• Before we deep dive into the intricacies of writing Mecca, can you shed some light about your journey as a screenwriter?

I was an attorney for 22 years when one night last summer when, during a very animated argument with my best friend over AI and it’s future affect of humanity’s sense of goodness and individuality, I came up with an allegory defending the better nature of humanity and wrote it down on the Notes app of my iPhone so that the next morning at the breakfast table the rest of the house would hear my argument and tell me that I was right.  I did and they did, but, more importantly, they told me that was a hilarious story and I should write a movie about it.  10 weeks later, Good, my first screenplay (to which Mecca is the prequel) was finished.

• First thing first, why did you name it Mecca?

New York is often referred to as a mecca (Financial Mecca of the World, Gay Mecca of the World, International People’s Mecca, etc.), so I thought it would be important to reflect how such a place could be tested under a critical and compassionate lens.  Additionally, the irony of how that name could be applied to a place that could treat people like Amaan that way could not be overlooked.

• Now tell us what made you write Mecca? And when did the idea of Mecca germinate in your mind?

A few things.  After I finished Good, which explores an AI-triggered apocalypse in our near future and the ultimate danger man’s relationship with technology can hold as well as the ability of humankind to come together despite it, I wanted to explore that last time humanity came together after a major disaster when there was no social media, no smart phones, no technology to hide behind; people only had each other.  How did they treat each other?  How did they cope? How fast did they recover?  Additionally there has never to my knowledge been a proper reflection of how New York City recovered from 9/11 – plenty about the trauma – none about the catharsis. I wanted to give that gift to the city I call home.

• You’ve touched upon different subjects in the script such as 9/11, country music, dot com bubble, y2k, etc. Was it intentional or more for the sake of the story?

Very intentional.  9/11 looms large in the nation’s and the world’s psyche, as an event that shook and united.  Dolly Parton is a symbol of decency and compassion that unites globally and is present throughout the anthology.

• New York City has played a big role in the script. Did you want to use it as a metaphor of Americanism or was it just a spontaneous thing?

It is its own character.

• While reading the script, I’ve found that you’ve used a lot of lingo that millennials used to use when they were teens. Did you write the script to cater the millennial generation?

A bit.  I also was aiming for a bit of historical accuracy.

• A large part of the scenes has drug abuse. Did you want to build a counter-narrative against the war on drugs?

On the contrary, I wanted to illustrate the use as part of the character’s descent as more of a cautionary tale.  If you notice, once the descent stops, so does the use.

• There are some gruesome violence scenes in the script. Was it intentional or did you want to say that it is just a human trait?

Much like the drug use, the rapid deterioration of Robert’s life increases in intensity until he breaks away.

• Did you have anyone in your mind while writing Robert’s character?

Not any one person, but he represents an amalgam of many people in my life when I first came to Manhattan, myself included.

• We would like to finish the interview by asking you one last question. What would be your suggestion to the aspiring screenwriters? 

Don’t be timid.  If you ask yourself honestly if you have a talent for this work and does it make you happy and the answers to these questions are yes, then you must decide if the risk of your happiness is worth staying for the sake of being safe. Period.