Ahmed Mourad has begun screenwriting, and as soon as Marwan Hamed is done with \u2018Torab Al Mas\u2019 (Diamond Dust), we\u2019ll be set. We have a plan to start doing preparations in March, so we can begin shooting by the end of the year. The initial plan is to have it screened in the summer of 2019.<\/p>\n

Anything you can tell us about the cast of the film? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

We cannot decide before we have the script ready. Even the elements of production and pre-production including the location of the set will all be based on the script, so nothing is final until then.<\/p>\n

Would you introduce new faces in \u2018The Man of the Impossible\u2019? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Potentially. We have high expectations for the film, so I believe hiring fresh faces would be a great addition.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Producers\u2019 has been around for 18 years. What has this journey been like so far? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It feels much shorter. There have been ups and down. I still have ideas I have yet to crystallize regarding content. I\u2019m also looking forward to the shift in the television industry from traditional drama to modern series that will be available on digital platforms like Netflix and the like, and this will surely affect genres and their consumption. I\u2019m already working on two projects, one is a novel by Mohamed Sadek – the writer of \u2018Hepta\u2019- who is working on the script of his book \u2018Anta\u2019 (You) himself. The other project will be directed by Ahmed Khaled and written by Mahmoud Desouky. I\u2019m very excited to see the outcomes of these projects when they air, but I\u2019m not rushing them until everything on paper is final.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ever since the acclaimed film production company, \u2018The Producers\u2019, was launched, mainstream taste of the Egyptian audience in television and cinema has been incontestably refined, where their demands have surpassed an affinity for mere entertainment to include thought-provoking content and top-notch direction. Hani Osama, who has co-founded the company with Hadi El Bagoury, has since raised the bar sky-high with his eccentric films and TV series on some of the most controversial social taboos. Some of his masterpieces include \u2018Lamoakhza\u2019 (Excuse My French) and \u2018Sheikh Jackson\u2019. The pioneering filmmaker talks to (in)sight\u2019s Rania Badr about his journey in the industry so far, and some of his future projects.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5263,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":0,"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insight-egypt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5262"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insight-egypt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insight-egypt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insight-egypt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insight-egypt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5262"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insight-egypt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5262\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5264,"href":"https:\/\/insight-egypt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5262\/revisions\/5264"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insight-egypt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insight-egypt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insight-egypt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insight-egypt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}