David Barbeschi

Tell us about your role, and what a typical day looks like for you

I'm a screenwriter and producer at Saadvish Films. Film projects are sent my way and I either touch-up on the script, help develop it, or produce the film with a team of producers.

A typical working day for a screenwriter consists of sitting down and writing all day whilst resisting the instinct to procrastinate. Sometimes it'll just be writing pages or punching up dialogue, other times I'll be on Skype with a client, helping them rework the structure of the story they're trying to tell. Staying in one place is quite taxing, ironically, so staying in shape and keeping a routine is mandatory.

What’s been your biggest achievement in your career so far?

A short film I wrote and produced went on to be selected in over 30 festivals, gaining awards for its script, among other things, and has had over a million views on YouTube. That, and the fact that I recently worked as a hired screenwriter and co-producer on my first feature film.

How did your studies at Solent help prepare you for your career?

By studying at Solent I was able to find where my strengths lay, filmmaking-wise. When I came to Solent, I just knew I wanted to make movies, I didn't know what exactly I was good at. Most people in my class had already done film A-Levels, whereas I had never even touched a camera. Slowly but surely the tutors helped me figure out what my weaknesses were and I was thus able to focus on improving myself in what have now become my areas of expertise: writing and producing.

What advice would you give to those wanting to follow in your footsteps?

Do not slack. In the case of filmmaking, it is very much a team effort, so if you decide to phone it in, everyone's work efficiency (and grade, I guess) decreases as a result.