It has taken a few years to get to the screen but The Boy Who Was Afraid of Everything has just won several awards and talks are underway both in America and Australia about extending the pilot to make a television series.
For writer, actor and filmmaker Haris Mirza from Castle Hill it is a busy and exciting time.
Haris, who graduated from Cherrybrook Tech in 2017, says he was in love with drama and writing as a primary age student at Murray Farms Public School.
Comedy was his favourite form. “I grew up watching sitcoms like Modern Family and Malcolm in the Middle. Every school holiday was spent in acting classes and workshops.”
As a 15-year-old he and his family spent two weeks in Los Angeles where he was captivated by the possibilities. His older brother, actor Waleed Mirza, now lives there.
Haris has had a guest spot on Home and Away and other shows but writing has been his focus.
“I started writing this character (Ali) and project in 2019 and went for funding a few times before deciding to co-write and create with my friend Nick Bartlett.
“It was originally created to be a web series which we self-funded (at a cost of $15,000) “We played (it) locally at Sydney Webfest and then LA Webfest before getting into SeriesFest as a half hour pilot.“
The Boy Who Was Afraid of Everything has since won three awards after premiering at SeriesFest in Denver, Colorado including the Audience Award for Best Comedy and Haris for Best Performance.
“Our jury included Mike Falbo, producing partner of Ed Helms (The Office and Hangover) and Amanda Krentzman, a former Netflix exec,” says Haris.
“Through this recognition, our production garnered international attention, and we’re currently in talks to develop the series with multiple production companies worldwide. I also got signed by management in LA who are keen to get me auditioning for all kinds of American projects.”
At the moment the team is working with an American producer and meeting a range of Australian companies with the aim of developing a TV show.
Haris says his biggest supporters have been his family, brother and best friends. “I’m also really lucky to have an amazing team.”
Haris, a Pakistani-Australian, says he would love to encourage other creatives from diverse backgrounds in ways they can create their own space in the industry.
“When I started acting as a kid it was made very obvious that I wasn’t what the media perceived as ‘Australian’ and that feeling of otherness really hurt,” he said. “ I found that really discouraging, just feeling like there wasn’t a place for me in Australian stories.”
Haris is now working on his first full-length film which he will act in. He has written the script and will be shooting it this year. It’s a comedy of course.
“There’s such a thrill to making people laugh or getting lost in another person while you’re acting. I also see how the power of acting and comedy can connect you with people, I want to keep doing that,” he said.
