Radi Nikolov (Filmmaker & ‘Screams by the Sea’ Festival Director): Making movie magic in BCP

My guest for episode #11 is Radi Nikolov, a filmmaker from Bulgaria who is now a leading man in BCP’s thriving film community.

Radi is also the founder & Director of ‘Screams by the Sea’, an independent horror & genre film festival hosted in the heart of Bournemouth.

As you might imagine from a filmmaker, Radi is a fantastic storyteller so sit back, grab your popcorn and…

Action!

- - - KEY TOPICS OF THE CONVERSATION - - -

In this episode we discuss:

• Studying Film Production at the prestigious Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) • The advantages of being part of BCP’s tight-knit filmmaking community • Advice for young filmmakers • Radi’s latest project, a feature film version of his popular short DEADLY SCARE • Radi’s plans to make Screams by the Sea a destination on the global film festival circuit • How Screams by the Sea saved Andy Edwards (director of PUNCH) next film… • Radi’s view on the meaning of true Happiness & Success • The ‘trucker wisdom’ Radi picked up while on a road trip to Texas!

- - - CHAPTERS - - -

00:00:00 - Intro ("A sunny new podcast...") 00:00:26 - Guest Intro 00:01:45 - Welcome…  00:02:23 - Backstory… How writing led to Radi's start in filmmaking 00:04:34 - Radi's family history in Engineering & studying Robotics 00:05:15 - Search for "filmmaking friends" and Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) 00:06:23 - Lessons learned from the AUB Masters course - the industry & importance of 'pitching' 00:07:34 - The importance of promotion 00:08:27 - The Bournemouth Filmmaking Community 00:09:53 - The benefits of a tight-knit local filmmaking community 00:11:13 - BCP Film Office & the fantastic locations available in the local area 00:11:45 - Radi's Short Film projects shot locally in Bournemouth… 00:12:02 - HEARSE BUDDIES and the origin of the concept… 00:13:40 - Support from local businesses providing locations 00:15:13 - DOUBT BUYS THE WHISKY and the themes that run through Radis work 00:17:35 - Working with Doug Cockle, the voice of the Witcher from the Video Games 00:18:07 - Radi's latest project - a feature film version of DEADLY SCARE 00:19:26 - Why Radi chose DEADLY SCARE for his first feature film project 00:22:57 - Plans to shoot the feature DEADLY SCARE in Bournemouth 00:24:23 - Radi's ultimate career goals… 00:26:08 - Radi's dream project - working with HBO 00:27:31 - SCREAMS BY THE SEA: About the Festival 00:30:17 - SCREAMS BY THE SEA: Screenwriting Competition 00:30:49 - SCREAMS BY THE SEA: Screenwriting Competition - 2024 Winner 00:33:45 - SCREAMS BY THE SEA: International reach 00:34:29 - SCREAMS BY THE SEA: Inaugural 2024 festival & call from BBC Radio 00:35:36 - How  SCREAMS BY THE SEA saved Andy Edward's next movie… 00:38:02 - SCREAMS BY THE SEA: Bigger & better for 2025 00:42:17 - SCREAMS BY THE SEA - Marketing & Sponsorship opportunities for local businesses 00:44:00 - SCREAMS BY THE SEA: Plans for the future… making the festival a destination 00:46:14 - What is happiness?  00:47:45 - What is success? 00:50:37 - Why artists must not measure their value by the 'success' of their art 00:53:54 - Skills for Success - Develop a thickskin & build connections 00:56:53 - Advice for young filmmakers - find that one thing that you are passionate about 00:57:58 - Life by Misadventure: Story #1: Running & focusing only on the next step forward 01:01:00 - Life by Misadventure: Story #2: Trucker Wisdom - Ask for help & give genuine compliments 01:04:16 - Thank you, guest links & wrap-up

GUEST Links:

• Website: https://www.rnikolov.co.uk • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radi_nikolov_ • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Parallelvideos • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/radi-nikolov-b42b93182

Watch Radi’s short films…

• HEARSE BUDDIES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af3otVNwEiA • DEADLY SCARE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4ZMFHk0yMI

SCREAMS BY THE SEA L