Film for Achill

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="04b785a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Councillor Keith Martin </B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Councillor Keith Martin "><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="news21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News"><U><I><B><U>Back to news page</U></B></I></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="073ade50.jpg" border=0 width="173" height="229" ALT="cllr Keith Martin and achill film crew in Westport" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Cllr Martin pictured with the Film Crew.  Pic by Frank Dolan</div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Film for Achill</I></div> <div> Cllr Keith Martin</div> <div> Westport Town Council</div> <div> Phone/Fax 098 24852</div> <div> Mobile 086 0691182</div> <div> website <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>www.KeithMartin.utvinternet.com</U></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Location selected for proposed film </div> <div> <I>Secret of the Cave</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>Collegedale, Tenn., USA</I>—Achill Island in Mayo County, Ireland was selected as the anticipated site for a proposed feature film, <I>Secret of the Cave. </I>Southern Adventist University’s School of Visual Art and Design, located near Chattanooga, Tenn., plans to create <I>Secret of the Cave</I> as a hands-on learning experience for students in its film production program. On-site collaborators include Councillor Keith Martin, the Mayo county government and residents of Achill Island. </div> <div> "Our goal is to produce a commercially-viable film in collaboration with the university, film students, and selected professionals," says David George, film professor. "We’re making good progress in the funding and preproduction stages."</div> <div> The proposed film is based on the children’s book of the same title by Arthur S. Maxwell. The story focuses on an American teenage boy who visits his extended family in Ireland. While discovering his Irish heritage, he also solves a mystery that has perplexed a small fishing village for several weeks. </div> <div> "We’re excited about the warm reception we’ve received from Mayo County officials and residents," says George. "We’re looking forward to collaborating."</div> <div> The financial plan for this small-budget, non-union production has not yet been established. While the exact size of the production team is still to be determined, the crew will be comprised of Southern Adventist University students and several professionals.</div> <div> The primary proposed location for shooting <I>Secret of the Cave</I> is the town of Doogort on Achill Island. The anticipated filming schedule is four to six weeks during mid-summer. Professor Zach Gray will direct and professor David George will produce the film. The proposed film will be the second feature produced by Southern’s School of Visual Art and Design. This continues the tradition of creating family-oriented feature films.</div> <div> Local Councillor Keith Martin is involved with the project through his connections with the Irish Film Board and Cllr Martin is heading up the setting up of the Mayo Film Commission, which aims to attract filmmakers from all over the world to use Mayo as a location. Late last year Cllr Martin meet with the Irish Film Commissioner Naoise Barry on the set of RTE’s ‘Showbands’ in Loughrea, which based in the 1960's showband era and starred Kerry McFadden, to begin organising the commission to be made up of representatives of local government, tourism and heritage bodies, the Gardai and commercial bodies. </div> <div> Cllr Keith Martin, whose mother is a native of Achill Island, has been assisting the crew in finding locations, casting, the hiring of local crew and with their accommodation and catering arrangements. He has also been helping the location crew liase with Mayo County Council officials and the Gardai. </div> <bR> <div> A small advance team were in the Doogort area last week to meet with Cllr Martin and finalise arrangements with residents, Mayo County Council and the Gardai all of whom have kindly agreed to co-operate with the film crew.</div> <bR> <div> Assistant Director Eric Toriello says "I have worked all over the world but the people in Mayo have made this project very welcome. It is the best reception I have ever received. The benefits Mayo has to offer filmmakers are immense and we think a Film Commission to promote Mayo would reap great rewards."</div> <div> Producer Ben Mitzelfelt is confident that as pre-production is running so smoothly that they are on course to begin the proposed filming in June. He adds "We are excited to be using the many, diverse locations that a beautiful place like Achill has to offer. We as team would also like to thank Keith Martin, Mayo County Council, Superintendent Pat Doyle, Cllr McNamara and all those on Achill who are making this project such a pleasure. We would especially like to thank the Forry family in Doogort." </div> <bR> <div> Cllr Martin says he is delighted to see a film project coming to Mayo so soon into the Mayo Film Commission project. “It’s great to be creating a film commission with the announcement of a feature film such as this. This project will not only display the beauty of Doogort and Mayo to an international audience but it also proves that Mayo can work closely with filmmakers to make their project happen.</div> <bR> <div> Cllr Martin adds, “Mayo’s history as a film location has been very hit and miss and I think this is because we have no mechanism to promote the county as a location to national and international film locations and to detail the advantages of filming in our county. We must remember that Mayo is the home of ‘The Quiet Man’ which was made over 53 years ago and is still bringing tourism to Mayo and has been worth millions of Euro in tourism to Ireland and Mayo.</div> <bR> <div> “Currently the Irish film industry employs 4,000 people and generates over €138million each year. It is estimated that if current growth continues that by 2010 it will be worth €500million and employ almost 11,000. We here in Mayo should have a slice of that pie.</div> <bR> <div> “The filming of ‘Secret of the Cave’ in Achill will be a boost to the local economy. Accommodating, feeding and entertaining a crew for weeks of filming is great for local businesses. Local tradesmen such as carpenters, thatchers and other skilled local labour will be employed. Irish film equipment hire and sales companies will also benefit and there will also be investment in car and transport hire. </div> <bR> <div> It is hoped that Mayo will be seen as an ideal holiday location and will attract visitors from wherever the film ‘Secret of the Cave’ is shown. The benefits of this kind of tourism are enormous. Following the success of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy which was filmed entirely in New Zealand it is estimated that the tourism generated by the films is so far worth a staggering $42million. The village of Holmfirth, in West Yorkshire in the UK is the setting for the ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ and at least 250,000 visitors go there every year as a result of the success of the series.</div> <bR> <div> Cllr Martin points out that one only has to look at the positive effects of films like ‘The Quiet Man’ and ‘The Field’ to see the tourism revenue that can be generated. The film will also prove that Mayo as a county can successfully work with filmmakers from around the world and hopefully we will see more and even bigger films being made in Mayo.</div> <bR> <div> Cllr Martin explains “Mayo is an ideal location for filmmakers. It has road and rail links with the capital, an International airport, local acting talent and many willing extras. It also has two international feature film standard studios a short drive into Co. Galway; Concorde Anois Studios in Inverin and Eo Teilifis in Spideál. These are both state of the art facilities, Concorde Anois has sound stages, production studios and Blue Screen facilities and Eo Teilifis has a 10,000 sq foot studio and 14 separate film sets.</div> <bR> <div> “Thanks to Finance Minister Brian Cowen’s extension of section 481 tax benefits for film makers there are great tax breaks for filming in Ireland and with the support of the Minister of Arts, Sports and Tourism, John O’Donoghue, there is an excellent funding available. This is especially true of the Regional Support Fund which aims to encourage Irish filmmakers to shoot features and large drama productions in all parts of the country.</div> <bR> <div> This fund is designed to work by offsetting a proportion of additional production costs incurred by shooting in regional areas of Ireland. Loans to a maximum of €125,000 are available from this fund. With these incentives coupled with Mayo’s spectacular and varied scenery I see no reason why large budget films like ‘Saving Private Ryan’ or ‘Braveheart’ or home-grown productions such as ‘Showbands’ or ‘Ballykissangel’ cannot be filmed in Mayo.</div> <bR> <div> “I would like to thank Director of Service Peter Hynes, County Secretary John Condon, Superintendent Pat Doyle, Cllr Michael McNamara and the Irish Film Commissioner Naoise Barry for their help, interest and assistance in putting this project together and I look forward to working with them on similar projects in the future.” </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>