Irish film industry reeling in the good times

This is already showing signs of being a good year for film production, with a number of high-profile projects scheduled to begin filming around the country.

The adaptation of Colm Tóibín’s 2009 novel, Brooklyn, has begun shooting in his native Enniscorthy, with Saoirse Ronan playing the lead role of Eilis Lacey, a young Irish immigrant in 1950s New York. Domhnall Gleeson, Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent will co-star.

The film will be directed by Irish Bafta-winning director John Crowley, with other locations in Dublin and Canada.

Following its final episode of the first series last Sunday on RTÉ Two, and with the History Channel in the US showing the second series, Vikings has been given the green light for a 10-episode third season. It will begin production this summer for a 2015 release.

Irish actors Gabriel Byrne, John Kavanagh, Tadhg Murphy and David Pearse dominate the cast of a series filmed mainly in Co Wicklow with around 400 Irish people involved in their production.

Last year was a particularly strong year financially for the industry, with production activity for the Irish independent film, television drama and animation sector reaching its highest level on record and contributing over €168m to the Irish economy through employment creation and spend on local goods and services.

The 12 months to December 2013 showed an increase overall of 18% on 2012 figures and 42% on 2011 figures.

The overall increase and growth of the industry’s activities occurred despite the Irish Film Board having had a reduced spend of €7.5m for Irish film projects as a result of cutbacks on their overall budget from Government by comparison to their €10m spend in 2012.

“It has been a very busy start to the year production wise for the Irish film, television drama and animation industry,” said James Hickey, chief executive of the Irish Film Board.

“While production activity remains high at the moment, the industry faces ongoing challenges arising from reduced levels of public funding available for feature film and TV drama animation in an increasingly competitive market both locally and internationally.”

As part of its efforts to develop skills needed in the sector, the IFB is developing courses in visual effects, directing, gaming and screen-writing as well as intensive courses on business and enterprise, creativity and collaboration, and technical production. Over 2,000 people are expected to benefit from the scheme in 2014.

“Despite the worldwide downturn, the film, television and animation industry is a growth sector in Ireland and indeed internationally, with worldwide growth predicted at 19.6% in the next four years.

“The industry is labour intensive with the potential to provide increased employment opportunities over the next number of years,” said Mr Hickey.

An estimated 6,000 people work in the industry, rising to over 10,000 when ancillary facilities are included.

Major Irish Hollywood actors are very visible on film sets this year.

Dublin-based Element Pictures, in an Irish-Greek co-production, began shooting The Lobster earlier this month, starring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz. Gerard Barrett’s Glassland continues its shoot in and around Dublin at present, starring Jack Reynor and Toni Colette. In the television drama sector, Penny Dreadful will finish its five-month shoot at the end of the month, while The Fall starts shooting its second season in Belfast in April.

The Irish thriller Traders, starring Killian Scott and John Bradley, has also just begun production in Dublin, while Jessica Chastain and Vanessa Redgrave have been attached to producer Noel Pearson’s adaptation of the Sebastian Barry novel, The Secret Scripture, directed by Thaddeus O’Sullivan.