Northern Ireland filmmakers are well placed to take advantage of growing demand for storytelling following a challenging couple of years. The region has a highly experienced crew base, an abundance of established and increasing studio space, and striking locations within easy access of major cities.
But difficulties remain. Crew are in high demand and independent producers have found rising costs and competition from international productions an ongoing concern.
The key, says Belfast-based producer Katy Jackson, is to create unique stories with the best of emerging and established talent. “It remains extremely challenging to put together a budget for an independent feature,” said Jackson, whose credits include Cathy Brady’s Wildfire and the upcoming The Last Rifleman. “[It’s about] getting the good projects, getting the good scripts, getting the stories that are absolutely compelling.”
Northern Ireland Screen is poised to launch Stories, Skills and Sustainability, a four-year strategy plan that aims to consolidate and build on the future of the film and TV sector, later this month. The plan has a target of $464m (£430m) in direct spend in Northern Ireland — this represents an increase of more than 40% on the previous strategy, which was set at £300m.
There will be an emphasis on skills development, with a large increase in Northern Ireland Screen’s skills budget. This includes the establishment of Creative Industries New Entrants (CINE), which aims to broaden access to the screen and creative industries at entry level. Participants will be offered formal training and the opportunity to develop their skills through industry placements. Screenworks will focus on informing 14-19 year olds about the breadth of opportunities within the screen industries.
As well as existing facilities such as Belfast Harbour Studios and Titanic Studios, new plans for Studio Ulster, a virtual production studio, are underway as part of the new strategy. Northern Ireland Screen has also appointed a sustainability manager to move the screen industries towards more liveable methods and practices.
Enhanced reputation
Following the success of high-profile international series such as HBO’s Game Of Thrones, famously based in Northern Ireland, as well as well received independent features including Wildfire and Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn’s Ordinary Love, Northern Ireland is building on its reputation as a major production centre for both international and homegrown projects. The global success of TV series Derry Girls has also piqued interest in the region and its storytellers.
International productions shooting in Northern Ireland have included Netflix’s The School For Good And Evil and Paramount and eOne’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Local productions of note include Terry Loane’s drama The Last Rifleman starring Pierce Brosnan, which is now in post-production. The feature is co-produced by Jackson’s Wee Buns Films with Ireland-UK outfit Ripple World Pictures.
Production will begin later this year on Causeway Pictures’ Nothing Lasts Forever as part of the new talent focus scheme with Northern Ireland Screen. The most recent project to be completed under the scheme is Tony Devlin’s horror-thriller The Quarry.
Further recent productions include Prasanna Puwanarajah’s Ballywalter starring Seana Kerslake and Patrick Kielty. The drama is produced by Empire Street Productions and Riverstone Pictures, with Ireland’s Cowtown Pictures.
Northern Ireland Screen’s head of production Andrew Reid is optimistic about the future of homegrown filmmaking. “We are seeing a lot more calls coming in from producers saying, ‘We’ve got traction, we’ve got this project and it’s moving forward,’” says Reid.
“In the last three or four months we’ve seen a change where people are saying the markets are picking up, the sales and distribution companies are more active in the marketplace,” he asserts. “Investors are looking forward for opportunities and things are just a bit more buoyant.”
Reid highlights the promise of upcoming projects. “There’s a project that Ciaran McMenamin has written called The Sunken Road that we are very excited about, which Alan Maloney is producing and Brian Kirk directing.”
The key, says producer Chris Patterson of Causeway Pictures, is to capitalise on bigger productions to the benefit of independent storytellers. “Because of recent large-scale productions here, it has given Northern Ireland a strong and excellent crew base. That is pushing the skillset up here.
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