Jeff Ornstein 0:02

Hi everyone and welcome to Next Act with Jeff Orenstein. I am Jeff, and on this show we celebrate people on the cusp of greatness. Those building on past successes in some of the curious and inventive and sometimes unexpected ways they have achieved those, and stepping into moments that could define their legacy. We'll talk about current projects, lessons learned, and the extraordinary opportunities ahead. So the best is yet to come. Today's guest is Adnan Amir, an award-winning British actor, filmmaker, author, and the CEO of Colossal Films. He is the creator, writer, producer, director, and the star of the independent romantic thriller Back to Forward, an ambitious project that's grown into its own cinematic universe, spanning both film and novels. Welcome, Adnan. Thank you for having me, Chad. It's an absolute pleasure talking to you. Good. I'm glad you're here. So this Back to Forward is really a hot ticket. And the audiences love it and love you. Multiple best actor awards?

Adnan Amir 1:09

Yeah, it's crazy. And it's been a tough journey, but one that I thoroughly enjoyed learning, progressing, and uh I'm just so happy with the rave reviews as well.

Jeff Ornstein 1:22

Oh my gosh, the reviews I read, I mean, the audiences can't get enough of you. So congratulations. Now, just forgive me, but were you in addition to the star, or you were also the writer and producer? And did you direct it as well?

Adnan Amir 1:38

I did, yes.

Jeff Ornstein 1:39

Holy moly. Have you taken on that many responsibilities in a project before?

Adnan Amir 1:45

No, but there's only one way of knowing, just getting into it. You see, when you have passion, skills are transferable. You have to have that drive, charisma, and relentless drive to move forward. So you have to to realize any dream, you have to work hard. Balancing those roles was an opportunity for me to keep learning, keep moving, and achieve a dream that I always wanted to achieve. So I was relishing the thought of doing all those roles.

Jeff Ornstein 2:18

That's phenomenal, and it was so successful. So before I get a little bit bad, I want to jump backwards a little bit because prior to becoming an actor, you went to law school.

Adnan Amir 2:31

I did, yes.

Jeff Ornstein 2:33

Yeah, and I believe there was a follow-up degree to the law school.

Adnan Amir 2:40

Yeah, I completed my vocational education basically. So you have to do study law, then you do postgraduate legal practice. So it's crazy, isn't it, Jeff? You start in in one direction, expecting to that's your life, but then other things happen and you realize that actually I'm much more than this. I can take the skills that I've learned and put them into practice with passions that I have as well.

Jeff Ornstein 3:07

I think you've summed it up, and other guests have spoken about this too. When you have a passion, sort of like it blinds you to all the other distractions that life may present itself to you with, and you just gotta pursue it. So you came home one day and you told your parents, I thought I was gonna be a lawyer, but I think I'm gonna be an actor. How'd that go over?

Adnan Amir 3:28

Actually, surprisingly, it this is a crazy story, actually, because I had opportunities to be in films during my law school days, and I had there's this time in New York that we were walking and there was a film shoot, and this director was calling out action. And we walked up the stairs, and the guy double took me and said, Oh my god, you're very handsome, you have a very appealing face. I was cringing and I thought this guy must be blind or something, but it was really nice. My mom and blue there, and he said, You have a face for camera. Do you want to be in this film? But I see you as a hero. And at this time I thought the guys obviously lost the plot, but I never took it seriously, even though I did a little bit of modelling and a bit of acting as an extra, and that's another story. So my mum was a manager at the council and she was a magistrate, and they were filming in her office, so they said we're looking for some supporting artists. So my mum said to me, Do you fancy coming along? And I said, That sounds good to me, let's do this. So it was a really cold November's day, and I saw these random guys going back and forth, and there was one particular guy who had a snoody type thing, and I could just see the eyes, and they're very prominent, and I thought, I've seen those eyes before. So, anyway, it's a long day, fast forward, 12 o'clock at night, and we're having sandwiches in like a graveyard or something like this after the shoot. So, it just so happened to be Josh Hartnett. So, we were having sandwiches, very nice guy, and we're just talking away. And I guess that started the passion of filmmaking, and there's a big cast in that film as well. But the journey has been quite slow, really, in some ways, because my focus wasn't on the acting, something that happens when you start. I started writing this story, and it came actually, if I'm honest with you, I'd watched some big blockbuster films, and I was so excited watching that. But one by one, what I learned in the first five minutes was pretty much all that I needed for the rest of the film, and it kind of left me a bit disappointed. I thought, I'm gonna write something, and that's all it was at this point, Jeff. It was just me writing this story, and I got about halfway to this kind of novel that was in my head, and I realized why am I writing a novel? I'm gonna change this, I'm gonna make it into screenplay and then a script. And that was the beginning of back to forward, and then fast forward years, I said to my mum, I'm gonna make a film. And my mum said, right, okay, that's a good idea, why don't you? And I thought and I wasn't thinking about being an actor like fully at that point. But my mum said, Why don't you do it? You've got some experience, and that's where the journey really began.

Jeff Ornstein 6:49

Well, having seen bits and pieces of your movie before we we aired today, you definitely have a face for the camera. The camera loves you, that's clear. And what was so interesting, what I got from the film is the multifacets of thriller, drama, and comedy, and it was a very creative mind who put all those elements together to make it so gripping. So you make this film, it's tremendously successful, it really killed it in the film circuit, film festival circuit, but now it's become what my producers call a storytelling universe. So, can you expand a little bit on that? Because I'm not so sure I'm clear with what that is. Sure.

Adnan Amir 7:32

Well, as we started off as initially a novel, and then it became a film. So then, midway, whilst filming, it was a very natural kind of thought process. I thought I realized the stories, the histories, and the characters of backed forward are so strong that they had a lot more to give. And so that's when I thought at the end of the day, we are the sum of our choices, our experiences, and our circumstances. And backed forward is about having that one moment, that one moment can change everything. And how about if you take an alternate path and you make different decisions? What would happen then? And that's pretty much the premises of the novel. You I go behind some of the circumstances, some of the experiences of the characters, because back to forward, we have six very uh core characters. You've got by character of Rotion, you've got Kelly, Danny, and Anna and Rhea. And these guys really shape and reshape Roshan's life. But obviously, in a two-hour film, you just simply don't have the time to go into everything. And that's where the books uh mass as part of the novels, and that's where I'm able to explore alternate paths, and I find that really fascinating. Like Jeff, you could be doing something completely differently if you made a different choice, a different decision, and that spirals and those have repercussions, and that's why in the film by character Rotion's dad, he's dead, but in the book, he's alive, and so it explains how and what choice he made, why he's alive in that book and not in the film. So there's little things like that give a bit more of a backstory that you wouldn't be able to see in the film, choosing that alternate path. And I find that really fascinating. What if you made that different choice? Where would you end up? The one thing is that all these six characters, despite where they might be, so now in a different alternate timeline, they've made different decisions, they're different places, but they always gravitate towards each other, and that's where the novels are, they always come together, and people loving the fact I I've watched a thorn, I feel so connected with the characters and the books, the novels allow me to see a different perspective. So it's something you should read, Jeff.

Jeff Ornstein 10:11

You've got me mesmerized, and I I'm going on vacation next week, and I'm gonna go on Amazon right now and see what I can pack in my so it is back to forward uh Colossal Films production.

Adnan Amir 10:23

That's right, yes.

Jeff Ornstein 10:24

Okay, so again, for our listeners, Colossal Films is You're a Brainchild.

Adnan Amir 10:29

Yes.

Jeff Ornstein 10:29

And uh is Colossal Films you've got other projects in the works right now. Anything you want to share?

Adnan Amir 10:34

Ooh, there's something big in development. Uh, I don't want to give too much away, but in keeping with the thriller side of things, the suspense and the twists and turns, I think you either can be very much excited for the next project from so you got a lot of balls in the air, and you're wear you're wearing a lot of different hats within Colossal Films to make these productions fulfill your vision.

Jeff Ornstein 10:59

Yeah. Indie films are achieving a fair amount of success these days, even with a depressed industry that we're in right now. Where are you finding your funding to make your magic? Are you finding it difficult? Do you have a patron who just loves your work? How are you getting it done? I'm sure people are interested in hearing that.

Adnan Amir 11:19

Yeah, sure. Well, I think back to thought was something that's there was no budget, if I'm completely honest with you. It was just raw. And so when you have limited resources, you obviously have to wear more hats. But as long as you maintain that quality and drive and vision and willing to put hard work in, you can achieve that success. You see, resources and funding obviously are very important, and that can uh speed up the process. More funding, you can do it in a quicker time. But I think ultimately it's about how much you want to. And I'm somebody who's when I say something, I mean it. I mean what I say and I say what I mean. And I think that's very important. And sometimes fear can get the best of you. There's a lot of talented people out there who have ambition, they want to do a lot of things, but it's a fear. It's like, oh, are people gonna like me? Is it gonna work? Is it not? You've got to put that aside and just focus one step at a time and being as organized and structured as you can, and that's how I've done it. Of course, in my next project, I would like to keep building that momentum, taking it to the next level as well.

Jeff Ornstein 12:37

Well, I gotta say, it's interesting. You you said that back to forward had no budget and it was raw, but the rawness of the film, it's almost a character in the film, the rawness helps create this environment for these very intense characters to thrive. That was my impression, at least. And clearly the audience loved it, it was an audience favorite, so whoops.

Adnan Amir 12:58

Absolutely, Jeff. You hit it perfectly there when you said that because this is you have to play to your strengths. And I wanted the audience to really be immersed in the film, and views are telling me it's raw, edgy, the way that it's film so mysterious, and they feel like they're part of that world, and that's why the novels are just an extension of that. And I think a lot of people saying it's a cult classic in the making, and they've just absolutely loved it because there's nothing like it, and that's what I wanted to do. You see, sometimes if you go down the route of going back to the previous question, like with the funding side, but you don't want to lose that vision, and my vision was very clear what I wanted to achieve with Backs Ford, and yeah, I think a lot of people are loving that rawness and feeling like they can immerse in that film, and that's what it's about getting lost. Because in a film, what's the point? You want then you want the audience to be entertained, right? Right, and that's what it's about.

Jeff Ornstein 13:59

So, were there particular directors or films for that matter that inspired you when you decide to take this leap and leave your law career behind and go into theater for full-time like you have? Was there anyone who was like saying, This is the guy that convinced me I should take the leap, or the film for that matter?

Adnan Amir 14:17

There was nobody in particular. I mean, I gained inspiration for myself, first and foremost. I like to think I'm very strong character, and I think that's what you need. You need to have a strong character to be able to say, Yes, I'm going to do this, and then drive and be as organized, structured, and passionate, and have the ability. You have to have all. And so there wasn't anyone in particular that I could say. However, I am a big Rocky fan, and I love what Sylvester Stallone did in Rocky. I think that is inspiring. He also wrote, directed, and he starred in a lot of the Rockies. So it can be done, but it's obviously much harder that way. But when you love something, you do it.

Jeff Ornstein 15:06

Right. So you're just, I think you're just a natural-born storyteller. I think that's the way I'm going to summarize you when I speak of you to other people. It's just something inside of you. So, with that in mind, like you see a Scorsese film or you see a Coppola film or whatever, and you see that they have a way of telling their stories and a milieu that they like to frame and the artistic vision that sort of similar from film to film. So is Adnan's films and Colossal Pictures, are they going to have the same sort of raw energy, or are we going to see a romantic comedy come out of you anytime soon?

Adnan Amir 15:42

Not anytime soon. I think I'd like to stay on the path of thriller, suspense, mystery. However, I love comedy as well. And I do have an idea of comedy that I think comedy is it's all about really making people laugh. And you might think that's obvious, that's what comedy is, but there's a lot of comedies that you're watching and you think, what planner are they at? Yeah, exactly. And it doesn't make sense to me. So I have an idea that I've written, and so after establishing a really thriller base, I think I'd like to go off an experiment then. But for now, I think you're going to see a lot of thriller edginess. I think the twists and the turns, that's where I love writing how, and I think that's what you're gonna get.

Jeff Ornstein 16:33

Well, I gotta say, independent films have really come to the forefront, in particular in the thriller or horror genre. It seems because it's all about the story. And you know, again, you can make the lack of budget actually serve your advantage to create this scary or suspenseful environment. Okay, that's very cool. Now you're in the UK. Is that correct?

Adnan Amir 16:57

Yeah.

Jeff Ornstein 16:58

I think I saw the little bios of your other actors that you named a moment ago that were in the film, and they got to chat and introduce themselves to the viewer. Do you ever use USA actors or Aussie actors? Or is are you been always working with British? Am I allowed to say that?

Adnan Amir 17:14

It's a British. Yeah, that's right. That's right. Obviously, I'm open to working with anyone and everyone. And let's see what the future holds. Obviously, with the dramas and films that I've been in, but being from different countries, America. For my particular film, it was important to get them more local, but I am certainly open to working with American and whoever, really. Yeah. Okay, cool.

Jeff Ornstein 17:41

Would you like to be in I was actually in a Slovenian horror comedy? I was the only English-speaking character. It was a really kooky, sort of surrealist film. It was I was connected through someone who runs a the Bronx World Film Festival in Manhattan. And he said, Do you want to be in this? Well, I'll have one American cameo opens the film. So it's Drew Barrymore in Scream. You're there and then you're gone. So I'm like this American comes in, speaks in English, I have Slovenian subtitles, and the rest of the film is like almost like a Dali painting coming to life. So sure, I'm always game. I was just kind of curious because some people can obviously assume an accent and do it very well, but sometimes also like characters with different accents or that look different. I mean, they also add to the fabric of the film, as like music does or the lenses you're using. So I was just curious because there was a tightness to your crew in their accents and their looks and how they photographed again. Like I particularly liked your evil scenes, I will say, because you had the face for it. It looked terrific. But I was just curious. You never know. Now, you're also a qualified life coach. So can you tell me a little bit about that?

Adnan Amir 19:00

Yeah, it's basically about reaching your potential and being the best version of yourself and just supporting the individual on their journey, whatever that might be, and to bring the best and finding the right time because sometimes it's all about time management. Now we might be focusing, we want something, but our focus is on something else. So it's our just realignment to gain the focus that you need for the goal that you want to achieve. So it's about just during that journey, building confidence and understanding as to what's most important.

Jeff Ornstein 19:36

It's really important, and I think that's part of that that you've got that awareness and education and insight because it takes courage, like you said, to jump off the cliff and say, I'm gonna do this, and let's see what happens where the chips fall. But it also sounds like you had a good support system. Your family seems to be pretty supportive of what you do. And the people that are listening here that might be considering their own next act want to hear these stories because they feel bound by their current conditions and they might not do it. And yet, your first time out of the gate, you knocked it out of the park. So which brings me to another question. You had such success in the festival route with your film. Did you find that though all the awards you racked up, did that help you attract either more talent or investors for your film? Do you think that being in the film festival, other than for the exposure, were there any tangible results that you would attribute to the festival success?

Adnan Amir 20:37

I think the festivals are very important in terms of like accolades and awards, and that builds confidence. It builds confidence in you, in the brand. Moving forward, people see you differently and the investment, people know that this is not a someone who's messing about. They mean business, they like what you do. So that builds confidence in what you're about. Just going back to what you mentioned there about listeners and back to fold, what an incredible journey. I could honestly, Jeff, I could make maybe three, four, five films based on the film and my life. And reassuring listeners, during Phil, in fact, my mum actually plays the role of Rotion's mom in the film, and she never got to see the end of it because sadly she passed away. Um, I'm sorry. Yeah, I know. Thank you. So during this film, my home, I lost my home to the fire, I was homeless. So what I'm saying is that challenges make us stronger. At the time, it's devastating. But if you have the right mindset, you never give up and you keep moving forward. That's something that you learn from. And so when I'm sharing this, like life coaching and stuff, I come from a position where I've faced adversities, and so I can relate to the views more, and that helps because the last thing you want is somebody who's never gone through anything and is telling people this is how you should do it. So it's very important that you're open, honest, and shared these life experiences. And the thing is, life is challenging, but we move forward and we have to enjoy ourselves whilst we're on this planet.

Jeff Ornstein 22:32

Well, Adnan, I have to say, you've had this and other some significant sorrows in your life, and you have a major positive attitude. And I think that a lot of people that listen to this podcast, you know, benefit from knowing, like, wow, this guy suffered the indignities that we all do at times, had serious studies under his belt, and yet felt the passion and therefore went for it. And you know what? Out of the gate, he did super. So I, for one, would like to see you in a comedy. Doesn't have to be a romantic comedy, but it could be if you choose. I think that would be terrific. I'm definitely keen to see more thriller out of you. And I hope that when you're gearing up to release your next big event, maybe you'll give us a call. We'll have you back on, and you can tell us about some of the interesting back-of-the-scenes scenarios that went down when you were filming it, and what are your hopes and expectations for that? Yeah, that sounds brilliant. I absolutely will do that. All right, Adnan, it was terrific having you on, and I hope you have a wonderful evening. Thank you very much. You too. Pleasure. Thanks for tuning in to Next Act with Jeff Orenstein. Follow, subscribe, and stay connected to your favorite socials at www.nextdackpodcast.com. Keep chasing your next act. The best is yet to come.