THE Limerick-based short film 'Starstruck' will make its debut on RTÉ this autumn but not before local audiences get to sample it as part of Culture Night this Friday, September 25. Writer and director, Emma Teck, explained that the 10 minute offering-starring a cast of mostly local amateur actors-was a year and half in the making.
'Starstruck' is a close collaboration with producer, Bryan O'Brien, and tells the story of two teenage girls trying to make it to auditions for reality television show, Dancing Ireland. The odds are stacked against them and they have to use their wits and a lot of determination to achieve their goal. “After an interview in late May/early June 2008, we got the funding from Filmbase/RTÉ. We went into production and did a six day shoot that August. We shot about three and a half hours on film stock. It was a tight shoot with some 12 hour days. The weather was awful! The two leads-Marie Feehan and Kim O'Loughlin-were very committed and patient,” she said. “We did an open casting call and because of the dance element, we wanted hip hop dancers. We went to High Voltage dance company and they were a great help. Around 28 tried out and we did three call-backs with the leads so it was rigorous and nerve-wracking. The film is set around the city and we also spent a day filming out in Moyross in Delmege Estate. Everyone was really helpful, including regeneration and the Franciscan monks.” She added that the film will now be submitted to film festivals at home and abroad. On Culture Night, the Belltable is screening eight films made by people living and working in Limerick. “There will be two RTÉ funded films including another by Keith Bogue. There are three experimental works, by filmmakers like Nicky Larkin and Christina Gangos. There is a film by a visual artist and two animations, one by Dermott Petty and another by children from the Northside Learning Hub,” she said. “There's a lot of film activity in Limerick, which I've learned even more about since the Belltable started holding monthly Film Forums to let people discuss ideas and link up. The Fresh Film Festival for young filmmakers also gets a huge entry. The Belltable is hoping to revive Limerick Film Festival in February 2010. The idea is to show films made by people living and working in Limerick or who are related to the city. It will be open submission and will provide a platform for new and existing work.” Emma is originally from Galway and came to Limerick in 2001 to study Fine Art Sculpture and Combined Media at the Limerick School of Art and Design. She did a film course in New York in 2007 and is currently pursuing an MA in Screenwriting at Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology. “I hope that will lead to a feature script at some stage. It's a very tentative time for anyone who is looking for film funding. There is even talk of the Irish Film Board being dissolved. I think everyone is just waiting to see what the future holds. I'm not shooting anything at the moment but I just produced Dermott Petty's film 'Confessions of an Irish Superhero',” she said. Emma is also this season's Belltable Supported Artist which is “about recognition that you are in some way established enough to be called an artist and be supported by the venue”. “Limerick has been good to me. I started work with the Fresh Film Festival immediately after college as general manager and I'm now back with them on a part time basis. There are so many different pockets of creativity thriving in Limerick-from film to theatre to comedy to music. I love the skaters and the graffiti artists; the underground scene is so vibrant here. It's brilliant that there are so many people willing to take the initiative.” Name: Emma Teck Occupation: Independent filmmaker Location: Limerick City Centre Favourite thing about Limerick: 'The creative vibe that flourishes here.' Worst thing about Limerick: 'There should be more support from outside for what's going on here.'
Comments () » |
 |
 |
