What was the hardest part of making your film?
Two things were very difficult in making "Cybercrime". The first was creating the screenplay, which took a long time, but thanks to Aleksandar Velev from GDBOP’s Cybercrime Department and the real stories he told me, we managed to create a great script.
The second difficulty was working with the actors themselves, because they are non-professional actors with 1 year of training at the Film Academy for Talents. Fortunately, the Academy’s training provides a good foundation, and my work with each of them made the film what it will truly become: something exceptional.
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What will you remember about shooting your film?
Several things. First, this is the first film I have shot as a director. Until now, I have mainly made music videos and television programmes. Then there is the enormous amount of time we spent rehearsing with the actors, who did a great deal of work to make filming on set succeed. And of course I will remember writing the script. I cannot overlook writing a film screenplay: it really is very difficult work!
What was the most fun part of making the film?
The most fun part of filming was more interesting than funny, because making a film is extraordinarily interesting work. It is working with people who practise cinema as a craft. Working with the cinematographer, the script supervisor, the person responsible for sound, the actors, the drone operator, every single person on the crew was an extremely interesting process.
If you had to choose, actor or director? Would you make another film, in what role and why?
I am both an actor and a director in my film. I kept a tiny role at the beginning for myself. I love being in front of the camera and would never exchange that for directing. But I would combine the two if I had the opportunity, as many other actors around the world do. I would be very proud and happy if I could do both, be an actor and a director. As an actor, you give your talent. As a director who was previously an actor, you know what to ask of actors and how to ask it, which is extremely important and helps greatly when directing a film.
How did your experience with the Film Academy for Talents help you?
It helped mainly with the cast, because I chose all my actors from the Film Academy. Everything else is talent I have developed over the years with a lot of sweat and very hard work at different television channels and programmes, and through my education in Bulgaria and the USA, so I can pass my experience on to the Academy’s students.
Why did you choose these particular Academy actors? What was working with them like?
I chose them mainly for their appearance, or according to whether they matched the character I imagined for the role. The process was genuinely complex and long. Several months before filming, we began working with each actor on the energy of the character, so that nothing would be false and everything would match my vision of how I wanted them to appear in the film. I dare say everyone gave 100%. Of course, some actors were not experienced enough for a film like this; we did many takes, and in the end we managed together to achieve exactly what I needed from them. With excellent editing, the result will be exactly what I imagine this film should be.
When can we expect the finished film, and who will it be for?
The film will be completed in the autumn, and we are planning the premiere for October or November. The film is for every breathing person in this world. It is a story for the youngest and the oldest alike, because everyone should know what dangers await anyone with access to a mobile phone and/or the internet. Everyone needs to know they are not safe online, because dangers lurk everywhere, and as "Cybercrime" says, a cybercrime is committed somewhere in the world every 37 seconds, so everyone should think about it!