I AM IRELAND - The Relaunch

I AM IRELAND is a project that is close to my heart because it asks something I'm constantly struggling with - What makes us Irish? I struggle with my connection to this country. Am I Irish? What makes me Irish? Is it just the fact that I was born here? Why do I get angry when I see what successive governments have done to this place? Why do I feel let down, betrayed? What do I feel when I think of our culture, literature, art, and am I part of that? What gives me pride? Hope?

As I plan to immigrate later this year these questions, and many more, run through my mind. So I wonder if the same questions, thoughts, are going through the minds others, both here and abroad. When Irish people think of home, what goes through their head?

I launched this project a couple of months ago. But did not have a huge response if I'm honest. And then my life went crazy, my wife got sick, our son was born prematurely, all while I was in the middle of making a film... so I couldn't give it the time it deserved. But I haven't given up on it. I would still like to find out what's going on in the hearts and minds of the people of this country, in a simple, straight forward way.

Of course, I made it way too complicated by asking people to shoot on HD, expertly filmed with expert sound. I see now that was a mistake. Especially as I'm planning to put the film online as soon as it's complete. And it defies what this project should be about, People, from all walks of life, everyday People. And the everyday people of Ireland aren't all filmmakers with access to this kind of equipment.

This should be a shared experience, available to everyone and accessible by anyone.

So in this relaunch I am asking you to answer the same five questions, but film it how you want, where you want, with whatever device you have available. Shoot it on you iPhone, DSLR, whatever you have. I would ask one thing, that you try and email it to me, I'll share a dropbox if needed. Just because I may be changing address soon and it's much easier for me to work that way. If you have trouble with that though, let me know.

So get on your phone, your camera, your computer, rant, rave, scream, shout, let it out, speak in hate, speak of hope, tell me your dreams, talk from your heart about your disappointment and let the confusion that describes you relationship with this country of ours spill out. Give it socks lads!

The 5 Questions:

1. Describe where you grew up?

2. What is your saddest memory?

3. What is your happiest memory?

4. What does family mean to you?

5. What does Ireland mean to you?

Answer these today. Send me the footage.

I've scrapped the deadline too. Get it to me when you can. When I feel I have enough, I'll call a halt to it. But I'll probably just let it run through the Summer, but we'll see how it goes.

Let's talk about what makes us... well, us. Go to it. Shoot yourself in the head... with a camera. And send me what spills out!

I Am Ireland, are you?

I AM IRELAND

I AM IRELAND is a new collaborative film project that will look at what it means to be Irish today. 

I want to make a simple documentary about the people of Ireland. One that captures the mood in the country and among the Irish people right now. It's not politically geared, I just want an honest film. It's about you, your family and your country.

So I'm asking Irish people, the country over, and indeed, the world over, to join the project. Where ever you may be, I want you to get involved. You don't have to do much, just record yourself answering 5 questions and send the footage to me. That's all. It'll take you 30 mins, tops!

If you would like to get involved, drop me a line, either comment below, or email me (find the Email me button on the right) I will send you the 5 questions. I will cut all the footage together into a film that will hopefully be an insightful, honest and personal piece about Ireland today. And as the Irish are natural storytellers I imagine it will be funny, sad and poignant too. 

I don't have a figure in mind for participants, maybe between 60 and 100 to keep it manageable, and ideally people representing every county, all 32. The deadline for delivery is June 30th. Anything delivered after that wont be put in. Sorry! I want to cut in July and August and have the film up by the end of the Summer. In the past I was too flexible on the deadline for 140, people were sending me stuff 6 months after the deadline, which delayed the project considerably. So I'm going to be strict this time.

The quality needs to be good. HD. I'm afraid dodgy mobile phone or internet camera footage wont do! DSLRs are fine. Sound needs to be clear as well though, bad sound wont make it in, so if you're shooting on a DSLR for example, you may need to record the sound separately. And it must be emailed to me (I'll send you a link to dropbox to dump the footage). I'm not going through the whole 140 digitising thing again!!! No sir!!! If you're not a filmmaker you may need some help from a filmmaker friend! But I will provide as much information as I can to help make it easy.

Let the camera run and think about your answers. I'm not worried about long pauses, or if your drift off on a tangent, or want to tell a particular story, or even stare blankly or get annoyed with yourself. Keep the camera running. I'll worry about editing it. Film yourself in what ever environment you want. But the camera should be steady or fixed, you should be seated, head and shoulders in frame and look into the camera.

When the film is complete it's going straight online. I'm not messing around with festivals. Can't afford it and just eats up too much time. I'm also not going to be looking for any money, I'm doing it for free. And I don't want it to cost anything. Hence the email thing. You film it, email it, I cut it and it goes online the same day as I'm finished for everyone to see. End of.

I think by the end of this we'll have an interesting and insightful look into the heart of our country - You.

So, You in?

Three for Free!

I've put two of my short films online. Now for the first time Emily's Song is available to watch for free. Emily's Song was my first short film, shot in 2005, released in 2006, went on to screen at 30 film fests around the world, won some awards, found distribution and was broadcast on RTE and Channel 4, as well as appearing on several 'Best of Fest' dvd boxsets.

Slan was shot in 2009 in the middle of production on 140, so I a little distracted and the film never got the push it deserved. However RTEs Nationwide did a feature on the subject of the film, the last of the rent collectors, and RTE picked it up for broadcast last year.

Warning: Contains images of Violence and Strong Language from the start.

Of course not forgetting that 140 is still available!

Enjoy! Comments and welcome, questions answered!

Addition: Or should I say, Subtraction - 140 is now for sale on Seed&Spark!

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.