BLOG INTERVIEW - Will Bigham

Meet Will Bigham. The 31-year-old Texan triumphed over 12,000 other entrants to win the American reality show for filmmakers, On the Lot. The prize - a $1 million development deal with Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks Pictures.

Each week on the show, contestants created short films on a theme chosen by the producers. The finished films were then screened in front of a live studio audience while millions of television viewers voted for their favourite work.

Bigham, a great visual storyteller, was a formidable contender from the very beginning and beat 18 short-listed filmmakers, including Indian American Shalini Kantayya, to the grand prize.

The actor-turned-editor-turned-director loves Bollywood films and told Toe Knee Unplugged he wants to start work on a comedy.

What kind of feature film would you want to make now - a comedy, drama...?

I love comedies, and with On the Lot, that was the genre I chose to show the public week after week. I think the first feature I direct is more than likely going to be some type of comedy.

Which actors would you want to direct in the future? Would you continue acting as well?

There are several top actors that I would love to have a chance to work with. Too many to name. Coming from an acting background, I respect any actor who is willing to take a risk and make bold character choices. I would love to continue acting in the future, but for now, I'm going to focus on directing.

Which of Shalini's On the Lot films did you like best?

I enjoyed Shalini's Dr. In-Law. I had a chance to work with her on the script, as we all helped each other from time to time. It was a very collaborative atmosphere. But I thought that Shalini was able to find some really funny moments.

Have you watched a Bollywood film? Any thoughts on featuring Indian themes in your future projects?

I love Bollywood films. Visually, they are some of the best out there. I've never considered featuring Indian themes in my movies, but I would never rule it out. One of the greatest things about film making is that you can explore different aspects of this vast world in each of your projects. And everything you see (movies, art, architecture) informs the visual choices you make.

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