Triad Pictures Bio:
The company started around 2 years ago with the aim to produce new writing,
thought provoking original ideas and to showcase up and coming talent from
Scotland. Created by Ikram Gilani a professional Actor and Producer, he saw the
potential in merging with other likeminded up and coming artists, to help each other
reach our goals. This company was very much formed on the basis of collective
success and everyone chipping in their areas of expertise. Our portfolio includes
Pantos, Musical Theatre, Theatre and Charity events. From last year we began to
focus on just new writing and began to expand the team, Introducing Writers,
Directors, Poets, and actors to our roster of creatives to collaborate with. We
continue to grow like our opportunities and thrive to keep providing entertaining
professional work with value added. Meet some us!
Sara Shaarawi (Writer)
Sara is a theatre maker from Cairo who is currently based in Glasgow. She performs, writes, translates
and directs, and enjoys all equally.
Her professional experience in Scotland began with A Play, a Pie and a Pint's season of Arab plays in
2012 where she worked as a translator, dramaturg and eventually as a performer (One Day in Spring)
as well. Since then she has attained an MA in International Performance Research (University of
Amsterdam/University of Arts, Belgrade) and an MSc in European Theatre (University of Edinburgh).
Her most recent writing credit was a rehearsed reading of Day One at the Tron Theatre as part of
Mayfesto 2014. Sara was involved producing our show at last years Fringe ‘Whoever Fights’
http://www.playwrightsstudio.co.uk/playwrights/sara-shaarawi.aspx
Henry Bell (Writer)
Henry is a poet, writer and book editor based in Glasgow. He most recently was co-editor of the book
A Bird is Not a Stone, a collection of Palestinian poetry translated into Scots, English and Gaelic. His
most recent theatre credit was contributing a couple of monologues to Liz Lochhead's experimental
show Between The Think Bubble And The Speech Balloon (Oran Mor 2014). Which is where Sara and
Henry met properly, after the show, and began to speak about theatre, writing and performance. (we
actually met at Kieran Hurley and Julia Taudevin's wedding, but we became friends then) Henry Is the
managing editor of Gutter Magazine, Scotland’s leading journal of new writing. He also runs Fail
Better, a night of spoken word, music, and cabaret on Glasgow’s High Street.
http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/theatre-comedy-dance/theatre-review-between-the-thinksbubble-and-the-speech-balloon-1-3341668
Kevin Bell (Dramaturg)
Kevin is an exceptionally humorous, relaxed and charming character with a handsome growl that
calmly speaks right from his very soul as it lets you know he is a man who would never regularly carry
a fully loaded Glock automatic handgun plus spare clips at anytime. An example of everything right
about the universe and it's creation. Jesus ain't got shit on this guy! This and the potential firearm
threat immediately set the tone for Mr Gilani to mind his manners. Kevin Bell was so impressed by the
very polite and highly cooperative young chap that he insisted Mr Gilani support him in a future
production. Honoured by this he began writing a script with Kevin Bell in mind for lead and so the
Edinburgh Festival was upon them as ‘Whoever Fights’ played out to roaring success. A bond formed
throughout this journey and Mr Gilani is rumored to pay just 80% of 'regular' protection money per
week. This looks to be the future of theatre and film industries across the globe for years to come.
Legendary status assured and with a huge discount to go with that luck, Ikram Gilani has only Kevin
Bell to thank. He'll be idolizing him in the afterlife for being a true friend and guardian and Kevin Bell
clearly deserves such accolades. Kevin also helped write ‘Whoever fights’ last years show and also acting
in it superbly, with outstanding performances.
Debz (Director)
Debz is a freelance director, youth theatre practitioner and general chatterbox living in Leith. She
is currently working with the Lyceum Youth Theatre and Strangetown, and has had work
performed at the Lyceum and the Scottish Storytelling Centre. Coming from a theatre
background, she is now studying for an MSc in Community Education and aims to work in a way
which brings the two together.
Ikram Gilani (Actor/Producer)
Is a young Actor who thrives on creating his own work and collaborating with talent around him. He
got into acting from a young age watching old Al Pacino and Robert De Niro movies and wishing one
day he could be like them. Also without directors like Martin Scorsese with films like ‘Taxi Driver’ and
films like ‘Coming to America’ his childhood would never have been the same. He is also a mixed
martial artist and has been training extensively in Jui jitsu, Boxing and Muay Thai since he was around
10. Art was always the way forward for him throughout life and it was a given he was going to be
involved in the arts in some capacity. He met Sara Shaarawi a couple of years ago as part of the cast
in a Fringe show ‘Defunct Pig’ they became friends and shared interest in wanting to collaborate on
ideas. They began devising ideas and last year’s fringe was their first piece together, which was a
successful run, and they aim to make this year’s show (Lifted) even bigger and gather more attention
to try and take it on a tour.
http://www.infinityartists.com/portfolio/ikram-gilani/
https://www.facebook.com/officialtriadpictures?ref=hl
http://www.spotlight.com/interactive/cv/3410-0160-7667
A few words from the Producer Ikram Gilani...I run ''Triad Pictures'' and I'm a professional Actor, I am
focused on creating new writing and together we are a bunch of young hungry artists who grind very
hard on a daily basis trying to make it and gain respect in this game. We are the type of people who
take steps everyday towards our goals and keep our eyes on the price at all times. We are extremely
passionate about this and want to make an impact at the Fringe with this show. The fact that
companies like Edinburgh Free Fringe even exist is brilliant and it really does make a difference to the
smaller companies who can't afford expensive venue hire. This project means so much to us we thrive
on creating work that is unique and fresh, new writing, great acting. We feel the same type of shows
are milked at the Fringe and that this show is very unique, very new and very relevant to today's
political climate. Who doesn't like a good thought provoking play with a brilliant story? We feel we
have that here in abundance. I feel blessed I can work with a great team, our writers have worked
with some of the top playwrights in Scotland and are up and coming themselves, we feel the Fringe is a
great place to showcase what we can do together as we hope to take this play on a future tour. We
are just a group of friends with goals, we've worked hard and will continue to grind hard till we get to
where we want to be. We've done Pantos, Charity events and plays. Mostly just breaking even but
always leaving audiences happy in the value and professionalism of our shows. Our company was
formed on the basis of being firm believers in if you can't get work as a actor create you're own work,
and it's that mentality that lead us to creating ''Triad Pictures''. When an actor is working it's fine but
the times of the year where there's no work we don't like sitting twiddling my thumbs. I come from a
Pakistani background and my parents have always hated the fact that I don't pursue a career in
business i.e (run a shop) and instead I am following my dream in Acting. So from the start I have had
to have thick skin not just for rejection in castings but from my own household. I keep proving them
wrong everytime I get cast in something I prove to them my choice was right. My determination,
passion and drive have kept me on this path, to continue pursuing my craft with the utmost
dedication. The exposure this will hopefully bring us will do wonders for our careers. Who knows where
it could lead, and that’s the beauty of it all and that is what helps me enter each project hard work
and dedication….Thanks Ikram Gilani