Watch the Best Scene Reading of TWO EMPERORS:
CAST LIST:
NARRATOR – Amaka Umeh
LUDWIG – Isaac Alfie
NEEFE – Julian Ford
Get to know the writer Paul Gross:
Matthew: Why should this screenplay be made into a TV show?
Paul: The two lives have been the subject of many feature films and TV productions. This is the first six-part series that attempts to link their lives in a dramatic fashion. It is also the first to show the genius of the two men, their flaws and their attempts to deal with love and adversity.
Matthew: This story has a lot going for it. How would you describe this script in two words?
Paul: Scrutinising greatness.
Matthew: What TV show do you keep watching over and over again?
Paul: House of Cards
Matthew: This is a very tight, emotionally engaging and fun screenplay. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
Paul: Two years
Matthew: How many stories have you written?
Paul: Four books, one feature screenplay, one TV miniseries, one thriller.
Matthew: What motivated you to write this screenplay?
Paul: The music of a flawed genius, the flaws of a powerful ruler and the possibility that they might have met and liked one another fleetingly.
Matthew: What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Paul: Converting dry accounts of two histories into a drama that reveals motivations, passions and tragedies.
Matthew: Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Paul: Classical music
Matthew: What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
Paul: I like competition and I am very happy with all feedback, particularly negatives that I can turn into a better script.
The feedback in this festival was valid and had the desired impact as the revised script is now short-listed in four festivals or competitions
Paul: Scriptwriting is hard, even when you love it.
Stepping back from many beloved drafts and ditching them is the price of acceptance by those who read them.
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Producer/Director – Matthew Toffolo
Casting Director – Sean Ballantyne
Editor – John Johnson