9:00 am —10:15 am
REGISTRATION
A Cross-Disciplinary Professional Development Initiative For Female Talent
VIEW THE SCHEDULEX-POLLINATOR is as an ambitious new cross-disciplinary professional development and networking initiative aiming to kickstart collaborations between female writing and directing talent and take positive action to rapidly address the gender imbalance in the Irish audio-visual industry.
The inaugural event takes place over two weekends on 2nd & 3rd November and 7th & 8th December, and features a diverse group of over 140 participants made up of female writers, directors and producers, both emerging and established, working across the disciplines of film, theatre, literature, comedy, journalism and visual arts.
X-POLLINATOR wants to inspire the forging of new creative teams to foster the production of new work for the screen from emerging and established female creative talent.
TAKING PLACE OVER TWO WEEKENDS
2nd— 3rd November7th— 8th December
The X-POLLINATOR weekends will offer a carefully curated programme of talks, masterclasses, panel discussions, break-out sessions and keynote speeches from esteemed artists and industry figures, sharing their approach and experiences to inspire and inform participants. The initiative will also address the business and practical side of creative screen content and navigating the audio-visual industry, and provide crucial facilitated networking opportunities to make connections between participants and build the female creative teams of the future.
SCHEDULE
- Saturday 2nd November
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9:00 am —10:15 amTalk
10:15 am —10:45 amGeneral Welcome and Introduction from Co-Creative Director Lara Hickey and supporting partners
Hosted by: Guerilla Girls @ The Ferryman
Kevin Power is a novelist and critic. He graduated from University College Dublin with a PhD in American Literature in 2013. His first novel, BAD DAY IN BLACKROCK, was published in 2008 and was filmed as WHAT RICHARD DID (2012), directed by Lenny Abrahamson and produced by Element Films. In 2008 Kevin won the Hennessy XO Award for Emerging Fiction and in 2009 he won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature.
FEATURING:
10:25 am —10:35 amX-Pollinator Initiative Overview, Goal Setting and Weekend One Introduction from Co-Creative Director Katie Holly
FEATURING:
10:35 am —11:20 amParticipants Introductions
Round robin introductions and ice-breaker question for participants.
11:20 am —11:40 amWhere are we now?
Dr. Anne O’Brien – Maynooth University and The Motherhood Project – presents an overview of the current data and trends in the Irish screen and media industry.
FEATURING:
Presentation
11:40 am —12:00 am#WakingTheFeminists: What have I learned?
Designer, arts manager and activist Lian Bell shares her learnings and experiences from her time working on Waking the Feminists and her belief in how individual artists and makers can create meaningful change.
FEATURING:
12:00 pm —12:30 pmTea / Coffee Break
12:30 pm —1:30 pmDirector in Focus: Shelly Love, A Bump Along The Way
An in-depth conversation with director and independent artist Shelly Love on moving from dance and circus on screen to directing her first narrative feature film, the BIFA-nominated A Bump Along the Way (https://bit.ly/3397dU0) and the experience of juggling motherhood with the demands of directing.
FEATURING:
1:30 pm —2:30 pmLunch
Presentation
2:30 pm —2:40 pmMy Thoughts Exactly…
Sinead O’Shea – Filmmaker and Writer – A Mother Brings Her Son To Be Shot (https://bit.ly/2N2zG8b)
FEATURING:
Panel
2:40 pm —3:30 pmThe Writer’s Panel: From Theatre to Screen and Back Again
A discussion with a panel of writers for both stage and screen about their creative process and the pitfalls of working across and between the two artforms.
FEATURING:
3:30 pm —4:00 pmTEA / COFFEE BREAK
Presentation
4:00 pm —4:10 pmMy Thoughts Exactly…
Oonagh Murphy – Director / Writer – Playboy of the Western World, Mouth of a Shark
FEATURING:
Panel
4:10 pm —5:00 pmCollaborative Practice – the Writer / Director / Producer Relationship
Longtime collaborators producer Rebecca O’Flanagan and writer, director and novelist John Butler discuss their creative partnership.
FEATURING:
5:00 pm —6:00 pmDrinks Reception in the Lir – kindly sponsored by Wilde Irish Gin
6:15 pm —Drinks in The Cellar Bar at The Ferryman
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- Sunday 3rd November
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9:30 am —10:00 amTEA / COFFEE
10:00 am —10:10 amIntroduction to Day 2 from Co-Creative Director Katie Holly
FEATURING:
Presentation
10:10 am —10:40 amThe Power of Community
Women on Air founder Margaret E. Ward on the importance of building a network and a community.
FEATURING:
Panel
10:40 am —11:30 amDemystifying Development
What is the process of developing work for screen and how is it different to other artforms? Ruth McGowan finds out everything you ever wanted to know from our panel of development experts.
FEATURING:
11:30 am —12:00 pmTEA / COFFEE BREAK
Presentation
12:00 pm —12:10 pmMy Thoughts Exactly…
Dee Roycroft – Writer, Story Editor (JAM Media/RTÉ/CBBC/Amazon)
FEATURING:
Panel
12:10 pm —1:00 pmWho’s Not In The Room?
A panel on intersectionality in relation to the screen industry, exploring who is in the room and making work, who is represented in the work that is made and what we would challenge a group of creators to think about when conceiving and making work.
FEATURING:
1:00 pm —2:00 pmLUNCH
Panel
2:00 pm —2:50 pmFrom Page to Screen: A Conversation on Writing Prose and Writing for the Screen – Differences, Challenges, Opportunities
Featuring author and screenwriter Anna McPartlin, publisher and novelist Sarah Davis-Goff, and novelist/writer/director Virginia Gilbert: three panelists who embody a wealth and breadth of experience in publishing, writing novel-length fiction, adapting novels for the screen, and writing original work for television, stage, and film, as well as directing and producing. A conversation about moving from page to screen and all that it entails: how to begin; how to strategise; and what to look out for. Moderated by novelist and critic, Kevin Power.
FEATURING:
Workshop
2:50 pm —3:50 pmBreak Out Sessions
Networking and discussion sessions, and round table, topic based discussions
Introduction from Co-Creative Director Lara Hickey
- Film Network Ireland, Paul Butler Lennox and Ray Mongey – Talk and Discussion on the skill of networking talk – Studio 1
- Directing nuts and bolts with Virginia Gilbert – Studio 2
- Writing for animation discussion led by Dee Roycroft – Rehearsal Room 1
- Documentary filmmaking with Sinead O’Shea – Seminar Room
3:50 pm —4:10 pmTEA / COFFEE BREAK
Panel
4:10 pm —5:00 pmFilm in Focus: A Date For Mad Mary
Film and theatre duo Darren and Colin Thornton discuss the choices and challenges in adapting Yasmine Akram’s hit one woman stage show into the multi-award-winning film A Date For Mad Mary (https://bit.ly/2r2ipnf), joined by actors Seána Kerslake, who won the Bingham Ray New Talent Award and Charleigh Bailey, who won the 2017 IFTA for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, for their performances.
FEATURING:
5:00 pm —5:10 pmClosing Thoughts of Weekend One from Co-Creative Directors Katie Holly and Lara Hickey
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- Saturday 7th December
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9:30 am —10:00 amRegistration
10:00 am —10:15 amGeneral Welcome and Introduction to Day One of Weekend Two from Co-Creative Directors Lara Hickey and Katie Holly
FEATURING:
Break-out
10:15 am —11:45 amParticipants Speed Dating
High speed networking in a round robin style. Prepare to pitch in 2 minutes!
11:45 am —12:00 pmTea / Coffee Break
Presentation
12:00 pm —12:10 pmMy Thoughts Exactly…
Una Mullally – Writer and Journalist, Irish Times – Lucid Lucid, United Ireland podcast, In The Name Of Love, Repeal the 8th anthology
FEATURING:
Talk
12:10 pm —1:10 pmDirector in Focus: Hope Dickson Leach, The Levelling
An in-depth conversation with writer and director Hope Dickson Leach about her approach to filmmaking and her journey to making her award winning first feature film The Levelling as part of the iFeatures scheme, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016 and won a Scottish BAFTA for Best Screenwriter. She will also discuss founding Raising Films, a campaign to make the film industry more parent friendly.
Moderator: Charlene Lydon – Film Programmer – Light House Cinema, Pálás Cinema, Volta
FEATURING:
1:10 pm —2:00 pmLunch
Panel
2:00 pm —2:50 pmOpportunities through the Creative Europe Programme
A session on the Creative Europe Programme and what opportunities are available. Following a brief overview of the programme from Orla Clancy and Aoife Tunney from Creative Europe Desk Ireland, we’ll hear about three Creative Europe Projects, Centre Stage, Sources 2 and EAVE that all offer support for Irish women in the creative sector.
There will be a presentation from Anna Walsh from Theatre Forum on the Centre Stage initiative and then Orla Clancy will moderate two panels highlighting Creative Europe Training Programmes, Sources 2 and EAVE.
Carole Kremer and Eileen Byrne will be discussing the Sources 2 screenwriting training programme and Lux Film Fund, and then Ruth Treacy and Lindsay Campbell will talk about their experience as participants of the organisation EAVE which is for audio-visual producers.
FEATURING:
Workshop
2:50 pm —3:50 pmWorkshop Sessions
Three practical hands on workshops on building confidence in live pitching and written materials. There are 60 minutes in total so for session, so every participant can choose from the following:
- Mastering Physical Presence, a confidence building, nerve-busting workshop with Maria Tecce – 60 minutes, Studio 1
- The Art of Pitching, with writer and script consultant Mary-Kate O’Flanagan – 30 minutes, Studio 2
- Synopsis, Treatment or Outline, Oh My!, tips for written materials with Producer Yvonne Donohoe – 30 minutes, Rehearsal Room 1
FEATURING:
3:50 pm —4:10 pmTea / Coffee Break
Presentation
4:10 pm —4:20 pmMy Thoughts Exactly…
Presentation Vaari Claffey – Curator, Writer, Director of Hazelwood Visual Arts, Sligo
FEATURING:
Panel
4:20 pm —5:20 pmThe Producers Panel: Development to Production – Making It Happen
An insight into the role of the producer and the many ways producers make it happen, from creative development to building teams and getting financing in place, covering feature film, television and the role of an executive producer, this session will explore the different approaches with the panel of experts, featuring:
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- Siobhan Bourke – Producer, Saffron Pictures – Acceptable Risk, Love is the Drug, Whistleblower
- Lesley McKimm – Project Manager, Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland and formerly Producer and Executive Producer, Newgrange Pictures – My Name is Emily, It’s Not Yet Dark, Stella Days, Kings
- Martina Niland – Producer, Port Pictures – Float Like a Butterfly, Sing Street, Once
- Moderator: Yvonne Donohoe – Producer, Blinder Films – Striking Out, The Racer, Extra Ordinary
FEATURING:
Talk
5:20 pm —5:30 pmClosing Thoughts from Co-Creative Directors
FEATURING:
5:30 pm —6:30 pmDrinks Reception in the Lir – kindly sponsored by Wilde Irish Gin
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- Sunday 8th December
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10:00 am —10:30 amTea/Coffee
10:30 am —10:40 amBrief Introduction to Day Two of Weekend Two from Co-Creative Director Katie Holly
FEATURING:
Panel
10:40 am —11:40 amMeet The Funders
A panel discussion introducing three of the key funding bodies in the Irish audiovisual industry. Producer Ruth Coady will lead an information session introducing the funds and asking your burning questions about their approach to working with creative teams and what they are looking for in a project, featuring:
- Stephanie Comey – Senior Manager, Policy, Sectoral Development and HR, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI)
- Sarah Dillon – Development Manager, Western Region Audiovisual Production Fund (WRAP)
- Dearbhla Regan – Project Manager, Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland
- Moderator: Ruth Coady – Producer – Darklands, The Delinquent Season, Mary
Shelley, The Siege of Jadotville
FEATURING:
11:40 am —12:00 pmTea/Coffee Break
Panel
12:10 pm —1:10 pmDistribution and Sales
An introduction to the world of sales and distribution – hear how to get your project, and yourself, out there, from a panel of sales and distribution experts.
- Beatrice Neumann – Consultant, BeA Film; former Acquisitions Executive The Works, Content Media
- Patrick O’Neill – Founder, Managing Director Wildcard Distribution (The Young Offenders, The Hold in the Ground), formerly Executive, Irish Film Board.
- Nell Roddy – Founder, Break Out Pictures (Animals, A Dog Called Money, Metal Heart), former Head of Publicity and Comms, Element Pictures
- Julia Short – Distribution Consultant, former Theatrical Marketing PolyGram (Trainspotting, Four Weddings and a Funeral), Deputy Managing Director, Redbus (now Lionsgate).
- Moderator: Katie Holly – Producer, Blinder Films – Extra Ordinary, Vita & Virginia, Love & Friendship, Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami
FEATURING:
1:10 pm —2:10 pmLunch
Break-out
2:10 pm —3:30 pmRound Tables
Break out round table discussions on a variety of topics, each session will last 20 minutes, participants can choose up to 4 of the 5 on offer, as follows:
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- Developing TV Ideas – is your idea suitable for series format for television? Find out what makes a good TV idea in this round table discussion with Script Editor and Producer Eilish Kent (Abe’s Story, Under the Clock) – Studio 2
- Distribution and Sales round table with Julia Short and Beatrice Neumann – Studio 2
- Directing 101 with Marian Quinn (32A) – how to approach a project, what happens in prep, working with creative collaborators and cast – all your questions answered – Rehearsal Room 1
- Producing from Short Film to Features – a round table discussion with Producer Kathryn Kennedy (Kennedy Films, My Name is Emily) exploring her top tips on the practicalities of making a short film in Ireland and how that experience will prepare you for your first feature – Rehearsal Room 1
- Programming for Film Festivals – a Q&A with veteran film festival programmer and queen of Irish short film Eibh Collins – Head of Programming, Kerry International Film Festival, Galway Film Fleadh Short Film programme, Irish Screen America – who shares her top tips when making short films – Seminar Room
FEATURING:
3:30 pm —3:50 pmTea / Coffee Break
Presentation
3:50 pm —4:00 pmMy Thoughts Exactly…
Louise Bruton – Journalist, Playwright, Screenwriter – Why Won’t You Have Sex With Me?
FEATURING:
Talk
4:00 pm —5:00 pmKeynote – Looking to the Future – Melissa Silverstein
Keynote address and conversation with Melissa Silverstein, founder and publisher Women in Hollywood, Artistic Director and co-founder, The Athena Film Festival. Making the case for optimism and for building a community, presentation followed by a conversation with Marian Quinn.
FEATURING:
5:00 pm —5:10 pmClosing Thoughts of Weekend Two from Co-Creative Directors Katie Holly and Lara Hickey
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“The BAI is proud to support X-POLLINATOR, which will bring together professionals in the audiovisual sector to promote and celebrate female talent. We want to see more female leaders and creative partnerships to address the gender imbalance in the audiovisual industry and foster a media landscape that better represents the diversity of Irish society.
X-POLLINATOR is an innovative project that will inspire and encourage 150 participants to share ideas, form new creative partnerships and bring more women to the forefront of the audiovisual industry”
MICHAEL O’KEEFFE BAI CHIEF EXECUTIVE
SPEAKERS
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Anna McPartlin
Anna McPartlin is a novelist and scriptwriter from Dublin, who has written for TV serial dramas featured on BBC UK, RTE/TV3 Ireland and History Channel America. She has been writing commercial fiction for over ten years, and also writes for… Read More...
Anna McPartlin is a novelist and scriptwriter from Dublin, who has written for TV serial dramas featured on BBC UK, RTE/TV3 Ireland and History Channel America. She has been writing commercial fiction for over ten years, and also writes for children under the name Bannie McPartlin. She lives with her husband Donal and their four dogs.
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Anna Walsh
Anna joined Theatre Forum as its executive director in 2012. She and her colleague Irma work closely with the board of directors, many partners including Creative Europe ones and IETM to produce and deliver a varied programme of events and… Read More...
Anna joined Theatre Forum as its executive director in 2012. She and her colleague Irma work closely with the board of directors, many partners including Creative Europe ones and IETM to produce and deliver a varied programme of events and training for members. Her background is in communications and advertising, and has worked with multinational and indigenous companies, internationally and locally. Combining interests in various culture with an emphasis on cultural policy and diplomacy, Anna has been awarded an M.A. Cultural Policy and Arts Management, UCD in 2011, an M.Phil., Irish Art History, Trinity College, Dublin in 2008 and an M.Sc. (Management) Organisational Behaviour, Trinity College, Dublin in 2007. She was a 2015 Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards judge and chaired the 2016 judging panel, joined the board of the Dublin Dance Festival at the end of 2017, has been an occasional guest speaker for Trinity Business School’s module, Business in Society and an associate member of the Institute of Directors in Ireland.
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Aoife Tunney
Aoife Tunney is the Officer for the Culture Desk at the Creative Europe Desk based in the Arts Council of Ireland. She also practices as an independent curator, project manager and arts advisor based in Dublin. She is currently co-curator… Read More...
Aoife Tunney is the Officer for the Culture Desk at the Creative Europe Desk based in the Arts Council of Ireland. She also practices as an independent curator, project manager and arts advisor based in Dublin. She is currently co-curator of IN CONTEXT 4, South Dublin County Council’s public art programme (2016-2019), and is co-project manager / co-curator of a major public art commission for the Central Bank of Ireland (2016-2020). Additionally she is the programme curator of Illuminations Gallery research and offsite programme at Maynooth University. In 2014 she was the Artistic Director of Vestibule an outdoor public art exhibition and satellite programme of exhibitions and events. The Arts Council of Ireland selected her for their Curator in Residence programme in 2013. In 2012 she was funded by Culture Ireland as the Artistic Director of All Humans Do, an exhibition which travelled to White Box Gallery in New York and The Model in Sligo. She was the curator in residence at Temple Bar Gallery + Studios and The Model in 2011 and sat on the curatorial panel for TBG+S in 2010.
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Beatrice Neumann
Beatrice has had a successful over a decade-spanning career in film acquisitions for The Works and Content Media now Kew Media, working on films like Peter Greenaway’s NIGHTWATCH, Andrea Arnold’s FISH TANK, Louie Psihoyos’ THE COVE and Luca Guadagnino’s I… Read More...
Beatrice has had a successful over a decade-spanning career in film acquisitions for The Works and Content Media now Kew Media, working on films like Peter Greenaway’s NIGHTWATCH, Andrea Arnold’s FISH TANK, Louie Psihoyos’ THE COVE and Luca Guadagnino’s I AM LOVE, before starting her consultancy business in January 2015. Her clients since then include amongst others Edinburgh International Film Festival, IFFR Cinemart, Creative England, Film London, FFilm Cymru, Damechanger Australia and filmmakers from around the world.
Beatrice’s freelance work as BeA Film involves consulting directly with filmmakers developing marketing and distribution strategies in the early stages of the project development including story and script consultancy. She also has run direct distribution campaigns in the UK.
Since 2016 she also works as the part-time Programme Manager for Inside Pictures and has been involved as a mentor since 2015 and recently as co-producer on the Creative England Market Trader programme.
Beatrice teaches at Sheffield Hallam University as an Associate Lecturer and speaks regularly on international panels and advises and participates as a trainer and mentor on international training programmes including NFTS, FDA, Metro Film School, ACE, EAVE.
Other projects include Distribution Rewired, a 2-day event on emerging distribution models and methods in collaboration with the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Screentank, a female filmmaker training scheme in collaboration with Damechanger in Australia.
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Carole Kremer
Carole Kremer has been with the Creative Europe MEDIA Desk Luxembourg since June 2014. Creative Europe is the European Commission’s funding programme for the creative, cultural and audiovisual industries. The MEDIA sub-programme provides support to the film, audiovisual and video… Read More...
Carole Kremer has been with the Creative Europe MEDIA Desk Luxembourg since June 2014.
Creative Europe is the European Commission’s funding programme for the creative, cultural and audiovisual industries. The MEDIA sub-programme provides support to the film, audiovisual and video game sectors. Creative Europe Desk MEDIA Luxembourg is a one-stop shop for information about the programme; raising awareness about the various calls, opportunities and funding schemes to local film industry professionals, promoting Creative Europe-related events and initiatives and assisting Luxembourg applicants with their funding queries and applications. The Desk also organises co-production, training and networking events to foster cross-border exchange, in cooperation with local partners or with other MEDIA Desks across Europe, on a regular basis.
The host organisation of the Creative Europe MEDIA Desk in Luxembourg is Film Fund Luxembourg.
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Charleigh Bailey
Charleigh graduated in 2013 from the The Programme for Screen Acting at The Factory. Most recently, Charleigh created and wrote HEADCASES, a comedy set in a hair and beauty salon on the Northside of Dublin for RTE / Screen Ireland.… Read More...
Charleigh graduated in 2013 from the The Programme for Screen Acting at The Factory.
Most recently, Charleigh created and wrote HEADCASES, a comedy set in a hair and beauty salon on the Northside of Dublin for RTE / Screen Ireland. Directed by Hugh O’Conor with Treasure Entertainment producing, it recently aired on RTE ONE.
Making her Feature Film Debut as Charlene in A DATE FOR MAD MARY directed by Darren Thornton and produced by Element Pictures, Charleigh won Best Supporting Actress at the 2017 IFTAs.
TV credits include; YOUNGER (Darren Star TV), GENIUS (Fox 21/Imagine Entertainment) and DARKLANDS (Virgin Media/Parallel Films).
Her most recent short film work includes; SISTER THIS directed by Claire Byrne (Screen Ireland / Parallel Films), SHOEBOX directed by Gary Duggan, JELLY BABY directed by Naomi Fagan and BRENDA directed by Matteo Bertoli.
Theatre credits include; RAPIDS (Dublin Theatre Festival) written by Shaun Dunne and ANGELS IN THE PARK.
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Charlene Lydon
Charlene is a lifelong film lover. Originally from Carlow, she has a masters in Film Theory & History from Trinity and a background in criticism and script development. Since 2011 Charlene has worked with Element Pictures and Programming and Editorial… Read More...
Charlene is a lifelong film lover. Originally from Carlow, she has a masters in Film Theory & History from Trinity and a background in criticism and script development. Since 2011 Charlene has worked with Element Pictures and Programming and Editorial Manager, curating the programmes for Light House Cinema Dublin, Volta on demand and Palas Galway. She is co-founder and co-host of Cinema Book Club which was been running since 2012.
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Chelsea Morgan Hoffman
Chelsea is a Development Producer with Element Pictures, working across both film and television projects, including having recently been the Script Editor on NORMAL PEOPLE, which completed production in Ireland this Autumn. She re-joined Element in 2017 after previously working… Read More...
Chelsea is a Development Producer with Element Pictures, working across both film and television projects, including having recently been the Script Editor on NORMAL PEOPLE, which completed production in Ireland this Autumn. She re-joined Element in 2017 after previously working there as PA to Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, and Lenny Abrahamson from 2012-2014. In between, she worked as script editor on two series of the television drama Red Rock and as Development Executive at Blinder Films, along with freelance script-editing. Originally from New York, Chelsea started her career in theatre, acting, sound designing and stage managing Off and Off-Off Broadway shows before moving to Ireland, where she worked for New York University’s Dublin study abroad program while completing her Masters, and interned as a writer and editorial assistant at Jezebel.com. She has a B.F.A. in Theatre from the Tisch School of the Arts in New York University and an M.Phil from Trinity College Dublin in Irish Film, Theatre & Music.
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Clare Dunne
Clare’s done a lot of talkie talkie speaky speaky before writing. With deadly people….like Druid, The Gate, The Abbey, THISISPOPBABY, National Theatre London, Donmar and more. She’s done a bit of spoken word and is a wannabe musician and singer. … Read More...
Clare’s done a lot of talkie talkie speaky speaky before writing.
With deadly people….like Druid, The Gate, The Abbey, THISISPOPBABY, National Theatre London, Donmar and more.
She’s done a bit of spoken word and is a wannabe musician and singer.
And she full on shoved that desire into making a show called SURE LOOK IT, FUCK IT, that started out as a JOKE and subsequently involved her looking for her favourite buzz (as research obvs) towards a full scale production in Project Arts Centre with THISISPOPBABY.
On screen she’s done some high quality shorts – most recently CYNTHIA – a debut by Jack Hickey that won Best Short in Galway Fleadh.
But her massive creative mountain she’s climbed is… a feature film she wrote now nearing the end of edits, and its called HERSELF, which she didn’t name and now has to be HERSELF. Punerrific.
She can’t believe she’s sharing a panel with two of the hugest talents in the country and is waiting for someone to tell her this was just a prank.
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Darren Thornton
Darren established the award-winning Calipo Theatre Company in 1995. He has directed numerous stage productions during his tenure as Artistic Director. Recent productions include ‘Chatroom’ by Enda Walsh, ‘Pineapple’ by Phillip McMahon and the original stage-production of ‘Ten dates with… Read More...
Darren established the award-winning Calipo Theatre Company in 1995. He has directed numerous stage productions during his tenure as Artistic Director. Recent productions include ‘Chatroom’ by Enda Walsh, ‘Pineapple’ by Phillip McMahon and the original stage-production of ‘Ten dates with Mad Mary’ by Yasmine Akram. He made his television debut directing the IFTA award-winning ‘Love is the drug’ in 2004, a six part comedy-drama series for RTE. His first short film ‘Frankie’ won the Prix UIP award at the Berlin film festival in 2008 and the European Academy Award for best short film in the same year. His second short film ‘Two hearts’ also won the Prix UIP award and was nominated for a European Academy Award in 2011. In 2003, Darren established the Sharp Focus film project; a teenage film initiative that runs annually, Sharp Focus enables young people from the North and South of Ireland to work with established filmmakers on the production of original short films that explores the legacy of conflict within their communities. His first feature film ‘A date for Mad Mary’ was produced by Element pictures and won Best Irish film at the Galway Film Fleadh and Best film at the IFTA’s in 2017.
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Dearbhla Regan
As a Project Manager with Screen Ireland, Dearbhla is responsible for a broad slate of content which covers Feature Film, Feature Docs, TV Drama, International Co-Production and TV Animation. Most recently she worked on Malgo Swumowska’s The Other Lamb; John… Read More...
As a Project Manager with Screen Ireland, Dearbhla is responsible for a broad slate of content which covers Feature Film, Feature Docs, TV Drama, International Co-Production and TV Animation. Most recently she worked on Malgo Swumowska’s The Other Lamb; John Butler’s Papi Chulo; Aoife Crehan’s The Last Right; Paddy Breathnach’s Rosie and David Freyne’s Beards. Irish and international film-making talent she is currently working with include Emer Reynolds, Aishling Walsh, Peter Foott, Neasa Hardiman, Jim Sheridan, Piotar Donalewski and Kevin Barry. During her time with Screen Ireland she is part of a team which has initiated a number of key schemes to support filmmakers, including POV – a production scheme for female directors and writers – as well as The New Writing Scheme. Previously, Dearbhla was Creative Consultant for Screen Skills Ireland and has an extensive background as a development producer and script editor.
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Dee Roycroft
Dee Roycroft is a Story Editor and a Writer, with a background in theatre. She has just finished working as story editor/writer with JAM Media on JESSY AND NESSY, a brand new pre-school series for Amazon Studios, and is currently… Read More...
Dee Roycroft is a Story Editor and a Writer, with a background in theatre. She has just finished working as story editor/writer with JAM Media on JESSY AND NESSY, a brand new pre-school series for Amazon Studios, and is currently writing for Ink & Light on a new Belgian animation for RTÉ. Earlier this year Dee wrote for BERRY BEES, a series for 6-9 year olds produced by Telegael/SLR Australia.
Dee has also story edited on the animation PEEK ZOO for RTÉ/Igloo Productions, MR. MENDER for Fíbín/RTÉ/TG4, the award-winning LITTLE ROY for CBBC/RTÉ/JAM, and written for both series of Firebrand Productions IFTA award-winning MYTHICAL HEROES.
She has had stories shortlisted for the 2019 Francis MacManus Short Story competition and published in the 2017 ITT/Red Line anthology LIFEBLOOD, and her 10-part radio drama series for children, MR. WALL, was nominated for a 2018 IMRO Drama Award. Dee has also worked as Script Editor on FAIR CITY, in addition to co-ordinating its New Writers’ programme. Previously she has been a core writer for RTÉjr; writing for series such as MAKERS, TELL ME A STORY, and DIG-IN DINER. She is currently teaching a course in Writing for Animation in the Irish Writers’ Centre, and is a mentor for both the RTÉ/Galway Film Centre Short Film scheme and the WGI Polish Your Pitch initiative. Dee lives in Dún Laoghaire and is in receipt of a Gallery Space award from the Pavilion Theatre.
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Dr. Anne O’Brien
Dr. Anne O’ Brien is a Lecturer with the Department of Media Studies at Maynooth University. She has published a number of articles on the representation of women in radio and television, on women workers in creative industries and examined… Read More...
Dr. Anne O’ Brien is a Lecturer with the Department of Media Studies at Maynooth University. She has published a number of articles on the representation of women in radio and television, on women workers in creative industries and examined why women leave careers in screen production. She has also undertaken research on community media, examining its social benefit and governance needs in funded projects for the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. She has written about how media produce content on mental ill health, suicide, intimate partner homicide and domestic violence. Her most recent book explores ‘Women, Inequality and Media Work’ (Routledge, 2019).
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Dr. Landon D. Reid
Dr. Landon D. Reid is, among other things, a behavioral scientist and lawyer. After a career as a professor of social psychology, he fled to law school where he hoped to learn how to do more than speak truths to… Read More...
Dr. Landon D. Reid is, among other things, a behavioral scientist and lawyer. After a career as a professor of social psychology, he fled to law school where he hoped to learn how to do more than speak truths to powers. His scholarly research examines the reciprocal relationships between cultures, institutions, and individual perception. More specifically, he studies the ways that individuals think about and perceive (or fail to think about and perceive) things like racism and sexism. Although his professional life has been spent developing the substantive knowledge, analytical tools, and practical experience to engage the unique set of challenges related to social justice, Landon is best credentialed as Mr. Katie Holly.
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Eibh Collins
Eibh Collins is film programmer and festival manger from Ireland. Formally the manager of IndieCork and Irish Film London, she now is currently the Head of Programming for Kerry International Film Festival, the short film programmer for the Oscar-qualifying festival… Read More...
Eibh Collins is film programmer and festival manger from Ireland. Formally the manager of IndieCork and Irish Film London, she now is currently the Head of Programming for Kerry International Film Festival, the short film programmer for the Oscar-qualifying festival Galway Film Fleadh and the Deputy Director for Irish Screen America. While also being a preselector for a collection of International festivals such as Encounters Short film festival and SXSW in Austin, Eibh also has curated and coordinated dozens of Irish Focuses for a selection of major international festivals and film markets. A passion of hers is supporting the larger diaspora of international Irish Film Festival and Irish short filmmakers by connecting compatible filmmakers and organisations.
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Eileen Byrne
Born in Luxembourg to a German mother and a French-Scottish father, Eileen started writing and directing her first plays and musicals as a teenager. After her European baccalaureate she worked as a 3rd assistant director and production assistant in Luxembourg.… Read More...
Born in Luxembourg to a German mother and a French-Scottish father, Eileen started writing and directing her first plays and musicals as a teenager. After her European baccalaureate she worked as a 3rd assistant director and production assistant in Luxembourg. During her studies of Performing Arts at the University of Winchester (UK) and theatre, music and history of art at Munich University she started working as a script supervisor on short and feature films.
In 2007 she started her studies of film directing at the University of television and film in Munich and did an additional Master’s degree in directing at the Toulouse film school. Whilst studying she made several short films which were selected for festivals in a variety of countries around the world and co-wrote three feature films. As a result of her mixed background, she likes to work in several languages and often deals in her movies with the subject of cultural identity in particular, but also themes like family and identity in general.
FILMOGRAPHY
as a director:
2018 Touch Me (short film, 21′)
2017 Iridescence (dance video, 5:30’)
2013 Eloge (short film, 10’)
2011 Legal.Illegal (short film, 25’)
2009 Pas de deux (short film, 7’)
2008 Mena (short film, 11’)
2008 La nuit passée (short film, 7’)
as a screenwriter:
2019 Rosine (in progress, sitcom)
2019 Bille & Zottel (in progress, Paul Thiltges Distributions, Filmfee)
2014 Kiss Them Boys Goodbye (Paul Thiltges Distributions)
2011 Die Schatzritter und das Geheimnis von Melusina (Lucil Film, Neos Film)
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Eilish Kent
Eilish is a freelance story consultant, script editor, producer and educator. She has a track record as an innovative development executive and script editor with twenty years’ experience working at a senior level in the TV and Film industry in… Read More...
Eilish is a freelance story consultant, script editor, producer and educator. She has a track record as an innovative development executive and script editor with twenty years’ experience working at a senior level in the TV and Film industry in Ireland, spotting and developing new talent and bringing them to audience.
Eilish worked in commissioning and developing TV drama for public service broadcasters RTÉ and BBC for over fifteen years.
During her time in RTÉ Eilish developed many international co-productions with the BBC, CBC, and C5 Australia. She pre-bought Irish feature films, including Oscar winner ONCE. She commissioned hundreds of short films, often in partnership with FÍS and the Arts Council. She created StoryLand, a unique online initiative, to capture new audience where she commissioned twenty-four original series including the Youtube hit HARDY BUCKS.
She produced the feature documentary UNDER THE CLOCK for Snackbox films, which was released in cinema in October 2018 and aired on RTÉ One. And the animated short film ABE’S STORY under Frameworks, currently on its festival run.
She designed and delivers an accredited Certificate in Writing TV Drama, which is also a module on the MA in Screenwriting at the National Film School IADT. She also delivers short courses to writers and development executives on screenwriting.
She advises on Film to the Arts Council of Ireland.
Eilish is developing a writer’s tool to explore narrative structure in female centered stories.
Eilish brings her knowledge, insight, creative sensibilities and expertise to assist funding agencies, producers, developers and writers to identify and manage quality projects for cinema, TV and online.
Eilish is available for development work and script editing, she can be contacted at www.eilishkent.com
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Emma Norton
Emma became an in house Producer at Element Pictures in 2017 when she produced the feature film ROSIE, starring Sarah Greene, directed by Paddy Breathnach and written by Roddy Doyle in 2018. She is currently Exec Producing NORMAL PEOPLE a… Read More...
Emma became an in house Producer at Element Pictures in 2017 when she produced the feature film ROSIE, starring Sarah Greene, directed by Paddy Breathnach and written by Roddy Doyle in 2018. She is currently Exec Producing NORMAL PEOPLE a 12×30 mins series for BBC, HULU and RTE directed by Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie MacDonald was one of the producers on THE SOUVENIR PART 2 (BBC/BFI) directed by Joanna Hogg, which is in post-production.
Emma joined Element in 2008 as Development Executive and was promoted to Head of Development in 2011. Emma has enjoyed 11 brilliant years working across all of Element’s projects from WHAT RICHARD DID to ROOM to THE FAVOURITE. In 2014, Emma worked as an Executive Producer on A DATE FOR MAD MARY and has since transitioned into producing in order to follow a select number of projects through to completion.
Before joining Element, Emma worked at Film4 and prior to that was a freelance script reader for a range of UK production companies and theatres, including Kudos, Scott Free, the BFI and the Soho Theatre. Emma has a degree in English Literature from University College London.
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Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland
Screen Ireland is the national development agency for Irish filmmaking and the Irish film, television and animation industry, investing in talent, creativity and enterprise. Read More...
Screen Ireland is the national development agency for Irish filmmaking and the Irish film, television and animation industry, investing in talent, creativity and enterprise.
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Hope Dickson Leach
Hope completed her MFA in filmmaking at Columbia University where she made three short films that played at festivals worldwide. While in New York she was assistant to Todd Solondz on his film PALINDROMES. Hope’s award-winning thesis film, THE DAWN… Read More...
Hope completed her MFA in filmmaking at Columbia University where she made three short films that played at festivals worldwide. While in New York she was assistant to Todd Solondz on his film PALINDROMES. Hope’s award-winning thesis film, THE DAWN CHORUS, was selected for Sundance, Edinburgh, London and many other festivals. Screen International made her a Star of Tomorrow and Filmmaker Magazine named her one of the ’25 New Faces of Independent Film’. Since her return to the UK, she has made further acclaimed short works for Channel 4, Film London, the UK Film Council and the National Theatre of Scotland. Her debut feature THE LEVELLING, produced by Wellington Films as part the iFeatures scheme (funded by BBC Films, the BFI and Creative England) had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2016. At the London Film Festival she was awarded the inaugural IWC Filmmaker Bursary Award in Association with the BFI and in 2017 she won the BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Screenplay and was named a BAFTA Breakthrough Brit. She is currently developing several features and is a co-founder of Raising Films – a campaign to make the film industry more parent-friendly. She lives in Scotland with her husband and two sons.
Hope is represented by Elinor Burns at Casarotto, Ramsay & Associates, and Keya Khayatian & Bec Smith at UTA.
http://hopedicksonleach.com/
FILMOGRAPHY
THE LEVELLING – 83 mins
Produced by Rachel Robey, Wellington Films
Starring Ellie Kendrick, David Troughton & Jack Holden
A family drama set in Somerset following the devastating floods of 2014
Commissioned under iFeatures scheme, funded by BBC Films, the BFI & Creative England
Completed June 2016
Winner BAFTA Scotland Best Screenplay 2017
Distributed in the UK by Peccadillo Pictures; in the US by Monterey Media
FESTIVALS:
Toronto International Film Festival
Moscow New British Film Festival
London Film Festival
Cucalorus Film Festival
Thessaloniki Film Festival
Les Arcs Film Festival
Rotterdam Film Festival
Goteborg Film Festival
British Film Festival In Armenia
Bath Film Festival
Barcelona Auteur Film Festival
Baku British Film Festival
Bermuda Film Festival
Madrid ImagineIndia Film Festival
Belfast Film Festival
Lucca Film Festival
Crossing Europe Film Festival
Sydney Film Festival
Shanghai Film Festival
Helsinki Film Festival
Short Films
SILLY GIRL – 16mm, 2016
Written by Ellie Kendrick with Jason Barker, produced by Loran Dunn
Directed by Hope Dickson Leach
Based on a play by Ellie Kendrick written for the Royal Court. Commissioned by NOWNESS as part of their Define Gender series
WEDDING NIGHT – HD, 5 mins, 2011
Written and Directed by Hope Dickson Leach
Produced by Rosie Ellison
Starring Jordan McCurrach, Hannah Day & Robbie Mack
Created for the National Theatre of Scotland’s Five Minute Theatre, this was a one-take live piece of filmed theatre about the wedding night of Prince William and his bride. The audience played the paparazzi in the piece and shouted out to the actors playing William and Kate.
Currently it has been watched over 8000 times on YouTube.
MORNING ECHO – HD, 15 mins, 2009
Written and Directed by Hope Dickson Leach Produced by Geraldine Patten
Starring Kerry Fox, Peter Sullivan & Amelia Foster
Funded by Film London and the UKFC New Cinema Fund, as part of the Pulse Plus Scheme
Woodstock Film Festival
Branchage, Jersey International Film Festival
Mill Valley Film Festival – Awarded BAFTA/LA Certificate of Excellence in Short Film
Austin Film Festival
Cucalorus Film Festival
London Short Film Festival – Winner, Best Female Character
Cinequest Film Festival
Wisconsin Film Festival
Latitude Film Festival
Regiofun Festival, Poland
Underwire Film Festival – Winner, Best Screenplay
SUBTITLES NOT INCLUDED – HD, 4 x 3 mins, 2009
Written by Hope Dickson Leach & Zoe Cartwright
Directed by & Starring Zoe Cartwright
Produced by Anna Higgs & Gavin Humphries, Quark Films
Broadcast on Channel 4, Nov 23-26 2009
PARLIAMO GLASGOW – HD, 23 mins, 2008
Directed by Hope Dickson Leach
Written by Stewart Thompson
Produced by Vicki Patterson & Jack Ravenscroft
Starring Edyta Budnik, James Grant, Jamie Quinn and Ann Downie
Produced as part of the Coming Up scheme, by IWC media and Touchpaper TV Broadcast on Channel 4, 30 Sept 2009
Nominated for BAFTA SCOTLAND NEW TALENT AWARD – FICTION
VOICES: 3MW – HD, 4 x 3 mins, 2008
Directed by Hope Dickson Leach
Produced by Gavin Humphries & Anna Higgs, Quark Films
Written by and featuring Young People from Kids Company & Foundation 4 Life
Broadcast on Channel 4, Jan 12-15 2008
THE DAWN CHORUS – 35mm, 15 mins, 2006
Written & Directed by Hope Dickson Leach Produced by Jennifer Westin Starring Valerie Shusterov & Henry Glovinsky
It’s been seven years since the plane crashed, but Bonnie and Lloyd are still searching for their parents in the wreckage.
Edinburgh International Film Festival
Boston Film Festival
DC Shorts Film Festival
Student Shorts Film Festival, Toronto
Austin Film Festival – winner, Best Student Narrative Short Film
London Film Festival
Three Rivers Film Festival, Pittsburgh – winner, Best Short Film
Sundance Film Festival
Britspotting ’07
Nashville Film Festival
Stony Brook Film Festival
Shout Charlotte Film Festival
Ozone Film Festival, New Orleans
Cucalorus Film Festival
Encounters Short Film Festival
The Now Film Festival (online) – Finalist, Best Short Film
Shortlisted for 2008 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film
LADIES IN WAITING – s16mm, 11 mins, 2005
Written & Directed by Hope Dickson Leach Produced by Lizzie King Starring Lalage Lumley
Nina and the other new 12-year-old girls at her English boarding school must visit the school doctor for a check-up. As they wait outside the doctor’s office, wondering what will happen inside, allegiances are born, and broken.
Reel Venus Film Festival, New York
Through Women’s Eyes Film Festival, Florida Staten Island Film Festival Boston Film Festival
Garden State Film Festival
Three Rivers Film Festival – Kodak Finalist Hi Mom! Film Festival Student Shorts Film Festival, Toronto
Special Mention for Innovation from Cannery Works Festival for Emerging Filmmakers Development Award from Milos Forman Fund
CAVITIES – 16mm, 13 mins, 2004
Written, Directed, Edited and Produced by Hope Dickson Leach Starring Valerie Shusterov & Julie Kessler
13 -year-old Nina hates her Mom, her thighs and the ill-fitting bridesmaid dress she must wear tomorrow at her mother’s wedding. When her Mom has to help her out of the dress, she decides to take matters into her own hands.
Edinburgh International Film Festival
Los Angeles International Short Film Festival
Prends Sa Court! Montreal Olympia Film Festival
Hi Mom! Film Festival
Nashville Film Festival
New York Short Film Festival
IFP Buzz Cuts, New York
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John Butler
John Butler wrote and directed feature films PAPI CHULO, HANDSOME DEVIL and THE STAG and TV sketch show YOUR BAD SELF. Read More...
John Butler wrote and directed feature films PAPI CHULO, HANDSOME DEVIL and THE STAG and TV sketch show YOUR BAD SELF.
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Jordanne Jones
Jordanne Jones is an actor, activist, mental health advocate and English Literature and Film Studies student at Trinity College. She has acted in RTE’s period pieces REBELLION, RESISTANCE and DEAD STILL, as for films, METAL HEART directed by Hugh O’Connor… Read More...
Jordanne Jones is an actor, activist, mental health advocate and English Literature and Film Studies student at Trinity College.
She has acted in RTE’s period pieces REBELLION, RESISTANCE and DEAD STILL, as for films, METAL HEART directed by Hugh O’Connor and I USED TO LIVE HERE directed by Frank Berry, and HEARTBREAK with Emmet Kirwan.
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Julia Short
From a background in advertising and consumer PR, Julia has worked in film distribution for over 25 years. During this time at PolyGram she was responsible for running the theatrical marketing and publicity department in the UK, releasing such films… Read More...
From a background in advertising and consumer PR, Julia has worked in film distribution for over 25 years. During this time at PolyGram she was responsible for running the theatrical marketing and publicity department in the UK, releasing such films as TRAINSPOTTING, FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, FARGO, TWELVE MONKEYS and THE USUAL SUSPECTS. After PolyGram closed in 1999, she moved to Redbus (now Lionsgate) where she was Deputy Managing Director and Film Four Distribution (Head of Marketing – Maternity Cover). In 2003 Julia set up VERVE PICTURES with Colin Burch during which time she acquired BULLET BOY, Andrea Arnold’s RED ROAD, the Oscar nominated DOGTOOTH and released a number of films by first time film makers. From 2011 to 2013 Julia was Head of International Acquisitions at The Works Film Group.
Since 2013 Julia is working as consultant across various aspects of the film industry and is Director of Content for the Creative Europe/Creative Skillset funded Inside Pictures, as well as delivering training programmes for both the Film Distributor’s Association, and Creative England. Julia also consults for producers and worked from pre-production through to international release of Danny Boyle’s T2: TRAINSPOTTING. She is currently consulting for producers and worked on a CBBC/DIT China to London project for the BFI in 2017 and 2018.
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Kathryn Kennedy
Winner of the ADIFF Discovery award 2016 and the Bingham Ray New Talent award 2015, Kathryn Kennedy is a creative Irish Producer with Kennedy Films, and a member of ACE (Ateliers du Cinema Européen). Kathryn runs Kennedy Films together with… Read More...
Winner of the ADIFF Discovery award 2016 and the Bingham Ray New Talent award 2015, Kathryn Kennedy is a creative Irish Producer with Kennedy Films, and a member of ACE (Ateliers du Cinema Européen). Kathryn runs Kennedy Films together with award-winning Producer/Director Frankie Fenton.
Kennedy Films’ first feature is 8-time IFTA nominated, MY NAME IS EMILY (2015), with writer/director Simon Fitzmaurice. The film is a world-first as the Director Simon Fitzmaurice was physically paralysed with Motor Neuron Disease (ALS), he wrote and directed the entire film solely with his eyes and Tobii eye gaze technology. Simon passed away in October 2017.
My Name is Emily is a teenage love story and a road movie, starring Evanna Lynch (Harry Potter) and Michael Smiley (Kill List, A Field in England). It was nominated for 8 Irish Film and Television awards, it won Best Cinematography at the Galway Film Fleadh, the Youth Film Award at Internationales Filmfestival SCHLINGEL, the Newport Beach Achievement Award for Acting, the Victoria Texas Festival Jury Prize for Best Actress and many more festival awards. The London Screenwriter’s festival presented the Director with a lifetime achievement award for the film and since Simon’s death, this award has now been renamed the Fitzmaurice award. My Name is Emily had its North American Premiere at the prestigious Toronto Film Festival 2015 and screened at many international festivals. It was released theatrically throughout North America and Ireland.
Kennedy’s first feature documentary IT’S NOT YET DARK, directed by Frankie Fenton is based on the best-selling book of the same name written by Simon Fitzmaurice, and is narrated by Colin Farrell. It won Best Documentary and Best Cinematography at the Galway Film Fleadh 2016, and was selected for International Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival 2017. It had a highly successful festival run and successful theatrical, VOD releases in the US and internationally. Kathryn is producing Fenton’s next documentary ATOMIC HOPE, a climate-change documentary supported by Screen Ireland which will be completed in 2020.
Kathryn has an MA in Screenwriting, a BA in Film and has represented Ireland at Producer Labs in Rotterdam and Toronto. Currently Kathryn has a number of fiction films in development with Screen Ireland including, FIFTH THOUSAND WORDS by David Turpin, THE WÜRZBURG EFFECT by Alex Fegan and Oliver Callan and OTTOLINE by Andrew Legge.
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Katie Holly
Katie Holly is co-owner and Managing Director of Blinder Films, where she has produced several award winning and critically acclaimed features including ONE HUNDRED MORNINGS (2009), SENSATION (2010), CITADEL (2012) and THE PERVERT’S GUIDE TO IDEOLOGY (2012) which have screened… Read More...
Katie Holly is co-owner and Managing Director of Blinder Films, where she has produced several award winning and critically acclaimed features including ONE HUNDRED MORNINGS (2009), SENSATION (2010), CITADEL (2012) and THE PERVERT’S GUIDE TO IDEOLOGY (2012) which have screened at festivals including Sundance, Berlinale, Tribeca, SXSW, Toronto, London, Rotterdam, Karlovy Vary and Sydney.
Her most recent projects include Irish/Canadian/New Zealand co-production COME TO DADDY directed by Ant Timpson and starring Elijah Wood which had its world premiere at Tribeca 2019; EXTRA ORDINARY, a supernatural comedy directed by Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman, starring Maeve Higgins, Barry Ward, Claudia O’Doherty and Will Forte which had its world premiere at SXSW 2019; A DOG CALLED MONEY, which world premiered in the Panorama section at Berlinale 2019, directed by award-winning photographer Seamus Murphy who accompanied musician PJ Harvey on a journey through the creative process behind one of her albums, conceived by their travels around the globe; GRACE JONES: BLOODLIGHT AND BAMI, a documentary on the musical and fashion icon, directed by Sophie Fiennes and released in the US by Kino Lorber; VITA & VIRGINIA which chronicles the passionate relationship between literary innovator Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West, starring Gemma Arterton, Elizabeth Debicki, Isabella Rossellini and directed by Chanya Button which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival 2018 and was also selected as the Opening Night Gala for the 2019 BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival.
She has also produced original TV drama STRIKING OUT, which now has broadcast on RTÉ for two seasons and Whit Stillman’s LOVE & FRIENDSHIP starring Kate Beckinsale, Chloë Sevigny, Xavier Samuel, and Stephen Fry which premiered to critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival 2016, was nominated for a Gotham Award and enjoyed extended releases at both US (Amazon, Roadside Attractions) and UK (Curzon) box offices and THE QUEEN OF IRELAND, a feature documentary about accidental LGBT activist Panti Bliss; picked up by Universal Pictures for distribution in the UK and Ireland, The Queen of Ireland went on to secure the highest opening box office of any Irish documentary to date.
She is currently in production on THE RACER, directed by Kieron J. Walsh, which is set in 1998, when the opening stages of famed cycling tournament the Tour de France was held in Ireland for the first time, and stars Louis Talpe, Tara Lee, Matteo Simoni and Iain Glen and on FRENCH EXIT, an Irish/Canadian co-production directed by Azazel Jacobs and starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges. The surrealist comedy about a penniless Manhattan socialite who flees to Paris with her husband who has turned into a cat, has been acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. She is also executive producer on BOYS FROM COUNTY HELL, directed by Chris Baugh – a vampire feature set in Northern Ireland and supported by Endeavor Content.
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Kevin Power
Kevin Power is a novelist and critic. He graduated from University College Dublin with a PhD in American Literature in 2013. His first novel, BAD DAY IN BLACKROCK, was published in 2008 and was filmed as WHAT RICHARD DID (2012),… Read More...
Kevin Power is a novelist and critic. He graduated from University College Dublin with a PhD in American Literature in 2013. His first novel, BAD DAY IN BLACKROCK, was published in 2008 and was filmed as WHAT RICHARD DID (2012), directed by Lenny Abrahamson and produced by Element Films. In 2008 Kevin won the Hennessy XO Award for Emerging Fiction and in 2009 he won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. From 2014 to 2016 Kevin was Creative Writing Fellow at St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra; in 2017-18 he was Assistant Professor in the School of English, Dublin City University. He is now Assistant Professor of Literary Practice in the School of English, Trinity College Dublin. He writes regularly for various venues including The Sunday Business Post, The Dublin Review, Literary Review, Los Angeles Review of Books, and The Dublin Review of Books.
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Kirsty Blake Knox
Kirsty Blake Knox is a digital editor, and journalist with Ireland’s largest selling daily paper the Irish Independent. She has worked with Independent News & Media for over seven years covering a range of subjects; from politics to the ploughing… Read More...
Kirsty Blake Knox is a digital editor, and journalist with Ireland’s largest selling daily paper the Irish Independent.
She has worked with Independent News & Media for over seven years covering a range of subjects; from politics to the ploughing championships and everything in between. She currently edits the Life vertical for INM.
She has written for other publications including British Vogue, the New York Press, and the Financial Times.
Before she moved into journalism, she worked as a TV Researcher on various entertainment shows for RTÉ. She also worked in TV development for documentary company Stick Figure Productions in Manhattan.
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Lara Hickey
Lara Hickey is a Dublin based Producer working in film, television, theatre and the arts in Ireland for over 10 years. She is currently Co-Director of Copper Alley Productions and Producer with THISISPOPBABY and Anabasis Films. Her film & television… Read More...
Lara Hickey is a Dublin based Producer working in film, television, theatre and the arts in Ireland for over 10 years. She is currently Co-Director of Copper Alley Productions and Producer with THISISPOPBABY and Anabasis Films. Her film & television credits include the BBC, Element Pictures, RTÉ, Vico Films, Zodiak Media, EON and NBC Universal.
Lara holds an MA in Creative Production & Screen Finance from the National Film School, IADT, a degree in Political Science from Trinity College Dublin and is a graduate of Rough Magic SEEDS.
Her background is in theatre and arts for over 10 years, including as Associate Producer at the Abbey Theatre for four years and as an independent producer and programmer with Rough Magic, THEATREclub, THISISPOPBABY, Talking Shop Ensemble & Shaun Dunne, Project Arts Centre and Body & Soul Festival. Lara is a member of the Board of Directors of Dublin Fringe Festival and The Corn Exchange.
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Lesley McKimm
Lesley McKimm has been a project manager with Screen Ireland for 3 years and has been across a diverse range of films in that time including EXTRA ORDINARY, THE HOLE IN THE GROUND, FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY and the documentaries… Read More...
Lesley McKimm has been a project manager with Screen Ireland for 3 years and has been across a diverse range of films in that time including EXTRA ORDINARY, THE HOLE IN THE GROUND, FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY and the documentaries SHOOTING THE MAFIA, KATIE and BREAKING OUT.
Prior to that she was a Producer with Newgrange Pictures and Comet Films – working across feature film, TV drama and documentary. Selected credits include MY NAME IS EMILY (Wri/Dir Simon Fitzmaurice with Kennedy Films), HAPPY EVER AFTERS (wri/dir Stephen Burke, starring Sally Hawkins), the documentary IT’S NOT YET DARK (dir Frankie Fenton), the documentary series DESIGNING IRELAND (dir Sarah Share for RTE), the TV drama series WHISTLEBLOWER (Exec producing for Saffron Pictures) & NO TEARS (with Little Bird, for RTE, and the international co-productions THE KING’S CHOICE, THE LAST KING, CALL GIRL and A THOUSAND TIMES GOODNIGHT.
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Lian Bell
Lian Bell works as a set designer, a cultural project manager and an artist. For over 20 years she has worked with some of the most significant arts organisations and contemporary performance makers in Ireland. As a designer she focuses… Read More...
Lian Bell works as a set designer, a cultural project manager and an artist. For over 20 years she has worked with some of the most significant arts organisations and contemporary performance makers in Ireland. As a designer she focuses on contemporary performance, and often works on pieces that are devised and/or site specific. As a manager she works primarily on one-off cultural events and stand-alone projects, with a particular interest in artist development and in events that bring Irish artists in contact with their international counterparts. She was Campaign Director of #WakingTheFeminists, the highly successful grassroots campaign calling for equality for women artists in Irish theatre. She continues to consult, speak publicly, and run workshops on gender equality in the arts, nationally and internationally. Visit lianbell.com and wakingthefeminists.org for more information.
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Lindsay Campbell
Lindsay Campbell is a producer with over 18 years experience in the film and television industry. She has worked on over 30 feature films, documentaries and shorts including: John Carney's ONCE, Declan Recks’ PURE MULE, Terry McMahon's PATRICK’S DAY, Pat… Read More...
Lindsay Campbell is a producer with over 18 years experience in the film and television industry. She has worked on over 30 feature films, documentaries and shorts including: John Carney’s ONCE, Declan Recks’ PURE MULE, Terry McMahon’s PATRICK’S DAY, Pat Murphy’s TANA BANA and Aoife Kelleher’s ONE MILLION DUBLINERS and STRANGE OCCURRENCES. Having worked in freelance production for many years, Lindsay has built up a network with some of the best directors, writers, cinematographers, casting directors and actors working in Ireland and abroad and is constantly developing new projects. A graduate of SCREEN LEADERS 2016, Lindsay is currently a participant on EAVE’s 2019 Producers’ Workshop with the TV drama series DREAMHOUSE. Lindsay is a full time producer with Underground Films, where she is also a company director.
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Louise Bruton
Louise Bruton is a freelance journalist, popculture enthusiast, disability rights activist, DJ and playwright. She regularly writes about music, TV, women’s rights, travel, social media, access and life as a wheelchair user for the Irish Times, Lonely Planet and Image… Read More...
Louise Bruton is a freelance journalist, popculture enthusiast, disability rights activist, DJ and playwright. She regularly writes about music, TV, women’s rights, travel, social media, access and life as a wheelchair user for the Irish Times, Lonely Planet and Image Magazine. She is also a regular contributor to radio shows, podcasts and panel discussions, either as a guest or host, covering the subjects above and everything else in between.
She made her theatre debut in 2017’s Dublin Fringe Festival as a playwright and a performer with a sold out run of WHY WON’T YOU HAVE SEX WITH ME?, a show that looks into disability, relationships and sex. She is currently in the process of transforming the basis of this play into a TV series.
As of May 2019, she runs a monthly club night with Michael Pope (Le Galaxie) called Pure Shores and they only play music by women.
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Lucy Ryan
Lucy has a background in the film, TV and theatre industries in both Ireland and the UK. She spent many years working and teaching in script development, working freelance as a reader, script editor and development executive. Clients include Screen… Read More...
Lucy has a background in the film, TV and theatre industries in both Ireland and the UK.
She spent many years working and teaching in script development, working freelance as a reader, script editor and development executive. Clients include Screen Ireland, Ecosse Films, Blinder Films, Warrior Films, Element Pictures, Grand Pictures, Catherine Bailey Productions, Park Films and Galway Film Centre.
She also has a background in theatre and has worked freelance as a producer for the independent sector in Dublin and used to be a reader for the New Works department of The Abbey Theatre. She has recently taken up the role of Director of Programming at Smock Alley Theatre.
For a number of years she lectured on the MA in Screenwriting at Goldsmiths College, London delivering a term-long module on script-editing and the film development industry.
Recent projects include script editing DUBLIN OLD SCHOOL (Dir: Dave Tynan) released summer 2018 and HERSELF (Dir: Phyllida Lloyd) to be released 2020.
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Margaret E. Ward
Margaret is an entrepreneur, investigative journalist and founder of Women on Air. The day job is CEO and founder of communications and leadership consultancy Clear Ink. At night and on weekends she tries her hand at screenwriting. Margaret serves on… Read More...
Margaret is an entrepreneur, investigative journalist and founder of Women on Air. The day job is CEO and founder of communications and leadership consultancy Clear Ink. At night and on weekends she tries her hand at screenwriting. Margaret serves on the boards of RTÉ and Fáilte Ireland. She was a business journalist with The Irish Times, Sunday Times, a presenter at Newstalk and a regular radio and TV contributor.
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Maria Tecce
Maria’s experience as a professional actor, singer, and writer launched her on the road to coaching almost 15 years ago. Having toured with her one-woman shows and performed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues and opera houses for… Read More...
Maria’s experience as a professional actor, singer, and writer launched her on the road to coaching almost 15 years ago.
Having toured with her one-woman shows and performed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues and opera houses for 20 years, she then adapted her skills to coach professionals in theatre, performance, and the corporate market.
She has worked with top international companies such as Google, Diageo, Novartis, KPMG, Deloitte, Websummit, Stryker, Ericsson, Volkswagen, Grant Thornton, and LinkedIn, elite higher learning institutions such as Trinity College, UCD, Smurfit Business School, and she coaches one-to-one for C-Level executives, entrepreneurs, and politicians. She also is a Senior Voice Tutor at The Lir Academy @ Trinity College, The Gaiety Acting School, and Rose Bruford College in London.
Maria provides training to anyone who finds themselves communicating and speaking on a regular basis, whether you’re addressing key share holders, presenting at a conference, or giving the best man speech at a wedding.
A regular contributor on Irish radio and television with John Murray, Miriam O’Callaghan, Pat Kenny, Ryan Tubridy, Ireland AM, to the Irish Times, Sunday Business Post, Hotpress Magazine, The Independent, Maria is also a writer and performer with legendary Irish comedy trio The Nualas, works as a facilitator and storyteller for Irish writer Roddy Doyle’s organization Fighting Words and has presented her own radio program on RTE Radio 1.
During her career, she has worked with artists as diverse as Jim Sheridan, Ken Loach, Angela Lansbury, Patsy Kensit, Mia Farrow, Martin Shaw, Keith Carradine and Dionne Warwick, and as a performer and presenter for The Gate Theatre, RTE Concert Orchestra, BBC, RTE, Shakespeare & Company in Boston, and Lincoln Center in New York.
She has produced three music albums, two DVDs, and 10 years of international tours, performing her one-woman shows at festivals and venues in the USA, the UK, Ireland, and across Europe.
She has taken tried and tested skills and techniques found in the world of business psychology, theatre, and performance and adapted them for professional in the corporate market. She now trains her clients in these techniques to arm them with the skill sets they need to become clear, captivating, and memorable communicators and breathe life back into their business communications and presentations.
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Marian Quinn
Marian Quinn is a writer-director, educator and board member of Screen Ireland. Her feature film, 32A, won Best Feature at the Galway Film Fleadh, the IFTA for cinematography and the Tiernan McBride Screenplay Award, premiered at the Berlinale, it has… Read More...
Marian Quinn is a writer-director, educator and board member of Screen Ireland. Her feature film, 32A, won Best Feature at the Galway Film Fleadh, the IFTA for cinematography and the Tiernan McBride Screenplay Award, premiered at the Berlinale, it has sold worldwide and toured to over 100 festivals. She chairs the Gender Equality & Diversity Subcommittee at Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland which has initiated many panels and programmes aimed at increasing diversity and achieving gender parity in film. Her various film and television projects have attracted financing from RTÉ, Screen Ireland, the Media Fund of the European Union and the Wrap Fund. She teaches directing at DKIT and Screenwriting at IT Sligo.
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Mark O’Rowe
Mark O'Rowe is a playwright and screenwriter. His plays include FROM BOTH HIPS (Fishamble Theatre Company, 1997), HOWIE THE ROOKIE (Bush Theatre, 1999), MADE IN CHINA (Peacock Theatre, 2001), CRESTFALLL (Gate Theatre, 2003), TERMINUS (Peacock Theatre, 2007), OUR FEW AND… Read More...
Mark O’Rowe is a playwright and screenwriter.
His plays include FROM BOTH HIPS (Fishamble Theatre Company, 1997), HOWIE THE ROOKIE (Bush Theatre, 1999), MADE IN CHINA (Peacock Theatre, 2001), CRESTFALLL (Gate Theatre, 2003), TERMINUS (Peacock Theatre, 2007), OUR FEW AND EVILL DAYS (Abbey Theatre, 2014), and THE APPROACH (Landmark Theatre Company, 2018).
He has also adapted several works including Ibsen’s HEDDA GABLER (Abbey Theatre, 2015), and DRUIDSHAKESPEARE, an amalgamation of four of Shakespeare’s history plays (Druid Theatre Company, 2015).
His screenplays include INTERMISSION (2003), BOY A (2007), PERRIER’S BOUNTY (2009), BROKEN (2012), and THE DELINQUENT SEASON (2018), which he also directed.
Most recently he wrote the Sky television series TEMPLE.
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Martina Niland
Founder of Port Pictures Ltd, Martina Niland is a well-established Irish Film and Television Producer with close to twenty years’ experience in the industry. During that time Martina has Produced a vast number of feature film and television projects at… Read More...
Founder of Port Pictures Ltd, Martina Niland is a well-established Irish Film and Television Producer with close to twenty years’ experience in the industry. During that time Martina has Produced a vast number of feature film and television projects at both a domestic and international level.
Martina is currently in post-production on WILD MOUNTAIN THYME, written and directed by John Patrick Shanley (‘Moonstruck’, ‘Doubt’) and starring Emily Blunt, Jamie Dornan Jon Hamm and Christopher Walken. HanWay Films are handling International Sales, with Bleecker Street releasing in the US and Liosgate in the UK and Ireland in 2020.
Also, in 2019 Martina acted as producer on the Canadian/Irish film DEATH OF A LADIES’ MAN, starring Gabriel Byrne and directed by Matt Bissonnette. Celluloid Dream are acting as Sales Company on the film, which is due for release in the first half of 2020.
Among Martina’s most critically acclaimed productions are Academy Award winning ONCE (2007) and Golden Globe nominated SING STREET (2016) both by Award winning Writer/Director John Carney.
Other films, which Martina has produced include PAVEE LACKEEN (Dir: Perry Ogden), which was selected as one of only seven films from around the world to screen in the International Critics Week sidebar section of the Venice Film Festival in 2005, SNAP (Dir: Carmel Winters) which had its World Premiere’s at the Tribeca Film Festival and FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY, which won the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) award at 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. Martina also acted as producer on the BBC/RTE six-part Comedy Series, THE YOUNG OFFENDERS (Dir Peter Foott/Vico Films Ltd), based on the hugely successful feature film of the same name. This series was nominated for a prestigious Rose d’Or Award. Series 2 is currently airing on BBC and RTE.
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Mary Kate O’Flanagan
Mary Kate O’Flanagan is an award-winning writer and story consultant working in the European film and television industry Formerly an arts journalist, she has written seven feature films all of which have been funded for development by Screen Ireland (formerly… Read More...
Mary Kate O’Flanagan is an award-winning writer and story consultant working in the European film and television industry
Formerly an arts journalist, she has written seven feature films all of which have been funded for development by Screen Ireland (formerly The Irish Film Board) and six of which are optioned and currently in development. She has written three television pilots, one of which won a Prix Europa from The European Alliance for Television Culture.
Mary Kate was Ireland’s first Grand Slam Champion Storyteller at The Moth. She was also a Grand Slam Champion Storyteller at The Moth in Los Angeles. You can hear one of her stories (which went viral) at: https://themoth.org/stories/carry-him-shoulder-high
She won The Dublin StorySlam again in January 2019 and is working on turning her stories into a piece of theatre.
Mary Kate has lived and worked all over Europe. She speaks Danish, Italian, French and her native Irish language and has a minor in Biblical Hebrew.
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Melissa Silverstein
Melissa Silverstein is the founder and publisher of Women and Hollywood, an initiative and website that educates, advocates, and agitates for gender diversity and inclusion in Hollywood and the global film industry. She is a speaker and consultant with extensive… Read More...
Melissa Silverstein is the founder and publisher of Women and Hollywood, an initiative
and website that educates, advocates, and agitates for gender diversity and inclusion in
Hollywood and the global film industry. She is a speaker and consultant with extensive
expertise in the area of women and Hollywood. She is the Artistic Director and Co-
Founder of The Athena Film Festival at Barnard College which is a weekend of inspiring
films that tell the extraordinary stories of fierce and fearless female leaders. The 10th
annual festival will take place from February 27 – March 1, 2020.
In 2018, Melissa was named to Variety’s New York Power list and in 2016, she received
the Marie C. Wilson Emerging Leader Award from the Ms. Foundation for Women. In
2015, she was selected to be a film envoy for the American Film Showcase, the major
film diplomacy program of the U.S. Department of State. In 2013, she published the first
book from Women and Hollywood, In Her Voice: Women Directors Talk Directing,
which is a compilation of over 40 interviews that have appeared on the site.
Melissa has written for numerous publications including: The Washington Post, NY
Times, The Guardian, Forbes, Bloomberg and her work has been featured on CNN, the
BBC as well as in Newsweek, Salon, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, NY Times, and
many other publications. She was a contributor to The Tattooed Girl: The Enigma of
Stieg Larsson and the Secrets Behind the Most Compelling Thriller of Our Time.
Previous experience includes work on high profile public education campaigns such as
Take Our Daughters to Work Day, and she was the founding project director for The
White House Project. Prior to that was the Chief of Staff at the Ms. Foundation for
Women.
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Nell Roddy
Following an MA in Film and TV studies in DCU, Nell joined Element Pictures Distribution in 2008 where she headed up Publicity and Corporate Comms for the company for 11 years. Working on campaigns within Element as diverse as Lenny… Read More...
Following an MA in Film and TV studies in DCU, Nell joined Element Pictures Distribution in 2008 where she headed up Publicity and Corporate Comms for the company for 11 years. Working on campaigns within Element as diverse as Lenny Abrahamson’s Oscar winning ROOM to box-office smash THE GUARD as well and Ken Wardrop’s adored HIS AND HERS. In March 2019, she left Element and co-founded Break Out Pictures with Robert Finn; a new film distribution company with a dedication to supporting emerging and established creatives. Previous releases include Hugh O’Conor’s directorial debut METAL HEART, LOSING ALASKA a timely climate change documentary and Sophie Hyde’s celebration of female friendship; ANIMALS. 2020 will see Break Out Pictures bring Tom O’Sullivan’s famine drama ARRACHT, the critically acclaimed festival favourite RIALTO and Paddy Slattery’s debut BROKEN LAW to the big screen
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Oonagh Murphy
Oonagh Murphy is a theatre director, writer and participatory artist working across various forms in professional and community-based contexts. As a stage director, she has worked with companies such as Druid, the Gate, the Abbey Theatre, Donmar Warehouse and the… Read More...
Oonagh Murphy is a theatre director, writer and participatory artist working across various forms in professional and community-based contexts. As a stage director, she has worked with companies such as Druid, the Gate, the Abbey Theatre, Donmar Warehouse and the Playful Productions. She is passionate about amplifying diverse voices and staging stories that have previously existed on the margins. She collaborates closely with writers creating new work – most recently, Karen Cogan (DRIP FEED for Fishamble and Soho Theatre) and Cristín Kehoe (SHELTER for Druid Theatre Company). Her production of THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD reimagined Synge’s classic from a feminist perspective for a contemporary audience, headlining Dublin Theatre Festival at the Gaiety Theatre. In 2018, she co-wrote and directed a new work, THE MOUTH OF A SHARK, a theatrical concept album which counterpointed stories of LGBT asylum seekers arriving in Ireland, with the experiences of queer Irish people forced to leave home in decades past. She is now in the process of developing this show as an experimental film project.
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Orla Clancy
Orla Clancy is the Head of the Creative Europe Desk Ireland MEDIA Office, and has worked with MEDIA since the end of 2008. Prior to her current position, Orla held various positions in different areas of the industry. She has… Read More...
Orla Clancy is the Head of the Creative Europe Desk Ireland MEDIA Office, and has worked with MEDIA since the end of 2008. Prior to her current position, Orla held various positions in different areas of the industry. She has worked with Screen Training Ireland, stop.watch television, RTÉ Sports Department, was Festival Manager with the New York Film Fleadh and also held various roles with the Irish Arts Center in New York such as Film Series Coordinator and documentary course co-ordinator. Orla holds a BSc Hons in Communications from DIT.
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Patrick O’Neill
Patrick O’Neill is Founder and Managing Director of Wildcard Distribution, Ireland’s leading film distribution company. Wildcard projects include THE YOUNG OFFENDERS, BOBBY SANDS: 66 DAYS, CARDBOARD GANGSTERS, BLACK 47, and THE HOLE IN THE GROUND. In addition to Wildcard films,… Read More...
Patrick O’Neill is Founder and Managing Director of Wildcard Distribution, Ireland’s leading film distribution company. Wildcard projects include THE YOUNG OFFENDERS, BOBBY SANDS: 66 DAYS, CARDBOARD GANGSTERS, BLACK 47, and THE HOLE IN THE GROUND.
In addition to Wildcard films, the company also works on Irish theatrical campaigns for major UK distributors such as Altitude, Vertigo, and others, with major titles including AMY, CHILD’S PLAY, and DIEGO MARADONA.
As well as theatrical releases, Wildcard manage all rights in the value chain across Ireland and the UK and has formed direct relationships with major Broadcasters and leaders in the SVOD market – Amazon and Netflix.
Patrick’s Executive Producer credits include THE HOLE IN THE GROUND, BLACK 47, EXTRA ORDINARY, DAMO & IVOR: THE MOVIE, and KATIE. He also holds Board positions with the Irish Film Institute, the Cork Film Festival, and is a member of the WRAP Fund Investment Committee.
Patrick has 20 years experience in the film industry including seven years as an Executive at Screen Ireland (formerly the Irish Film Board) and roles in International sales and film production.
Qualifications include an MA in Audiovisual Management, MSC in Cyberpsychology, and a BA in Business Studies.
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Paul Butler Lennox & Ray Mongey, Film Network Ireland
Film Network Ireland (Fni) was established in 2009 by Ray Mongey and Paul Butler Lennox. Initially as a small social platform to help source Filmmaking crew and to highlight the independent film and television sector working in Ireland. Taking the… Read More...
Film Network Ireland (Fni) was established in 2009 by Ray Mongey and Paul Butler Lennox. Initially as a small social platform to help source Filmmaking crew and to highlight the independent film and television sector working in Ireland. Taking the form of a Facebook group.
The remit at first was very simple. To create a safe space of encouragement and self promotional tool for Filmmakers, actors and creatives working in film and tv to promote and advertise their skillset in a transparent respectful and productive environment. To help source Filmmaking crew and passionate people who are ambitious to make a name for themselves.
The group grew incredibly fast initially from a handful of professional colleagues to a thousand people in a short space of time. This with the knowledge that anyone wishing to join had recognised training in their discipline or was a working professional that had recognised credits or was actively in University or college studying a related discipline.
Over the last 10 years Fni has grown exponentially in terms of reputation and engagement of new audiences and by the numbers of people statistically joining on various platforms and events. It has become an invaluable resource for debate and discussion resulting in the organic growth to one of the largest communities in the country, which has been consistently a platform for people who look for opportunity and professional growth. Those who strive for transparent and long standing working relationships.
Fni has become the go-to resource for individuals to look for opportunity and for companies to advertise work, services and cast performers.
The interest and engagement has grown so much that it was a logical step that Fni would manifest itself into a tangible offline community which would organise well attended meetups, networking events, Screenings, classes and ultimately a regular industry podcast practicing what we preach, by the name of Fni Wrapchat which has become the biggest film industry podcast operating in Ireland. A show which gives nuts and bolts accounts of people who directly relate to the various different departments of the Irish Film and Tv industry. We’re over 75 eps at this point. Sponsored by Wildcard Distribution.
All of which is done voluntarily.
Our classes and seminars have consisted of a standard of recognised creatives working at a low price to help themselves rise by lifting others, to impart wisdom, encouragement and support and examples are varied in the images attached We are also well established all over the country at film festivals running events directly there and in Dublin over the years. We have strong ties and had great active visual support and in some instances and held events and podcasts with the Galway Film Fleadh, The Kerry Film festival, The now unfortunately disbanded Film Base, the Cork Film Festival, the Dublin Virgin Media film festival and a number of recognised film production companies and organisations with international reputations such as the Screen Directors Guild of Ireland, the Irish Film School, the Writers Guild of Ireland, and a number of agencies and post house and rental companies operating here in Ireland.
Our regular networking events draw large numbers and receive overwhelming support in terms of sponsorship which we redistribute to individual Filmmakers directly to aid and support their creative progress and long term sustainability in the Irish Film and Tv industry.
#WeAreFni is our hashtag.
Join us on our social media platforms for further engagement. Oh and “Make a name for yourself”
www.facebook.com/filmnetworkireland
www.instagram.com/filmnetworkireland
And on Twitter at @fni_film
You can listen to our Film and Tv industry Podcast Fni Wrapchat on Apple podcasts,Spotify
and on the Headstuff podcast Network.
https://open.spotify.com/show/6RTcxB35h6s7wZa4CEhdDW?si=S3tfhGjsQ2OfwQ26aF59qQ
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Rebecca O’Flanagan
A graduate of UCD and King’s Inns, Rebecca worked in a freelance capacity for a number of years in the Irish film industry before she moved to the Irish Film Board to work as a Development Manager, selecting and managing… Read More...
A graduate of UCD and King’s Inns, Rebecca worked in a freelance capacity for a number of years in the Irish film industry before she moved to the Irish Film Board to work as a Development Manager, selecting and managing the Board’s vast development slate including shorts, animation, television and film.
In 2004 she left the Board and established Rubicon Films. In that year she also produced the RTE/Film Base-funded short RIGHT NOW LADIES AND GENTS. In 2006, she produced at 4 x 1 hour TV series for TG4 called THE RUNNING MATE, which won the IFTA for Best Drama Serial. Also in 2008, Rebecca executive produced THE ECLIPSE for Treasure Entertainment, a feature film written and directed by Conor McPherson which won the award for Best Actor at the Tribeca Film Festival for Ciaran Hinds and also won the IFTA for best film. In 2009, Rebecca produced the feature film MY BROTHERS which also premiered in Tribeca. In the same year she produced YOUR BAD SELF, a six part TV sketch show for RTE, winner of the IFTA for best entertainment programme. In 2011 Rebecca executive produced BAFTA nominated GOOD VIBRATIONS. In 2012 Rebecca produced John Butler’s THE STAG, and in 2016 she produced John Butler’s second feature HANDSOME DEVIL. Both films premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Her most recent credits include Paddy Breathnach’s VIVA, which was shortlisted for Best Foreign Language Oscar, Hugh O’Conor’s debut feature film METAL HEART, which premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh 2018, and John Butler’s latest feature PAPI CHULO, which premiered at TIFF 2018.
Rebecca lectures on the MA in Screenwriting course at the School of Film and Digital Media in NUI Galway, as well as guest lecturing at on a number of other film courses.
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Ruth Coady
Ruth has been working in film and television production for the past twenty years , the last ten producing, developing and securing finance for scripted content. In her early career after graduating from DIT with a BSc in Communications, Ruth… Read More...
Ruth has been working in film and television production for the past twenty years , the last ten producing, developing and securing finance for scripted content.
In her early career after graduating from DIT with a BSc in Communications, Ruth spent time working in Australia on a range of productions from commercials and domestic television to large scale critically acclaimed event television including The Pacific (HBO).
On returning to Dublin in 2008 Ruth joined Parallel Films and shortly afterward moved to their UK office to focus on both domestic and international partnerships across a range of partners, financiers and creative talent.
Ruth’s wide ranging network of contacts and experience has produced successful partnerships and co productions on projects in Ireland, the UK, Australia, Canada and many European countries.
Most recently Ruth Executive Produced DARKLANDS for Virgin Media UK & Ireland with Fremantle, which was Virgin’s highest rating drama to date, breaking records across percentage shares and viewing figures.
Other projects Ruth has produced include MARY SHELLEY starring Elle Fanning, directed by Haifaa Al Mansour, THE DELINQUENT SEASON starring Cillian Murphy and Andrew Scott written and directed by Mark O Rowe, and co-produced THE SIEGE OF JADOTVILLE for Netflix starring Jamie Dornan.
Currently co-producing MY SALINGER YEAR by Oscar nominated director Philippe Falardeau, starring Sigourney Weaver and Margaret Qualley, Ruth is also in development with a variety of partners, including projects with ITV Studios, BBC, Sky and Sky Vision.
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Ruth McGowan
Ruth McGowan is Festival Director at Dublin Fringe Festival. An active curator, Dublin Fringe Festival champions some of Ireland’s most exciting new projects and independent artists each year. As a dramaturg and producer specializing in new work for the stage,… Read More...
Ruth McGowan is Festival Director at Dublin Fringe Festival. An active curator, Dublin Fringe Festival champions some of Ireland’s most exciting new projects and independent artists each year. As a dramaturg and producer specializing in new work for the stage, Ruth has supported the development of hundreds of artists and ideas in Dublin and New York since 2009.
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Ruth Treacy
Ruth is a graduate of the National Film School IADT and established Tailored Films with film school colleague Julianne Forde soon after graduation in 2006. The company focuses predominantly on edgy, genre focused feature films and television series for young… Read More...
Ruth is a graduate of the National Film School IADT and established Tailored Films with film school colleague Julianne Forde soon after graduation in 2006. The company focuses predominantly on edgy, genre focused feature films and television series for young people. Ruth has produced three feature films with Screen Ireland to date, including THE LODGERS (2017, which premiered at TIFF and sold to 191 territories before securing a large Netflix deal), STITCHES (2012, comedy horror which was released in 100 cinemas in UK & Ireland), and most recently THE WINTER LAKE, which has just completed post production and is due for release in 2020.
Ruth has also worked as a producer and director on eight TV series for RTE, including two low budget children’s TV movies and most recently the bedroom makeover format series ‘Ace my Space’ for 8-12 year olds (currently broadcasting on RTE). Ruth is a graduate of the EAVE Network 2013 and Screen Leaders 2019. Tailored Films has a staff of five and is based in Dublin’s city centre.
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Sarah Davis-Goff
Sarah Davis-Goff is co-founder of independent publisher Tramp Press, who have published Mike McCormack's SOLAR BONES, Sara Baume's SPILL SIMMER FALTER WITHER, and Emilie Pine's NOTES TO SELF. She has written about publishing, literature and gender for the Irish Times,… Read More...
Sarah Davis-Goff is co-founder of independent publisher Tramp Press, who have published Mike McCormack’s SOLAR BONES, Sara Baume’s SPILL SIMMER FALTER WITHER, and Emilie Pine’s NOTES TO SELF.
She has written about publishing, literature and gender for the Irish Times, the Guardian and LitHub.
Her debut novel LAST ONES LEFT ALIVE was published earlier this year. It has so far been nominated for the Edinburgh First Book Prize and the Not-The-Booker Prize, and won the Chrysalis Award.
Film rights have been optioned by Treasure Entertainment. Sarah lives in Dublin.
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Sarah Dillon
With over ten years of experience in the film industry, Sarah Dillon was appointed the Development Manager of the Western Region Audiovisual Producers Fund (WRAP Fund) in April 2018. Prior to that, she held the position of Production & Development… Read More...
With over ten years of experience in the film industry, Sarah Dillon was appointed the Development Manager of the Western Region Audiovisual Producers Fund (WRAP Fund) in April 2018. Prior to that, she held the position of Production & Development Executive at Screen Ireland (formerly Board Scannáin an hÉireann/the Irish Film Board), responsible for managing the IFB’s slate of funded projects across feature film, television, animation and documentary.
The WRAP Fund is a unique initiative of the Western Development Commission and Galway Film Centre in association with the local authorities of Clare, Donegal, Galway City, Galway County, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and Údarás na Gaeltachta. The Fund of €2m will ensure investment until 2020 to encourage regional production activity across the film, television drama, animation and gaming sectors. The WRAP region encompasses counties Clare, Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo. www.wrapfund.ie
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Screen Skills Ireland
Screen Skills Ireland is the leading agency with responsibility for investing in people and skills development for the screen sectors in Ireland. Screen Skills Ireland designs, develops, and delivers industry-focused skills development initiatives for the screen sector in Ireland, encompassing… Read More...
Screen Skills Ireland is the leading agency with responsibility for investing in people and skills development for the screen sectors in Ireland. Screen Skills Ireland designs, develops, and delivers industry-focused skills development initiatives for the screen sector in Ireland, encompassing film, TV, animation, games and VFX, for all roles from new entrants to company leaders.
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Seana Kerslake
Seána Kerslake began her acting career in Kirsten Sheridan’s DOLLHOUSE (Factory Films) Other film credits include THE HOLE IN THE GROUND (Savage Productions), DUBLIN OLDSCHOOL (Element Pictures), WE OURSELVES (An Pointe Productions) and A DATE FOR MAD MARY (Element Pictures).… Read More...
Seána Kerslake began her acting career in Kirsten Sheridan’s DOLLHOUSE (Factory Films)
Other film credits include THE HOLE IN THE GROUND (Savage Productions), DUBLIN OLDSCHOOL (Element Pictures), WE OURSELVES (An Pointe Productions) and A DATE FOR MAD MARY (Element Pictures).
She played Aising in RTE/Deadpan’s CAN’T COPE, WON’T COPE which later moved to BBC3 and Netflix.
Seána made her UK stage debut as the lead in MOOD MUSIC at The Old Vic Theatre in London, directed by Roger Michell.
Other theatre credits include NORTHERN LIGHTS (Awake & Sing), KING OF THE CASTLE (Druid), FROM EDEN (Awake & Sing) and THE BRUISING OF CLOUDS (Fishamble).
Seána was named one of Screen Daily’s Screen Stars of Tomorrow in 2017 and won the Bingham Ray New Talent award in 2016
She has been nominated for IFTAs for her performances in A DATE FOR MAD MARY, CAN’T COPE, WON’T COPE and DOLLHOUSE.
She also stars in CREATION STORIES (Burning Wheel Productions), directed by Nick Moran and Phillippe Farlardeau’s MY SALINGER YEAR (Memento Films) which will be released later next year.
Seána trained at The Factory (Now Bow Street).
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Shannon Murray
Shannon Murray is an actress, writer, disability consultant and a lawyer. Shannon was left paralysed from the waist down after a diving accident when she was a teenager and first received international media attention a few years after her injury… Read More...
Shannon Murray is an actress, writer, disability consultant and a lawyer. Shannon was left paralysed from the waist down after a diving accident when she was a teenager and first received international media attention a few years after her injury when she won the first ever search for a disabled model. She has since campaigned for the better representation of disability in the media for 20 years and has gone some way to improving that, appearing in a number of successful television dramas for the BBC and Channel 4 as well as being the first disabled model to feature in a high profile advertising campaign for the British store Debenhams.
She has been the keynote speaker, panellist and moderator at a number of events for the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, the British Film Institute, the Raindance Film Festival, the Metropolitan Police, Goldman Sachs, UBS, the Irish Film Festival, Leonard Cheshire, Network Rail, National Express, University College London and secondary and primary schools up and down the country. A warm, entertaining and articulate speaker, Shannon has a wealth of experience to bring to any event
Shannon has written articles for The Independent, The Conversation, Company magazine and other publications on a diverse range of topics including, body image, disability in fashion, traveling with a disability, dating and disability, disability in schools and in the workplace. Shannon has also appeared as a guest on a number of news and current affairs programmes including; BBC News, Radio 4’s No Tragedy, No Triumph, 60 Minutes and Newsnight.
Shannon has always had a very positive attitude towards her accident and disability; she hasn’t let the wheelchair become an obstacle to ambition and always leaps toward the opportunities that have presented themselves in the face of adversity. She views her physical difference and the challenges it presents from a positive perspective, she is an inspirational and determined woman who has challenged negative misconceptions and prejudice around disability and the assumed limitations of living with a physical disability.
Shannon currently divides her time between London and Los Angeles.
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Shelly Love
Shelly Love is an award winning artist and director. She originally trained at The Laban Centre for movement and dance in London and worked as a choreographer and performer before turning her hand to filmmaking. Her interdisciplinary background and experimental… Read More...
Shelly Love is an award winning artist and director. She originally trained at The Laban Centre for movement and dance in London and worked as a choreographer and performer before turning her hand to filmmaking. Her interdisciplinary background and experimental approach have resulted in the creation of her unique voice as a filmmaker. “Traversing the lines between movement and fiction her films are uniquely choreographic and poetic in nature. The settings and characters are fantastical and surreal yet utterly human..” – Sydney Herald.
To date she has devised, written and directed numerous short films, music videos and commercials. Her films have screened at film and arts festivals worldwide and have been acquired for broadcast on Channel 4. She has won a number of artistic prizes and industry awards for her films and has featured in industry press on numerous occasions.
A Bump Along The Way is Shelly’s debut feature film and she is currently in the process of working towards her next feature project.
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Sinead O’Shea
Sinead O’Shea is an award-winning filmmaker and writer. Her first feature documentary A MOTHER BRINGS HER SON TO BE SHOT premiered at the London Film Festival and CPH:DOX where it was nominated for a FACT Award. It was one of… Read More...
Sinead O’Shea is an award-winning filmmaker and writer.
Her first feature documentary A MOTHER BRINGS HER SON TO BE SHOT premiered at the London Film Festival and CPH:DOX where it was nominated for a FACT Award. It was one of the most successful documentary releases in Irish cinemas of 2018. The Oscar nominated director Joshua Oppenheimer is executive producer.
In 2018 Sinead was named as one of the top 10 European female filmmakers to watch by the European Film Promotion network and Screen International. She has also directed and produced over 100 films and reports with Al Jazeera English, BBC, Channel 4 and RTE. She won an Irish Media Justice Award for Lives in Limbo with The Irish Times and an IFTA for Sampler with RTE. Previously Sinead covered Ireland for The New York Times.
At present Sinead is developing her first drama feature and has just finished her first short drama, HUMBLEBRAG which premiered at the London Film Festival 2019. She is also developing a new documentary feature, CONVERSATIONS WITH WOMEN, with the help of Screen Ireland and contributes to the Guardian and The New York Times.
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Siobhán Bourke
Siobhán is a co-founder and director of Saffron Pictures. She was a co-founder of Rough Magic Theatre Company and had a successful career in Irish theatre before moving into television and film. TV and film credits include the award winning… Read More...
Siobhán is a co-founder and director of Saffron Pictures. She was a co-founder of Rough Magic Theatre Company and had a successful career in Irish theatre before moving into television and film.
TV and film credits include the award winning shorts A FERRET CALLED MICKEY (2003), THE CSAE OF MAJELLA MCGINTY (1999) and HEARTLINE (1991). The award-winning hour long dance drama HIT AND RUN (2001) with CoisCeim Dance Theatre for Irish Film Board and RTÉ.
In 2004, she produced the critically acclaimed TV drama series LOVE IS THE DRUG for RTÉ Two which won an IFTA for Best TV Drama Series 2005; IFTA award-winning two part drama series WHISTLEBLOWER (RTE One, 2008) which also won Best Drama Series at the Celtic Media Festival (2009). In 2017, Siobhan produced the Ireland Canada co-production ACCEPTABLE RISK for RTÉ, Acorn Media, DCD Rights and BAI.
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Sonya Kelly
Sonya Kelly is an Irish writer for theatre and TV. Her debut solo play, THE WHEELCHAIR ON MY FACE, won a Scotsman Fringe First Award Edinburgh Fringe 2012, and received a Critics’ Pick in the New York Times. Her second… Read More...
Sonya Kelly is an Irish writer for theatre and TV.
Her debut solo play, THE WHEELCHAIR ON MY FACE, won a Scotsman Fringe First Award Edinburgh Fringe 2012, and received a Critics’ Pick in the New York Times. Her second play, HOW TO KEEP AN ALIEN, and won Best Production at the Dublin Fringe, 2014. It toured nationally and to the Brisbane Festival, Traverse in Edinburgh, Soho Theatre, The Irish Arts Center in New York, and the Auckland Arts Festival in New Zealand. Her play, FURTNITURE, was developed and produced by Druid Theatre in 2018 for the Galway International Arts Festival and Irish national tour. In 2019 it won the Stewart Parker Trust Award an Irish Writers Guild award for Best New Theatre Script.
She is currently working on a new play with Druid and has a number of TV projects in development with BBC Scotland, Wildfire Films, Green Pavilion and Treasure Entertainment.
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Stephanie Comey
Stephanie Comey is a Senior Manager with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). She has responsibility for a number of broadcasting policy areas including Diversity, Media Literacy and Sectoral Development. She participated in the drafting of the Council of Europe… Read More...
Stephanie Comey is a Senior Manager with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). She has responsibility for a number of broadcasting policy areas including Diversity, Media Literacy and Sectoral Development. She participated in the drafting of the Council of Europe Recommendation on Gender Equality in the Audiovisual Sector published in December 2017. This led to the development of the BAI Gender Action Plan launched in April 2018, which aims to increase the number of women both on- and off-air in the Irish audiovisual sector. She was a member of the Working Group on gender equality for the European Regulators’ Group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA) and has worked with the Council of Europe, the European Audiovisual Observatory and the European Commission on issues of gender equality in the media.
She holds degrees in law and English from the University of Le Havre, an MA with the University of Westminster and an MSocSci with the University of Leicester.
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The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is the independent regulator for radio and television broadcasters in Ireland. The BAI’s remit is set down in the Broadcasting Act 2009 and includes a range of objectives and functions, including: licensing radio and… Read More...
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is the independent regulator for radio and television broadcasters in Ireland. The BAI’s remit is set down in the Broadcasting Act 2009 and includes a range of objectives and functions, including: licensing radio and television services; making broadcasting codes and rules; monitoring and enforcing compliance with codes and rules and broadcasting contracts; deciding on broadcasting complaints; and, administering funding schemes for television and radio programmes and archiving. In addition, the BAI also has a statutory role in supporting the development of the broadcasting sector through research and training. More information can be found at www.bai.ie.
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Tom Hall
Tom Hall studied film at the Dun Laoghaire College of Art and Design. In 1996 he and John Carney founded High-Hat Productions with the aim of producing original drama. His first film as co-writer/director was the no-budget feature NOVEMBER AFTERNOON… Read More...
Tom Hall studied film at the Dun Laoghaire College of Art and Design. In 1996 he and John Carney founded High-Hat Productions with the aim of producing original drama. His first film as co-writer/director was the no-budget feature NOVEMBER AFTERNOON (Irish Times Film of the Year 1997).
For Samson films he directed the T.V. movie JUST IN TIME (1999) which was also acclaimed as the Times’ TV movie of that year.
His best known work is BACHELORS WALK (2001-06), a comedy/drama series for Accomplice Television which was funded by RTE, the IFB and BBC Choice, ran for three series and won the IFTA award for best Irish television series in 2002. Tom was one of three co-creators/writers/directors on all twenty episodes. In 2009 Tom wrote and directed SENSATION for Blinder Films starring Domhnall Gleeson in his first leading role. The following year Tom directed two series of TRIVIA for RTE and Grand Pictures and in 2015 he directed episodes of RED ROCK for Element/TV3. His most recent work as writer/director is MODERN LOVE for Amazon Prime which launched in October 2019.
Tom has worked with many leading film industry figures in Ireland and internationally and has taught scriptwriting, acting and filmmaking at various institutions.
Tom is also an award-winning writer of fiction, a critic, columnist and one time screen editor of The Dubliner magazine.
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Una Mullally
Una Mullally is a journalist, podcaster, broadcaster, screenwriter and author from Dublin, Ireland. She is a columnist and feature writer for The Irish Times, contributes columns to The Guardian, and her writing has also appeared in The New York Times,… Read More...
Una Mullally is a journalist, podcaster, broadcaster, screenwriter and author from Dublin, Ireland. She is a columnist and feature writer for The Irish Times, contributes columns to The Guardian, and her writing has also appeared in The New York Times, Granta and elsewhere. In 2019, she was one of 25 women journalists from around the world selected for the Online News Association’s Women’s Leadership Accelerator, and was named in the 2019 class of European Young Leaders by Friends of Europe. In 2019, La Repubblica named her one of 100 women changing the world. She cohosts the United Ireland podcast with Andrea Horan, co-founded the podcast Don’t Stop Repealin’ which ran for the duration of the Irish abortion referendum campaign in 2018, and also co-founded the Irish Times Women’s Podcast. She is the author of In The Name Of Love (2014), an oral history of the marriage equality movement in Ireland, and the editor of the anthology Repeal the 8th (2018). As a screenwriter, she collaborates with Sarah Francis as Lucid Lucid. As a poet has performed her work at numerous Irish festivals, and co-founded the touring spoken word event Come Rhyme With Me. She was the Independent Chair of Ireland’s National LGBTI+ Youth Strategy (2018). She was the music producer and presenter for six series of the alternative music show Ceol ar an Imeall for TG4, and authored a documentary on contemporary Irish identity, I Am Irish, for RTE 2. She lives in Dublin, where she is from.
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Vaari Claffey
Vaari Claffey is an independent curator based in Dublin; her projects are realized through immersive installations and performance. She is founding Director and Curator of Gracelands and Hazelwood Arts. She was previously Public Art Strategist for Southbank, Melbourne. Current projects… Read More...
Vaari Claffey is an independent curator based in Dublin; her projects are realized through immersive installations and performance. She is founding Director and Curator of Gracelands and Hazelwood Arts. She was previously Public Art Strategist for Southbank, Melbourne. Current projects include ‘Shelter in Fauxtopia’ and ‘Reputational Labour’. Early next year she will curate a projects in Clavijero, Mexico and for the Irish Museum of Modern Art and Lyric FM.
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Virginia Gilbert
Virginia Gilbert is an award-winning, BAFTA-nominated writer and director. Her screenwriting work has been placed on the BritList and she was named as a 'Star of Tomorrow' by Screen International. Her debut short film as writer-director, HESITATION, won prizes internationally… Read More...
Virginia Gilbert is an award-winning, BAFTA-nominated writer and director. Her screenwriting work has been placed on the BritList and she was named as a ‘Star of Tomorrow’ by Screen International.
Her debut short film as writer-director, HESITATION, won prizes internationally and was nominated for a BAFTA. Her debut feature, A LONG WAY FROM HOME, starring Natalie Dormer, James Fox and Brenda Fricker, was nominated for the Michael Powell award for Best British Feature and was released theatrically by Thunderbird Releasing. She is currently developing various features as writer-director including TRAVELLING COMPANION with Blinder Films and Screen Ireland, adapted from her debut novel; THE QUIET WOMAN, with Park Films and Screen Ireland and LEARNING BY HEART with Moonriver Content.
Television projects include a 3-part original TV series in development with Lionsgate and a six-part original TV drama series with producer Zoe Rocha, Rubyrock Pictures. Previous television work includes writing and directing the TV documentary series WHORES, directing the critically acclaimed satirical documentary MONEY, MONEY, MONEY and writing and creating the IFTA-nominated series AN IRISH STATE OF MIND. Recent credits include writing the 2019 two-part series finale of BBC 1’s SILENT WITNESS and directing the award-winning, Screen Ireland short DAY OUT, starring Martin McCann.
Radio credits include a season of her short fiction under the banner ABROAD on BBC Radio 4, four original dramas for BBC Radio 4, and directing Freemantle Media’s inaugural drama podcast for their Storyglass label, BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE, starring Chris O’Dowd and Anne-Marie Duff.
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Yvonne Donohoe
Since joining Blinder Films in June 2012, Yvonne has worked across the development and production of Blinder’s extensive and award winning feature film, documentary and television slate and has now moved into the role of Producer within the company alongside… Read More...
Since joining Blinder Films in June 2012, Yvonne has worked across the development and production of Blinder’s extensive and award winning feature film, documentary and television slate and has now moved into the role of Producer within the company alongside Katie Holly.
At the start of 2015, Yvonne produced RAPT a 4 x 7mins mini web drama series, directed by Kieron J. Walsh, for RTÉ in association with Screen Ireland, which won the Critics Choice at the Raindance Webseries Awards in 2015. She was then the Producer of two series of the RTÉ One primetime legal drama series STRIKING OUT (10 x 1 hour), starring Amy Huberman, Maria Doyle Kennedy and Neil Morrissey in partnership with Acorn TV in the US and with DCD Rights selling internationally. The series was a ratings hit, ending on an almost 40% share for the final episode and was nominated for Best Drama Series at the IFTAs for two years running, it also won the prestigious Cablefax Best International Content award in 2018 and is still selling across the world including a broadcast on Channel 5 in the UK last year.
In early 2018 she produced feature EXTRA ORDINARY from writer/directors Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman starring Maeve Higgins, Barry Ward, Will Forte and Claudia O’Doherty with finance from Screen Ireland and in partnership with Umedia in Belgium. The film premiered in Narrative competition at SXSW in March of this year and has gone on since to win numerous awards across the world including the Panorama Fantàstic Audience Award for Best Motion Picture at Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival – the number one fantasy film festival in the world, it also picked up the Audience Award and Best Actress Award (Maeve Higgins) at Grimmfest in Manchester, Best Irish Feature Film at the Galway Film Fleadh, the Jury Prize at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and both the Audience Award and Best Feature Film at the Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival. The film which has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes was released by Wildcard Distribution in Ireland on the 13th of September of this year and will be released by Good Deed Entertainment in the USA in early 2020.
She is currently in post-production on THE RACER a feature film directed by Kieron J. Walsh starring Louis Talpe, Matteo Simoni and Iain Glen, shot in May 2019 in Luxembourg and Ireland in co-production with Caviar Films in Belgium and Calach Films in Luxembourg with support from Screen Ireland, Screen Flanders, Luxembourg Film Fund and Eurimages and BOYS FROM COUNTY HELL, from writer/director Chris Baugh which was also shot in May 2019 in Northern Ireland in co-production with Six Mile Hill Films and Automatik Entertainment in LA with support from Screen Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen and Endeavour Content in the US. She is currently working on a number of TV drama and feature film projects for production in 2020.
Prior to Blinder, she worked with RTÉ. As well as working as a full-time script editor on soap FAIR CITY, she also worked with the Independent Production Unit as development consultant on a series of projects including the new series of RAW and four part drama, AMBER. She was then the script editor on the second series of TRIVIA a 6 x 1 hour comedy drama for RTÉ One.
Previous to this, she was the Head of Development at Great Southern Film and Television in New Zealand, running their extensive feature film and television slates.
For Great Southern, Yvonne was the story editor on THE CULT, a 13 x 1hr series for TVNZ, the high concept thriller series had largest ever budget in NZ for an indigenous drama. She took over the development of the series in October 2008 and ran the script department for the production. She was also the script editor on 6 x 30′ comedy series BOGAN FAMILY FILMS, for TV3.
Before moving to New Zealand, Yvonne worked with Element Pictures in Dublin for four years. Yvonne headed up the Irish feature film development slate and worked across both the UK feature film and TV drama slates, providing creative support to the Producers as well as being responsible for acquiring and developing projects in Ireland and the UK.
During her time at Element, Yvonne worked on the development and production of many feature film projects including; GARAGE from writer Mark O’Halloran and director Lenny Abrahamson, which was selected for Director’s Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival and won the CICAE Art and Essai award. DEATH OF A PRESIDENT for Channel 4, written and directed by Gabriel Range, which won the International Critics Fipresci Prize at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival, THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY, directed by Ken Loach, which Element co-produced and which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
“Screen Skills Ireland believes that continuing to improve the diversity and inclusivity of the screen sector is vital, which is why we are delighted to support X-POLLINATOR. It’s a timely and exciting initiative that will contribute to addressing gender imbalance in the sector and encourage cross-pollination of diverse ideas from creative female talent.”
GARETH LEE MANAGER AT SCREEN SKILLS IRELAND
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For further queries on the initiative, please contact us at info.xpollinator@gmail.com