FACTUAL BEST DOCUMENTARY SERIES WINNER
IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE
ONCE UPON A TIME IN IRAQ BBC2 KEO FILMS
RUNNERS-UP
Director James Bluemel explains how a focus on character driven narrative was the key to his series about the history of a bloody conflict
Once Upon a Time in Iraq has won awards and high praise – one review called it a “gripping harrowing masterpiece”. But for Director James Bluemel, the highest accolade is the positive reception it received from the Iraqis and Americans whose personal stories featured. “I made a documentary series for the BBC
THE SCHOOL THAT TRIED TO END RACISM CHANNEL 4 PROPER CONTENT
(Exodus) following refugees from their country of origin all the way to their final destination in Europe,” he says of how the idea for a series about the Iraq War arose. “After making six films over four years, I
found the subject quite difficult to leave. I didn’t want to repeat Exodus, but I did feel there was something more to say. What it did well it did well. But what it didn’t do was provide any of the context for what I’d witnessed.” Bluemel set out to make a series that
THE RISE OF THE MURDOCH DYNASTY BBC2 72 FILMS
showed the West’s fingerprints on the origins of the refugee crisis.
“I wanted to follow the breadcrumb trail
back from to the rise of ISIS then all the way back again to the invasion of Iraq in 2003 using the grammar of Exodus, which is character-driven,” he explains. “There would be a connection between the two, with what became Once Upon a Time in Iraq acting as a prequel.”
THE IRAQIS WERE REALLY, REALLY KEEN FOR SOMEONE TO TELL THEIR STORY AND BE LISTENED TO
With his commitment to first-hand,
character-driven narrative, he knew he could only tell the story he wanted to tell by giving a voice to people on the ground who had personally experienced the impact of the decisions governments and politicians made. Bluemel adds: “What felt interesting was the people living with the consequences. This
Universal Production Music is one of the largest catalogues of music for use in film, tv and online content. Whether it’s an orchestral masterpiece for an upcoming period drama or relentless rhythms for a tension-building sports promo, our unique and imaginative collection will have the perfect soundtrack for your project.
Our expansive repertoire covers all genres and moods, crafted by an ever-expanding roster of talented artists and composers alongside in-house creative teams dedicated to diversity, authenticity, and excellence.
We offer a full music supervision service to our clients including free music searches, bespoke and commissioned edits.
Get in touch today at
www.universalproductionmusic.com
BD 20
televisual.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
