Murad: Theory of Converting Novel into Film Needs Serious Study

The Egyptian writer and novelist Ahmed Murad is participating in the Cairo Industry Days Project event, through the seminar "Fantasy turns into reality.”

The project is managed by Alaa Karkouti from the Arab Cinema Center, in the presence of Fadi Ismail, founder of DKL Studio and Paul Miller, producer of Film Solution.

This is the excerpt of an interview with Murad.

*What do you think of the Cairo Industry day's for filmmakers?

It's an excellent opportunity to converge on experiences and openness to the other and follow the developments of what is happening in the similar equation of cold to the heat enjoyed by abroad.

Talking about fiction is the main element in the world cinema that drives and motivates the Egyptian makers to be enthusiastic about imitation as well as experimentation.

This is not realized through watching movies, which they think that achieving them is difficult, but by meeting the makers of those actions face to face and breaking the belief that what they offer is difficult and they are different and those with more distinct abilities.

*How do you see the Egyptian experience in turning the novel into a movie and you are the owner of the leading experience in that field?

[caption id="attachment_93138" align="alignright" width="239"] Murad During an Interview with SEE's Editor[/caption]

Theories of converting a novel to a film and its difficulties as a process need to be studied and absorbed, although we are not beginners and we have great successes 45 films by Ihsan Abdul Quddus and 19 films by Naguib Mahfouz.

It is a healthy thing, but turning the novel into a non-new film is my experience reviving it.

*What about your recent criticism?

The press statement is not true, I got so many experiences from Naguib Mahfouz's novels. Novels need to be dealt with before film production and the presence of a person or stage for that precise process. This is because the novel has a template and lines written different from the film that is written to turn into scenes live visual sequence. What the press spread is a sort of added excitement to an ordinary talk by getting out of context.

*Have you abandoned writing novels?

I will not give up the world of the novel, I cannot lose my readers' pride in my stories and waiting for them because the aim is to get people to read.

The novel is also the secret of my success and still supports my cinematic work.

I work on a new novel in parallel with the preparations of the new films Project 1919 and then the Blue Elephant 3, which was postponed.

*Why didn't you try the novel first in Elephant Blue 2?

I did not think it was better to write Blue Elephant 2 as a novel and it was not a quick decision, but after long thinking and studying the consequences of it. This is because the novel is based on character and resumption of events directly.

*What about the ceiling of public expectations for Blue Elephant 3?

We try to compete with the Blue Elephant 2 in the preparations of part 3 and it is not on me alone, but all the filmmakers, endure it with the love and passion of the audience and waiting for new surprises, which is motivating and do not call for fear but for the challenge.

Contributed by Ahmed Yasser