Celluloid Journey

Ed. Dit. Ting.

2012-01-21T18:13:00.000-08:00

I'm editing. It's 2am. I am up, when I should be sleeping, trying to join to scenes so I have one long completed scene assembled. Trying to find needles in haystacks. Doesn't help when MPEG streamclip decided not convert a bunch of DSLR files, so if I don't seem to be finding the take I know should be there, chances are it's in the un-converted files, which means rendering on the timeline, which means hours of my life down the toilet, creative momentum out the window and the will to live seeping out my pours.

Don't us DSLR camera to shoot a movie people, just don't, they're cheap, they're trendy, but they're a pain in the ass. And honestly, I'm not a fan of the look. I wanted to use 2 Sony EX1 cameras on Derelict, but one didn't arrive, so I used what I had, Canons, they work fine and really it does look good, it'll work, but I do much prefer the look of the Sony, and there have been no issues whatsoever with the sony files. Just save yourself a whole heap of headaches and use movie cameras to shoot movie. Use the canons for stills.

Sorry, I'm tired and a little cranky! The film is coming together though. I'm happy with what I've assembled. But I still have a lot of work to do. I'm hoping to have the film assembled in a week or two, but then comes the creative part! Putting some shape and pace to it, creating a tone, finding the film it is, will be and will remain forever. They say a film is never finished, only abandoned - I'm hoping to abandon this one at the end of February, beginning of March for entry into the Cannes Film Festival. Whatever my chances are, I don't know, I'm not really thinking about it or worried about it, but it's a deadline, and deadlines are useful!

OK, my file has rendered. Back to the edit... sorry, this was kind of a crap post! More of a rant/update. More soon!

Oh, here's the new teaser poster.

Wanna make a movie in 2012?

2012-01-03T06:57:00.000-08:00

I got an email a couple of days ago from a young filmmaker starting out who asked for some advice. Here’s what I wrote back.

It's often hard to give advice, for two reasons, one; everyone's situation and journey are different. And two; I still feel like I'm starting out and haven't really achieved what I hope to.

When you ask how I got into the film industry? I have to be honest, I'm not actually IN the film industry, I'm very much on the outside as an independent filmmaker. I make my own films without support or financial backing. But I'd be happy to share with you how I do that.

First, I don't make money at it, and if you go down this road chances are you wont make money at it either. I've never made any profit making films. I've sold a couple yes, but only ever broken even once. In saying that, I don't do it for the money!

In putting a film together it begins with the script, as you know, I think this is the most important and crucial stage. It's so easy to get excited and run in all guns blazing without a finished or ready script. What will happen is your film will being to fall apart, you might get it shot, but in the edit, everything you should have spent time on in the writing will be become all to apparent. It's worth spending time on the script, besides, that’s the only free part of the process! So take advantage!

When the script is ready and you want to start putting it together I would begin with a crew, people you know and trust. They don't have to be professionals, they don't have to be the best in the world, but so long as they know what they're doing and understand what you want. Try to find a DOP first, a good sound recordist is important (sound is KEY, especially at this level, you can get away with a lot visually, but if you have bad sound - your film is ruined!) - the rest of the crew will come as you move forward.

I would suggest keeping it to a skeleton crew, 8 - 10 people. At this level, everyone's going to be pitching in and doing multiple jobs. But I would say some important jobs (aside from camera and sound) would be continuity, you really need to have someone paying attention, taking notes and pictures, because if you're shooting out of sequence it can very quickly get out of hand. An Assistant Director, 1^st AD, someone to watch the clock, keep things moving and make sure everything and everyone are in the right place at the right time, someone who can take away the distractions and allow you to concentrate on directing and be creative.

Then begin to cast. You may know some actors already? Do any suit the parts? Maybe friends or colleagues have worked with actors they like? Meet with them, tell them about your script, see if you like them and could work with them. Make sure you see their work too. A mistake you don’t want to make is getting someone just because they've said yes. This goes for crew too. If they're bad it will damage your film and make it less believable. It will also be a nightmare to edit. You still need good people. You still need to do the best job you can, even if it is on a tiny budget and even if everyone has agreed to work for free and/or on deferral contracts (where you agree to pay them the daily minimum at least if and after the film goes into profit). They’re signing up to work, not hang around for a week.

Speaking of budget, if you want to shoot an independent short film, or even feature, you can do a lot with goodwill (people giving their time for free) - couple of things to remember, if people are working for free talk to them, let them know what's going on, let them know they are appreciated and thank them for their time. But don't let them get away with not working. If they are going to commit to helping then they need to help and not hinder! You can do this nicely and easily with a speech at the start of pre-production and again at the start of principal photography - something to the effect of "Thanks for coming, you're appreciated, but we have a tough week ahead and I need everyone to help me make a film we can all be proud of..." kind of thing. If someone is taking the piss and just getting in the way don't be afraid to ask them to leave.

Feed people!!!

Very important. In your budget make sure you have money to feed people, it's only fair! A well fed cast and crew are a happy cast and crew. A table with plenty of snacks, cookies, bars, plenty of fruit and sandwich making stuff, lots of water and tea and coffee. And one hot meal a day. Perhaps making soup available daily too. You can tell them there will be food, snacks and a hot meal, but perhaps suggest getting breakfast before they come and having dinner at home. Save yourself some cash.

Schedule your days realistically. I would suggest starting with breaking your script up into locations, even if in a house - shoot in one place until you have all the shots are got and then move on to the next location. It's easier and less time consuming that way. (Unless of course you're going handheld and following people in and out of rooms, it doesn't apply then)

Again, if people are working for free, try to keep the shoot short, a week, two weeks max. If people are giving up their time their probably making financial sacrifices or passing up other opportunities, be conscious of that - but don't let it distract you, again, if they're committing to you then they've made their choice. But it's only fair that you don't ask too much of people, you might lose some good will otherwise. Ways around this if you're running over is to pull people aside and let them know what's going on, keeping people informed helps more then you think it will, or paying them, even if it's a small amount.

OK, back to budget and how to raise it.

1. Community fundraiser.

Have a fundraiser where you live. Find a venue, put on a comedy, rock, table quiz night. Charge people a small amount at the door €5 or €10, and then sell raffle tickets while the entertainment is going on to win sponsored prizes (you'll have to have local businesses donate prizes, this is also easier then you think... you will get people who will rudely dismiss you, which is humiliating, but you'll get more people who'll gladly help) I made €1000 for a short by doing this.

2. Auction.

Do you have artist friends? Do you know prominent artist? Have them donate work, set a reserve, which they get (if sold) and agree that you get the profit of the whatever is sold (some may even give you all the money) Go to a local gallery, art centre, something like that and ask them if you could host the night there, put on some wine and a light buffet.

note: You will have to spend some money to do this. The old Spend money to make money. You will also have to do a lot of leg work to get people in the doors. Advertise. Posters. Try and get on local radio. People are also pretty good about sponsoring this stuff, just ask, the worst they can do is say no.

3. Online Crowdfunding

This is becoming increasingly popular. I've used it twice with great success, on two films, 140 and Derelict (my current film) Kickstarter is an American site and only available to American users, for now, but you should have a look at the pitch videos and other projects just to see how people put them together and how they pitch them. IndieGoGo is similar site you can sign up to from anywhere (Funit.ie in Ireland). And I believe there are others out there now.

Again, you have to push it and put the leg work in, no one's just going to just show up out of the blue and give you cash, you have to shout about it, get on facebook, twitter - It doesn't matter if you hate those sites, you want people to get behind the project you have to let them know about it and social networking is the best way to do that. We’re in the age of digital media and social network, it’s only an advantage to the independent filmmaker, use it… again – It’s Free!!!

You will need some cash, for food, some equipment rental, travel expenses, insurance and things that will inevitable pop up during the shoot. But you can make a film for next to nothing if you're clever and tenacious enough. You can get a descent short for €2000 if you want to put a little cash in to be sure. Don’t be a afraid to ask for things, for sponsorship, for free stuff, water, food, equipment, you never know what you might get.

With regard to equipment, lights, cameras, all you may need - get in touch with a local rental house, tell them what you're doing and ask if there is a way they can help, either by giving you a discount or by lending stuff for free off season, often places will do this, if they're cool they'd rather help out a young filmmaker then see the stuff lying there. After all, you may be a very good future customer and you're going to go to the place that helped you out first!

But I would say, don't let money stop you from making a film. If you want to make a film, you should. If you believe in it and start it, the money will come. Often, when people put money into a project it's not because the believe in the project so much, it's that they believe in you, and like to see people doing something creative and positive. So go do it, start it and it will happen.

It's a tough road, no question about that, and at some point you will ask yourself why you started it, I still do! But it is also very rewarding, and once you've made this film you're just going to want to get onto the next one.

Here’s a 10 point breakdown:

1. Get the script right.

2. Get people you know and trust involved early on.

3. Get a good cast.

4. Makes Sure people are committed.

5. Raise some funds, but don't worry too much about it.

6. Schedule you film.

7. Set a Date! Move toward it.

8. Feed people.

9. Communicate with people.

10. When directing, be assertive, confident, sure and put yourself in the centre of the room. You're the leader. You're the reason everyone's here. Remember that.

Two bonus points:

Be nice to people.

Put some money aside for the wrap party!!!

Hope that helps you somewhat! As I said at the start, everyone’s journey is different so you may find your own ways of doing things. Tap every resource you have, you’ll get there.

Couple of books you should read to: Digital Filmmaking by Mike Figgis and Producing With Passion: Making Films That Change The World by Dorothy Fadiman and Tony Levelle (which is about making documentaries but so much of how to get a film up and running applies). Two of the best books I’ve read on how to make a film, because they’re practical, simple, constructive and inspirational.

So go on, go make a film in 2012, send it to me when you’re done! And don’t forget to enjoy yourself! You’re living your dream after all.

Addition: When looking for funding go to you local Council, they usually have an arts fund, ask about it. Some other organisations you may not expect may also have arts or education funds, some charities do, ask around, you might be surprised what you find.

Glance Back.

2011-12-21T17:41:00.000-08:00

End of year. Stock taking time. Looking back. Reflection. What have I learned this year? A lot.

The year began as the previous had ended, trying to get Derelict off the ground. It was a slog. But we got there and the film got shot. Easy as chips. No, not really. It was hard work. But I'm happy with it. Happy with the experience. Worked out in the end. Although it was a tough shoot. One that left me drained and questioning whether or not I actually wanted to continue directing. But I got back on the horse. Got over it. Found my passion remained intact. I learned a few things along the way. To take with me to the next one.

140 won an award. Raise My Hands got into a couple of festivals. Slán agus Beannacht sold to RTE and was broadcast on national television. Couple of disappointments. Couple of interesting prospects. Doors began to open that had always remained shut. Even if only slightly. A crack. A sliver of light. But light nonetheless. And once there is light there is hope and once there is hope we keep moving forward.

So onward.

One thing I did learn, not so much learn as - have been reminded of - I need to listen to my instincts more, I need to remember my own vision, especially in the darkest times when all around are questioning the direction I'm leading them, because it was that vision that brought us there, and it will be that vision that leads us out, some may doubt, but as long I don't I know we'll get there. I have to have faith in myself, because if I don't - how can anyone else?

Faith, belief and strength moving forward. Happy Christmas all. Enjoy the holidays. And a very prosperous New Year.

A Dose of Reality.

2011-12-07T14:35:00.000-08:00

I was a guest speaker at my old college today, Ballyfermot College of Further Education (or Senior College as it was known back in the day). I was an animation student, graduated in 2000. So I was asked to come in and talk to the same class, as it is now. I was delighted, if not a little apprehensive, to do so - just because I get nervous before these things, also because I almost flunked out of that college and because I didn't pursue animation afterward. So I was trying to find an angle to approach the talk from. I decided honesty was the best policy.

I wanted to give them a very real look at what it's like to be an independent filmmaker working outside the system, outside the industry. So I did. I'm a bit worried I may have depressed them!

I tried to be constructive, offer hints and tips, advice and direction and tell them how to go about putting a film together, without backing. But amid the constructive were the harsh realities, the lack of income, the toll on personal life, family and finances and the sacrifices required to pursue a creative life, a life where you're a working artist. It's not an easy one. It's not glamorous in the least. It's bloody hard work. It's pressure. Stress. And when you find yourself clasping you chest with pain walking up a hill and find yourself strapped to a heart monitor later that same day... can be questionable!

(For the record I didn't have a heart attack, it was anxiety from lots of different things going on at that time!)

I talked about everything I could get to in two hours. I admit I did find myself rambling at times. Going off script and losing my notes. But going back over them on the way home I found I hit most of the points I had hoped too. Also managed to show my 3 shorts and the first cut scene from Derelict (so bit of an exclusive there for them! - No one else is allowed to see it, so don't ask.)

I think I'm better at answering questions then just straight talking. I'm good in Q&As. But when I have to stand in front of a room and just talk I tend to ramble and lose my place! Hopefully I wasn't too bad today. Gareth Lee, the course co-ordinator who invited me to talk, said to me afterwards that he felt it was a dose of reality for them and probably not a bad thing!

I agree with that in one sense, I think it's good to see the real side of things, but I also like to be inspired and to inspire. I always remember Glenn Keane's lectures when I attended the school, I would come out of the class flying, zooming, buzzed and fueled for weeks to come. I don't feel like I did that, in fact, I know I didn't, so I'm a little disappointed. When I listen to my favourite directors speak I'm always inspired, and even when they tell the harsh realities of there life, I'm still inspired... I guess though it's because they're in a better place, they've made it, they are where they want to be.

I'm not there yet, I'm still on the outside, still struggling. So hopefully that will change soon. Hopefully I'll be able to go back in a few years and inspire, rather then frighten!

Something with Swords.

2011-12-06T10:36:00.000-08:00

Here's an interesting thing.

In 2001, when I made the decision to fully commit to pursuing a career in film and started writing a kidnap crime thriller, my two top films of that year, that I drew a lot of inspiration from, were Memento and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

I have two kinds of films I love to watch, well, I love all kinds of films, but I always come back to two - the contained dark and violent crime thriller and the epic adventure.

This year, 2011, ten years on, having finally made my first feature film, a dark and violent kidnap crime thriller, I find that my two top films of this year are Drive, a smaller contained violent crime thriller, and 13 Assassins, an epic adventure (also an asian swordplay movie as it happens!)

Just found that interesting. A couple of full circle moments.

So I guess now that I've made my small crime thriller I'll have to make an epic adventure next... something with swords!

Behind the Scenes

2011-11-28T16:38:00.000-08:00

Some behind the scene shoots from various cameras on Set:

Base Camp. Two story below the floor we were shooting on we had our break room. It was a cozy little corner, food, fridge, tea and coffee, couches, chairs and a rug. Tech station for sound and camera. Room for make-up and props. Back to the Future, Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen hanging on the wall to watch over us. It was still chilly, dusty and I'm sure everyone was glad to see the back of it when they left!!! Still was a nice break from the pressure cooker of the top floor.

Everyone hanging out in between shots. I remember it was chilly, I never really felt the cold that much. I know it effected some people more than other... probably the ones who were hanging aroun for hours at a time, but I was constantly running around. But when we went back for the pick up in October, the temperature drop made me grateful we'd shot in September, then again in November! That was cold.

Steve gets Make-up from Mary Ellen while I figure out what we're doing next.

Setting up a shot, shooting day for night.

Roger Ryan, our Gaffer. He rigged most things on set, all the wiring, electricity, lights. He was always on hand with his trusty Duct tape. There would be a probably, I'd say 'Rog, we need this to do this so we can film this" - he would disappear for ten minutes and come back with some tool, or rig, or invented contraption I'd never seen before that would make it work. He also has a great attitude, brought levity. Employ this man on your set.

Below is Wendy Tinsley, John's girlfriend. She has been a friend for many years and has worked on all of my films in one form or another (even played a part in one of my dodgy amateur efforts back in the day). Wendy came to the mill on the Saturday before the shoot and spent the afternoon with me, John and roger sweeping up half a ton of pigeon shit! Thanks Wendy!

Steve Gunn, playing Davey-boy, takes a moment between scenes. I enjoyed working with Steve. He brings a lot of energy to the set and is fully commited to making the scene work, hitting the right beats and understanding everything each character is saying, why and where it leads. He builds the archs of each scene, each exchange and delivers.

Play-back. John shows Steve the last scene.

The Van Scene... Gerry Shanahan and Patrick O'Donnell. Patient Men! They waited around all evening to shoot this scene. It was supposed to be an easy day, this was the Tuesday and we didn't have Michael, so we only had two scenes to film with out him. I thought we'd be done by 8pm... we start shooting this scene at mid-night! I forget why. But the boys pulled it off.

Slightly evil look of from me! Pat was great to work with. He really changed the character of Tone to something all his own. It's a joy to watch an actor take something you've written, read it line for line, but change the character and meaning so completely you feel like you had nothing to do with it's creation. I was thrilled with Pat's take on the character. It was a surprise, and I love surprises!

Me below, dancing as I leave set!

Michael during pick-ups in October. The effects of the shoot beginning to show!

Michael was great to work with. As the lead of the film he set the tone and created the over mood of the piece. J became a dark, brooding character, one who tries to do good and keep himself contained. Michael did a great job of showing that. As he slipped into make-up and character I often felt bad for putting him in such a dark place, it must be a draining thing to portray someone so tormented... but then cameras would roll and I would feel so bad anymore.

That was a brief look behind the scenes. There should be some more pics to come and there is plenty of behind the scenes footage which I'll try to get up as I'm going through the edit.

Fully WRAPPED.

2011-11-22T09:45:00.000-08:00

We shot the last day of pick-ups today, which included the opening scene, some pick-ups we dropped on the last pick-up days (so pick-up pick-ups) and an a final scene in the Mill between Michael Bates and Steve Gunn. Went great, really good. Couldn't have been better in fact. I was slightly worried about it because we were fighting against the light. First we were up at 4 am for a driving scene that had to be filmed on empty road in the dark, so we were fitting against the sunrise. And then later, we were shooting day for night and so fighting against the sunset... why is everything backwards in film?

Steve, Michael and John really pulled it off this morning in the van. I was left sitting in the back peeping through a window... which I almost went through at one point when Michael slammed on the breaks to hard and the entire contents of the back of the van slid toward me! It was a fun scene though. The lads read their lines and then improvised a lot of stuff. So I'm looking forward to cutting it.

We finished bang on 7am, just as the sun started to poke its head up. Then back to my house for a delicious breakfast as prepared by Maryann. Then back to the Mill for 9am. Shot the pick-ups with Michael we missed on the previous pick up days and then up stairs for a final, and important scene between J and Davey-boy.

It went great, the boys gave awesome performance, really ratcheted up the tension in a 6 minute one take wonder! It looked fantastic.

So that is it. Derelict is in the can. My first feature film. A dream I've had since I was small and an idea I've been working toward for 10 years. I'm feeling a bit sleepy right now (4am wake up call) but very happy, very satisfied, it feels like an achievement.

I want to thank everyone who was involved, who believed in it, me and stuck by me and the project.

The Cast: Michael Bates, Steve Gunn, Gerry Shanahan, Elaine Reddy, Rory Mullen, Catherine Wrigglesworth, Brian Fortune and Patrick O'Donnell.

The Crew: John Lawlor, Susan Downey, Richie Quinn, Marie Valarie Jeanalot, James Mullholland, Roger Ryan, Mary Ellen Darby, Eddie Quinn and Keith Ward.

Seek these people out. Work with them. Employ them. They are talented, reliable, hard working, committed and awesome.

To all the encouragers, supporters, sponsors, friend and family who stood by me and this project, my thanks.

But of course, as always, most of all, thanks to my wife Maryann, who bears the brunt of compulsion to make film! Who must be the practical thinker in our household. Who must figure out how to buy food and pay bills and balance life when I come in bright eyed and excited saying "I have a great idea for a film, I've already called the cast and crew and they're in, we're shooting in September..." She is the most patient and incredible woman I've ever known and I'm very very lucky to have her as my wife!

Thanks everyone. More new soon. Hopefully some footage. Maybe a trailer!

I'm off to lie down...

Picking Up

2011-11-17T06:15:00.000-08:00

Post from a couple of weeks ago after pick-ups I forgot to post:

Just finished two days of pick-ups and feeling good about them. Saturday we shot 12 pages! Well done everyone, haven't done that since the madness of Day 1, way back when. We even managed to grab a couple of cool little extras with Patrick O'Donnell. He had only come in to (SPOILER!!!) lie unconscious in the background, but sure while he was around we threw in a few extra bits and pieces.

We picked up all the shots we dropped with Brian Fortune and Michael Bates, important scenes that needed the time by themselves, really the moral centre of the film. So I was glad to have the time just to concentrate of them. Admittedly we spent a long time concentrating on them!!! I thought we'd be finished the day's shoot at 9pm, maybe 10pm! We went till 3am!!! But that's nothing new. Still, it was good, we were getting nice stuff and remaining creative, even at the end of a very long day.

One lesson I've learned on this one, some worth baring in mind, for a reasonable day of shooting, where you're not stretching yourself, rushing, running into silly hours, 4 pages is probably realistic - and if it's a complicated fight scene, maybe just do that in a day. Although, in saying that, Derelict probably would have taken a month, of shooting everyday, and when people are working for free, giving generously of the time and talent, a month would just be impossible to ask. I hope I get the chance to repay, and pay everyone who worked on this with a paid gig at some point, and not one that's crammed into a short time period, but has room to breathe!

Again, in saying that, we got great stuff and for an ultra-low budget film shoot in a week, I think we did OK.

Today was complicated, we were shooting day-for-night (that's when you shoot during the day and colour it to look like night - quite common in film and when done right unnoticeable) So that meant we were burning daylight. We already lost the morning be we shot so late yesterday, giving us 5 hours to do 4 pages. Doable, sure, but again, fight scenes, and a stunt. Fights get fiddly. We were belting along, get stuff in the can one shot after another. But it's just incredible how time slips by on a film set.

So, we unfortunately ran out of sun before we were done and had to drop the end of one shot and another (short) scene entirely. We have to go back anyway so better to do it right than do something rushed, or unusable. It also meant we finish at 5pm, which was lovely!

Still one day to go. Feeling good about it overall and looking forward to getting back and finishing.

In the News

2011-11-13T13:06:00.000-08:00

Just a quick one, have house guests so not much time to blog, but thought I'd post these before they passed. Oh, and I came up with an idea for a sequel to Derelict which I might write!!!

Front page of IFTN, here's the article.

In the shadows. In the dark. Watching us.

2011-11-08T06:12:00.000-08:00

To the Gathered Crowd in the Dark

2011-11-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

Heading back to the mad house this weekend. Back for two days to pick up a few scenes we dropped during the shoot. Seems like so long ago now. It's been a busy time since then. A couple of projects have popped up and distracted me from editing Derelict. Iscariot being one, and a potential project that may or may not yield anything, but one worth pursuing to the end nonetheless. So the edit has been on the long finger. Probably a good thing to have a break. And with these shots over the weekend I'll have 95% of the film to cut.

We will have to go back to the mill, but only for an afternoon and just one scene. And there a scene to be shot in the front of a van, which can be done anywhere anytime. But hopefully soon. Not before Christmas though. These days cost a lot, a lot more than I have. Another grand to do this weekend. Another personal loan I did not want to have to get right before Christmas. But I felt it had to be done. I didn't want to leave these important scenes too long. I had hoped to get everything we needed this weekend, another day will still cost be €400, but wasn't to be. Hence after Christmas. Lessons learned on this one.

It's still an ultra-low budget film, I think at the end of it the budget will be €6500. But it's a lot when you're unemployed, have a young family, and you're paying for half of all that yourself! Sorry wife! I hope one day you'll learn to forgive... hopefully before you divorce me! That's something else that's important at this level of filmmaking - a supportive wife! But even the most supportive can have their patience tested.

I have to admit, the last month has been difficult, perhaps the most difficult and challenging of my career so far. Not finishing Derelict was a pain, and it's costing me more than I had hoped. I was exhausted coming off of it and got into a bit of a slump. Writing on Iscariot helped, and this new project too. They reignited my fire for film. Then I bolloxed it all up by making a faux pa, mentioning someone in an email I shouldn't have and perhaps jepordising a chance to do something fantastic. I'm not sure how it will pan out, but I fear the damage that was done may be irreversible. Thus ruining the best chance at jump starting the career I've been trying to build for 15 years.

It made me want to throw in the towel there and then. And I almost did. But it was my wife, the one who keeps having her patience tested by being married to a stubborn Independent filmmaker, who said - "Give up because you've lost your passion. Give up because you don't care anymore. But don't give up because it's hard." Can't really argue with that.

We make mistakes in life. Nothing we can do about other people. We just have to work around it. And if a chance is lost because of it, then we have to rise above and move on. I've been keeping my head down and moving forward for as long as I can remember. All I've ever wanted to do is make movies. I love them. I can't deny that. They're in my blood. Woven in the fabric of who I am. So I get over-zealous. I put my foot in it sometimes. I want to kick myself as much as the people I annoy do! And I feel like there are as many people trying to stop me as there are people who want to help me. But it's the nature of the game, the nature of the world.

I just have to keep reminding myself of why I love film, why I wanted to make them. It's because I love stories, I love to be taken on an adventure, I love to be thrilled, moved, engaged, surprised. And I love being able to give that to other people. Nothing in this world delights me more then seeing a great film (OK, maybe my daughter - but I'm talking in the context of film... you know what I mean!) I watched 13 Assassins a couple of weeks ago, I absolutely loved it LOVED it! And it came at the right time. It was a reminder. Great films always are.

That's the reason. To do something good. Regardless of the crap that you have to go through. The assholes you encounter. The drudgery, hardship and humiliation you are forced to endure daily. It's about the film. It's about what goes up on the screen and what you give to an audience. That's all it was ever about. That's the beacon of light in the dark, and it comes from a projector, shining out onto to 50 foot screen to a gathered crowd in the dark full of anticipation and excitement. It's for them. No one else. Not the idiot trying to stop you, standing in your way, saying NO NO NO. It's for that 9 year-old kid, seeing Back to the Future for the first time and suddenly realising that's why he was born. To do that.

So I'm going to finish my film. I'm going to keep trying to make more films. I'm not going to let anyone stand in my way... especially me.

Madness and Method.

2011-10-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, my post-shoot blog post was a little bleak and Yes, I have cheered up since then! I was just wiped-out, perhaps a little emotional and a bit disappointed in not getting everything done in the week. I think in the entire week of shooting I slept all of 30 hours, out of 168! And then came off that straight into broken nightmare sleeps... so no, probably was in the best frame of mind. Still, it was how I was feeling at the time and as this blog has the word Journey in the title I have to tell it as is goes.

Bag-O-Tricks

I've since settled back into normal life and have caught up on sleep (as much as my soon-to-be two year-old daughter lets me! - but I guess that is normal now!) and I was talking with DOP John Lawlor yesterday about a fun idea for a new project!!! It's a sort of sequel to Derelict, but it's a comedy. I think I need to do a comedy after these last few years! It's all been very dark indeed.

I've been logging all the footage (no editing yet) and I must say it looks good, I'm very happy with how it's turned out. I need to finish logging and labeling and start choosing and syncing and then start the edit. I had hoped to have had it started by now but, well, life pokes it's head in and reminds you of the other things you put off while making the film - like finishing the bathroom and bringing the ever increasing pile of recycling to the centre and the contents of the attic to the charity shop! Not that I've actually done any of that mind you... Procrastination!

We're going back in two weeks to shoot pick-ups for a day and then the week after for two days, and that will everything, I hope, should be. I'm looking forward to getting it done. I know it has to be sooner rather then later for risk of it not being completed. I'd rather do it when it's fresh in our minds. And it deserves it of course, both for the film and for the work everyone's put in.

The scenes we're going back to get are really the most important in the film, at least the most important for those characters. One is the scene that changes everything for all the characters and leads to the eventual outcome, and it's just a simple conversation between two characters. The other, the same, a conversation between two characters, that is really theme of the whole film and the emotional center of the piece. So they're important to get.

I was sad we had to drop them in the main shoot, but now I'm glad in a way. Given their importance I'm glad we can take our time with them, settle in to them, spend a day on them rather than a rushed two hours.

In saying that though I don't feel the shoot was rushed... OK, it was a bit, and more in some places than others - But, I think it leant itself to the scenes themselves. For example, when we were shooting the opening scene of the film, where everyone arrives, we really had time constraints on that one, we flew through it, didn't stop for anything, and people got testy and edgy and probably felt rushed - but that was what the scene was about, the characters being on edge, testy, rushed.

This happened again and again, we ended up in similar situations to those being portrayed, which, was my point in doing it this way from the start (see old posts) - being in a situation as close to the real one as possible so we could feed off the energy in the room... albeit a very dark, oppressive and negative energy! But again, we weren't making a romantic comedy here! I always felt like the energy was right, which was probably why I wasn't running around panicking. I was getting what I set out to get - So you see, there was some method to my madness!

Hopefully some more images soon, not too many thought, I don't want to give anything away. Maybe a trailer... probably not for a while though and maybe some outtakes, there are some funny ones I have to say! If I say the words Tone and Jesus, I know some people will already be laughing. More info too on the edit, and pick-ups as they come.

Meantime Thomas and I are back writing on Iscariot. Trying to get a new draft done by the end of November to go looking for money. Will be interesting to see how that goes. So I have one feature to edit and one to write in the next six weeks! Should be fun!!!

Early Images.

2011-10-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

Gotta Love October!

2011-10-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

As I settle in the edit 'Derelict', two of my short films are off doing their thing around the world.

New Poster (design by Lisa Kay)

First 'Raise My Hands' is screening this week as an Official Selection at the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis (my fourth film at the festival since 2006). Trailer on the right -->

And 'Slán agus Beannacht' will be broadcast on RTE2 (Ireland's National Broadcaster) on October 24th as part of their Short Screen series. Very excited about both.

October's turning out to be a busy month!

First Teaser Poster

2011-10-08T16:14:00.000-07:00

Teaser Poster (including first image from the film)

5am? Let's do one more.

2011-10-05T12:22:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday 15 people locked themselves in a dusty, blacked out, 200 year-old abandoned mill to make a film. None of them were ever seen again. Some images and random footage survived. This is their story.

The schedule was out the window before day one had even started. Our lead actor, Michael Bates, had a commercial in the middle of the week, which he had told be about, but assured me it would mean he'd be a couple of hours late one of the days, and to put it to the back of my mind. On the last day of rehearsal he got a call to say he would be needed for two full days, 5:30am pick-up to 6:30pm. Basically meaning he would have to leave early on Monday, be gone all day Tuesday, and be late Wednesday - remember, this was a five day shoot, and Michael was in every single scene of the film. So we were up shit creek from day one.

Michael Bates as J

Let me just say before I continue, this is no slight on Michael, he was fully committed to the film, and on the Wednesday, after a 5:30am start he came straight to the set and shot till 3am. Bad timing was all.

I decided to start shooting on Sunday, what was to be the blocking day, and to make things even more complicated I decided to start with the most complicated part of the film - the end. If you want to know if you're ready for something, get the entire cast in a room talking, shouting and pointing guns at each other. I very quickly realised just how complicated this film really was. There was me thinking a few people in one room would be easy, but it was tricky and mechanical.

The first night was tense. People were on edge. We got started late and then had an issue with the sound equipment. First it went missing. I was supposed to pick it up at 12, but Sue ended up going to get it, wasn't there, took them an hour to track down the guy who had it and then she had to drive into Dublin to find him to get it. Then when she got back the harddrive wouldn't work, wouldn't start up, took Sue two hours of rebooting and phone calls to fix it. So we started 4 hours late.

We got a alot in the can quickly and although we went till 5am, and didn't get done what I had planned to do that night, we still shot 11 pages in that first night. But it wasn't a great start to the week, morale-wise. It got everyone tired right away. The schedule was shunted again, which meant no-one really knew where and when they were.

By mid week the schedule was changing hourly. We were working with who was available and on set. Someone showed up who should have been told they weren't need, things would move. I was just trying to keep one foot in front of the other and not side step off a cliff. I was concentrating on what was in front of me in the moment. But that often meant people were hanging around all day who didn't need to be. Still, we were getting footage in the can.

Painting with Light

The week was up and down. Good days and bad days. I think the lowest ebb was Wednesday night. A particularily difficult and complicated shoot. Everyone's energy was sapped and the energy in the room was throw the floor. The break room that night was silent. Nobody talking and nobody looking at me. I felt hated. I felt as though I was losing my grip on the project and if I'd said 'Let's just leave it' people would have happily exited the building never to be seen or heard from again.

I was asking a lot from people, and although they were committed, they were there, when the schedule started slipping I do believe some people lost their faith in me and perhaps even regretted their decision to be a part of the project. You pick up on a vibe. You see how people look at you. You hear whispers in the corner when they think you're not close enough. That was hard for me. I felt upset and it made it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. I went home that night more depressed then I had ever been on a film. I wont say I cried. But I was close.

I managed a good sleep, which always helps, and came to set with the previous day behind me. I smiled at people as they entered, well aware that everyone was on my project, there for me, and feeding off my energy. If I was sitting in the corner of the room not talking, then that's what I'd get back. So I stood at the stairs and smiled a warm hearty welcome to everyone as they came in. I hope it work. People seemed a bit more cheery that day and we got good work done that night. I was never as low again during the shoot anyway.

Amid the mayhem I believe the film was coming together. I was getting great performance from all involved, and even when at times actors weren't happy with what they were doing, or unsure, or not feeling it, I was continually blown away. The moment of the week came when Elaine Reddy delivered a stunning performance that floored everyone in the room and had us all reeling afterwards. She said she wasn't happy with it, but Fuck Me! I had goosebumps. When I said 'Cut' everyone in the room let out a huge sigh, because they'd all been holding their breath watching her.

This happened again and again for me. I knew scenes were working when I forgot where I was, when I would be watching the monitor and I'd forget to yell 'Cut' because I was at the movies, completely caught up in what was happening and waiting to see what was going to happen next, and then realising I still had to film that part!

It was interesting watching how the actors worked, there were 8 actors and 8 different processes in the room. It was difficult at times. But for me it was working. There was tension, but it was in the right place. People were constantly telling me what I should and shouldn't be doing, I believe they were trying to be helpful and I'm happy to take suggestions, and if they're good I'm more than happy to run with them. But it gets frustrating when people are questioning you, and basically saying you don't know what you're doing. I did know, I knew what I wanted, I knew what I was getting, I knew to keep going if it wasn't their yet. If it takes an extra hour to get the take that makes it into the film and raises the film to a higher standard, then I'm willing to go to bed at 5am instead of 3am.

Bright Star - Catherine Wrigglesworth

There's a sense during any film, or any job, that a some point midweek you've broken it, the majority is done and the final run in should be easier than it has been so far and things can be a bit more relaxed. That's didn't happen on this. I didn't feel we'd broken in until the very last shot on the last day, which still left us with 2 days to pick up later. I know those two days will be more relaxed. But it was tough and tense right till the end.

There were one or two blow-outs during the shoot. People lost their patience. Which was fair enough. I remained calm through out. I almost lost it at one point. I forget exactly what day, Friday night maybe. I'd had enough of people telling me what to do and was building up to a blow out. I figured "Fuck it, I'm done, I'm gone. I'm going home to my wife and daughter, I'm sick of the lot of you..." I was waiting for the moment someone pushed me over the edge, but they didn't so I had a conversation with myself, I calmed myself down and I chose not to embarrass myself and waste everyone's time. We shot the scene and we moved on.

The level of commitment through out really blew me away. People brought their best work to the table and I enjoyed watching everyone work. All the cast brought their best. The crew were outstanding. I'm not going to single anyone out, but there were some star players, and they'll be the people you see go far. I was so grateful, and lucky, to have them.

There are still some scenes to get, the opening of the film, the conversation that changes everything for the two main characters, and the end of the film. All two handers. So hopefully we can go back and get them in the coming months. After all, it's nothing if it's not finished.

I was happy with everything that was going in. I haven't looked back at it yet. But I know there's a film in there. I'm not sure what it is yet though. Something different came out in that room. Something a bit more frightening then I had planned on. It's closer to the bone I think. I'm not entirely sure what I've made. It's the film I wrote. But I'm kind of afraid of this film. We'll see what arrives in the edit.

Me and DOP John Lawlor

Things I've learned on this one: Plan better. Schedule better. Be realistic. Fights are complicated. 8 people in a room talking is complicated (especially when they're pointing guns at each other). Good continuity is so important. An 1st AD is essential. 5 days is probably impossible. Two weeks is better. It's always going to cost more then you had planned for. Shooting in a filthy old building is a pain in the arse. Shoot in a comfortable hotel next time. Shooting dark material can effect you mentally. Remain positive. Focus on what's in front of you. Be in the centre of the room. Step up. Lead. DON'T PANIC.

I'm quite drained this week. I had the first good nights sleep last night. Previous to this it was broken with a lot of anxiety dreams of still filming and nightmares. Today I feel extremely low, which is probably just the come down from such a busy few weeks. So maybe I'll cheer up soon and be dying to get back on set!

But trying not to end on a dull note I am extremely happy with what's been done. The shots are beautiful looking, the performances are outstanding (wouldn't be surprised if there weren't a few awards on the distant horizon) and I think I've made the film I set out to make. I'm looking forward to the edit, I love editing and I'm so excited to start putting all this together, especially to Dermot O'Mahony's score. I think we've got a good film on our hands and I'm looking forward to finishing it and to showing you, especially all those who have supported it over the last year, and those who have believed in me.

Rehearsals: Day 3

2011-09-21T16:10:00.000-07:00

It's almost mid-night, I should be asleep, considering I didn't sleep very well at all last night (bad tummy, and anxiety dreams) and today was long, productive, yet tiring day at rehearsal, but, there's a 21 month old running around my ankles. Someone decided she didn't want to go to sleep tonight. After two hours of tantrum we finally gave in and and our lovely little daughter in happily running around singing and laughing... she won this battle!

Elaine Reddy, Steve Gunn, Me, Patrick O'Donnell in The Factory

Today was a good day. We blocked a good portion of the script, up page 40, so over half. Tomorrow we'll do the same. It got a little tough in the afternoon.

Discussing a scene

My energy was completely depleted. I could feel that the ideas weren't coming and because the rehearsal schedule has really been thrown out the window at this stage and we're just doing everything we can, when we can, I was finding it hard to focus on what exactly to do with half the cast not there. Sleep deprivation is not conducive to the creative environment... or anything really.

Steve captures the moment

But we got through it and found a pace again. With it we got through several important scenes, so I was happy enough with that. Hopefully tomorrow we'll have all the crew there and can run through the entire script, start to finish and start figuring out the movements.

It's such a technical piece, I'm so glad I blocked off this week for rehearsal, we would have been up shit creek on set with all we have to do in 5 days! But I know, even with all this prep, it's still going to be intense on set, and I'm sure, like every other film I've done, a hell of a lot more than I'm anticipating... it's this blind optimism keeps us coming back, after the pain of the broken arm has faded we still go back and climb the tree.

OK, more tomorrow. Hopefully. I probably would have missed this one if little miss wakey wakes had decided to be little miss sleepy sleeps instead!

Rehearsals: Day 2

2011-09-20T16:23:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day. A very good day. Those hiccups I mentioned, we got them solved. Starting with a very welcome phone call from Steve Gunn last night to say he'd mentioned the part to a friend of his, Patrick O'Donnell. He sent me a link to his reel, I was about 30 seconds of it a breathed a huge sigh of relief! My thumb lit across the blackberry qwerty keyboard and the deal was sealed! Patrick was in.

I got to together first thing with Michael and Steve. We hit their scenes together and tried to find the right balance between the two brothers in the opening scene. It went well. We didn't have enough time at it, so hopefully we can back to it, and their relationship during the week.

Everyone joined us, Maryann (my wife) came along to take info on costumes before going off to look for them. We got word then that Patrick was going to be able to join us for a reading. So we hung out a little bit, though I should curb the hanging out, we've only three days left and still a lot to go through! But the reading was great, Patrick brought a whole new take on Tone that changed it completely from how Keith was playing it, which I think is what it needed. I couldn't match what Keith was doing, and I didn't want to try, so I'm glad Patrick took it his own way, we can move ahead now.

What was nice too was that he knew most everyone, and had worked with almost everyone there. I was hoping for that, I think that relaxed atmosphere of friends and colleagues who now each other, like each other and thrive off each other makes for a good working atmosphere and allows us to bipass the getting-to-know-you stage. We can get stuck right it with a talented acting troupe.

Something else that worked out, my previous insurers, the one's I used on Emily's Song and Slán agus Beannacht got back to me, turns out they didn't go out of business but were just bought by another firm. So that is finally sorted - HURRAY!!! That's a load off my mind.

So yeah, it was a good day! And I'm looking forward to getting stuck in again tomorrow.

Meantime, seems we're making Headlines - Page one of IFTN today:

Rehearsals: Day 1

2011-09-19T16:02:00.000-07:00

Well, we have begun... rehearsals at least. Day one done. We've set up camp in The Factory in Dublin, a studio, rehearsal space founded by John Carney, Kirsten Sheridan, Lance Daly and others. It's a great space (if not a little chilly). Most of the cast gathered at 10am, started by chatting, getting to know new faces, and then got stuck into some conversations about the script, the character, the themes and tone there in.

We had some lunch, soup and sandwiches, warmed us up. Then back to it. We read the end of the script, sequence 18 is a long a complicated piece, so I wanted to hit it first. A little more discussion and then everyone but me, Michael and Brian stayed behind to work on their character's relationship, which is one of high intensity! Even though we only started we got stuck in and it felt good.

It's always fun to see it come to life and watch the choices actors make, changing, improving upon, bringing new meaning to what I've written - and making it real, making the project real.

There are a couple of hiccups that arose over the weekend that have yet to be sorted out. For some reason my insurers are not getting back to me, no idea why they're dragging their heals, usually insurence has never been a worry, it goes through in the first phone call! But I decided to try a different firm this time and I can safely say I wont be using them again, well, maybe at all if they don't get back to me tomorrow!

We will have insurance, we can't do without it, that simple, we wont be allowed on location without it! It's just annoying that I've been put in this situation and made doubtful while I should just be concentrating on the creative side of things. Hopefully it'll get sorted in the next day or two.

Another headache came when I got a call on Saturday even from Keith Ward, the actor playing Tone, and the stunt coordinator, telling me that he had to pull out, just two days before rehearsal! He's working on Asterix 3 in Waterford and the shoot got pushed back because of the weather. Stupid hurricane! I don't hold any grudge toward Keith, I know he was in a tight spot. It's frustrating alright, but these things happen all the time. Hopefully tomorrow we'll have a new Tone. It's going to be a big challenge for whatever actor takes it. He's got to learn a whole character and script in four days! When Keith had it for a year! So watch this space!

OK, that's all for today. More tomorrow. I need to sleep now!!!

Lucky Number 5

2011-09-14T16:56:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Thursday. That's three days to pick up everything I need. Lights, sound equipment, food, water, kitchen equipment, props, costumes... I'm getting flashbacks to my childhood and Saturday evenings when Challenge Anneka was on! Lots to do. Someone called me this evening and asked if I'd do a music video for them, for some reason I agreed to meet them tomorrow. Don't know what I was thinking, for one, I don't do music videos, and what the hell time do I think I have?! I'm going to have to cancel.

Monday brings the first day of rehearsal, now taking place in The Factory in Dublin. The guys did me a great deal and got me out of a hole! I thought we were getting the Complex, one of the actors helps out there and said we probably could get it, but they booked a show in the meantime. Fair enough. I'm interested to see what the Factory space is like. The palce was a famous rehearsal space for bands back in the 80s, the likes of U2 used to rehearse there. Recently it has been reestablished as a film studio, set up by several well known Irish filmmakers, John Carney (Once) Kirsten Sheridan (August Rush) and Lance Daly (Kisses) among them. I believe it's meant to operate in the same way Coppola's Zoetrope does, or did! A kind of filmmakers collective?! I'm not a hundred percent sure, so looking forward to finding out more. (RTE Radio interview about the place Here.)

Apart from that aspect I'm just looking forward to getting into a room with the actors and figuring this thing out. With all the delays on this, 5 false starts in total, it's actually been a bit of a blessing. It's given us the time to meet again and again and try different things. Things that didn't always work, but you have to go down these roads. I've had the luxury of having lengthy conversations with the actors. Nothing has been rushed and I believe it's all lead to a stronger script and hopefully that will all translate to a better film.

Just mentioning the 5 false starts there - it's interesting, 5 seems to be the constant trend here, fifth start attempt, €5000 budget, 5 day shoot. Hopefully it's Lucky!

Should get to bed. Late. I've already had one sleepless night filled with worry this week, so going to try and get some sleep before a busy day tomorrow! Just thought I'd empty sweep some brain dust under the rug before laying it to rest.

More soon. Once we get into rehearsals it should get a bit more interesting and hopefully I'll be able to post a lot more pictures and maybe some more videos.

SEPTEMBER!

2011-09-01T06:47:00.000-07:00

It's September. That means one thing. I'm shooting this month!

Two years ago me and a friend sat in a pub having a few beers and talking about movies. We kept saying we should do something together. I had this idea of getting a bunch of actors together and putting them in one location with an story and seeing what came out (a lazy writer's dream!)

There was a location I had in mind. As it happened another friend was in the same bar, a councillor at the time, so I asked if we could get into a certain location. He said yes. And so it was in motion. I had planned to shoot that October. Just one month later! But... didn't happen. Reality dawned.

We set to writing a script, Mark Lebenon and I. We didn't get very far. The idea kept falling flat. We couldn't find a hook. A reason to keep everyone in the building. Mark and his family eventually decided to return to South Africa after the recession took it's toll on them. But before Mark left we met for one more chat and he told me about a play he was working on, one that took place in a school, all over the school. So the audience would be lead around from class to class to watch different scenes. I thought this was a great idea. And so grew the idea of shooting the film in one take.

From that came the idea of having to shoot in real time. That's when I thought of the Tiger Kidnapping idea, the idea that it would take one of the kidnappers and hour-and-half to go to a bank and comeback. So there it was. That took about a year.

While Mark was still here I started casting. And once again planned to shoot in October of that year, 2010. But then the location fell through. I pushed it to January, scheduling problems. March, money problems. May, more scheduling problems. Finally I said September, and that's it. If anyone can't do it then I'll find someone who can, but everyone committed. If I don't have the money, I'll beg steal and borrow... which I did!

So here we are, September 2011! Finally. Less than 4 weeks out from shooting. I'm meeting some actors tomorrow to talk in detail about characters. I meeting Dermot O'Mahony on Saturday to talk Music and from here on out I'll be working on it everyday. Which is exciting.

And, I can also finally announce that Catherine Wrigglesworth joins the cast playing Louise. Welcome Cath, happy to have you on board!

Catherine Wrigglesworth (centre) in Jason Figgis' Railway Children.

Plenty more news to come as we move forward. Stay tuned.

PFO

2011-08-31T03:54:00.000-07:00

I got a PFO letter this week. I have a stack of them. A large pile that I used to keep pinned to the wall beside my desk, but that now inhabit the bottom of a box somewhere. I also have several gigs of PFO emails.

Ah, the rejection letter. It's a daily subjection as a filmmaker and writer to be faced with rejection. Daily rejection? Think about that. To be told "No" "Not Good Enough" "Go Away" "Not A Chance" "PLEASE F*&@ OFF" on a daily basis. I imagine it's a lot like what it feels like to be a chugger. (Though that doesn't make me hate them any less!)

But, alas, it is part of the process. It gets easier to take. But is no less annoying. I suppose it helps develop a thick skin and enforces the resolve to keep going. To prove them wrong? a little bit, yes. But it's always about the work. Making something good and enjoying it, because that's why you're in it in the first place - for the love of the work. Not for the approval of funding bodies.

In fact, I'd like to start sending them PFO letters back.

Dear Funding Body,

Well I don't need you stupid money anyway. I'm still going to make my film. :b'

Yours Sincerely
A Jilted Lover.

Does make me sound a bit like a jilted lover doesn't it?! Well, maybe not then. Best to just brush it off. Just figure on the fact that your work is not going to be for everyone and keep doing it anyway.

The project I'm referring to was of course Derelict (as well as every other project I've ever thought of, developed, wrote and made) but that's shooting in 4 weeks time. So you make it happen. No one else. Just you. People may step in to help if you're lucky, but still and always it's down to you to make it happen. Rejection is part of acceptance. Makes becoming all the sweeter.

Now, I have work to do, so if you don't mind - PFO.

;)

2001: A Filmmaker's Odyssey

2011-08-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

2001 really was the year that changed my life forever. For lots of personal reasons, but also for film.

I graduated college in 2000 having studied Animation for 4 years at Ballyfermot College of Further Education. I started out top of my class, an extremely enthusiastic student, but I didn't stay that way. I probably graduated bottom of my class, if I'm entirely honest. For lots of reasons, and not to play the blame game, but it was the kind of college where you were pretty much left to your own devises, they weren't so big on the guidance thing, and left to my own devises I'm easily distracted.

One such distraction was screenwriting. I became obsessed with it. I've always been a film fan and I've wanted to make films for as long as I can remember. And I've always been a keen writer. But again, never really guided. Sounds odd, but I discovered screenwriting quite late. When I did, I knew this was my way in. College took a backseat from then on.

I went to LA straight after graduation. Spent several weeks looking for work in some of the top studios in the world with a half-assed portfolio and the worst reel you'd ever seen. Not surprisingly I didn't find work, so I came home early. My girlfriend at the time had already decided she was going to spend a year in Australia, backpacking. I could come, or not, but whatever I decided she was going. So I guess that meant I was going.

She went ahead by several months. I stayed behind working on a factory production line trying to safe enough money to join her. I was lucky though. I was sat alone in the far corner of a large factory on a near empty floor on a self-running test machine that I only had to load every 30 minutes. It gave me months to write. I actually loved it. I wrote three short scripts and two feature scripts. They were terrible. I knew even then. But I was writing. And more to the point I discovered that I enjoyed it more than Animation. I loved making up stories.

I finished working there in January of 2001 and by that time I had made the decision not to pursue Animation any further and instead follow my first love, no, not the girlfriend in Australia, but Film.

When I landed in Australia I was of course thrilled to see the girlfriend, and her me... for about 12 hours! The next day I dropped the bombshell "I'm not doing Animation anymore, I want to make films." The look on her face should have told me that was the end, but I've always been a little naive that way. It took several more months for the penny to drop.

During the following oblivious months I wrote, like never before. I poured over screenwriting books, I bought notebooks and took endless notes and I even bought myself an old type-writer from SVP (SVP would play a hand in my career again of course!) and I set to writing the screenplay I was going to direct when I got back to Ireland. It was a kidnap thriller called Blood . Dirt . Money even had the full-stops like that and everything!

A huge influence on the script, and me, was the film Memento by Christopher Nolan. It truly inspired me and informed me. It changed how I looked at films. I realised this was the kind of film I wanted to make. Something contained, taught, dark, something that kept the audience guessing and enthralled. That first draft of B.D.M probably lifted a lot from Memento, in fact, I know it did, as well as a lot of other films. Looking back it was something of a patchwork of borrowed scenes! But I managed to finish the screenplay before we left Sydney. Little didn't I know that when I typed 'The End' it meant more than just the end of the script.

I came back to Ireland early. The girlfriend stayed behind to spend some time with her sister, or so I thought. I had suspicions something else had been going on for a while. She would cry for no reason. Disappear to meet friends, who would then show up completely unaware of any such meeting, strange misplaced apologies. When she eventually did get back I popped around to see her and was sitting at the table flicking through a magazine when I came across her named, written across a L'Oreal advertisement, but with a different second name, and not mine!

I remember her telling me years ago that it was something all girls did, write their name with the second name of a potential husband to see if it looked good, sounded good (she always thought my second name sounded funny with hers!) I never forgot the name, and it was only years later when I heard the name of her now husband that it was all confirmed. We broke up that week.

But none of that matters now. She's married. I'm married. Everyone's grown up and happy. It's just relevant to the year that changed my life. 2001. My odyssey!

After that I decided I would focus on writing. I got in touch with Thomas Kennedy. Told him I wanted to make this script I had and if could advise me. He read it. Never mentioned it again. But asked if I wanted to write something else with him. From that first meeting came Emily's Song, our award winning short film. Ten years on the writing partnership continues, that although we've been interrupted by marriages and kids and careers and soon immigration, it is still going strong - I'm meeting him tomorrow in fact, we're still working on Iscariot!

So that was the year that changed my life. Had I not made that decision I would have the films I've made, the friends, the collaboration the measure of success I've had. Had the girlfriend not made her decision I would not be happily married to a wonderful, supportive, strong woman with whom I have the most beautiful daughter.

And ten years on I finally get to make my kidnap thriller. Except this time is called Derelict and hopefully the script is a bit better!

Pistols at Dawn.

2011-08-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

Sold Slán agus Beannacht to RTE. Great! Delighted. I'm glad this film will be broadcast and everyone's work will finally get seen by a large audience.

Derelict is moving forward nicely. Things are coming together. On target for September shoot. We'll be getting gear from Film Equipment Hire Ireland, my thanks Colin Browne there for the help! Awesome! I've been talking to renowned armorer John McKenna about supplying some weapons - pistols and knives. Hopefully going out to his store soon to have a look at what I can afford.

Me doing camera test at location.

On that subject I'm meeting with actor Keith Ward this week to start designing the fights and stunts. So I'm looking forward to that. I'm planning on storyboarding the film, so will trying to get some boards done for the fights soon to work from.

Last week I met with actors Michael bates and Steve Gunn to go over the brother scenes and work on their relationship as brothers. It was a great afternoon. We got a lot from it and it gave us so much food for thought. It felt like we'd given the script life, and the more time we spent with it the more it grew and flourished. So I'm really looking forward to doing some lengthy rehearsals and

John Lawlor DOP

finally getting on set.

I think I said before it's one of my favourite parts of the experience, getting actors in a room and watching your words come to life and then the collaboration that comes after, the conversation, the search for the truth within the words. When it works it's truly exhilarating. I love it.

Coming up, casting. I have one part left to cast. Previously owned by Andy Gallagher, the part of Andrew the son has been rewritten as Louise, the daughter. So I'm on the look out for a young actress. So seeing some people this week. Hopefully Louise is among them.

So it's getting close. 7 weeks today we'll all be on set. I can't wait... actually, I can! There's still a hell of a lot to do and I'd rather have the time. Even though this has been two year in development and it's been delayed and delayed this year, I'm sure once it comes to it I'll be praying for more time! But that's the energy that gets us through.

The location.

Just wanted to throw this in. I watched a fantastic film this morning, one I've been meaning to watch for quite a while - Down Terrace. A low budget british crime film made by director Ben Wheatley and writer Rob Hill. It was absolutely brilliant. I loved it. A real, edgy, violent and very bloody funny crime thriller. It's very much in the same vein as Derelict - Shoot on one location, a small cast and crew, everyone working for free, a budget of a few grand, no backing, purely independent and shot over two weeks.

Down Terrace - Highly Recommended!

It gives me hope, makes me believe that great films really are achievable at this level. Also worries me! But Derelict has a great team fighting to make it work.

That's all for now. Hopefully back soon with some cast news!

Day for Night

2011-07-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

Location by Day

DoP John Lawlor and I took a recce to a couple of locations yesterday. Two locations I had previously visited with producer Richie Quinn, but remained undecided on. One was free (and featured in the kickstarter video) but small, the other was expensive, but huge and offered a lot more n scope and scale. Yesterday was a second viewing to make up my mind. With John in tow we could really look at what both sites would give us visually.

Location Graded for Night

The first site was an old flour mill, pretty cool place, lots of interesting features and certainly workable. We spent a good hour there, thinking about where we could stage scenes, where actors could play, interact and what new aspects the location might change or lend itself to the script. You're constantly looking for ways the location can inform and be a part of the story, rather than just a backdrop.

So overall the location was a 'No', it was too small, didn't offer enough in terms of story and as John pointed out 'It's not derelict!' - it was also right on the doorstep of the owners house. Slightly impractical. While they had a 'Work away' attitude, I'm sure they have no idea just how intrusive a film crew is, especially one shooting at night. We might find on the second night, at 3 am, having woken them up for the fifth time, a grumpy housewife walking into shot in her nightgown telling us to find somewhere else to make our film!

We headed straight from there to the second location. One Richie and I had looked at late one evening as the sun was going down. It was pitch black inside and our only source of light was a candle and the light from our phones! So I didn't really get a sense of the space. But it was a different story during the day. As we pulled up to this large old mill, complete with rows of shed and 80 foot chimney stack, John said 'I don't even have to see inside, this is the place.'

Me at Location

But we did go inside. And spent an hour getting very excited and imagining all kinds of scenes in various areas around the four stories of vast rooms. We shoot a bunch of footage, just looking around. And talked about the idea of shooting Day for Night (shooting in the day and colouring the footage to make it look like night time, commonly used in film)

Me at Location Graded for Night

Shooting in the day would certainly make life a hell of a lot easier. So we did some grading test, just very quickly, and honestly, didn't work for me.

I'm never sure about shooting Day for Night, I always see it in films and it jars me out of them. There's a big difference in the lighting, the skin tones, how shadows fall and the overall quality of the piece. It creates the wrong type of atmosphere. I love when it's done in the old Hammer Horror films, makes my smile. But not for this. I'd rather work as close to the environment we're trying to portray as possible. Shooting at night lends a certain atmosphere that is simply unobtainable in the day. And I want that to translate to the screen.

While the second location is expensive it gives us so much more that, for me, makes it worth it. I'm getting very excited about getting in there to dress the set and to light it. It's going to be a challenge I'm sure, probably ten times harder than I'm imagining, and who the hell wants to work from 8pm to 4am! But I think it's the right choice and will give us the dark, atmospheric, gritty crime thriller I set out to make two years ago!

Can't wait to get stuck in!!!

In some other news, the short film I directed and edited last year, Raise My Hands, is finally hitting the road - starting with the IMDB page. We've started entering festival and I'm cutting the trailer on the other screen right now, that should be up soon! More news coming.

Doubt.

2011-07-08T06:50:00.000-07:00

No, not the John Patrick Shanley film, though it's great and you should see it. I mean the actual feeling of doubt that plagues our every waking minute. That sense of being unsure, the feeling that things are quite as they should be. I have doubt a lot of the time, probably as much as anyone, I doubt the news, word of mouth, people, freedom, my grocery receipt... the usual stuff. But I have it in spades at the moment.

I just sent the new draft of the Derelict script out to the actors, and some trusted friends, and as soon as clicked send I regretted it. Which is odd, because I've been sending earlier, less completed, drafts out no problem - with that very intension, that people would be involved early on and the actors could contribute to their own parts with their ideas. But on this draft for some reason, I had doubt.

I think as it gets closer, we're now two and a half months away from shooting, I'm getting more worried about it working, about making a good film, a worthy film, of everyone's time, talent and effort and money - a lot of people have donated money to this film now. I'm worried about making a fool of myself too! I've been blabbering on about this film for far to long, to make it and fail, would be a disaster, would be unacceptable.

When I finish a draft, revise it, read it again and feel happy with it, I put it aside and I might sit down to watch some TV, and if there's something bad on I think "Shit, does my script sound like that, is this what I'm making?!" so I have to go back and check. Or, the opposite, I watched Network and Serpico this week, blistering performances burning the screen, powerful, a master-class in the craft of filmmaking. So I think, "What's the point in doing it if I can't do that?! What's the point in doing anything if the best has already been achieved" - so the doubt grows and grows.

I think the trick is, I hope the trick is, to use that doubt as a tool. To keep checking, keep refining and ultimately, never really be happy with it. Do the best you can with what you have and hope that what comes out in the end is somewhere near that vibrant intangible spark you caught a glimpse of way back when you decided it would be a worth while journey to follow it.

Some more writing to come. Hopefully a rehearsal or two. And I'm going to do some storyboards soon too. Still looking for some crew as well. More doubt soon.

5 Years Old.

2011-07-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

My blogiversary passed with incident or fanfare! I guess I forgot all about it with all that was going on over at Kickstarter! Sorry Blog!

5 Years Old!!! As of June 28th.

I started this blog just after I completed 'Emily's Song' in 2006 and have since charted my accomplishments, failures, hopes, disappointments, dreams and nightmares! It's been interesting for me to look back over it and see ideas come to fruition. Reading an entry where something is sort of mentioned and knowing that was the day I came up with the idea, then there's the script, cast attached, the shoot, the film, festivals, distribution deal signed, awards, TV broadcast! It's been a fascinating journey. It's still as tough as it ever was I still have as many struggles and doubts. But if I'm ever in any doubt that it's possible I only need to looking back over these pages and know it is.

I hope those who visit have enjoyed the blog and continue to enjoy it. It will be interesting to see what new films and adventures appear here over the next five years! Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading.

Kickstarted!

2011-06-29T16:33:00.000-07:00

Kickstarter Success!

We did it! You did it! The Derelict Kickstarter funding drive is SUCCESSFUL!!! I'm thrilled, over the moon, ecstatic! I didn't think it was going to happen for a while there, but so many friends, acquaintances, associates and complete strangers came through to help me and help get this project off the ground.

Most of all this has been extremely encouraging. I've had a lot of positive feedback on the clip, people like the dialogue, love the cast and are intrigued by the scenes and want to see more. Well, there certain is more and thanks to this, and of course the other donation given, we're going to get to see it all realised.

I'm under no illusions mind you. It's still going to be a tough project to complete. When the kickstarter money comes through, what with fees and the exchange rate at the moment that $3000 should translate to about €2000. Along with what's in the bank, we'll have between three and four thousand. Still not a hell of a lot to make a feature film. But it's enough to make this film. It has to be.

There's still a lot to get organised. Including cast a new role. We unfortunately lost Andy Gallagher, who was to play, Andrew, the son. But the schedule of the film conflicted with the start date of his college course. I decided to try a little experiment and change the character of the son to that of a daughter. Adds a whole new dimension (less of a sausage fest as my wife said!) So I'm casting for that role - actresses who can play 16/17 year-old. (If you're an actress and you're reading this, hit the 'contact me' button on the right)

Equipment to get. Crew - very specifically a Sound Recordist! Anyone reading?! You know what to do.

We're able to get this film made because everyone is working for free. Because, as well as the generous people who have pledged to pay for insurance, equipment, expenses etc. there are the cast and crew, all of whom were the first to donate to this project, of their time and talent - so my thanks to them, always.

Next for me is to keep working on the script. I finished the new draft today, purely by conincidence. I'm going to spend a couple of days going over it before anyone gets their hands on it. After that we'll try and get together and begin some form of rehearsals, workshops, one on ones - whatever we can find the time to do. I do plan to hold a full rehearsal with all the cast in the location of the film, to get a feel for it, so everyone knows early on what we're up against. I'll also film it, so some teaser footage may appear in the coming months... maybe!

That's all for now. Just my thanks again to everyone who has pledged. Thank you all so much for helping get this film made. My thanks to everyone who perhaps couldn't afford to donate but still helped get the word out by sharing the link on their facebook walls and retweeting on twitter! I know for a fact one such wall post lead to a donation of $145! And another to a donation of $500!!! So in these situation, you may not think you can help because you can't pledge, but you can, getting the word out helps - you never know who's reading!

Ok, I'm off. I have a busy 10 days ahead. My wife is flying to the states for her sisters wedding so I have my 18 month old daughter alone for that time! I hope I survive... wish my luck!

Thanks! All of you. And thanks to Kickstarter for giving me such brilliant opportunities to raise funding. Great website! Love it.

Backers:

Debra Carty
Deb Stone
Niamh O'Donnell
Farah Azalea
Oisin Prenerville
David Brennan
Terry Whittingham
Elliot Kotek
Victoria Charters
Trevi Productions
Donal Black
Paul Quinn
Paul McGrath
Gavan Murphy
Damien Donnelly
Jennifer Hegarty
David Wolstencroft
Jason Butler
Trampas Thomspon
Dan Gaynor
Brendan Leech
Emily Best
Holly Perkins
Cara Konig-Brock
Varda Hardy
Gwen Fearon
Paul J. Gitschner
Fiaz Farrelly
John Burton
Fergalio
Samantha Boylan
Noel Prendiville
Kyle Jaracz
Doen Vozov
Don Reilly
Tadeusz Cantwell
Hugh O'Conor
Morgen Sarpeshkar
Simon Gregory
Leigh Ann Danzey-Bussell
Roger Hudson
Erick von Schulz

Badgerankles360

Don't forget your friends.

2011-06-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

Just a quick blog about the importance of taping you social networking resources indies! Take nothing for granted. A couple of weeks ago I was getting a little burnt out on facebook, so I took a break, stayed more on twitter (which of course I love, 140 anyone?!) But had the notion that maybe I would stay over at twitter! Tonight I changed my mind and remembered the each are different and as important as the other.

The kickstarter fund had stalled at $1565, as the blog below states. So I put out a call to my friends on facebook, sent a message asking them to share a link and help get word out - they went a step further and began pledging, and we went from $1565 to $2022 in a couple of hours! It was unbelievable! I'm so appreciative and taken aback with the sudden outpouring of generosity and belief! Even though I haven't had much sleep in the last three nights I'm buzzing tonight... hence a blog at 1am!

There's still a way to go. I have 7 days to raise almost $1000. I'm not resting on my laurels. But I am thankful for tonight.

The moral, take nothing for granted, utilise what you have. Trust that your friends believe in you and will support you. Ask for help when you need it. Be grateful. Be thankful. And keep pushing, right to the end.

Goodnight.

Update: June 22. Since last night the fund has gone up to $2737! So 91% funded with 6 days to go! Still $263 to raise though! - Sprint to the finish!

The Magic 5%

2011-06-20T09:38:00.000-07:00

Derelict Kickstarter Page

As I write this, 5:30PM June 20th 2011, I have 9 days left on my kickstarter funding drive for Derelict. So far I have managed to raise $1565! Which is great, more then I made on my funding drive two months ago at the Highlanes gallery and more than the substantial donation I received right after that. But I stand to lose it all!

Kickstarter has a policy, I've mentioned it here time and again, it states that if you do not get the full amount, you get nothing, works as an incentive and I kinda like it... well, I did at the start, but now I'm in single digits and staring down the barrel of a gun, I'm not so sure anymore!!!

The script is going well, I've been writing all last week and all weekend (even with my daughter up all night teething and crying I managed to get a page here and there in the quiet moments!) So I'm feeling good about the project.

My hope is to have another reading in the location itself and film it, so everyone can get a feel for it and maybe I can even cut a rough version of the film together, which will help with further development of the script and may even be something to show investors in the project... will also just be good fun!

For me that's an important factor, Fun! Filmmaking at this level, the bottom rung of the ladder... that's if I'm even near a ladder! - is all about hustling, pulling favours, putting on community fundraisers, crowdfunding, being a one-man-band, so it gets tiring and I find myself questioning the reasons I'm doing this in the first place, it's certainly not for all of the above.

But that's the 95% that comes before the magic 5% when you do get to do what it's all about and every time I get a chance to get in that space I'm reminded why I go through the other crap. It's about getting in a room with a bunch of creative people and making something out of thin air that may entertain, educate, move, inspire people. That's why I do the rest of it. For that magic 5%.

So, back to Kickstarter. I really don't want to lose that $1500, I really would like to get the rest and make it to $3000! To lose it now would be such a blow. So I need to keep pushing it, to the final hour - Mid-night on June 30th. The next day my wife leaves for the states to attend her sisters wedding and me and my Daughter have 10 days alone. We'll already be sad. I don't want to be any more sad!

If I don't get this, honestly, the film really stands a chance of not getting made! I only have so much time to develop the script, find the rest of the crew and rehearse with the actors. I need to be concentrating on that and less on the fundraising! And time is of the essence for me as I have a huge personal deadline approaching. I can't keep delaying the shoot. So this could be it! Help. Is. Needed!

So, if you're reading this and think you can help, please do. $/€5 makes a difference, helps push us forward. $/€50 is huge boost and provides credits and freebies and inclusion in the process of making the film. http://kck.st/iLoYWC - and spreading the word, recommending to friends, it's all good!

What's the money for? Insurance, equipment rental, travel expenses and food.

Thanks for you help! It's appreciated.

Praise Be.

2011-06-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to thank everyone who has pledged so far to the Derelict Kickstarter fund. The support of these people means everything to me as it means I'll be able to make my film! Patrons of the arts provide the life blood of the artist. Without their support we simple could not do what we do.

So my sincerest thanks to:

Debra Carty
Deb Stone
Niamh O'Donnell
Farah Azalea
Oisin Prenerville
David Brennan
Terry Whittingham
Elliot Kotek
Victoria Charters
Trevi Productions
Donal Black
Paul Quinn
Paul McGrath
Gavan Murphy
Damien Donnelly
Jennifer Hegarty
David Wolstencroft
Jason Butler

Thanks to all you guys for getting the Derelict Kickstarter campaign up to $1065!

I'm trying to get to $3000 and I have 21 days to go. The way Kickstarter works is that if I don't get the full amount I get nothing at all! So that 935 above isn't secure yet!!! I need more help and more generous individuals like those above to join the list and be a part of this project.

To do so head on over to Kickstarter and make a pledge, even if it's just $1! For that you get my thanks and a credit on the film, and you will have my sincerest thanks, because every penny counts with this!

Thanks.

Addition:

I would also like to acknowledge the people who donated on Ghoster and then agreed to transfer their donations to Derelict when Ghoster stalled. There money is secure in my bank along with other donation received and as they gave through a crowd-funding website they will avail of the equivalent perk to the donation they made.

Graham McBride - $50 - Thank You Credit. Updates. Signed DVD.
Paul Gitschner - $100 - Thank You Credit. Updates. Signed DVD. Signed Poster.
Robert Zappia - $25 - Thank You Credit. Updates. Signed Art Card.
David Brennan - $25 - Thank You Credit. Updates. Signed Art Card.
Mairtin DeBarra - $25 - Thank You Credit. Updates. Signed Art Card.
Caroline Farrell - $50 - Thank You Credit. Updates. Signed DVD.
Jason van Genderen - $100 - Thank You Credit. Updates. Signed DVD. Signed Poster.

Thanks Guys!!!

The Nights Watch

2011-05-26T08:10:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week, spreading the word about Kickstarter and it's going well. Today we are at $775 I'm happy to report, 6 days in 34 to go. I think that's pretty good going. Hopefully we'll make our total!

Cast News:

Rory Mullen, who will be playing Laurence, the bank manager, in Derelict, recently won a Best Actor Award at the first Attic Studio Awards in Dublin for his roll in the short film 'Spoon' (by director Declan Cassidy, the film was shot in Drogheda.) Well done Rory!

Rory Mullen receives Best Actor nod.

Geeking out a bit about this one! But Brian Fortune, who is set to play The Hooded Man (as he is reffered to in the script) will appear in Episode 7 of the new hit HBO series Game of Thrones as one of the Night's Watch.

Brian Fortune as part of the Night's Watch in HBO's 'Game of Thrones'

I've been watching the show and really enjoying it and not being bias when I say the Night's Watch segment of the show is my favourite part, I just want the whole show to be set there! Set up North, in the wilderness, in the snow, with the early promise of Die Wolves and White Walkers... well, it's right up my street! Well done Brian!

Dates Locked:

I'd locked the dates at last. September 19 - 30, which includes a full week of rehearsal and a week of shooting.

I hadn't locked dates before because I was trying to accommodate schedules, so if someone had a paying gig I would move the dates, I figured it only fair considering I was asking people to work for free. But it has proved to be my downfall. Without solid dates it simply left people unsure I think, so they're going to take work when and where they can, not wait for me to maybe shoot in September, Depending on whether so and so is able...

Worth noting I think. Set your dates. Stick to them. If people can't do it then so be it. Get someone who can. But the film is much more likely to get made. So that's when we're going. By hook or by crook!

That all to report at the moment. Please head on over the kickstarter and pledge if you can, loads of cool perks to avail of - DVDs, T-Shirts, exclusive art cards, Film Credits and more. If you feel you can't pledge (I know times are hard) then sharing is caring! If you put a link on your facebook page and send people my way it may benefit us even more! You never know who's watching!

I'd also like to thank everyone who has donated so far: Brendan Carty, Deb Stone, Victoria Charters, Elliot Kotek, Donal Black, Oisin Prendiville, Farah Azalea, David Brennan, Trevi Productions, Terry Whittingham and Niamh O'Donnell! You guys are awesome!!! Thanks.

Kickstarter LIVE!

2011-05-20T08:23:00.001-07:00

The Derelict Kickstarter page is up and running! Drop by for a look, there's an exclusive pitch video that includes location scout footage and three scenes from our last rehearsal, so pretty cool. I'll continue to update the page with videos and photos.

ONLY 40 DAYS TO GO!!! Mid-Night on June 30th is the Deadline! So I have 40 days to raise $3000! Can it be done? I certainly hope so! I think we're better placed than last time, we're fully cast, we've had a couple of readings, some rehearsal, the script is more developed and there is some money there, following the success fundraiser and a large private donation.

Any amount people pledge will be hugely helpful, it all adds up! But sharing too will help us get the film going, copy and paste this link http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/frankwkelly/derelict-0 to you twitter feed or facebook page and help get the word out!

I'll keep you posted on how things go. Thanks in advance for you support!

I've got a think about old mills.

2011-05-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

Busy this week getting back on track. Been a little distracted of late. But I think things are on track again. Derelict is shaping up. I still have some work to do on the new draft and new angle, but a couple of weeks should see that right. Richie and I took a drive to Dunleer, a small village just outside Drogheda to look at a mill he heard tell of. Turns out it was a great place, we had a good look around and it certainly had potential. Might be a little small. But could work if push came to shove.

Atmospheric buildings.

In an attempt to build some momentum, get some buzz going and get some much needed funds in, I am launching a new Kickstarter drive! I've been working on the page for the last couple of days. I uploaded a pitch video which contains a location scout of the afore mentioned Mill and three scenes from the rehearsal we had a few weeks back, so some interesting stuff in there. The page goes LIVE this Friday! And I begin another drive to raise $3000 (about €2000).

Location Scout in Dunleer

It will go a long way to help getting the film made. The thing about Kickstarter of course is that if I don't raise the money I get NOTHING! NADA! ZILCH! That's right - Not. A. Penny. Even if I get £2999.99, they wont release the funds and no one will be charged (that's another thing, if you pledge the money doesn't come out right away, it's on hold until the full amount is raised) Anyway, yeah so - nothing!

But I kinda like that. It's a good incentive. I found with IndieGoGo, where you get the money right away, there were too many charges and a huge amount was shaved off a small amount. This way is like saving up.

Checking out the Mill Wheel (still in operation)

So that's this Friday, 20th. Then the blitz begins!

I hope it's success. I've given myself until mid-night on June 30th. I figure that's enough time to be annoying people. Also, from experience, it takes a long time to get the money from America to here. Last time it took me two whole months! (Banks just Suck!) So I've given myself enough time before we shoot. Which, by the way, is still set for the start of September.

So more news and links on Friday. Stay Tuned!

A Fine Figure of a Day

2011-05-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

I woke up Thursday morning to an unexpected email. It was from someone who had attended my fundraiser a couple of weeks ago. They explained that they had a wonderful time and were encouraged to see that such things were happening in the town, which was nice to hear.

The person went on to say they were involved with a local organisation (who have asked to remain anonymous) that sometimes help people like me, people trying to do something creative, constructive and generally positive in the community. So they wanted to make a donation toward the film. Great!

I called them right away to thank them and we set a meeting for that very afternoon. So I popped down to their office just after 3pm and met with the lady who emailed and the director of the association. We chatted for a little while and then they handed me a sealed white envelope. I thought it rude to open it in front of them. I kind of wish I had! My gratitude and enthusiasm might have been more!

I went straight to my bank to deposit it. I opened it while in line expecting to see an amount somewhere in the region of €100 to €200, I almost fell over when I read the words - one thousand euros and zero cents, and just to confirm I was reading it wrong, the figure €1000, in the small box on the right! Couldn't believe it! You could have knocked me over with a feather!

So between 10am and 4pm that day I had an email, an offer, a phone-call, a meeting, a donation and a cheque for €1000 in my bank account! Thank you very much indeed anonymous donor! You've basically given me one fifth of the budget I had in mind and got Derelict a huge step closer to production.

It certainly is encouraging. Not only because the film is that much closer to production, but the fact that people I don't know are paying attention to my work and have enough faith in me to make such a generous donation. It's a boost for the film and a huge boost for my own moral.

We are on the way!

Guiding Lights Don't Shine.

2011-04-21T13:13:00.000-07:00

I don't enter that many film festivals. Though I've had a pretty good hit rate on the ones I have. I like festivals, don't get me wrong, it's just that I cant afford a lot of them and honestly, I'd rather get on to the next film! I'm a filmmaker, that's what I'm about. I know my films need to be seen, and festivals are a great boost to a film's reputation and advertising. But after five or six festivals I just want to be writing again, getting the next film up and running.

With Emily's Song I put an enormous amount of time and effort into entering festivals and both Thomas and I spent a huge amount of money doing so. We got into about 30 film festivals, couple of big ones and won a few awards along the way, which was nice. But so much time passed while we promoted that film, two years in fact. When I wrapped that film I wanted to be shooting 6 month later! I thought I would, I had the next script ready to go. It was 3 years before I stood in front of a camera again. And even then it was just a no-budget doc short with friends, something personal for something to do.

Elliot Kotek once said something to me that made a lot of sense, he said "You only allow your films to be a successful as you want them to be," which is true. I could have pushed my other short films more, but maybe 140 wouldn't have happened. I could be pushing 140 more, but maybe Derelict wouldn't be happening. Again, I just want to be making films, and while festivals are an essential part of being an independent filmmaker, once I've done four or five of them I just want to on to the next film.

However, this attitude seems to have backfired on me a bit. I recently came across the Guiding Lights Mentorship Programme for aspiring filmmakers. Filmmakers in my position who have a few films under their belt, who have made a mark, got into festivals and won some awards. But just need that extra boost to get to the next level. I got very excited, especially when I saw that the mentors included the likes of Danny Boyle, Sam Mendes and Stephen Frears. I thought - This is so for me!

So I got applying, jumped the gun of course and started filling in the application form first! Then I got to a couple of awkward questions and requirements. One of which was about film festivals. It asked that the applicant, me, send in two sole directed films that have been selected by and screen at a film festival from an approved list of film festivals. A list of about 100 of the most prestigious festival around the world. Eek! It's kind of like arriving at the door of a nightclub with a smart dress policy and realising you're wearing trainers and hoody!

Now Emily's Song had been to two, maybe three of those festivals, even got a special mention at one (Oberhausen). But ES was co-directed, it's not a sole project. Bill, For Short has only been to a couple of film festivals. It was a personal film never meant for festival. It was just of the off chance I sent it to a couple of familiar festivals and they picked it up, Bonus! Slán suffered from bad promotion at the hands of 140 and never really got pushed at all, my own fault! I hold my hands up to that. And as for 140 - a few fests, none on the list and it certainly isn't a sole directing project!!!

So I'm screwed. It seemed like the mentoring programme was made for me from the questions in the email:

Are you a talented, ambitious filmmaker with a proven track record?

YES!

Have you reached a critical stage in your career where high quality industry support would help you reach the next level?

YES!

Would a mentor’s expert guidance enable you to achieve your full potential?

ABSOLUTELY... where do I sign?!

If so, Guiding Lights is for you.

Awesome, I'm in!

As it happened those questions were completely irrelevant. The single most important question was waiting inside - Have you got into any of these festivals? No? - sling your hook pal, you can't wear trainers and a hoody in this establishment!

I guess it's my own fault, as I said above, I'm about filmmaking. I love festivals, they have certainly helped me along the way. But again I just want to get on to the next project. And again - I just can't afford it. I'm an Unemployed Dad, as my friend Mark likes to say! I spend my days looking after my beautiful daughter and pushing her buggy around town, grabbing time to write when she sleeps and organise with my Wife or my Mam to babysit her if I want to do a reading or rehearsal or get some work done with a co-writer. All my spare money goes to her. All my time too. Festivals can take a back seat to that.

So I don't qualify. I'm not considered worthy of mentorship by the greats! My achievements, such as they are, count of naught here. Fair enough. Not for me. But I still find it odd that I, and many other talented filmmakers with heaps of potential I'm sure, get excluded because they haven't entered the right festivals. Doesn't seem fair or right. Shouldn't it be based on the work rather than the accolades?

Maybe not! Or maybe I'm just being sore?! Anyway, good luck to those who do get through. I'm going off to make another film.

Two Things.

2011-04-20T13:04:00.000-07:00

First, 140 just won a Bronze Palm Award from the Mexico International Film Festival! Woot! Thank you Mexico International, it's an honour! I'm thrilled.

Second, here's a little piece from the Drogheda Leader about the fundraiser.

That's it really. We're back working on Iscariot, I think I mentioned that earlier. Thomas and I were working on a beat sheet for a new draft today, it's looking good. Hopefully good enjoy to get us PAID for the next draft, wouldn't that be something?! And just need to find time now to work on the next draft of Derelict. OK, that's all, gotta fly.

Onward and Upward.

2011-04-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

The fundraiser has been and gone. I'm still recovering somewhat from the exertion involved, from the build up and all the running around, to the event itself. But it was worth it I think. The night was a success, we had a good crowd in, perhaps even a little more than I had expected and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. There was a good vibe in the room anyway.

In attendance: Kevin McAlister and Aoife Ruane.
All Photos © Eric O'Niell @ Drogheda Daily

Held in the Highlanes Gallery, in downtown Drogheda the event kicked off with a wine and food reception just after 7pm. People relaxed, sat and talked until 8pm when we moved downstairs to the main gallery. I gave a little speech, of course with all the preparation and running around I never actually prepared anything to say! So hopefully I didn't ramble too much, I don't think I did!

I spoke briefly about my experiences with trying to get films off the ground without any backing. From Emily's Song, where we managed to get something of a budget (back when people had money - including me!) and a full cast and crew, to Bill, For Short, which had no money and was shot in a weekend by 3 people, to Slán agus Beannacht, which was somewhere in the middle. I touch on 140, where crowd-source online funding came in to play.

Gerry Shanahan, Me, Ian Watters.

In each case I was reliant on the belief and generosity of my friends, family and community, both in the arts and the general public! People who came to my parties and events and gave. I always like to give something in return of course, by throwing a party or putting on a show at a good price - but of course, people can choose to spend their money wherever and however they please, I'm encouraged and grateful that they chose to support my cause!

After the talk I screened my three short films, Emily's Song, Bill, For Shot and Slán agus Beannacht, all of which got a good reaction. A lot of the crowd hadn't seen them before, so that was good, nice to get a fresh reaction and know they're still working!

Declan Kelly & Els Boghart

After that I went into a bit more detail about Derelict and screened 6 minutes of rehearsal footage, just as a taster and a reminder of what the night was about. Straight after that was the raffle, which was fun, and then the auction, which was somewhat tense, but also fun and much to my surprise and delight a great success, we sold all but three pieces.

Sarah Bradley & Paul Hayes

Once initial outlays and expenses are settled I will have raised a few-hundred euro (final figure to be tallied). In this climate I'm very happy with that. And it will go a long way in helping to getting the film made, either by going toward insurance, catering, location, equipment... it will be well spent!

So my thanks to everyone who came and supported and to everyone who helped and took part.

To our main sponsors:

Highlanes Gallery - The Wine Buff - Andersons Cafe

To our raffle sponsors:

Scholars Townhouse Hotel - Stockwell Artisan Foods - Waterstones - Unwind - Stoney Road Films

To the Artists who donated their work: Richard Moore, Robert Ardill, Willie Dillon, Noel Kelly, Cara Konig-Brock and Brendan McHugh. To Justin Stubbs, auctioneer on the night. Especially to Mark Kearns whose idea the whole thing was and who was the driving force behind it. And of course my wife, Maryann, who is my biggest supporter and source of encouragement.

Still a lot of work to do. A script to be finished. Rehearsals to take place. Dates to be finalised and more money to be found! But this is an encouraging start to it all. Onward and upward.

Nothing Quite Like It.

2011-04-10T10:36:00.000-07:00

Sometimes things just work out for the best.

Last Monday I thought I had a venue booked, at least, I didn't think it would be an issue. Then I got an email from said venue to say my email had been found in their junk mail folder and they hadn't actually seen my request. So they booked the room out to someone else. So the reading it had taken me weeks to coordinated around everyone's busy schedules looked as if it was about to slip through me fingers once again. AARRRGH!!! Read the subject line of my email to the cast. No, I'm not a pirate, but I was frustrated!

Luckily the cast know Dublin, and the spaces available, a lot better than I do. So Wednesday the problem was solved, thanks to Keith Ward (below), who made The Complex available to us. A great space and perfectly suited to Derelict, itself an empty warehouse. So we all met there at 12:30pm yesterday for a couple of hour and the second reading of Derelict.

Above: Michael Bates as J and Keith Ward as Tone have words, during rehearsal.

There seemed to be a good vibe in the room. I enjoyed myself anyway. It's always interesting to see what's working and what's not working when you hear your words read back to you. The mistakes become glaringly obvious. As it stands at the moment the script still needs a lot of work. Too much exposition, something I hate to see in a script anyway. But it's still at 'mind-dump' stage, where everything in my head is getting put on the page, without too much editing.

Michael Bates as J tells Elaine Reddy
as Kate what he thinks of her

It's early stages though, and I've purposely brought the actors in at this early stage because I really wanted them to be involved in the creation of their characters and their backstory. I felt, as the audience are dropped into an hour and half in the lives of these characters, without knowing who they are, where they're from or even what the situation is, we really need a strong sense of who these people are without it being rammed down our throats. At the moment it's still being a little bit rammed!

I know we'll get there though. The tone is there. The characters are there. The structure is there. The backbone of the piece is intact, we need to start layering the organs, the muscles, the fat, the flesh.

Steve Gunn as Davey-boy gives Rory Mullen
(Standing in as J) a piece of his mind.

After the reading we went through a couple of scenes to camera. More as something of a preview at the fundraiser this Thursday, give everyone a taste of what they are supporting. But it was great fun. I love getting behind the camera, and while there wasn't much in the way of direction, or delving the recesses of the characters minds and motivation, it was still fun to be holding a camera and have actors in front of it saying my words and see them come to life... there's no buzz quite like it! I Love it!!!

So everything is on track and ticking along nicely. I'll have a busy week ahead in the run up to the fundraiser and hopefully that will be a success! At least bring in some much needed funds. Id I can cover the cost of the location, or the insurance, or the food, I'll be happy. But in the meantime things are looking up.

This is coming up fast!

2011-04-08T03:53:00.001-07:00

Workspace

2011-03-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

My work space today:

Fundraiser poster.
Moleskin Journal
Eternal Hard-drives x2
Mac
Coffee Mug
iPod
Benny and Omar by Eoin Colfer
Tin Whistle
Moleskin Storyboard pad
Film Ireland
Variety
Batteries
Derelict script
Book about Rembrandt
Notepad
Sony HDR FX7
More Notebooks

Just so you know!

You're In or You're Out.

2011-03-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

FADE OUT:

THE END.

Always nice to get to that point of a script. Of course it's usually just the beginning. It's somewhere in the middle for me. This the third draft. I'll do a reading soon with the actors and see how it reads, there will be changes, no doubt. I already feel like it needs a lot less dialogue, there's a lot in there that can be said without being said. I also want to explore certain relationships a bit further and a couple of the character get left out in the cold a bit in this draft, so I want to pull them back in.

The tone of this one has changed slightly. The moral compass is slightly more eschew... if there at all! It's longer and has my interplay between the characters and some of the relationships have changed. There's added conflict and drama. I've basically up the stakes for everyone. I think that's the key for making it work. Is pushing it as far as it will go.

It's been a difficult project so far, no doubt about that. It's really pushing and pulling at me. I'm running hot and cold on this one, which is a first I think. There's a lot of doubt, which probably comes from a lack of confidence in myself, my ability as a writer and director, my vision. I know it's there, but it's hard to see the wood from the trees sometimes.

At the moment I feel a little flabby, both on the belly and the brain! In need of collaboration, inspiration, the back and forth that comes with creative partnership. I've been missing it for a long time. It's been two years since my last narrative film shoot and about a year and half since 140 (though that was quite a solitary project too). So maybe that's where my self doubt and doubt about this film comes from - I'm out of practice!

What always bring me back around though is the idea of working with the actors on this. Getting to play! Everyone piling into a rehearsal space for a couple of weeks to find the rhythm of the piece and then piling into the location to shoot the thing. Organised chaos! And once again creating something. The doubts are the demons that try to pull you down. The light at the end of the tunnel is the vision, the spark that started it all in the first place. The challenge is to fight the demons to reach the light.

I'm sure I'll get there. And hopefully there wont be anymore delays. They have largely come due to people schedules, again my own doubts and of course money. But maybe I don't need that much money. Hopefully I'll raise a good bit on the 14th and maybe I can make whatever that amount is work. Maybe I should just set the date, book the venue and let people know, see if anyone shows up and then make it up on the day with whatever and whoever arrives. You're in or you're out, this is it or it's nothing at all (there are a couple of other personal factors that make that last statement more than me just blowing hard! This is the last chance.)

A Productive Day

2011-03-21T04:34:00.000-07:00

As it happened last Monday in Dublin was postponed to Friday, which in turn happened to be a very busy and productive day. A meeting at the Irish Film Board to really just put Derelict on their radar, let them know it's being made so if there's room for future collaboration they will have watched it's progress.

That was followed by a meeting with Derry O'Brien at Network Ireland Television. Derry is the sales agent for Emily's Song and Bill, For Short. I was there to talk about 140 and while I didn't sign any contracts he's going to put the feelers out and see if he can generate some interest with festivals and buyers, see if there's a market there somewhere. So that good, nice to have someone else on side.

I've decided to delay Derelict again, until September. Which will hopefully give the time we need to pull things together. Starting with money! First fundraiser is April 14th in the Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda, a night of Fine Wine, Gourmet Food, Short Films, an Auction and a Raffle. Hopefully we can raise a few quid toward the budget. It should also give us more time for readings and rehearsal.

I'm still working away on the new draft of the script, when I can get to it... should really be working on it now instead of blogging! But I have an excuse, I've been sick all weekend, some bug that wasn't very pleasant, my head still isn't fully clear! So don't want to commit anything sub par to the page... that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

That's all for now. Hopefully more news to report soon.

On The Ropes.

2011-03-12T11:01:00.000-08:00

I feel like a boxer climbing the ropes for the third time in the ninth round wondering if I should just lie down. I think Monday will help me answer that question.

I set the dates for shooting for May 14 - 19 and we booked a location in Slane, just outside of Drogheda, a great location! Perfect. Just what I was hoping for and access all areas, which is even better. Now it seems those dates wont work for some people involved. So it's a case of delaying or recasting. Neither of which I want to do.

There are pros and cons to delaying. Pros: more time to find money, more time on the script, more time to rehearse. Cons: I might lose other people, DOP included, I might lose certain big favours and I might even lose the chance to shoot it here entirely!

Every time I think I'm there, something happens to knock me back down. I do believe the film will come together and we will shoot... but when keeps getting called into question, and indeed - where?

A friend and colleague recently suggested shooting in the states. It's a possibility I suppose, a last resort if everything here falls through. I have as many, if not more, friends and film contacts there as I do here. It's an option. One I may end up exploring if this keeps getting delayed.

On Monday I will know more, I have several meetings all day that may determine my final decision. They will involve funding possibilities and availability of all involved. So we may still be shooting in May, we may push it to September, we may say bye bye Ireland, hello LA.

What's so hard is that this is a no-budget film, so everyone is generously working for free. But that also means anything that pays takes precedence. It was stated at the start, by everyone involved, so it's not unexpected... just, annoying! I wish I could make it a paying gig, pay everyone there rate and just get on with it, shoot it and get it out there. Maybe until I do make it a paying gig it will remain a dangling carrot, I don't know.

I hope someday to get out of the indies. Just because I'd like the get paid! And I'd like to pay people. It's not that I don't think people are worth it, of course I do! It's one part of it I hate the most, but I also believe the work should be allowed exist. I believe scripts call out to be made. They arrive, as a twinkle in their father's eye and we must then carry them to birth and do the best job we can as parents. And sometimes parents aren't rich. Sometimes they're on the dole and just doing the best they can!

It's trying at the best of times. There is a lot of time spent wondering if any of this is truly worth it. I guess I think it is, otherwise I wouldn't be doing it, or maybe I'm doing because I don't know what else to do?! I don't know anymore. I just keeping moving forward, head down, one foot in front of the other in the hope that one day I'll look up and realise I've arrived. Until that day I have to keep begging and hoping and sucking it up.

So Monday! I will know more then. I will have answers and a direction of one sort or another.

The Creative Side.

2011-03-03T04:12:00.000-08:00

Things are going well on Derelict, coming together at last. Richard Quinn has joined the production as Producer and he's pulled a lot of things together very quickly for us. He's good at what I'm crap at, phoning people and asking for things! I don't know why I'm bad at that, I get nervous and self-conscious and worry about asking for favours and things for free, so I don't call or put it off until it's too late. I'm not much of a producer. I don't know how I've made 4 films to date! But it's great he's on board, it allows my to concentrate more on my side of things, the creative side.

We have a few details to confirm on some exciting things and then I can talk about them. We're close to getting the Location... at least I hope we are! I'll wait until we do to say where and what it is, but if we secure it, it will be very cool!

New draft of the script is now, at last, going well. It's been so hard to get to it lately. Being a stay-at-home dad with a one year-old makes writing near impossible. I find the best time is between 11pm and 3am... but I'm usually falling over by 11pm and ready for bed! If I can break through that barrier I'm usually OK. Managed to do it last night and got a good bit done. Will try again tonight. Tomorrow the little one if off with her grandmother for the day, so it's a writing day for me. Hope to put a big dent in the next draft.

My old/new friend Mark Kearns (former owner of Boyne Books) has stepped in to help with some fundraising and has organised a Wine/Food/Film night in association with Andersons cafe in the Highlanes Gallery and The Wine Buff, on the 31st of March (tbc). There be... well, wine food and films! My short films intersperse between wine tasting, food consumption and an auction! Of some yet to be confirmed items, most likely various vouchers for one thing or another, but certain some of my photography. Fittingly enough pieces from my 'Old Shoes and Broken Walls' collection (images of Derelict buildings) and a portfolio or two of unframed images. Hopefully we'll pull a good crowd in. I'm looking forward to it.

I'm going to be having the second reading with the cast soon. I'll be filming that and hopefully doing some scenes. Will be nice to get stuck in. But I'll also be cutting a promo from the footage and including a pitch from myself which will go up on the relaunched kickstarter fund and be used on the wine night and hopefully to entice further contribution and sponsorship from local people and businesses. That'll be coming at the end of March too.

That's all for now. Next post should have some cool news.

Stepping Up.

2011-02-23T04:18:00.000-08:00

Busy week following the 140 screening, which went great by the way. Good turn out, warm reception, good Q&A, live music afterwards, good conversation - so I was happy! And the Droichead is such a great place, I love screening there. I've screening three films there now and had one photo exhibition. The staff are a pleasure to work with. I hope I can always bring my films there.

After the screening I got talking to a few people who seemed eager to help on Derelict, which was a bonus. A friend, Mark Kearns, who screened Slán agus Beannacht and Bill, For Short when he owned and ran Boyne Books (great store, sad it's gone) talked about ideas for fundraisers, as did my friend Kieran, who was once a prominent comedy promoter. So I think there'll be a couple of fundraising events on the way.

I also spoke to an old friend, Richard Quinn, who's always shown interest and support in my films. He offered his services a producer, stepping to help organise the shoot and to get the things I need to make it happen ie. location, crew, equipment etc. He's been on the job a couple of days and has already booked a location viewing, which we went to see last night, great place, Millhouse in Slane. It's ideal really, exactly what I was looking for. Just some details to check out to see if it's suitable, cost, distance for commuting and the like. But even if it doesn't work out I know he's on the job. So that's a load off my mind.

Our prodigal producer returned with some good notes on Iscariot. The reader seemed to like it and the notes were mainly with regard to tone, characterization and some plot holes. Nothing that can't be fixed and a adjusted. So Thomas and I may get back to work on that i the Summer. There'll be nothing doing until then of course, Thomas is stuck into college and I'm working on Derelict, but that's OK. At least there's potential there for something to happen.

So it's all good, all moving forward. What I thought was a stall on Derelict only happened to be a speed bump, all systems go now and looking good. I'm sure there'll be plenty of complications leading up to shooting, but aren't there always! That's what makes it interesting.

I set my cast some homework, to watch 'The French Connection' again. And you dear reader, the same. Such an amazing film. And a big inspiration for this, in terms of tone and style, raw and documentary like. I love it. I'll be looking at it again a couple of times in the lead up to shooting Derelict. It blends the traditions of noir and cop procedure movies with the ragged unruliness of 70s filmmaking. It breaks alot of the rules, but never disrespects what's gone before, just brings a new energy that is still blistering to watch today, far more than most film now, 40 years later! 40 YEARS!!! Come on! We need to get some of that energy back. Hackman is just brilliant as Popeye Doyle, the quintessential anti-hero leading man. He's detestable, unruly, a borderline criminal himself, relentless, a womaniser, authority hater and you love him for all his faults. A great character. Watch it!

Hometown Screening.

2011-02-19T09:30:00.001-08:00

OK, doom and gloom aside for a second. 140 is screening tonight in the Droichead Arts Centre. Hometown crowd. Always slightly daunting, especially as everyone's been hearing about this film for nearly 2 years and finally seeing it tonight!

Should be a good event, it's free, there'll be a Q&A, hosted by my wife, Maryann, which should be fun (we met at the Heartland Film Festival of course where she worked as Film Researcher and Co-ordinator for 3 years, so she's well experienced in this kind of thing) After the Q&A there'll be live music in the bar from Eoin McCabe and Tadhg Murphy, playing song from the film, so that'll be great! I'm also going to try and sell some DVDs and T-shirts, see if I can't raise some funds for Derelict!

I'll hopefully be able to film the Q&A so I'll post it at a later date. OK, I'm off to quell my nerves with some stiff drinks!

The Breaks.

2011-02-14T05:03:00.000-08:00

I had hoped to counter the last moany post with something a bit more positive this time, but alas, that was not to be. With only 6 weeks to go I've decided to postpone the Derelict shoot by several months. It's frustrating and a little disheartening but in my view necessary. Too many things haven't come together to risk pushing ahead and falling at the final hurdle. I'd rather stop now and move the race dates!

At the moment the script has yet to be finished, equipment needs to be sourced and paid for. I still don't have a location or the key crew and of course - there's no money. It occurred to me that when I was shooting 'Slán agus Beannacht', it took me 6 weeks to organise the bloody fundraiser! And that was a short! I'm talking about doing a feature from scratch in 6 weeks! I have the cast, yes. By by the time I started the run down to the fundraiser on Slán, let alone the film, I had the script finished, the entire cast and crew, half the budget and all the locations (of which there were about 10, not just 1!). When I remembered that I made up my mind fairly quickly after much back and forth.

I want the film to be good. I'd like it to do well and for everyone involved to be proud of it. I'd like it to get into festivals, be well received, sell and be distributed. I want people to see this film, enjoy it and not feel like they're watching some inferior work that could have been done so much better. I fear if I kept going the way I am now that's how it would end up. I would just let myself down and everyone else involved. I don't want that, especially when I know that just a bit more time is all that's needed to get it right.

Sucks! But them's the breaks I guess. My energy is still high. I'm still excited about the script, the project and working with the actors and everyone else involved so far. I still believe it's going to be a unique film. This is just a set back. I still hope to have the film shot, cut and heading out the door by the end of this year.

Meantime - money, crew where for art thou?

May Contain Moaning.

2011-02-10T05:08:00.000-08:00

Moan Alert: This blog may containing moaning.

I'm stressed. And it's starting to take its tole on my body. Woken up by the baby crying this morning at 4am, once fed she went back to sleep. I, on the other hand, did not. I lay awake thinking about all that has to be done and all that's not getting done. The location I don't have, the money I don't have, the crew I don't have, the equipment I don't have, the fact that crew I've worked with before aren't returning calls and new crew aren't answering the call to aid! I became so tight and tense I thought the tendons in my neck would snap!

I've always been a one-man-band on my films. I've had to to get them made. But there just seems to be a lot more to do on this one, and for some reason people seem to be a lot less willing to get involved. Maybe it's because it's a feature film, perhaps there's more at stack, maybe people are sick of my asking for help and freebies! Seems more likely. Fair enough I suppose! I guess there comes a time when you have to start making something that pays or just hang up the gloves. Accept that I'm actually no good at this otherwise someone would have paid me by now! I fear I've reached that crossroads. Make or break... again!

Me as I'm writing this blog

Of course every film feels like make or break. I suppose this one is different because it's the first film I've made with a family in tow. Finding the time to write, make phone calls, sit down and make schedule, think about budget, organise a fundraiser... all that stuff is near impossible. Plus there's the Guilt Factor. Before I never had to worry about not eating for a day or missing the rent. I can't do that now. And I can't find any satisfactory reasons that makes it OK for me to drag my family through poverty anymore. For Art? Yeah, whatever! Art me arse!

I don't know why doing what you want has to be such a struggle? Why it has to test you and stress you and make you feel so miserable before paying off, IF it pays off. Do you think it works the other way too? What about people who just want to have a few cans and watch Eastenders of an evening, do you think they're struggling to do that, while being miserable billionaires in Bel Air?! "Why is so hard to be poor? Stupid Aston martins!"

Oh I shouldn't moan. I'm on the path I chose. I wanted to make films, no one forced me to. For me it's a vocation. A calling. I'm compelled to do this. And even in these stressful moment, when it's full of doubt and questions, there's always the knowledge that I will continue, there will be another project. Even though I'm stressing over this film and wishing everything would just click into place and wondering why the hell I'm doing this to myself, I'm still thinking "I'd love to make that werewolf movie... I wish I could get back to that script... You know what make a great film..." so it doesn't go away.

And some good people have of course stepped up, Caroline Farrell, a writer I let down a couple of years ago on a short I promised to make and never did, remains true and supportive. Colette and Darren at Calipo as always make a donation, friends in LA, Elliot, Trampas, Robert are always on hand with whatever they can muster and encouraging phone calls and emails. And of course my wonderful wife, who wouldn't let me throw in the towel no matter how much I fussed and griped.

It's all part of the process unfortunately. I guess I've gone through it to a lesser extent on all my films. I remember Emily's Song was quite a stressful process with a lot of set backs. I think we had to push the shooting back three times before we were ready to shoot. Then people kept delaying us, letting us down and pulling out at the last minute. There was a lot to deal with on that film, but we got their in the end and we had a good film after all the struggles. Hopefully the same will happen here.

Right. Better go do something constructive with my day. Not much point in sitting around here moaning!

Going For A Song.

2011-02-04T06:35:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay since last I posted. I've been busy on things other than Derelict! Among them a Kelly Family reunion (first time all my Uncles and Aunts, 12 in all, have been altoghter in 35 years) I got roped into doing the photo slide-show, so that took up a few days! I didn't think putting together a slideshow could get so complicated... or maybe I just made it that way!

There are a couple of screenings coming up for 140. On Tuesday 8th it's screening in Shebeen on George's st. in Dublin as part of the Shebeen Flick series of Irish films, loved and unseen! Hosted be Fernanda Parente. I'll be there for a Q&A (hopefully with some of the other filmmakers). It's free in and all are welcome, so pop in if you're in the area.

Next is the Drogheda screening at the Droichead Arts Centre on Stockwell St. Screening is at 8PM on Saturday the 19th and again I'll be there for the Q&A. Plus some pints afterwards in the local no doubt! Looking forward to that, two years since I came up with the idea it'll be nice to finaly screen the film in my hometown!

Derelict News:

I'm happy to announce that Tim Hanan has join the crew as Script Supervisor, Dave O'Sullivan as Production Assistant and Behind the Scenes Videographer and Eddie Quinn on Continuity. I also have a couple of runners lined up but need to interview and comfirm that. And still plenty of important positions need to be filled - Sound Recordist, Lighting Technician, AD, Production Manager, Art Director, Costume and Make-up Artist. I'm sure we'll get there!

I'm still working on the new draft of the script. But should get that out in the next week or so. Also still looking for a main location. Started thinking outside the box, derelict buildings are proving to be difficult to come by, strangely, so thinking of new and empty buildings, factories, churches and abandoned building sites in the middle of nowhere! We'll see, I'm sure something will come up... a location manager would be nice too now that I think of it!

Fundraising too needs to be looked at. I honestly haven't put too much thought or effort into it, just been distracted really. So I need to get on that. Will most likely hold a benifit concert of some kind, comedy perhaps, music no doubt, a raffle, perhaps a table quiz or something similar. Might even have a car boot sale, god knows I have a ton of stuff I could sell. Years worth of baby clothes if anyone's interested?! Films, mags, book, clothes, posters and much much more... all going for a song ;)

But things are moving forward at least! So that's good. Hopefully more news and announcements soon.

A Contradiction in Terms.

2011-01-18T08:55:00.000-08:00

(Derelict Cast - Clockwise from top left: Michael Bates, Kieth Ward, Gerry Shanahan,

Steve Gunn, Brian Fortune, Elaine Reddy, Rory Mullen and Andy Gallagher.)

We had our first cast reading last Saturday in Filmbase. Read through the script and had a discussion afterwards. I think it went really well. Everyone got on, seemed to click and enjoyed the reading. Of course the glaring problems in the script jumped out at me - as they do! But nothing detrimental. I was delighted that everyone was so involved and had alot of ideas themselves, good ideas that I will incorporate into the next draft.

I would usually spend months, even years working on a script before I would let anyone read it, that's if I'd even let them read it! But this is the first time I've taken a first-draft to a bunch of people and just laid it all out there. It was quite refreshing. Admitedly, this draft only took 3 nights to write, so it probably could have been given at least one more going over (especially for typos! Sorry guys!) But in saying that, the fact that it was so raw gives everyone a chance to be involved right from the start and to help in the growth of the story and their characters. I like this approach.

After a two and half hour meeting I came away feeling confident, excited and eager to get writing again -but as yet I haven't had the time! Why is it when you're busy people suddenly want you?! Everything is quiet for 3 months and now, two months out from shooting my first feature film, everyone's calling me looking for favours! I shouldn't complain really. After all, I'm asking a whole bunch of people to work for free for me. Karma. You give you get. (But I'm still secretly praying I'll get out of the Indies some day soon!)

Still lots to do. First, to work on the script and then meet again. But I still need a location, backing, lights, sound equipment, sponsorship of one kind or another - bottled water and food would be a good start! Any supermarkets reading? Want a credit on a film?! Hotel would be nice for cast and crew. D? Scholars? So, plenty to be getting on with, all while I try to write, produce and direct...

This is now the hard part of Indie filmmaking, the Doing Everything. The One-Man-Show part. This is where I need the most help. As the writer and the director I really should be concentrating on those two things so the film can benefit from my undivided attention, but it's not a luxury I have. I just hope I'm as good at time management as I am at daydreaming... bit of a contradiction in terms there! Such is the film business!

More soon.

A Thing of the Past.

2011-01-06T15:08:00.000-08:00

Ever feel like you're forgetting something? You're walking home from town and you just know there was something you forgot, but you never remember, you just have to live with that gnawing blank spot in your brain. Or ever get that feeling like you're waiting for something to happen? But you don't know what. Am I expecting someone? Is someone going to call? But no one arrives, no one calls and it just hangs there. You can't shake it. So you pace the house. Check emails. Check your phone. Walk in out of rooms. Well that's what it feels like when you're gearing up to make a film.

I remember now. It been a while since I was in this position. Two years in fact, which is hard to believe! 140 was such a long process and I don't even count that as a shoot, considering the actual shoot was, well, 140 seconds! So I guess Slán agus Beannacht was the last time I directed a film with a cast and crew. That was April 2009! Almost two years ago. I find that hard to believe. But I guess I've done alot in between.

But yes, that feeling, that irritation at the back of my mind. Anxiety I guess. Nervous energy. Excitement. Anticipation. Fear. Doubt. It's all there. I've been lucky this week. I've been sick. Lucky? You might ask. Well, it meant I had to take Night Nurse, a cold and flu remedy that basically knocks you out at night. I don't think I'd be sleeping otherwise. Sleep takes a back seat leading up to these things. The two nights previous to being sick I awoke at 4am. Brain alight. And awoken I stayed. I got some work done. Plenty of emailing. Thoughts on the script. To do lists. Got a head start on things.

There's very little time and a hell of a lot to do. I guess I'm lucky we're fully cast. Lesson learned from previous films with a week to go before shooting and still parts to be cast. But as mention below, crew, money, location all to be got. These things will keep me up nights until the first day of shooting. I wont relax until "CUT" is called on the very last take on the very last day. But that's OK. I think the nervous energy is important. You need adrenaline to do something like this, it's fuel. And the fear and doubt, well that'll keep me in check and make sure I'm prepared.

Right, I better go take some Night Nurse and get some sleep before I get better and it becomes a thing of the past!

Derelict Diary: New Entry

2011-01-05T07:38:00.000-08:00

Day one of the new year on Derelict. The shoot is scheduled for the end of March, 23rd to April 1st to be precise, with a weeks rehearsal beforehand. I'm putting out a crew call. The positions available are:

1st AD

Production manager

Lighting Technician

Sound Recordist

Make-up Artist (including special f/x)

Script Supervisor

Costume Designer

Runner

Other positions may open up but at the moment I want to keep the crew as small as possible, given the nature of the shoot itself. There's no need for a bunch of people running around.

1st AD, essential position in my view! It would be nice to get someone with experience to wrangle everyone, keep an eye on the clock, make sure everyone's doing what they're supposed to be and are where they're supposed to be! (I've had some experience of disappearing cast and crew! I think because it's no-budget people sometimes feel as though they can take it a little bit easier, hang out, have a laugh - but if anything it's the opposite!)

Production Manager, again experienced manager to look after contracts, insurance, locations, budget (if we get one) etc.

Sound Recordist, possibly the most essential part of the whole thing. This is going to be cheap, on the fly, bare bones, I know the performances will be good and I know we'll be able to capture them, and with some style, but this film will fall flat on it's face if the sound isn't good.

Make-up, plenty for one, maybe two people to be getting on with. Lots of blood. Also a bit of prosthetic work and blood f/x.

Script Supervisor, another important role, someone to keep an eye on the script is essential. We're going to be shooting in long takes, I'll need someone to keep an eye on things, make sure we're heading in the right direction and be on hand to nudge us back should we loose our way.

Costumes, it would be nice to have someone think about costumes for the actors. At this level it's often just what the actors have themselves and charity shops. But it would be nice to have some thought behind it, someone to create cinematic looks, strong silhouettes etc.

Runner, might be more then one place here. This is a position for someone who likes helping, getting their hands dirty, doesn't mind slogging it, running here there and everywhere at a moments notices. You'll be doing everything from running for teas and coffees, to carrying gear, to making phone calls and driving people around (own car and full license a major plus).

I've had a few emails already. So I'm going to go through everyone and then I'll see where we stand and start building the crew. But please, if you're interested get in touch. The positions are unpaid, this is a labour of poverty... I mean Love! There simply is no money, experience aplenty, but no money. So click on the contact button on the right or email me at derelicmovie(at)gmail(dot)com. Thanks.

Spot the Difference.

2011-01-05T06:56:00.000-08:00

A couple of things that bothered me in 2010 was of course waking up one morning to find out that Ridley Scott was making a film with the exact same premise as 140 and that he was premiering at Sundance sight-unseen even though they had rejected 140 a few months earlier!

Another incident was when I had been developing a premise for a new take on the Cú Chulain legend. I thought it could really work well, and was different to anything I had heard from anyone else who wanted to tell that story. Then another production company announced they were making it with almost the exact same premise. This has happened me before. I know I wasn't ripped off. I didn't tell anyone about my idea, it's just one of those things. Annoying nonetheless.

But the thing that probably irked me the most was when the new Sky HD campaign was launched. The one featuring the big furry blue monsters "The Spenglers", you know the one.

5 years ago Thomas and I had been developing a script called Puca (you'll find it in these pages) It was about a boy and his imaginary friend, Puca, a large furry blue monster. Not too strange, I mean Monsters Inc. has a furry blue monster. But there was something really familiar about these monsters. So I did a little digging, went back through some designs and emails to a certain company and discovered that the same company I spoke to about make our big furry blue monster suit was the very same company who made the Spengler suits! Check out below, see if you can see why I might find this particular incident irksome...

My Design:

Their Design:

Similar? No?

Ah well, no point letting these thing annoy me. Happens I guess. On ward an upward. I have enough to be getting one with this year. Will be interesting to see what ideas of mine people get to before I do though!

Happy New Year!!!

2010-12-31T17:19:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to wish everyone who has followed this blog, dropped in from time to time and shown interest and support in what I do, a Very Happy New Year! Thank you. I appreciate it, believe me, I do! I hope to bring you more of the same, and much more of something new in 2011! Have a great new year, I hope it brings you everything you hope for.

All the very best

Frank

Writing In The Dark.

2010-12-17T05:01:00.000-08:00

I've been working on the Derelict script the last two nights, till 2 and 3am. I wrote 23 pages the first night, and 28 the second. 51 pages in. I decided to start from scratch. I started to write a draft a couple of months ago, wrote about the same, 50 pages. But I just wasn't happy with it. I didn't feel the characters were there and the structure was lying a little flat. So I left it for a while and just thought about it, made some notes, thought about it some more.

On Wednesday night (15th) I opened a new tab to write down a new beginning of a visual idea I had for the opening. It worked really nicely and added a new tone. It also propelled me further. 23 pages and several hours later I stood up from my desk, stretched, cracked, groaned and felt pretty happy with a good night's work and the new direction the script was taking.

Last night I type THE END on page 51. Very short feature script you might say. But that's OK. I skipped passed scenes I knew needed more time. Tagged them for later revision. I got the main structure and sequences I was clear on out of the way. The final page count will be in the region of 70/75 pages, still a short feature screenplay. But I know the story is there. I have a clear vision of what I want to make. And I have a sense that with workshops and rehearsal with the actors over the next few months we'll be able to grow their relationships and these scenes.

It's shaping into a tight, tense and quite violent piece, perhaps a little more violent than I had first envisaged. But I'm enjoying writing it. It has a tone of anger and frustration about it, which is reflective of present times. It's a film about trying to escape but realising escape is impossible and the tension, anxiety and frustration that brings. These men have already arrived in hell, they just don't know it.

Like so much of Film Noir it presents a hopeless situation, with characters plagued by misfortune, a shady past and no hope for the future, regardless of how they try to better themselves. Of course there betterment usually involves a crime of sorts, something seemingly simple that goes so complete wrong. (Am I ruining the ending here?!)

I've wanted to do something like this since I decided to start writing screenplays over ten years ago. The first two feature scripts I tried to write (started, but never finished) were crime thrillers. Then I read Story by Robert McKee, and Screenplay by Syd Field, they gave me some grounding and focused my mind. I then wrote Blood.Dirt.Money, which wasn't very good, but had some nice moments and, more to the point, was the first fully finished feature script I ever wrote. It too was a crime thriller, about an American man who inherits a fortune, comes to Ireland with his girlfriend, who is duly kidnapped and held to ransom (I guess not entirely a million miles away from Derelict - kidnapping - money etc.) - but seriously, who inherits a fortune and comes to Ireland?!

I moved away from crime to explore adventure, fantasy and family drama - all of which I enjoy. But I keep coming back to crime and Noir. Thomas Kennedy and I wrote Iscariot of course, part-time over two years, which is very much inspired by and drawn from Hollywood Noir of the 40s and 50s. It's funny, I remember a readers note we got when we went looking for funding initially that criticized the character development and especially the female character for being "just like a femme fatale from 1940's Hollywod Noir..." Top marks there! The completely missed the point and criticized us for doing exactly what we intended!

(Mind you, these are the same people who criticized Puca, a children's story about a 12 year-old boy and his imaginary friend, for being aimed at children. And criticized Nevermore for being too literal, offering that it should be a novel, because it was largely descriptive without much dialogue. I was going for visual... it being cinema and all that. I do spend a lot of time scratching my head with these reports!)

But I digress, Iscariot was indeed film noir and while that percolates I wanted to explore the genre some more, hence Derelict. Iscariot is much bigger, so I thought something smaller, low-budget, one location, manageable would be a good place to put this desire to make a crime thriller into practice.

I still have some work to do before I put the script into people's hands. And I suspect it will continue to evolve, especially during shooting, given the nature of the shoot itself.

Once this draft is done and out I'll take a break for Christmas and the new year and then come January, it's full tilt into shooting. So my blogs and updates should come more regularly - provided everything goes according to plan, which of course it never does!

24 hours left on the Kickstarter fund! Of the $6,750 goal I managed to raise... drum roll - $359.00 :( Not very good! But that's OK, there's 24 hours to go, I'm sure someone out there has $6,391 they don't know what to do with and will pledge it in the very last minutes! Unlikely... but possible! It doesn't stop plans. This fund was a shot in the dark, a plus if it happened, would have made life a lot easier, but now I just have to hustle some more, come with the territory. No point in getting downhearted about it. If I was the kind of person who worried about money I wouldn't be making films!

OK, better get back to it, I'm using up all my words here, they're needed elsewhere! More soon.

Derelict Cast Complete

2010-12-15T11:37:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to announce a new, and final, addition to the cast - Rory Mullen (above) joins us to play the kidnapped bank manager, Laurence. I worked with Rory on Slán agus Beannacht when he played a rent collector alongside Pascal Scott.

Rory has appeared in many other films including Anton, by Graham Cantwell, Hunger, by Steve McQueen and will appear in the forth coming Portrait of a Zombie, as well as many other films, short and TV shows.

Script to be finished. Money to be raised. Location to be found. Final crew to be confirmed... so lots to do in the new year. Should be a busy one.

Meantime, just for fun, here's the Derelict "Noir" Poster!

2010 Review

2010-12-07T19:27:00.000-08:00

...This is what life really is.

And you’re going to get what you

deserve for a change.

Well, it's Christmas, I'm shutting up shop. I finished the first draft of Derelict last night (tiny extract above) and sent it off to the actors, wrapped in a nice festive bow. I hope they like it! I'm happy with the direction it's taking. I think the story, the structure and the characters are all there. But there's room to grow. There'll be plenty of news coming in 2011.

At the end of the year I like to look back and take stock. So what's happened in 2010. Well, plenty!

Finished 140, Held the World Premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival, the European Premiere at the Irish Film Institute and also screened at the Denver Film Society, Hatch Fest Film Festival, Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles and Heartland Film Festival.

Invited to:
Sedona International Film Festival
and to be a part of the Media Course the Ottawa University in Canada.

Got some great press from MovieLine, MovieViral, Fast Company and Variety.

My short film Emily's Song sold to Channel 4 in the UK and has been broadcast twice this year.

Started putting together my next film, Derelict, and pulled together a great cast.

I finished a feature script called Iscariot with Thomas Kennedy, something that we had been writing for over two years. Found a producer who was excited about it and wanted to take it on. He said he'd get back to us in two weeks - six months ago... we'll see!

Edited a short called 'Raise My Hands' with Elliot Kotek producing and photography from Scott McDermott. Is sitting in limbo at the moment waiting for release... we'll see!

And the prospect of many more good things to come. 2011 should be an interesting year and I can't wait to get started.

OK, bit of fun now, my top (and bottom) films of 2010:

My Favourite Films of 2010:

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Toy Story 3

How to Train Your Dragon

Ponyo

Valhalla Rising

Let the Right One In

Kick Ass

My Least Favourite Films of 2010:

Robin Hood

Ondine

Clash of the Titans

Most Disappointing:

(films I was looking forward to that just didn't deliver)

Inception

Shutter Island

Iron Man 2

The Killer Inside Me

Rec 2

Most Anticipated:

True Grit

The Town

Black Swan

The American

The Illusionist

Happy Christmas everyone. Thanks for reading. Hope to see you in the new year for the next leg of the journey.

The Quiet Man

2010-11-25T04:11:00.001-08:00

All's quiet on the western front, at least on the surface it is, beneath things are bubbling.

Derelict is coming together. Script is going well, though still needs plenty of work. Still no location and still no money! But those will come. I'm hoping to get the script done in the next two weeks. Before Christmas anyway. I'm sure Christmas will be the usual distraction from work. Once it's over things will start heating up on Derelict as we head toward a March shoot.

Meantime I'm editing a short for Victoria Charters called Backstage. I'll get that finished next week. Interesting little short, shot for no money on a Canon 5D. It's about an actress preparing to go on stage.

Good news for 140. We were invited to screen at the 2011 Sedona International Film Festival and I was asked by the Ottawa University in Canada if they could include the film in their media class, which is quite a privilege.

Couple of other cool things I can't talk about at the moment... wouldn't be me if I wasn't keeping quiet about something. But hopefully I can talk more about it in the not too distant future!

Busy, and exciting times!

(Recent Article by the Drogheda Leader for Derelict, written by Ian Watter.)

Kickstarting my New Film

2010-11-10T06:16:00.000-08:00

A very special day today! As today I am officially announcing my new film and launching two new pages.

I've been talking about it for a while, but I can now confidently say that my next film will be Derelict. A dark and violent crime thriller, it is about a gang of kidnappers who hold a bank managers family hostage in a derelict building. But they soon realise that they're not alone.

Allow me introduce the cast:

The Criminals:

Michael Bates as J.

Steve Gunn as Davey Boy.

Keith Ward as Tone.

Gerry Shanahan as Daniel.

The Family:

Elaine Reddy as Kate, the mother.

Andy Gallagher as Andrew, the son.

(Part of the father and Bank Manager yet to be cast.)

And as The Hooded Man:

Brian Fortune.

I'm very excited to be working with all these actors. I've known of Andy for sometime, having auditioned him for Emily's Song about 5 or 6 years ago. I got to work with him briefly on Slán agus Beannacht but knew I wanted to do more, especially after seeing Thomas Hefferon's 'The Pool'.

I met Steve, Keith, Gerry, Elaine and Brian at the Ghoster reading, almost 2 years ago and I met Michael at the Iscariot reading last year. So I really have Camille Donegan to thank for setting up the readings and making the introductions... I should have hired her as my casting director! I was impressed with everyone and stayed in touch, knowing I'd find something we could do, or if not find something, create something!

The plan is to shoot at the end of March. I'm still working on the script and until recently I had the perfect location, but that fell through and I'm back on the hunt.

John Lawlor with shoot the film. I've worked with John a lot over the years on various projects, including Bill, For Short, but never done a narrative piece with him. John is a documentary filmmaker and I think his style and attitude is exactly right for this project and the unique way we're going to be approaching the shoot (more on that later.)

Now. As I mentioned, I am also launching two new pages today:

First up:

Derelict Facebook Page!

For every update you'll need about the film, the cast and the crew. Links to videos, pictures, press and behind the scenes footage and interviews when they come.

Next up:

Derelict Kickstarter Page!

Where we are aiming to raise €5000 ($6,950) toward the budget! I had great success with Kickstarter and 140, raising $2580! So I'm hoping on similar success here. The thing about Kickstarter is that you don't get a penny unless you raise everything! Bit scary, but a great incentive!!! So I really need people to get involved.

As mentioned below you can still go the pay pal route, but I know a lot of people don't use or like paypal and would prefer to make a direct transfer via credit card, Kickstarter allows you to do that and wont charge you anything. Everything is on hold until the full amount is reached. And you get some nice perks through kickstarter!

You may also notice that I have 38 days to raise these funds, the deadline landing on December 18th, which is actually my daughter's first birthday!

That is the plan. I'm excited about it. I think it's going to be good, something unique and quite special. And a good old fashioned crime thriller! I hope you'll follow along on the journey, as you have been so far! And if you can help, by all means do, have your name on the credits and be a part of this project for all time.

More news as it comes.

Cheeky Beggar!

2010-11-03T14:05:00.000-07:00

I'd like to thank the Alison Comyn and the Drogheda Independent for picking up on my call for funding. Always a proud moment when the local paper show an interest in your work and are prepared to make room to help. Especially when it comes to begging... I mean funding raising! Crowdfunding to be precise.

You see, crowdfunding has been around for a while and is growing in popularity and acceptance all the time. Kevin Smith, director of Clerks, Dogma, Chasing Amy and more, looked at doing this for his new film, a horror called Red State. He was facing difficulty with funding, the studio weren't willing to back him (the studios are in a bit of a mess at the moment) so a fan on twitter suggested crowdfunding, a bunch more fans jumped in and offered help and he began seriously considering it and looking into setting up a website.

As it happened funding came from elsewhere, but he was not adverse to the idea. Of course the internet bloggers got hold of the wrong end of the stick and in sweeping, generalising and condemning statements branded him a "beggar". Not really a nice thing to be called when you're just trying to do your best with what's available to you. And if what's available is good will and generosity, you're going to consider it.

I have no doubt he would have raised the money. Smith has a loyal following of fans who love his movies. So why not ask them, why not get them involved and make them part of something they love?! It's a direct connection for the fans and something they will always have. Forever they'll be able to say they helped their favourite filmmaker get his film made.

If you go to websites like Kickstarter and IndieGoGo you will see creative types pitching their projects for your donation. Things like book publication, art shows, albums recordings, photography trips and films. As The New York Times said "Kickstarter has become an unexpected influence on Indie culture, a new model for a D.I.Y generation".

It's working, because people have always supported those who are out there doing things, making a difference and creating something positive. It's inspiring, and it feels good to give a lift, to say "I like what you're doing, I want to help." I do it myself when I can, and I must admit, I love clicking that donate button, because I know what it feels like to receive. It's overwhelmingly humbling.

I raised $2,500 for 140 earlier this year. That money went toward festival entry fees, DVDs, screening tapes, postage, t-shirts, posters and postcards... a bunch of stuff to help get the film into the world. The people who donated were inspired by the idea and just wanted to support it and help me get it out. I put a year and half of my life into 140 and it's always difficult, as an independent filmmaker, on your own, trying to get something made. But even more so, after it's made, getting it out into the world. Because while you might be able to make a film for next to nothing, it's near impossible to promote it with no money, and that's important. Because what's the point of making a film if you don't show it to people?! There is no point!

I've funded all my films this way. 140 was the first time I used the internet to do it, and I'm continuing that with Derelict. But on Emily's Song I raised funding from donations from friends and family. Bill, For Short was no-budget, but time was donated by friends. Slán agus Beannacht the same, donations from friends and family and strangers, I held a fundraiser in McHughs, and again, friends gave their time to help: Jason Byrne, Robbie Bonham, Paddy McArdle and the external Sounds guys all pitched in to help me, for free! It's good will, and I'll be honest, I wouldn't be where I am today without good will, and I'm eternally grateful for it.

In saying that though I've always matched what I've received. I don't want you to think I'm walking around with my hat out and a cheeky grin and wink, paying what I have and pocketing the rest! I wont be making a penny from this and I wont have a wage either. I'd make sure everyone else involved was paid before I was, and even then any spare cash isn't spare, there's a whole bunch of stuff I can spend money on before it gets near me! And I will spend it on that stuff, because I want the film to be the best it can be.

At the moment I'm broke. I have no money. I'm in debt. Now I'm not saying that so you'll feel sorry for me! I mention it because I want to be transparent about this, because if I'm asking for your help and for your money, which I'm sure you have alot better things to be doing with, I want you to know I'm putting as much of my own in, if not more. Every time I make a film I spend thousands of my own money... usually personal loans from the credit union which I've been paying back for years!

On Emily's Song the budget was about €20,000, we raise about €2,500 from donations, I put about €6,000 in and Thomas Kennedy and his wife Tina put the rest in. Bill, for short, a couple of hundred euro (I should make more of those!) Slán agus Beannacht, €1000 raised, I put €1,250 in. 140 €2500 raised through kickstarter, so far I've put about the same, if not a bit more in, and I'm still spending on that one. And please don't tell my wife, but I have no doubt I'll be visiting the credit union before Derelict begins... that's if they let me in!!!

But I believe as an artist you should make that kind of sacrifice. I believe in what I do. I love what I do. And I think if you believe in something that much you should be willing to make those sacrifices. But sometimes it's not enough, the means just aren't there. I have tried going to the Irish Film Board, a government agency set up to help emerging filmmakers. I've approached them for help with almost every script I've written. But I've had no success there, so I just stopped asking. It hasn't deterred me from making the films I want to make though. I just have to be a little more creative in how I go about it. But sometimes I need help.

As artists have down through the centuries. Great artists, musicians, scientists, politicians have all needed patrons, people who were inspired by their work, wanted to see it come to fruition and had the means and desire to make that happen and were willing to do so. We may not have the great works of art we have now, the discoveries in science, the great leaders through time if it were not for the people who believed in them and stood behind them, holding them up, propelling them forward so others could feel the inspiration they too felt.

Now, I'm no Mozart, Obviously! But maybe I can make something that entertains and connects with people, and do it in Drogheda. I think I've done a pretty good job so far. My three short films, and now 140, have allowed me to show my hometown of Drogheda on the big screen at prestigious film festivals all around the world. So I want to keep making films here, in my hometown, because I love Drogheda and why not make feature films here? It's a great town! And I'm proud to represent it around the world as a filmmaker. So if you want to help me do that by all means click the yellow button on your right and be one of those people who stand behind something they believe in and give good work the support it needs to live.

Cheers.

Large, Disused and Unavailable... No, not me!

2010-11-01T15:27:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned, without much detail, that I'm working on a new film (planned shoot at the end of January) called 'Derelict'. It's set in one location over one night. It's mostly cast, mostly crewed and had, up until this morning, the location. I was informed today that now I cannot use that location.

The Perfect place, exactly what I was looking for, in fact it was so ideal that when I visited it for the first I wondered if I hadn't been there before and forgotten, it was so close to what I had written in the script. I thought, "This is just the best luck!"

Now, two months later, I'm told that due to "Health & Safety" issues, it is unsafe to film there. Honestly seemed fine to me, but what do I know, I'm not a health & safety expert. So, I'm up a creak without a paddle with 3 months before shooting. Bit of a headache, but I'm sure something will along. Maybe even better than I'd hoped for, who knows.

I am looking forward to it. As I finish the script and the story and structure solidify in my mind and I talk to actors about it I find I'm getting more more excited about it. I think it's going to be good, something really unique and fun to do and hopefully, no, I'm sure, fun to watch!

So I'm hoping some of you will make donations to help with production. Anything from €1 to €1,000,000 (no seriously, a million would be great!!! and seriously, €1 would too, it all goes somewhere - if 50 of you give €1 each that's tapes bought for the whole shoot!)

This film has no backing, no studios, financiers, arts agencies or government appointed film bodies are involved, I'm doing it off my own back. So if you want to be involved, help get the film made and have an Associate Producer credit on the end of the film (as well as an exclusive invite to an online Premiere before anyone else has seen the film) then click 'Donate' to your right and enter whatever amount you feel you can afford (you could even buy a credit for the film fan in your life as a christmas present?!)

If you're not a 'paypal' kind of person, and many aren't, click 'Drop Me A Line' to email me and we'll figure something else out. Or you could just buy a 140 DVD, same as above, click donate and enter €15.99 with your address and I'll send one out to you. All money goes toward this new film.

Late addition: American Film Website Movieviral.com have picked up on my call for donations! Check it out here.

The Lord takes with one hand and gives with the other.

(I don't know if that's a real quote from anything, but...)

Two nights ago I dreamed a short film, well, it was more like a scene from a film. As I awoke and lay in half slumber, threads of the dream still hung and I was able to form a structure around this dream. As I awoke I began to wonder if this story I had half dreamed half made in waking slumber was actually worth hanging onto, as clarity dawned I found it was and I had to quickly employ some dream remembering techniques to hang onto it. Like word association, names, faces, tone and telling the story over and over the more I woke and then most importantly, telling the dream to my still sleeping wife as she lay beside mumbling something to the effect of: "Why are you waking me, it's Sunday..."

I spent the morning writing this dream down in script form and from it came a new short script, 23 pages long, called "The Quarry" which I'm actually quite happy with. It tells the story of two people in love, who've lost each other, we never find out how or why, but the find each other again when they both think it's too late. It just takes on last leap of faith to bring them back together.

This is the third script I've dreamed, "The Hollow Tree" was the first. That one was quite dream like and a bit mad! The second was "Angelina" a magical romantic story set in Paris. And now this. It's a funny thing, unexpected when it happens, but always thrilling and a joy to be handed a full story as a gift from my subconscious. It's as if my brain is a writer all on it's own and occasionally sends stories my way, just to see what I think. I must very critical though, if so far I've only accepted three!

I don't know what I'll do with it. I suppose it's doable. Would require money though. Most of it is straight forward character based drama, but there are two major stunts in it. And it would have to look beautiful, no low-budget digitally shot over the weekend crap here. Time. Effort. Quality. It would have to be a portfolio piece for all involved.

Anyway, we'll see.

Well, gotta go. Have to find a large disused building that someone will let me shoot in, and bloody quickly! Wish me luck!

Emily's Song on C4.

2010-10-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

Emily's Song is to be broadcast on Channel 4 again, at 4:15am Monday 1st Nov. So for all you insomniacs, early risers, return partiers, parents of small babies and the general night-owl population, please do tune in... I will be sleeping!

FOR SALE €15.99

2010-10-25T04:09:00.001-07:00

The Heartland Film Festival ended over the weekend, with the final screening of 140 on the 22nd. By all accounts the screenings were successful, people enjoyed the movie, even cheering when Indianapolis came up! Wish I could have been there!

(Among the filmmakers present were

Kevin Makice and his son Carter)

(Also present at the festival was 140 filmmakers Gustavo Ron, centre,

who was a Crystal Heart Award Winner this year for his feature film

'Ways To Live Forever' - composer Cesar Benito is using the award

as a tooth-pic!)

Heartland has always been a supporter of my work, with Emily's Song and Bill, For Short screening in previous years. And even though I have now had three films screen at the festival it's not something I would ever take for granted, it remains an enormous honour to be selected for such a great festival. I hope I can continue to make the kind of films they want to show.

However, my next film wont be one of those! Derelict, a crime thriller, is moving along and set for a January/February shoot tbc. I've written the first draft of the script, but needs work and I'm slightly stumped. I blasted out the first draft in about 3 days, just to get the story out of my head and on to paper. It's all there, the storyline, the plot, the characters, the beats I wanted - but it needs more, another layer of depth to real make it work. My challenge now is to find that layer, add it and quickly.

I have started casting, people have come on board, which I'm very excited about, but I'll wait until things are more solid before I announce any names.

Some sad news, my good friend Mark Lebenon, who I originally started working on Derelict with, is leaving Ireland and going back to South Africa. Super nice guy. Good writer, filmmaker and collaborator (what time we had to collaborate) I had hoped he would be able to work on Derelict with me, but unfortunately Ireland, and the state we're in, have not made it easy for him and his family to make a life here. I wish him, Donna, Aidan and Liam all the best and hope to see the back on our shores again in more prosperous times. Good luck Mark, I'll miss you buddy.

Couple of other projects looming on the horizon, would love to talk about them and share but some odd things have been happening lately that have made me paranoid about sharing ideas online. Some high-profile filmmakers and companies I've had dealings with have come out with projects that are almost identical to some I've had over the years and posted on here.

Maybe I'm being silly, these things happen, as they say: There's nothing original under the sun. But when a big company comes out with and ad campaign with monster puppet suits, and you think: "Hey, they look just like a design I did 3 years ago for a short film that never got made!" Coincidence? Maybe. But then you find out the company you spoke to about making that suit for said short film is the very same company that made these monsters, and you go back to your emails from three years ago and see conversations, description and concept art... you start to wonder if it's really wise to share ideas! - So there will be no more of that from me! All I'll say is that I'm excited about what's coming up and I hope to be able the share it with you soon.

Meantime:

FOR SALE: €15.99

As part of my fund raising efforts for Derleict I'm going to start selling 140 on DVD, if you would like to purchase a copy of the movie you've been reading about for near two years! You can do so by clicking 'Donate' (on the right-hand bar) fill the box with for the amount: €15.99, which will include postage and package. Include you name and address and I'll get one off to you that day.

FOR SALE: €20

I'm also selling T-Shirts €20 a pop. Click 'Drop Me A Line' to the right and we can arrange size, colour and payment (range is limited).

140 IFI 10.10.10

2010-10-11T04:51:00.000-07:00

(Eoin McCabe {Original Songs} Me & Dermot O'Mahony {Music})

The day kicked off with the usual pre-screening jitters! Nothing new there for me. But we must embrace these things! Caught the train to Dublin, myself, Maryann and my brother Noel. Went straight to the IFI, where I met Sunniva O'Flynn, the curator there. We all grabbed a coffee and I talked with Sunniva about the film and what we might talk about during the Q&A. Then did a tech check, where everything seemed fine. Calms the nerves to stay busy beforehand I must say!

People started to arrive, some friends, Eoin and Dermot, the musical department of 140! At 1pm we pilled into Cinema Screen 3. Beautiful room, seating curved around the screen, in fact the same screen I saw Spirited Away in a few years ago! It was a small turn out, I had hoped there'd be a bit more, only about 22 people - and none of the Irish 140 filmmakers, which was a disappointment, especially considering 5 of them live in the Dublin area! And especially when you think all the LA filmmakers showed to both California screenings, actually flew me to the first one and attended the one I missed on my behalf! Oh well, I guess the Irish are... less enthusiastic about such things! But I know people were busy, working and even out of the country - a disappointment nonetheless

Started the screening with some technical hitches. Pauses in the tape due to the transfer. Happened about 4 or 5 times and for a moment I thought it might spell a disastrous end to the day! To be honest I wasn't panicing about it, if we had to stop I planned to take everyone's address and send them out a free dvd of the film. I would have also done the Q&A anyway, so people would have had some kind of experience to go home with. Kind of backwards, see the Q&A and then go home and watch the film!

As it happened it sorted itself out and after the first 15 minutes there were no more pauses. People seemed to enjoy the film. Being a typical filmmaker I was watching the audience rather then the film (I've seen it a hundred times anyway!) and no one was twitching or shifting, always a reassuring sign!

The Q&A afterwards was really enjoyable. Sunniva was very enthusiastic about the film, which was great. Good questions from her and from the audience made it enjoyable. Overall, despite some disappointments, I thought it was a successful screening and I really enjoyed myself. And of course it was a great honour to screen in the IFI.

You never know how these things will go, and you can't really be too worried or disappointed if only a handful of people show, or there are technical problems. Each experience is different and offers something unique. For me this was an intimate screening with friends in a fantastic venue with an enthusiastic host - can't really ask for better than that.

My sincerest thanks to everyone who came, to Sunniva O'Flynn for her enthusiasm and support and to the IFI.

fyi.

2010-10-07T03:57:00.000-07:00

(140 on fyi. on e3 "You've heard

about the facebook movie, well,

What about the twitter movie?")

Building up the European Premiere at the IFI on Sunday. Had a bit of press from it, local papers, off to do another interview for local paper in an hour or so. The Irish digital channel e3 picked it up for their fyi. show, you can watch here, second story. Little mention on the Film Ireland website too. All helps to pulls the punters in! Hopefully we'll get a good crowd, I'm not expecting too much, never do, saves on disppointment! But hopefully there will be a few in.

I also did a blog for the Heartland Website, which you can read here. All about my connection to the festival, and the importance of making connections at festivals. Which will be the theme of a conversation I'll be having with Elliot Kotek and Gustavo Ron on the 18th of October, via Skype, as part of a seminar at the festival (I only wish I could be there in person!)

140 Irish Premiere!!!

2010-09-30T16:16:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to announce the Irish Premiere of 140 at long long last!!!

It's going to be taking place in the Irish Film Institute on Sunday October 10th at 1pm! I'm thrilled! Thrilled to finally be able to show 140 to an audience in Ireland. And thrilled that it's happening in the IFI! Bit of a dream come true if I'm honest!

I used to frequent the IFI when I was at college (then the IFC) I was in there most days, buying videos, books, postcards, posters and imported magazine that were available nowhere else - as this was, I'm showing my age, before the internet was in every home and so widely available! I remember seeing John Lassater there in a retrospective of his career and the premiere of Toy Story 2. Followed by a Q&A, where he signed a poster for me (which hangs framed beside my DVD collection! Geek Alert!)

I know many prestigious directors have screened and appeared there, so it's a special honour to be joining them... not that I'm comparing myself to any of them! This is just a great opportunity and I'm grateful for the chance to be able to show 140 in such a great venue. My huge thanks to the IFI and Sunniva O'Flynn, the IFI curator, for agreeing to show the film.

Tickets are available at the box office and from their website! I hope if you're in, or close to, Dublin you'll pop in and check it out. I'll be there for a Q&A afterwards... please come and ask lots of questions, I love talking about the film.

See you there!

(The October Programme, 140 is on page 21.

Bit of a coincidence being in the same issue as

'The Social Network'! Considering the theme!)

Some News...

2010-09-25T05:54:00.000-07:00

I can finally announce, and I am very happy and proud to do so, that 140 has been Officially Selected as part of this year Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis.

I'm very excited about this. I think I've mentioned my relationship with Heartland before, but just in case you don't know - I won a Crystal Heart Award in 2006 for Emily's Song, Bill, For Short was an Official Selection in 2008 and of course, it's where I met Maryann, my wife. She was the film programmer in 2006, so if I hadn't been selected, won the award and gone, we never would have met, fell in love, got married and had Evelyn! So you can see why I have a strong connection and appreciation of the festival!

We Live In Hope.

2010-09-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

Hmm, bit of a dilemma at the moment - wether or not to move ahead with an idea I've been harbouring for almost a year. It's a feature, but the idea is to shoot for nothing in five days. I think it's doable, I just need certain people to say yes and commit to make it happen.

Might step on the toes of Ghoster a little bit, but probably not that much. Ghoster is a much bigger production than this and needs a lot more time, and probably couldn't really be done without some investment. I'm going to ask a few people, see if a few heads are willing to jump in for a week long experiment. If it works, I think it could be really cool. If not - hey, it's only a week!

If it looks like it's going to happen i"ll post more about it.

Meantime, screening of my short films as part of Culture Night on Friday 24th, in association with Nexus Art Project on West St. in Drogheda, the old ACC Bank building - 6:30 - 10pm and it's free. I'll also be screening a film that has inspired me and one I love, Tokyo Godfathers. It's also a tribute to Satoshi Kon, one of my favourite directors, who died last month aged only 46 and in the middle of his latest film.

On Wednesday I'm attending a Screen Directors Guild of Ireland event, a conversation with directors Michael Apted and Alan Parker (Peter Weir was supposed to be there, but I guess he pulled out) I've met Michael Apted before, at the same festival where I met my wife in fact - Heartland 2006. He was there with Amazing Grace, I was there with Emily's Song. Lovely man, complete gentleman. So should be fun.

I did an interview for French television show Les Film Faits A La Maison last week, via Skype. It was interesting, spoke for 30 minutes about 140 and the internet and the positives and negatives of using it to make films. They'll edit my answers and use them in a show at a yet-to-be-determined date, but I will certainly post it when it airs.

Apparently the Downtown Film Festival screening was great. Got a bit cold, but people stuck it out and the reaction was positive! Trampas Thompson introduced the film, thanks Tramp! Another fest coming up soon, will be able to announce later this week. And big screening in October, again, announcement to come!

OK, I'm off to see if I can put a feature film together in Five weeks! Hah! Right... I hear you say. Well, we'll see!?!? We live in hope.

Alot About Nothing.

2010-09-12T03:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry, two weeks since the last blog. Not much happening. 140 had it's screening at the Downtown Film Fest in LA last night, haven't heard how it went yet, LA is still sleeping!

I've started the rewrite on Ghoster. Just getting the beat sheet out. Haven't had much time on it. Being a stay-at-home Dad doesn't leave much time for writing! Will get to it soon I hope.

Still waiting to hear back on Iscariot. Been with the producer for 2 months now and no word. So not sure what the deal is there. Hopefully find out what the plan is, if any, soon.

I have a few things coming up, none of which I can announce yet - typical! Raise My Hands the short film I did with Elliot Kotek and Scott McDermott is on hold, it's finished, but we have to wait for word, or approval, or something, from one particular organisation before we can release it - if we can release it, may turn out to be a big fat waist of time! I hope not. It's a great piece. Powerful and moving and I'm proud of my work on it. Fingers crossed.

I have a big premiere of 140 for Ireland, in a great venue, the venue. But need to confirm some details and wait till they go to press before I say what it is.

Another Big fest coming up for 140 in the states, again, have to wait till they're ready to announce! Sorry! Maybe I should just not post this blog, it's a whole lot of saying nothing about stuff that's not happening! Think how great the blog will be when I do get to say stuff's happening!

One thing I can announce is that all my shorts, Emily's Song, Bill For Short and Slán agus Beannacht, will be screening as part of Culture Night here in Drogheda, introduced by my good self and in association with Nexus Art Project. I will also screen a film that has influenced me, which I'm taking great delight in! I love sharing films with people, even if they don't always like what I suggest! It's like a tiny glimpse into my workings and where I've come from. I'm not 100% sure of what to screen yet I'm back and forth on a lot of things. I had an initial idea, but then I start thinking of all these other amazing films! I'll narrow it down. I'll think of something good. That's on the 24th of September!

Not much happening on the Ghoster front with regard to production. I was talking to a producer recently, who's had quite a successful career in this country, but is finding it near impossible to get stuff going at the moment, even with a green lit project they can't quite get all the cash they need to pull it together! Production companies are closing down all the time. Films just aren't getting made. At least not as many as have been in recent years.

But maybe that's just at the higher end of things. I still see a lot of people getting no-budget stuff up and running. Films made on favours, goodwill and pure grit and determination. I know Terry Mahon, who's efforts on his own film were part of the inspiration in getting Ghoster off the ground, is in post on that project 'Charlie Casanova'. I notice Jason Figis' retelling of 'A Christmas Carol', 'Savage' is coming out soon (though that's a micro budget IFB film), Paddy O'Shea has been shooting 'Treekeeper' all summer in Cork. I'm just getting into 'Covies' by Len Collins, which is actually a Web Drama, but it's a no budget piece that was made independently with local help and people working for biscuits! And of course not forgetting my favourite Web Series 'Vultures', also shot on a shoestring. From what I've seen of all of them, they're quality work and entertaining and the fact is, people are doing stuff. Gives me hope for Ghoster.

But we'll see what happens. You never know what around the next corner.

Taco!

2010-08-30T03:46:00.001-07:00

I'm excited about the LA screening of 140, little bummed that I wont be in attendance! Sounds like it's going to be a fantastic screening.

It's screening on September 11th as part of a Downtown event called 'Taco Cinema', where dozens of gourmet food trucks gather in an area called the Medallion (coincidently, last time I was in LA my good friend Trampas told me about this event and how great it was!)

(Some of the locations of the festival. Top Left: The Medallion Area. Above Right: LA Gourmet Food Trucks. Middle: the penthouse of the Roosevelt, where the Filmmakers reception is taking place.

Bottom: The Roosevelt.)

There will be a food festival all day, which will end at sunset (8:30pm) with an outdoor screening of 140! Sounds fantastic. I always though 140 would make a great out door movie! I'm sorry to miss it. But it should be well represented by the LA filmmakers, who I hope can all make it. They blimmin better, if I could afford it I'd fly across the world for this, thems lucky sods just have to trip out their back doors! ;)

Anyone in the area interested in attending tickets are only $10 for the entire day. Check out the listing on the Downtown Film Festival website.

Post a comment or send me an email if you do attend, I'd love to hear about it. Enjoy!

Precious Little Things

2010-08-26T11:57:00.001-07:00

Some wonderful news, 140 has been officially selected to screen as part of this years Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles! I'm very excited and honoured. I was really hoping for this one. it looks like a great festival and I really wanted an LA screening of the film, as so many of the participants are from there. So I guess this is the official LA Premiere!

I have a another festival lined up for October, but I can't announce that yet. So the fest run has well and truly begun, PHEW! I was hoping it would next month, and so it has. I've entered quite a few, so hopefully a few more will pick it up.

Ghoster news: Not much happening I'm afraid. I put an open call for crew on filmmakersnetwork.ie, but got no response, disappointing, I was hoping some friends or passed colleagues would answer the call, but it was not to be. I think it's a hard sell asking people to give up so much time and energy when there's no money in place, just the promise of money... I've always said you can't pay the rent on promises. So I get that. I think I need a different tac. Not sure what, I suppose money would help! But where's that going to come from. I guess I'm creatively minded, so time to get creative!

I haven't started back on the script yet. I've been thinking a lot about it though. Making sure I'm ready and know exactly what I want to do with it. I'm playing with the idea of a couple of different angles, changing the lead to another character and seeing how that plays in my mind. I want to be sure I'm right before I write.

So everything's still up in the air at the moment. Nothing concrete. No crew. No cast. No money. But where there's a will there's a way. If you will it, it is no dream. Throw your heart in front of you, and let you head catch up... and all that stuff! I think any film that was ever made, especially independent films, was willed into existence be sheer force of determination. Nothing tangible at the start, just an idea and we all know what precious little things they are!

That's all for now. More news soon. Couple of new projects to talk about, including a completed short waiting in the wings. But more on all that later.

A Call to ACTION!

2010-08-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

Here's a recent post I put up on filmmakersnetwork.ie as a call to action for Ghoster, figured I might as well stick it up here as well:

I need a crew, position are open for everything.

Production Department:
Producer:
Production manager:
First AD:
Production Assistant:
Script Supervisor:
Continuity Supervisor:
Make-up Artist:
Hair Dresser:
Stills Photographer:

Art Department:
Production Designer:
Set Decorator:
Props Master:

Camera Department:
Cinematographer:
First camera assist:
Loader:
Lighting Technician:

Sound Department:
Sound Mixer:
Boom Operator:
Sound Designer:
Composer:

Other Departments:
Location Manager:
Location Scout:
Transportation Manager:

I’m hoping to shoot late January/early February in Drogheda, provided I get the above, plus a cast of course! I held a reading of the script at the Attic Studio last year, which went great, the script was really well received and all of the actors who read did a fantastic job. I’m confident I can put a great cast together.

At the moment the positions are unpaid. I know I know! But I’m working on that. I’ve started a fund on IndieGoGo and will hold several fundraisers in the lead up to Christmas. Initially I’m hoping to raise enough to cover equipment, expenses, food and insurance.

Obvious this is a feature, not a short, so I expect the shoot to be between three and four weeks – a lot of which will be night shoots!Baring that in mind I understand who BIG an ask it is to sign up unwaged at this stage, which is why I’m going to do my damnedest to arrange something. But I want to be honest, there is no money in place as I type! I have blind faith it will come. Those who have worked with me in the past can hopefully vouch for my word on that!

In the meantime I’m looking for talented people with a lot to offer. People who can help me craft something special. People who are willing to seriously commit to the project and come on board as collaborators and the stay the course, who will bring their own creative ability and energy to help drive the production forward and who truly want to be a part of the project. This is a very personal one for me, it’s been with me for many years and is close to my heart – as it’s largely about my own family!

So whether I’ve worked with you before, talked about it, never met you, only spoken to you, whether you’re a recent graduate an impassioned self-taught prodigy or a seasoned pro, if you’re is seriously interested and have something offer I’d love to hear from you. You can PM me here or go to my blog and look for the “Drop me a line” button on the right panel, with any questions. I can tell you more about the film and my plan.

Thanks for reading! I look forward to hearing from you.

Please follow along too on Facebook.

GoGoGhoster

2010-08-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

Well, it's full steam ahead on Ghoster. I've started the usual publisity and fundraising campaigns:

The Facebook Page (please 'Like' and 'Share')

It's GoGoGhoster on IndieGoGo (please donate and share!)

and

The T-Shirt Shop! on Zazzle (please buy and wear!)

(All the links are also over to the right here ->)

I used Kickstarter for 140, which was great and worked a treat, but I've found with IndieGoGo it offers a bit more freedom. For example, unlike Kickstarter, I don't have to raise every penny to get the money, it's available to me immediately, so it can start help the production straight away. I'll probably let it build up for as long as possible, and as with the 140 money, I'll be completely transparent on how it's spent.

I've but up reward for the donations:

$25 pre-orders a DVD.

€50: DVD and Poster.

$100: DVD, Poster and Prop.

$150: DVD, Poster and T-Shirt.

$250: DVD, Poster, T-Shirt and signed directors shooting script.

$500: DVD, Poster, T-Shirt and a Frame Original One-of-a-kind still, taken on set by the professional stills photographer.

$1000: DVD, Poster, T-Shirt, Frame one-of-a-kind still & 5 more, unframed, limited stills. Everything is signed, poster by all cast and crew.

The money will be spent on everything to do with getting the film made: Equipment rental, expenses, insurance, post production, promotion. Same with any t-shirts sold, all royalties will go directly to the production.

Getting all this up and running has certainly got the fire in my belly stocked again. I think I've mentioned that I've been feeling somewhat uninspired of late and after finished two big projects like I was twisting in the wind a bit. But this has focused my mind and my energy. I hope I can pull it off!

So I'm going to get back to work on the script, get a next draft done and start to gather the people and tools I need. I hope I have enough goodwill left. Sometimes I feel like I've used all my lives on Emily's Song, where everyone worked for free and friends and family donated so much money and energy. Bill, For Short, where again, people worked for free. Slán agus Beannacht, again, cast and crew for free and the generosity of the friends help pay for it and of course, not to mention 140, were filmmakers from all over the world worked for free and friends, family and complete strangers pitched in to help me promote it.

I've been very lucky to have been able to make my films and that so many people have given so generously of their time, energy and belief. I'm awed and humble at the same time and always thankful.

Love in the time of Recession.

2010-08-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

(My Dad, and part of the inspiration behind Ghoster)

OK, I'm finally utterly fed-up of not doing anything and faffing around waiting for the next project to magically arrive at my door! So time to change that and the fact is, I already have the perfect project. It's a script called Ghoster, you may have read about it before in these pages.

It's a story I've been wanting to tell for as long as I can remember, since I was a kid working summers with my Dad and my Uncles. I've been thinking about writing this script for more then 10 years and I finally did at the end of 2007. I spent 2008 developing it, which ended in a reading at the attic studio that was a resounding success where everyone really enjoyed it and told me I should make it. That was in January of 2009, and the last time I did anything with it. I still love the story and while the script needs a little work, I think it holds up!

So here it is - I have no cast, no crew, no equipment, no locations and absolutely no money, but I want to make a movie - Who's with me?

About:

It tells the the story of Kevin and Connor, two brothers in their 20s working as painters on a building site with their Dad, Fred, as their boss and their extended family of uncles and cousins as work mates. Kevin feels caged in and ready to explode, he has lost all respect for his father and wants to escape. It's about the complicated male relationships in a family where nothing is talked about... but it's also blokes on a building site, so it's bloody funny as well.

The story takes place over one night a few years ago. Set just as the recession was about to happen and right at the end of the building boom, it's the last job before they break for Christmas and an uncertain future. They have three houses to paint in one night, so they have to pull a Ghoster. If they do it they get a big bonus, something they all need.

But there is more going on. Marco, the oldest of the brothers and the main boss, keeps disappearing. Soon the police come looking for him. The relationship between Kevin and his father Fred reaches breaking point with Connor in the middle. The rest of the crew struggling against tiredness, the cold, slacking workers and disappearing boozey painters to get the houses finished for morning.

So if you want to find out what happens between Kev and his Dad, why the police are looking for Marco and if they finish the job on time maybe you can help see this film realised and have those questions answered up on the big screen!

Shopping list:

A Big Cast of talented actors!

A Brave, tireless, talented crew of hard workers!

A building site location for use over two/three weeks.

FOOD! We have to eat! Any supermarkets or cafes out there who'd like to help please send anything you have our way, we'll eat it!

Equipment: A Camera - Maybe two! Lights. Sound equipment.

And everything else needed to shoot a feature film!!!

I'd like to work with a good cinematographer, someone who understands light and has worked at night before, who's willing to improvise and work fast. This is a drama, set on a building site at night, in the cold with a bunch of lads in dirty clothes, but there's no reason we can't make it visually arresting and beautiful to look at.

The cast is the most important piece of the puzzle. This is an ensemble piece, 15 plus cast members all interacting with one another and playing off one another and all with different relationships. Timing and chemistry are everything. We have to believe this lot are family, and family who love and hate each other at the same time all the time.

The cast is as Follows:

Kevin (26)

Connor (24)

Fred (49)

Captain (52)

Maz (34)

Banjo (33)

Marco (59)

Caper (29)

Skinny (58)

Meehan (59)

Kathy (46)

Alex (female) (28)

Alco (40)

Joe the Carpenter (40)

Cop 1

Cop 2

There will be a casting process and I'm looking for the right people in the right roles. I have some people in mind already, but I'd like to be surprised as well.

I love the characters, the humour and heart that runs through it. I think with some belief, commitment, good will, energy, effort and the right people, we can make a really great piece of work we will all be proud of and will stand up as something special in modern Irish cinema.

Being somewhat realistic I'm aiming for a January/February shoot. I think it'll take that long to gather everyone and everything we need. Perhaps between now and then I can raise some money too!?!?

I'm just looking to create some love and fun in a time of doom and gloom! I can't think of a better film to be made in these times. I want to make people smile and laugh and bring a little light into people's lives'. So again I say - WHO'S WITH ME?!

If you're interested in getting involved by donating time, money, equipment or supplies please contact me, the details to do so are to the right - click 'donate' to make a donation via paypal, click 'Drop me a line' to email me. No time wasters please! Anyone who has worked on a feature film (or any film) before knows what size task and commitment this is and what I'm asking here - ALOT, but it will be worth it. I need people who are fully willing to commit to that task - Whole Heartedly.

My thanks in advance.

Flat Tires and Wrong Turns.

2010-07-20T02:52:00.000-07:00

(140 DVDs)

I've had a considerable lack of energy this last month. Perhaps it's the high pressure in the weather. I think it might be to do with the fact that I've just completed to major projects, 140 and Iscariot. Of course, we had the premiere of 140 in May, which was a huge deal. I came home feeling energised. I had the kickstarter money in hand and print material, DVDs and everything else to get organised.

While I was doing that I was also finishing Iscariot with Thomas, a project (I'm sure you know by now) we've been working on for 2 years. We finished it, at least well enough to give it to people to consider. And luckily we found a producer who is strongly considering it, maybe even more then that, but nothing is official yet, so no point talking anymore about it until it is.

So two major finish lines cross, both in the same week and right now I feel like the flat tire of a bike that's just completed the Tour De France! I'm exhausted and drained.

I have several projects I want to move onto. I'd love to get back to Ghoster and apply the new techniques I've learn on Iscariot to that and even try to put it into production. I'd love to get back to Nevermore and bring that up to scratch. Bad Moon too. I've love to finish Cats of the Crescent. I have new ideas I want to start and I'm even talking to a friend about a five day feature to shoot later this year. But honestly, I don't have the energy for any of it.

Every time I sit down to start writing some I find myself on Facebook without remembering the turn. I don't drive, but the late night drive home from work has often been described to me, how you look up and realise you're nearly home and you have no recollection of the last 6 miles! You wonder if you were asleep, or at least the conscious part of your brain was asleep and somehow your subconscious drove the car! I feel like that.

I suppose the Ridley Scott film knocked it out of me a bit. While I've remained philisophical about it, it certainly knocked the wind out of me. After a year and a half of work to suddenly realise one of the seminal directors of our time is doing the same thing, kinda takes the shine off it. With Iscariot too, the producer we spoke to wasn't willing to back the script with us as directors, which is why we wrote it, to direct. But we came to realise to stand a chance of getting it made anytime soon, if at all, we need to let someone else take the reigns, take the writing credit and hope for another opportunity further down the road. After we get some legit feature film credits to our names. I think both events have made me realise how far down the pecking order I am, and after 10/11 years of trying to get films made, it doesn't feel like I've gotten very far!

Isn't it interesting though, I have a feature doc sharing press with Ridley Scott and Kevin MacDonald, that people seem to want to see and by all accounts is a success, at least in terms of the project that was set out. I have a feature script in the hands of a producer who wants to make it, and seems excited about it, yet I still feel unfulfilled, disappointed. Strange. I guess it's all part of the journey.

But whatever about all that. I need to get back to work. I have a film half completed on my hard drive that involves the work and commitment of others, so I need to get on that! I am excited about the other projects, especially the prospect of shooting before the end of the year. So I need to pick myself up and dust myself off and get on with the job at hand.

Sharing Press with Ridley Scott:

AJ Schnack Blog

Movieviral.com

Moving Pictures Magazine

I've also started uploading the 140 clips in full on Vimeo. Check them out to the 140 Vimeo Page.

Strange Days!

2010-07-08T12:38:00.000-07:00

To say the least!

I've had a very interesting couple of days. Yesterday I had planned on going to Dublin to finally drop off 140 for DVD duplication (which I did, eventually). I awoke to find the little red light of my blackberry flashing. Nothing unusual about that. I often get a few emails during the course of the night. But not like this. Not with such interest news attached.

(Ridley Scott)

This link lead to an article about Ridley Scott's new film, something called 'Life in a Day', with him producing and Kevin MacDonald (Last King of Scotland) directing and editing. The film is a social media experiment, a crowd sourced, user-generated, internet film that requires people from all over the world to capture their day and send in footage to be edited into a visual montage of personal moments that will become an experimental documentary... sound familiar at all? I can give you 140 reasons why it might!

Alot of people have been outraged on my behalf, Click Here to see what Movie Line said about it. I also commend the loyalty and spirit of friends and family, but I think this is a positive. Hey, I'm excited I'm getting some press, that 140 is being talked about and that my name is side by side with the likes of Ridley Scott! I never thought that would happen.

It's fantastic that someone like Ridley Scott is experimenting with this kind of filmmaking. And if he's doing it then maybe I'm on the right track! With digital filmmaking, technology and what the internet has become, people are exploring these avenues. There are bound to be similarities early on. I wonder how many films there were about trains pulling into stations when the Lumiere Brothers started?!

I do hope Life in a Day doesn't over shadow 140. I'm not sure it will. But you never know. But then again, it just might shine a light on my little film, and that's only a good thing!

But talk about David and Goliath!

Poster Quotes!

2010-06-28T03:41:00.001-07:00

Thanks to everyone for watching Slán over the weekend, I appreciate you taking the time out and I really appreciate your comments. So much so I thought I would share then here!

"...so powerful Frank. I have to say I shed a few tears. It definitely represents and illustrates something that is happening in Ireland right now..." Justina Cowley.

"...enjoyed every secound of it..." John Black.

"One word.. brilliant! more words... Totally reflects an increasingly growing and worrying element of society, and also documents how within a generation things have changed so much. Great work Frank, you are someone this town should be very proud of." Keith Byrne.

"...sharp acting, cinematography & writing! "Progress is a speeding train, Pat..." "I'd rather walk, thank you." Beautifully written, well-told story. (Excellent music selection as well.)" Christine Reynolds.

"...once again a poignant story told with such heart." Rachel McEeaneny.

"...truly great!" Laurie Leech.

"Fantastic work. Great character study and commentary on changing times. As relevant here in the States and I imagine around the world." Robert Zappia.

"Watched your film twice this morning; listened to the closing credits, like, 15 times. Seriously, brother, awesome." John Burton.

"Rubbish!.......is not a word i would use to describe it." Rob Kearney.

Maybe I should put them on the poster!!! Thanks Guys, very much appreciated.