An Horror film made in Ireland

[Derek Wheeler]

As some, but not many may know, I'm actually trained in Film and TV. I worked for too many disheartening years doing corporate Videos, until finally walking away from it all nearly 4 years ago. I made "horror" films on 8mm film (Super-8) from the age of 13 to 17, when the genre just wasn't cool in Ireland. (think video nasties in the 80s) But it blagged me into film school in Dun Laoghaire to the eventual shock and dismay of my fellow classmates. Anyway, the ultimate goal for me was always to shoot a "Horror movie". I could never reconcile this ambition while working on mind numbingly boring corporate/promotional material eventhough I had all the equipment at my disposal. Stepping away from it all was the best thing I ever did.

For the last 3 years, I have examined all ways to get this project off the ground, Irish film board etc. etc. and blah de blah. What a waste of time. So, both I and my film making partner, have saved our shillings, laboured over our script and now we are nearly ready for the launch pad. We even set up a resistered business to do it. Its low budget, but funded by ourselves. It's a horror film, but original. Its called "Conscious". We are currently shooting a "teaser" for promotional purposes. Test footage is available on our YouTube site. The link is below. We are trialing various pieces of editing software at the mo for our online material, so it may be littered with programme watermarks. But the final teaser will be put together on our chosen software. We decided to document the entire project from its very humble beginnings right through to a completed project. The eventual film will no doubt end up on DVD in your local Xtravision, as thats the goal set. Shooting for cinema is just not feasible and we are following a well tested American model, not tried in Ireland, because Irish film tends to have its head up its...you know the rest. We also have a web site on the way that carries more info about the project. I'll unleash it here for a laugh when its ready.

So please be gentle with us, when viewing our "test" piece, as there's loads more great stuff to come. The music is an original composition and the content is designed to be suggestive (and awaiting the live action parts).

P11TV has emanated from this as I have the "facility" available to me through this project and thought it was just what we needed. However P11TV will be internet based only.

So there you go, you've learned something new about me. This year, Im directing a horror film. Seriously!

YouTube link;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hBPwwjxv3k

[Oisin88]

Perhaps the real "horror film" is what we see with our own eyes when we travel on Irish rail.


(allowances should be made for the time of this post and the possibility that the poster may have a some blood left in his alcohol stream):eek:

[Mark Gleeson]

Attack of the 40m trams....

[Oisin88]

I saw one of those top 100 programmes on telly a while back. Apparently the first film in the genre was a steam engine coming towards the camera. The people in the cinema were scared they were about to be run over...

[Derek Wheeler]

Its a great genre, but alas has been abused over the years through satire and lousy film-making. Irish efforts at horror have only surfaced in the last 7 years or so and they are stuck in the parody mode. Think "Boy eats girl", "Isolation" and "Deadmeat". All utterly lousy and almost identical pieces. Even Irish shorts available on YouTube are just "zombie movie" rip offs, that only demonstrate a technical film-making ability, while completely ignoring the concept of story telling and acting. (but I did spot one that is worth a look. I'll link it later.) We are working with unknown amateur actors, but once you define the difference between acting for stage and screen and offer solid direction some great performances can be illicited.

As for the Irish set up. Well I think the above mentioned films, just ripped off some good and bad rip offs. Its surprising that the Irish film board would finance them at all. For years the film community in Ireland was loath to tolerate "horror films". But since then, both Sam Raimi (low budget "Evil Dead" to "Spiderman") and Peter Jackson (low budget "Bad Taste" to Oscar winning glory with the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy) proved that the horror genre is a genuine breeding ground for talent. What do the Irish film board do? Well they encourage low budget horror/comedy 20 years too late.

So I dedicate this post to many of my classmates in Dun Laoghaire, class of 1990/91. I wasn't far off the mark with my VHS copy of "Bad Taste" and admiration for its director.

Am I bitter?.....Yes.
Does it fuel creatvity....Definetly!

So 15 years later than planned...here I come!

[2Funki4Wheelz]

I love horror, and although I'm let down by most films, I still watch them all. Which a lot of horror fans do and that's why even rubbishy horror films can do well on dvd sales and rental, so I can't see why its ignored - I sometimes think Irish film board doesn't want to make money back on anything because that's too crass.

When I was in college in DIT doing film and tv, horror was not encouraged and only one aspect discussed (the unusually high % of strong/surviving women compared to other genres).

The main focus on creating films in our college was to be as arty, obscure and moody as possible so everyone could sit around and stroke their chins and contemplate the Freudian symbolism of it all. Films weren't for entertainment. (Can you feel my love for the course?? :rolleyes: )

So good luck Derek and you'd better entertain - that's the whole point!:cool:

[Derek Wheeler]

The main focus on creating films in our college was to be as arty, obscure and moody as possible so everyone could sit around and stroke their chins and contemplate the Freudian symbolism of it all. Films weren't for entertainment. (Can you feel my love for the course?? :rolleyes: )

So good luck Derek and you'd better entertain - that's the whole point!:cool:

Thats exactly where I was 16 years ago. It gutted and killed me. But Im back with a vengeance. I'd like to thank my physcotherapist for the support offered and medication prescribed.

We will entertain. Its not "arty" and please offer as much encoragement as possible via here, there or YouTube. If anyone wants to get involved on any level we accept. Full teaser is on the way, along with a behind the scenes piece on the making of. And we've recorded interviews with the makers being all sophisticated.:D I'll link it here when ready.

[Colm Moore]

Films weren't for entertainment. (Can you feel my love for the course?? :rolleyes: )Films aren't for entertainment. Movies are for entertainment. :)

[2Funki4Wheelz]

Films aren't for entertainment. Movies are for entertainment. :)

:D That's exactly the kind of snobby line we were fed in college. And to that end, you don't study movies. In fact anyone even seen going into a cinema that wasn't the IFC or the Screen was not a 'real' film student.

So what are 'films' for then, anyone?

(And 'films' is one syllable people, not 'fil-ems'. Not that I care, but when you wear a beret and watch David Lynch all day it matters. Apparently.)

[al2637]

haha, my English mates take the piss out of me all the time for that.... filum.

[Colm Donoghue]

as a speaker of hiberno-english this is a perfectly valid pronunciation of the word film.
This comes form pronouncing vowel sounds between consonants as gaeilge.

Back on topic though
I for one welcome our zombie levelcrossing gatekeepers crushing whitevanman type overlords. ;)

[MOH]

So 15 years later than planned...here I come!

Copyright that quick.

Before IE pick it up as their new slogan.

[Brian Condron]

Speaking of English pronuncitations, is "An horror movie" correct? Shouldn't it be "A horror movie"?

When saying "An horror movie" you tend to drop the 'h' and this sound like a cockney! So every time I read the title to this thread I read in a cockney accent!

[shweeney]

i saw Peter Jackson's "Braindead" during the dublin film festival many years ago. An amazing experience on the big screen - it must be the goriest film ever made (all played for laughs though).

Far more entertaining than the ponderous Lord of the Rings movies he subsequently moved onto.

[Derek Wheeler]

Speaking of English pronuncitations, is "An horror movie" correct? Shouldn't it be "A horror movie"?

When saying "An horror movie" you tend to drop the 'h' and this sound like a cockney! So every time I read the title to this thread I read in a cockney accent!

It was meant to be a joke based on "Irish" ..... gaelic and all that.

"An" horror film. Geddit?

[Brian Condron]

It was meant to be a joke based on "Irish" ..... gaelic and all that.

"An" horror film. Geddit?

You're too clever for me. I still read it in a cockney accent though :D

[Derek Wheeler]

You're too clever for me. I still read it in a cockney accent though :D

I dont think I was clever enough.;)

[Derek Wheeler]

YouTube page can be found at link below. We've now uploaded a two part interview with the makers, one of which is me!

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=hethwheel

[Derek Wheeler]

Also added now is some stuff I did before, just to prove Im not bullsitting the life outa you guys!

Link above. You'll spot it under "videos".

[Thomas J Stamp]

i have written a novel and two plays.... thery're right here in my study and guess what....

no, im not letting you see them lol:D