Derelict in Drogheda

Derelict Q&A after the screening at the Droichead Arts Centre (photo by Maryann Kelly)

Happy New Year!!! I'm a bit late with that, apologies! A busy beginning to the year, the blog suffered as a result. It was a nice start to the year with a screening of Derelict in my home town of Drogheda. We almost packed he place. Great turn out and a warm reception. Lot's of positive comments afterwards, of course, I think  people are probably too polite to come up to me and say they thought it was crap! But that's OK if they did! I think people appreciated it in general.

Me (photo by Maryann Kelly)

I introduced the film as a special event for me, first, it's ten years since I first screened in there, with a short film that never really should have been shown publicly. A ghost story called The Girl in the Window! It was more of an experiment, no script, some storyboard, and just an attempt to test some scary scene and see if they worked. They did, people jumped, but the film was terrible and made no sense narratively! Oh well. Hopefully the films have improved since then!

Secondly, it's probably my last screening in the Droichead Arts Centre and the last film I'll make in Drogheda, at least for a while, as I'm immigrating later this year. I think I've talked about it here before, so I wont go on about it. Needless to say it was a full circle moment to screen my first feature film, ten years after my first screening there and as my last screening there. A happy/sad moment indeed.

Patrick O'Donnell, Steve Gunn & Gerry Shanahan (photo by Maryann Kelly)

After the screening we had a Q&A session, expertly hosted by Sinead Brassil. I know Sinead as a producer at our local radio station LMFM, and she's started working for FeckTV as well. She interviewed me earlier in the week, so I thought she'd be a perfect choice, and she was. John Lawlor (DOP) actors Steve Gunn (Davey-boy) Patrick O'Donnell (Tone) and Gerry Shanahan (Daniel) all took part. It was fun! Then off to the pub for a few pints afterwards. A good night all round.

There are also two Videos on Vimeo:

Video 1

Video 2

My thanks for the Droichead Arts Centre, always a pleasure to screen there! Great team. To Sinead Brassil for hosting. John, Steve, Patrick and Gerry for taking part in the Q&A. And everyone for coming out, I know there were other option on the night, but it means a lot that you chose our film! Thanks.

The Magic 5%

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.

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!!!