Film Mayo Launching Monday 1st December
Mayo County Council Arts Service is launching Film Mayo on December 1st at 6pm in Knockranny House Hotel, Westport, with guest of honour Pat O’Connor. Film Mayo is a new website, dedicated to the development of film in the county, which will act as a primary contact point for anyone interested in working in the county, be they directors, producers, actors, T.V professionals or young film makers.
The project is an initiative of Mayo County Council’s Arts Service, working with the former County Development Board, E.U. Creative Industries Projects: Cisnet and CINEW, Mayo Ideas Lab, Westbic, and Mayo County Council departments of Community & Integrated Development, Enterprise & Investment Unit and the Local Enterprise Office, all of whom will work in partnership to further the opportunities for the film sector within the county.
The development of the website has been underpinned by extensive research and gathering of all the relevant information and resources which would be useful to film-makers. Local photographers have generously given access to their archives to showcase the extraordinary landscape and amenities within the county: Liam Lyons, Anglea Campbell, Heverin Photography and Photography by Jessica.
The launch will be preceeded by the inaugural Film Mayo Networking Event at 2.30 pm, for film and TV industry professionals. This will provide an opportunity for local, regional and national neworking in the beautiful La Fougére restaurant in Knockranny House Hotel, surrounded by stunning views of Croagh Patrick.
Following the Networking session, an illustrious panel of film experts will take part in a conversation/ Q&A about their extensive experience in the world of film: Pat O’Connor, Anthony Foutz, Mike Cockayne and Tim Palmer.
Guest of honour, Pat O’Connor, is a renowned director whose films include: Cal, Fools of Fortune, A Month in the Country, Circle of Friends, Dancing at Lughnasa and The Ballroom of Romance (filmed in Ballycroy). He is a BAFTA and Jacob’s Award winner and has worked with internationally renowned actors/ actresses including Meryl Streep, Kenneth Brannagh, Colin Firth, Helen Mirren and Joaquin Phoenix.
Legendary screen-writer, Anthony Foutz (who lives in Mayo) has an extrordinary film pedigree. Saturation 70, his most famous work, was shot (but never completed) at a 1969 UFO convention at Giant Rock, near Joshua Tree in the Mojave desert, and in Los Angeles. The lost film was recently featured in an exhibition at the Horse Hospital, London. The son of a Walt Disney company executive, Tony Foutz earned his stripes in the film industry working as an assistant director in Italy to such luminaries as Orson Welles, Gillo Pontecorvo and Marco Ferreri. He was also part of a hip, avant-garde set that included artist Mario Schifano and Anita Pallenberg. Other works in his fascinating archive include Maxagasm, a film vehicle for the Rolling Stones, co-written by Sam Shepard.
Mike Cockayne is the writer, producer and director of the iconic Hardy Bucks T.V series and film. Mike is also an award-winnin,g music-video director having worked a huge variety of performers including Atomic Kitten, The Darkness, Liz McClarnon and Ultrabeat. He won the Observer Magazine Sports DVD of the Year award for his film: Ricky Hatton – A Life Story. Through Hardy Bucks, Mike has had huge experience of Mayo: “Filming in Mayo has been an amazing experience for us whilst producing both ‘The Hardy Bucks’ TV series and ‘The Hardy Bucks Movie’. The diversity of location possibilities combined with the warm welcome from the locals and ease of filming combine to make Mayo an outstanding location. In fact I loved filming here so much I actually decided to move here!”
Tim Palmer is an award winning producer and writer, who began his career in the film business as a film editor, working for CBS ‘60 Minutes’ in London. In the early 90’s he formed Parallel Films to develop and make feature films and high quality television drama. Tim Palmer’s feature credits include Into the West (written by Jim Sheridan, directed by Mike Newell and starring Gabriel Byrne and Ellen Barkin), The Last of the High Kings (with Jared Leto, Gabriel Byrne, Stephen Rea, Colm Meaney and Christina Ricci), and A Love Divided (with Orla Brady and Liam Cunningham) which was an IFTA winner, Best Film 1999. In 2007, Tim Palmer formed Ignition Films to develop and produce feature films and Patrick’s Day won this year's Galway Film Fleadh Best Feature Film Award.
This panel covers the full spectrum of filmaking, both in domestic and international terms, and will inform and inspire any practicing or potential filmmakers attending the launch.
Cinew EU Creative Industries Project will also be launching its Creative Industries Funding Scheme which aims to support attendance at international film festivals and training events.
If you are interested in attending any of these events please contact Orlagh Heverin, Assistant Arts Officer : filmmayo@mayococo.ie or 094 90 47471.