Career
I was born in Baku on December 18, 1984. In 2007, I graduated from the Faculty of Engineering Business and Management at Azerbaijan Technical University.
Before transitioning fully into screenwriting, I worked as an IT administrator for 6 years. The analytical thinking, structuring, and problem-solving skills I developed in that field later gave me a different perspective on screenwriting. Seeing a story as an integrated system, identifying the relationships between its individual elements, and looking for the reasons why certain parts do not work have become an important part of my creative process.
From 2018 to 2022, I was a member of dOM Theatre, where I worked as an actor, assistant director, and director. My theatre experience allowed me to look at characters, dialogue, and scenes not only from a screenwriter’s perspective, but also through the eyes of an actor and a director, and this has influenced my approach as a writer.
Today, I continue to work primarily as a screenwriter on various short-film, feature-film, animation, and television series projects. At the same time, I analyze and develop screenplays as a script doctor and also work as a screenwriting instructor and mentor.
My Approach
I approach screenwriting both creatively and analytically. For me, the story idea, structure, characters, conflicts, dialogue, and individual scenes are not isolated from one another; they are all parts of a unified dramatic system. During the writing process, I believe it is important to question what each element contributes to the story, identify why certain parts are not working, and, rather than settling for the first result, continue searching for a better version of the screenplay.
This approach also forms the basis of my work as a script doctor and instructor. When working on a screenplay, I try to preserve the writer’s intention and the individuality of the story. Rather than solving a problem on the writer’s behalf, I aim to show what is causing it and indicate possible directions for resolving it. As an instructor, my goal is not simply to teach the principles of screenwriting, but to help students look at stories more deeply and learn to solve dramatic problems independently.
Education and Professional Development
I have continuously pursued my professional development in screenwriting. At a time when educational opportunities in this field were limited in Azerbaijan, I studied in two specialized screenwriting courses in Moscow to further develop my knowledge. In the following years, I participated in various local and international courses and seminars.
- 2011–2012 — Ali Isa Jabbarov’s “Producing Course,” Baku Film Institute
- 2012 — training by Turkish producer Zeynep Özbatur Atakan, Baku Film Institute
- 2016 — Alexander Mitta’s “Screenwriting” course, Moscow
- 2017 — Oleg Sirotkin’s “Feature Film Screenplay” course, Moscow
- 2017 — seminar by British screenwriter Paul Fraser
- 2020 — “Write A Feature Length Screenplay For Film Or Television,” Coursera / Michigan State University, instructor David Wheeler
Professional Activity and Membership
I am a member of the Union of Cinematographers of Azerbaijan. I am also one of the founders and a member of the Azerbaijan Screenwriters Guild, as well as Chair of the Guild’s Audit Commission. Alongside my individual creative work, I seek to contribute to the development of the screenwriting profession in Azerbaijan, the professional organization of screenwriters, and the strengthening of a collaborative environment within the field.