Ine POPPE, author of Necrocam, winning entry of the 2002 Geneva-Europe Grand Prize of TV Scenarios.

Aline Ingwersen: How did you come up with the idea for your film especially with regard to placing a webcam in a coffin?

Ine Poppe: Actually it was not my idea; it was the idea of my son. My son was 15 years old at that time. He came to me and said, " Mum, I want to talk to you. When I die I want to have a webcam in my coffin - and I am really serious about it ". And I said, " Well, interesting; why ? " After we talked about this, I let the idea sink in and then I think that one or two weeks later I saw an advertisement for a contest for young scenario writers. I used my son's idea, wrote a script and sent it. My son did not mind that I " stole " his idea, on the contrary.

AI: When you wrote the scenario, did you have in mind to produce it?

IP: Yes, sure! But I know how hard it is. I write scenarios for computer games and documentaries, and I am also a journalist. It's very hard when you work on different levels because people like to put you in a category and question your reasons for writing a scenario. I also thought of the Blair Witch Project and how you can use the internet and a context close to reality to get people to your film. You can do more than just make publicity around your movie by thinking why are people willing to go and see a movie? How do you attract young people to it?

AI: How long did it take you to find a broadcaster to produce your scenario? Initially, did you think of approaching a TV broadcaster or a big screen producer?

IP: I thought about doing a 90- and not 50-minute film. A 90-minute film would have been more difficult because I am a newcomer. I had never written a real film scenario before and it is a difficult world to break in. I was lucky because a member of the jury liked my story, though I did not win. He phoned me and said that he was interested in the film and wanted to see me. This person happened to be Jan Rutger Achterberg, who is head of the drama department at VARA, the company which produced Necrocam.

After the call, I made a big effort to sell my idea to him: I prepared a presentation of all the things I had written, articles and scenarios for computer games to give him an idea of my curriculum. He liked what he saw and told me that he would help me realize the script. I was lucky again because the television company he worked for was already interested.

And that is how I came to be involved with VARA.

Eventually, I would love to work on Necrocam for the big screen, especially for the American market.

AI: Even though your scenario did not win the contest you initially entered, what do you think Mr Achberberg and VARA liked most about your scenario?

IP: We recently held a big public screening for teachers and students at the Input 2002 Screening Conferemce in Holland. Jan Rutger explained to the audience that what had drawn him to the project was how the scenario portrayed the ways in which technology changes how people think about society and how they interact. That it changes their ideas on all sorts of levels.

AI: Your movie has been referred to as being 'taboo breaking'. Can you elaborate on this?

IP: I didn't write something to break a taboo. I wanted to show what is important for the kids of our generation, and what is in their minds and why. The kids are not breaking taboos they are just not thinking the same way as the older generations.

AI: Any future plans to write other scenarios?

IP: Yes. I am working on another 50-minute scenario, also for VARA, around the same kind of theme. The story is set in the not too distant future and it is about three women who are building a male robot. They are building the 'ideal man', but as they have to share the robot they have to agree on what is the ideal man. Of course, it all goes wrong - but it's a very nice story.