Want to read the scripts written by the nominees for the 2010 Best Screenplay Oscar and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar?
Thanks to Raindance.org you can access of all of them online!
Allianz Business to Arts Awards 2010 has issued a
Call for Nominations:
The Allianz Business to Arts Awards recognise businesses, artists and arts organisations that bring the arts and artists into the workplace to respond to real business challenges, as well as important sponsorship relationships.
We invite you to share the stories of your success with your peers, to demonstrate your pride in what you have achieved and to seek to join a prestigious list of winners which represent the very best of the arts and business worlds in Ireland.
Winning projects demonstrate that working together, the arts unlock opportunities for business whether it’s the promotion of their brand, encouraging creativity amongst their employees or supporting their local community.
Partnership, collaboration and creativity are the key words describing a success story.
The closing date for receipt of nominations is 5pm, Wednesday 24 March 2010.
Kildare County Council is looking for submissions for its 2010 Arts Act Grant Scheme and Bursary Awards.
There is an array of grants and bursaries on offer, including the following which might be of particular interest to our members:
* Film Bursary Award
* Tyrone Guthrie Residency Bursary Award
* Drama League of Ireland Summer School Bursary Award
The closing date for all the grants / bursaries is 5pm on Friday the 19th March. Application forms can be downloaded from the web site.
Also this weekend the Berlin Film Festival announced its prize winners, and here are the categories of interest to our members:
Golden Bear for Best Film
Bal (Honey)
Co-written by Semih Kaplanoglu and Orçun Köksal, and directed by Semih Kaplanoglu
Silver Bear - The Jury Grand Prix
Eu cand vreau sa fluier, fluier (If I Want To Whistle, I Whistle)
co-written by Catalin Mitulescu and Florin Serban, and directed by Florin Serban
Silver Bear - Best Director
Roman Polanski
The Ghost Writer
Co-written by Robert Harris and Roman Polanski.
Silver Bear - Best Script
Wang Quan'an and Na Jin for
Tuan Yuan (Apart Together)
Directed by Wang Quan'an
The Writers Guild of America announced the winners of their 2010 awards this weekend:
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Hurt Locker, Written by Mark Boal; Summit Entertainment
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Up in the Air, Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner; Based upon the novel by Walter Kirn; Paramount Pictures
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
The Cove, Written by Mark Monroe; Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions
TELEVISION WINNERS
DRAMA SERIES
Mad Men, Written by Lisa Albert, Andrew Colville, Kater Gordon, Cathryn Humphris, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Brett Johnson, Erin Levy, Marti Noxon, Frank Pierson, Robin Veith, Dahvi Waller, Matthew Weiner; AMC
COMEDY SERIES
30 Rock, Written by Jack Burditt, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Tom Ceraulo, Vali Chandrasekaran, Tina Fey, Donald Glover, Steve Hely, Matt Hubbard, Dylan Morgan, Paula Pell, Jon Pollack, John Riggi, Tami Sagher, Josh Siegal, Ron Weiner, Tracey Wigfield; NBC
NEW SERIES
Modern Family, Written by Paul Corrigan, Sameer Gardezi, Joe Lawson, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Dan O'Shannon, Brad Walsh, Caroline Williams, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker; ABC
EPISODIC DRAMA – any length – one airing time
“Broken, Part 1 and Part 2” (House), Written by Russel Friend & Garrett Lerner & David Foster & David Shore; Fox
EPISODIC COMEDY – any length – one airing time (**TIE**)
“Apollo, Apollo” (30 Rock), Written by Robert Carlock; NBC
“Pilot” (Modern Family), Written by Steven Levitan & Christopher Lloyd; ABC
LONG FORM – ORIGINAL – over one hour – one or two parts, one or two airing times
Georgia O’Keeffe, Written by Michael Cristofer; Lifetime
LONG FORM – ADAPTATION – over one hour – one or two parts, one or two airing times
Taking Chance, Teleplay by Lieutenant Colonel Michael R. Strobl, USMC (Ret.) and Ross Katz, Based on the short story by Lieutenant Colonel Michael R. Strobl, USMC (Ret.); HBO
ANIMATION – any length – one airing time
“Wedding for Disaster” (The Simpsons), Written by Joel H. Cohen; Fox
COMEDY / VARIETY – (INCLUDING TALK) SERIES (**TIE**)
Saturday Night Live, Head Writer: Seth Meyers, Writers Doug Abeles, James Anderson, Alex Baze, Jessica Conrad, James Downey, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, John Lutz, Lorne Michaels, John Mulaney, Paula Pell, Simon Rich, Marika Sawyer, Akiva Schaffer, John Solomon, Emily Spivey, Kent Sublette, Jorma Taccone, Bryan Tucker, Additional Sketch by Adam McKay, Andrew Steele; NBC
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Head Writer: Steve Bodow, Writers Rory Albanese, Kevin Bleyer, Rich Blomquist, Tim Carvell, Wyatt Cenac, Hallie Haglund, JR Havlan, David Javerbaum, Elliott Kalan, Josh Lieb, Sam Means, Jo Miller, John Oliver, Daniel Radosh, Jason Ross, Jon Stewart; Comedy Central
COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS
Film Independent’s 2009 Spirit Awards, Written by Billy Kimball, Neil MacLennan; IFC/AMC
DAYTIME SERIAL
The Young and the Restless, Written by Amanda L. Beall, Tom Casiello, Lisa Connor, Janice Ferri Esser, Eric Freiwald, Jay Gibson, Scott Hamner, Marla Kanelos, Beth Milstein, Natalie Minardi Slater, Melissa Salmons, Linda Schreiber, James Stanley, Sandra Weintraub, Teresa Zimmerman; CBS
CHILDREN'S EPISODIC & SPECIALS
“Welcome to the Jungle” (The Troop), Written by Max Burnett; Nickelodeon
CHILDREN’S SCRIPT – LONG FORM OR SPECIAL
Another Cinderella Story, Written by Erik Patterson, Jessica Scott; ABC Family
DOCUMENTARY – CURRENT EVENTS
“The Madoff Affair” (Frontline), Written by Marcela Gaviria, Martin Smith; PBS
DOCUMENTARY – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS
“The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer” (American Experience), Written by David Grubin; PBS
NEWS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN OR BREAKING REPORT
World News with Charles Gibson, Written by Lee Kamlet, Julia Kathan, Joel Siegel; ABC
NEWS – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“A Private War: Expose: America’s Investigative Reports” (Bill Moyers Journal), Written by Thomas M. Jennings; PBS
RADIO WINNERS
DOCUMENTARY
2008 Year in Review, Written by Gail Lee; CBS
NEWS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED OR BREAKING
World News This Week - July 11, 2009, Written by Darren Reynolds; ABC Radio
NEWS – ANALYSIS, FEATURE OR COMMENTARY
Paul Harvey: An American Life, Written by Stu Chamberlain; ABC Radio
PROMOTIONAL WRITING AND GRAPHIC ANIMATION WINNERS
ON-AIR PROMOTION (RADIO OR TELEVISION)
“Vegas” (Dateline), “The Wanted” Promo, NBC Nightly News Promo, “Iran” (Dateline), “Cheat” (Dateline), Written by Barry Fitzsimmons; NBC
TELEVISION GRAPHIC ANIMATION
“Hudson Splashdown” (CBS Evening News with Katie Couric), David M. Rosen, Shannon L. Toma; CBS
VIDEOGAME WRITING WINNER
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Written by Amy Hennig; Sony Computer Entertainment
Filmbase is hosting a seminar on "Hollywood Screenwriting - Jumping the First Hurdle", which is being given by James Bartlet, on Friday 26th March 1.00pm - 3.30pm.
In Hollywood, thousands of scripts land on the desks of producers, agents, actors and studio executives every day – how can you make sure that yours makes it past the first hurdle? This hurdle is actually a person - a script reader - and he or she can be many things: a stressed assistant, a summer intern, or - if you’re lucky - someone who has spent years analysing scripts and can recognize talent and potential when they see it.
This lecture will give you industry information and tips that will make your script a more professional and sellable product. Whether you are applying for funding, entering a competition or sending off writing samples, this lecture will help your script jump the first hurdle.
YOUR SPEAKER: JAMES BARTLET:
James Bartlett is a writer and journalist living in Los Angeles. He is also a story analyst for the Sundance Institute, National Geographic Films, New Regency, UCLA and the Academy of Motion Pictures’ Nicholl Screenwriting Awards, the US consultant for Euroscript, and a reader for several regional funders in the UK and Ireland.
Cost: €40 for members/ €55 for non – members
All booking must be made in advance at Filmbase reception: 01 679 6716.
The Irish Times published an obituary for actress/writer Siobhan Miley at the weekend.
Last night the winners of the BAFTA Film Awards were announced at a ceremony in London.
The entire list of winners can be viewed on the web site, but there are the winners in the writing categories (winners in bold):
Best Original Screenplay
The Hangover - Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
The Hurt Locker - Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds - Quentin Tarantino
A Serious Man - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Up - Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Best Adapted Screenplay
District 9 - Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
An Education - Nick Hornby
In The Loop - Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire - Geoffrey Fletcher
Up in the Air - Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner
The winners of the Irish Film and Television Awards were announced on Saturday night. A full list is available from the web site.
The winners in the two writing categories are in bold:
Script Film
Billy Roche, Conor McPherson - The Eclipse (Treasure Entertainment)
John Carney, Kieran Carney - Zonad (Element Pictures)
Margaret Corkery - Eamon (Zanita Films)
Neil Jordan - Ondine (Octagon Films)
Script Television
Frank Deasy - Father & Son (Octagon Films / Left Bank Pictures)
Frank McGuinness - A Short Stay in Switzerland (BBC)
Eugene O'Brien - Pure Mule - The Last Weekend (Accomplice Television)
James Phelan - Rásaí na Gaillimhe (Great Western Films)
Irish playwright Jaki McCarrick won the 2010 PapaTango New Writing Award in the UK with her play Leopoldville.
The judges were:
* Ruth Carney (Associate Director Sheffield Theatres)
* Tamara Harvey (West End Director)
* Gene David Kirk (Artistic Director Jermyn Street Theatre)
* Jeremy Kingston (Times Critic)
* Tanya Tillet (Agent at Rod Hall)
* Tara Wilkinson (Producer Bush Theatre).
The world première will be staged at the Tristan Bates Theatre, Covent Garden, London WC1 from April 6th – April 24th 2010.
Sandy Dunlop is running a monthly Saturday workshop called "The Myths We Live By" in Dublin and Mullingar, Belvedere House alternatively, which will take place from 10am - 4.30pm on March 27, April 17, May 15 and June 19. The cost is €50.
Myths have long been an inspiration for writers. They have been a rich source of ideas, symbols, structures and, of course, characters. What is proposed here is an opportunity to work within a group context to explore a series of the important myths of the rich and unique Irish Tradition. Specifically we will look over four Saturdays at Irish Leadership Myths and the stories of Lugh and Balor, Cormac mac Airt and Conaire, mythical king of Tara. This is within a context of a research study within UCD Folklore Department on myth and modernity, the relevance of myth to the modern world, and understanding the mythic roots of modernity.
The Bureau Film Company is launching a new MEDIA-funded development programme called SOS: Save Our Scripts.
The SOS development programme is currently searching Europe for emerging producers and screenwriters.
Writers will develop their selected one page idea to a full length script, which will then receive feedback from financiers and key industry figures. Alongside this the producers will build their development skills, and new relationships with the participating writers, producers, and industry contacts.
The training will run from May until December and is made up of 3 intensive workshops and a number of one to one virtual script meetings. The workshops will take place in the UK, France and Belgium, and will be composed of a range of writing exercises, master-classes, and peer to peer development.
ZeBBie-award winning screenwriter, John Carney, will be "In Conversation" as part of the National Library of Ireland's Library Late programme, at 8pm, on Wednesday 24 February.
Admission is free but booking is essential.
The Arts Council is looking for submissions for its Location One Fellowship:
Location One is a not-for-profit art centre in New York devoted to convergence between visual, performing and digital arts in a time of rapidly changing technology. It operates an international residency programme where emerging and established artists can experiment with new forms of artistic expression, particularly those involving new technologies.
The Arts Council offers an annual Fellowship to one artist to facilitate his/her participation in the international residency programme at Location One for 10 months, in order to develop his/her practice and create new work. In addition to the support and resources provided through Location One, the Fellowship also includes accommodation and a stipend.
Purpose and priorities of award
The Location One Fellowship is offered so as to provide an artist with the dedicated time, space and resources to concentrate on the development of practice and the production of new work, and to experiment with advanced technological tools and delivery systems. The Fellowship also provides opportunities for an artist to meet, interact and exchange with his/her international counterparts, to develop new contacts and networks and to benefit from an extended period of time in New York City.
Applicants must demonstrate that the space and time for development, the opportunity for engagement and the access to the resources and facilities at Location One would be of significant value in their professional and artistic development. Prior experience in the use of new technology and/or new media is not essential; however, an ambition to engage with the creative potential that is offered by Location One must be clearly demonstrated by applicants.
What is provided?
The Fellowship includes a studio space at Location One, accommodation and a monthly stipend of $2,000. The overall value of the award is in the region of €37,000.
The working studio space at Location One is accessible seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The resident artist will have access to Apple Mac computers with multimedia production software. S/he will have access to Location One’s digital and video equipment on a shared basis during working hours. Live two-way interactive streaming technology is also made available to residents as needed.
The Guardian reports that after 400 years a female playwright will finally have a work staged at what is now Shakespeare's Globe theatre.
The play is Bedlam by Nell Leyshon, and is a fictional portrait of the Bethlem – the London hospital for the insane – set during the mid-18th century gin epidemic.
Leyshon said it was a "great privilege" to be the first woman to have a play staged at the Globe. "It's a challenge and I'm quite aware of the fact," she said. "I have to be honest, it fed my writing; I thought I can't write a flabby play. I wanted to prove that women can do conflict, that they can write big structures, big stories because I've heard it too many times that women aren't as good at that."
Alan Keane is offering a two-day Introduction to Screenwriting seminar, on Saturday, February 20th and Sunday, February 21st, in the Smithfield/Stoneybatter Area in Dublin City.
Screenwriting is a notoriously difficult career to get ahead in and all too often people make the plunge with little knowledge as to how the industry works and what's exactly required to get yourself noticed. This 2-day seminar will act as a crash course in understanding the principles involved in great writing. It will help you to become aware of the skills and craft you'll need to create unforgettable stories that will get you noticed by readers and also help get you an agent.
TOPICS COVERED INCLUDE:
* Format
* Style
* Dialogue writing
* Visual Grammar
* Three Act Structure
* The craft of writing a scene
* Characterisation and the arc of transformation
* Genre
* What the readers are looking for - An industry perspective
* How do I get my first break?
The Big Smoke Writing Factory is organising a one-day drama and writing workshop.
Big Smoke Writing Factory is delighted to offer this day long workshop in drama and creative writing, designed and facilitated by one of its founding members, Nicole Rourke. Nicole trained in theatre with Tmu-Na Theatre Company, Tel-Aviv, Israel. She has worked in professional theatre both here and abroad for many years, mainly as an actor but has also experience in writing and directing. On top of this Nicole is highly experienced as both a drama facilitator and a creative writing facilitator - a combination which makes for a very unique workshop experience.
When it comes to telling stories, drama is really where it all begins. After all, we learn to speak and play before we learn to write. Combining the two can help the writer to expand their powers of observation, imagination and language as well as add that dramatic element that may be lacking. This unique workshop brings drama to your writing in an immediate and effective way.
Queries regarding course content may be directed to Nicole either over the phone at 086-857-6705 or email: bigsmokewritingfactory@gmail.com
Entry fee: €75 for one full day
Theatre Forum Ireland has issued a press release about its meeting yesterday to discuss the cuts in funding to Irish arts organisations by the Arts Council (announced on February 1st).
On Wednesday 10 February Theatre Forum, the representative body for the performing arts in Ireland, held a meeting in the National Concert Hall to discuss the severe cut backs in funding recently announced by the Arts Council.
Over 120 arts organisations from across the country were represented at the packed meeting.
Mary Cloake, Director of the Arts Council, was invited to address a number of issues raised by the sector in the aftermath of the cuts.
In December, the Arts Council received a €9 million reduction in funding from the Government. More than 300 organisations subsequently had their grant cut, some by up to 65%. A further 30 had their funding cut all together.
Theatre Forum acknowledges that, whilst in the current difficult economic climate and reduced public spending, the arts will inevitably be affected, the severity of the cuts took many by surprise.
In the run up to the meeting, there was confusion in the sector regarding the rationale behind the cuts. Mary Cloake sought to address this and other concerns and was urged by many speakers to publish the official Arts Council theatre policy as a matter of urgency, and to bring forward deadlines for proposed alternative production funding schemes.
Theatre Forum chairman Fergal McGrath urged members of Theatre Forum and the Arts Council to work together to protect the performing arts for the benefit of Irish audiences - and the economy.
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to the National Campaign for the Arts.
Submissions are now open for the next two BAFTA ROCLIFFE NEW WRITING FORUMS taking place at:
The Irish Film Board will have a stand (number 05) this year, with Film Holland, at the forthcoming European Film Market (Feb 11- 21) at Berlinale.
Simon Perry, Chief Executive, Alan Maher, Production Executive, and Louise Ryan, Marketing Executive of the IFB will be staffing the stand during the Market and will welcome appointments made in advance.
Their contact details are on the web site.
Writers living in the Fingal area might be interested in a writing opportunity courtesy of the Arts Office of Fingal County Council.
Background
As part of an existing for art scheme project, artist Brian Duggan wishes to commission three short texts for a publication, to accompany / in parallel to his project O Machine, O Machine.
The Brief
This an open brief asking writers to respond to the theme Three Thousand and Nine , this projected view of the future can be taken from many perspectives, from the broad world view or an object, place, people, specific viewpoint, it leaves room for both a philosophical enquiry or a personal story. The brief extends to include fictional, imaginative, realist, crime, science fiction, drama, documentary and any other type of genre text.
The Opportunity
Three winning entries will be selected by an expert panel chaired by the artist and given a remuneration of €333 each.
Siobhán Miley (far left) in rehearsals with other members of the Fishamble company during SHORTS, on which she was one of the directors
by Elizabeth Moynihan
The Actress, Writer and Graduate of Trinity College Dublin, Siobhán Miley died on Friday morning, the 5th of February 2010.
She came into my life 15 years ago as a fellow actor on a performance piece entitled Fishbelly White. Our collaboration at that point bore none of the hallmarks of the defining relationship that it would become for me over the next ten years. It wasn't until 1999 that the seeds of a long and intimate friendship were sown in the rehearsal rooms of the Gate theatre's production of An Ideal husband, where she played the leading role of Lady Chiltern. My lowly turn was over by the interval and so, every night I spent the second act watching her from the wings, as she spun out the character of the politically and morally upright Lady Chiltern, with such precision, truth and humanity that it became clear to me any other choice would have been so much less interesting, less engaging less.... well brilliant! And from that moment I wanted to yell from the roof tops "Siobhán Miley is the best actress to ever come out of Ireland." Many of my actor friends have told me since then that having seen her in the role of Pegeen Mike in the Abbey's production of The Playboy of the Western World, that they too were affected deeply by her extra ordinary talent. And so I cast myself in the role of fan, which developed into what became a deep and lasting friendship when we holidayed in Mexico post show. Prior to that she thought of me as just another annoying blond that talked too much!
In Mexico we bonded, and I learned to shut up and let her talk.
There she swam with Dolphins and shoals of Barracuda, never showing fear as I cowered on the deck of the little boat we rented. We had many more trips together that involved hours of chat and laughter under a foreign sky. On one trip to Cyprus we sat pool-side in the sweet heat and it was only when dusk hit at 7pm that we realized we had been talking, laughing and basking in that oh-so-rare simpatico we were lucky to enjoy for 8 hours straight.
Siobhán had a passion for storytelling. Be it on a beach towel, as an actress or director and finally writing for RTÉ's Fair City. Inspiring me and anyone lucky enough to be called her friend. It is as a result of Siobhán's devoted friendship that I had the courage to dip my toe into literary waters. As she had the ability to instil confidence and passion for the arts in those around her. Wanting to share her knowledge and talent. Encouraging you to be the best you could possibly be.
In recent years her greatest love has been television. Watching it and making it. She was working on her own drama series and had also adapted it for the stage on the encouragement of Jim Culleton, a close friend.
Siobhán Miley was loved so deeply not just for her enormous talent as an actor and writer or for her incredibly sharp intellect but also for her humanity, her compassion, her gentleness and wit.
Many afternoons over the years I sought solace on Siobhán's sofa after one of my failed romances. There she would ply me with dark chocolate, tea and sympathy. Then cover me with a blanket and let me sleep off the heart ache.
Darling Friend, may I now cover you with a blanket of my love and let you sleep off your heart ache. Rest, rest in peace my sweet and beautiful Siobhán.
Listowel Writers Week is running a wide range of workshops during the festival, and two in particular might be of interest to our members.
Writing for Theatre with Michael Harding.
Finding your story. This workshop will deal with the following aspects of writing for theatre. What is the best starting point for a story? How do you examine and present characters and the world of the story? How do you shape your story, including how to structure and shape a play for theatre? What are the essential rules and principles of the craft, and of making your story work on the stage? How do you examine the personal and socio-political aspect of your story and how it must serve the requirements of the audience?
This workshop will concentrate on the beginning of a screenplay. Refining the idea, exploring the central characters, describing the setting and identifying the tone.
RTÉ's annual P. J. O'Connor Awards for Radio Drama is now open for applications for its 2010 competition.
For the first time RTÉ Radio Drama is inviting candidates to submit radio plays of up to 55 minutes in duration - with a first prize of €3,000 for the winning script, as well as runner up prizes of €2,000 and €1,000 respectively.
The closing date for entries is Wednesday, the 31st of March.
Guidelines and information on the competition are available on the web site.
There are a myriad of writing competitions running for this year's Listowel Writers' Week, including the Eamon Keane Full Length Play competition.
Plays submitted should be for stage presentation only and should not have previously been staged. One act plays are not eligible. The prize is €1,000, and a €20.00 entry fee must accompany each submission.
The closing date for receipt of entries is: Friday 26th February 2010. Further details on how to apply are on the web site.
The second webisodes of the five RTÉ Storyland series are now on the web site, and voting is open.
The results of the viewers poll be will be announced on the 17th February, and the four surviving projects will advance into the next round.
The BBC has announced the short-list for the 2010 Tony Doyle Bursary Award:
The Galway Film Centre is running a one-day screenwriting workshop called "Script Out Loud" on Saturday, 27th February, which will be taught by David Keating.
David wrote and directed The Last of the High Kings (Miramax), starring Jared Leto, Gabriel Byrne and Christina Ricci. His latest feature, Wake Wood (Hammer/Vertigo/IFB), will be released in 2010 and stars Aiden Gillen (The Wire), Eva Birthistle (Ae Fond Kiss) and Timothy Spall (The Damn United, Sweeney Todd).
This one-day workshop will help screenwriters advance their material by exploring it 'off the page'. Participants will act out each other's work and tutor, David Keating will guide writers to improve their dialogue, action and scene descriptions. All participants will do a small amount of preparation which will be sent to you in advance. This will include writing 1 or 2 pages of script and analysing at according to conflict, exposition and needs/wants of characters. You can bring a camera and ask someone to film your work being acted out, if you want.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has announced its second Human Rights Film Awards
Individual film students, filmmakers, and/ or those with a strong interest in human rights are invited to submit an original short film focusing on a particular human rights-related issue in, or related to, Ireland.
The aim of the Human Rights Film Awards is to provide film students, filmmakers and those working in human rights with an opportunity to contribute to human rights discourse in Ireland, grappling with issues which affect some of the most vulnerable members of Irish society through the medium of film.
Through the Human Rights Film Awards, the ICCL hopes to raise public awareness about human rights in an Irish context, bringing attention to inequalities which exist today and inspiring others to work towards solutions, creating in a more equitable society.
The Stage reports that the Arts Council has cut the funding of the Abbey Theatre by over €1 million.
This is part of the Arts Council's budget cuts due to its reduction in funds in the recent budget from €73.35 million in 2009 to €69.15 million for 2010.
Overall theatre funding for the year has been cut from €16,311,000 to €13,327,000. The Abbey takes the largest share of that - its allocation has been reduced from €8.35 million last year to a current figure of €7.25 million. Opera also loses, with funding cut from €3.9 million to €3.6 million, as do dance and music.
As part of the regional emphasis, both local arts and festivals and events each receives funding of over €2 million, though that is less than last year. Street arts and spectacle, as well as circus, also win financial support, though again at a reduced level. In all, 313 companies face funding cuts, with just 24 having the same level of financial support as last year.
However, the council did have some good news to announce: it has established a new fund for touring and has reduced its overall administrative budget by 30% from its 2008 level.
According to The Stage London's Royal Court Theatre has launched its Theatre Local project, which is taking productions out of its Sloane Square location and placing them in alternative spaces at the heart of London life.
Over the next six months the Royal Court will present a season of work in a disused shopping unit at Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre with each production presented in a stripped-back, 'unplugged' aesthetic. The season will begin with a revival of random followed by three current Jerwood Theatre Upstairs productions, Disconnect, The Empire and Spur of the Moment.
Tickets for these productions cost a mere £8, or £5 concession. The project is sponsored by Bloomberg, which has committed to funding the programme for £100,000 over three years.
Royal Court artistic director Dominic Cooke said he believed it would be the first time a major theatre has engaged in such an experiment.
He said: "It's really about looking at how in the theatre we can reach beyond our buildings and make new relationships with new audiences and take our best work to the heart of the community.
Cooke added: "There are many, many people who are willing to engage with the theatre but don't like the idea of going to a theatre building - find it intimidating, find it not in their orbit. There are number of people who just will not come to Sloane Square and we feel those people should have the opportunity to connect with the best of our work."
He also said the new space would give Royal Court practitioners an opportunity to explore the relationship between audiences and performers.
NPR in the US reports that advertisers are now pushing Nielsen to start monitoring online viewing of television shows, as offered by web sites like Hulu.
Kate Sirkin, who directs global research at the media planning and buying firm Starcom MediaVest Group, says advertisers are starting to demand more comprehensive tracking of viewers across platforms.
"I'm not sure if that metric is the only metric we need going forward," she says of traditional Nielsen television ratings. "We would love cross-media measurements."
Sirkin says she would like measurements that aggregate regular TV and online ratings. She suggests Nielsen may be falling behind right at the moment when the ways people watch television are multiplying.
Her firm is part of a consortium of powerful ad agencies and TV networks pressuring Nielsen to evolve along with the habits of television consumers, who don't just watch shows on their television sets, but also on their laptops and other mobile devices.
The nominees for the 82nd Academy Awards have been announced.
The Irish children's film The Secret of Kells, written by Tomm Moore (story) and Fabrice Ziolkowski (screenplay), co-directed by Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey, has been nominated in the Animated Feature Film category.
"Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty", written by Kathleen O'Rourke and directed by Nicky Phelan, is nominated for the Short Film (Animated) category.
"The Door" written and directed by Juanita Wilson, is nominated in the Short Film (Live Action).
Irish animator Richard Baneham is among the nominees in the Best Visual Effects category for his work on Avatar, and Peter J Devlin has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Achievement in Sound for his work on Star Trek.
The writing categories are as follows:
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
The Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board has launched Media Hub, a micro-site that showcases some of its short films, offers trailers and podcasts, as well as providing information on events and news items.
On Saturday, 6th of February the IFI is celebrating the refurbishment of its premises with a full day of free screenings.
Audiences will have the opportunity to check out the IFI's new and luxurious Cinema 3, the new look foyer, the brand new IFI Film Shop and our refurbished IFI Café Bar (not to mention the sparkling new bathrooms). All the free tickets are being released on the day at 11am and tickets are limited to four per person on a first come first served basis.
IFI Family, our monthly programme of quality family films, will be offering a first look at the hotly anticipated Ponyo; a wildly imaginative Japanese animation version of The Little Mermaid fairy tale from the Oscar-winning Studio Ghibli. Young people will also be catered for with a special IFI Teen Screen showing of Ghost World; a 2001 graphic-novel inspired cult favourite featuring a young Scarlett Johansson.
A preview of Crazy Heart includes an Oscar-tipped performance from Jeff Bridges; the subject of an extensive season at the IFI in February. Another heavyweight Oscar contender A Single Man, former-Gucci designer Tom Ford’s directorial debut featuring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore,will also be previewing on Open Day.
There will also be a chance to see some classics back on the big screen including the great screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby with Katherine Hepburn, the definitive Herzog documentary Grizzly Man, Kubrick's masterful 2001: A Space Odyssey on 70mm, and there will be a very rare chance to see Leo McCarey’s exceptional Make Way for Tomorrow on 16mm from 1937. There will also be a chance to sample two themed selections of material from the IFI Irish Film Archive; Welcome to the Emerald Isle: A Selection of Travel Films and Colm O Laoghaire Shorts.
A special discount on IFI Membership will apply on the Open Day. It's a great way to keep up with the latest releases and seasons, as well as benefitting from free tickets, special free Members’ Previews, discounts throughout the IFI, and double IFI Loyalty points.
Tickets for all films will be available on the day from 11am - in person only - and will be restricted to 4 tickets per person. Arrive early as tickets for the full day are expected to go quickly.
Watch the interviews with ZeBBie Award winners and nominees that were videoed after the Ceremony on Thursday, 26th of November, 2009.
Those being interviewed are: Lynne Parker (Rough Magic Theatre Company), Elaine Murphy, Shay Linehan, Billy Roche, Gary Duggan, Eugene O'Brien and Mark Doherty.
The Video of the 2009 ZeBBie Awards Ceremony, which took place on Thursday, 26 November at the Sugar Club in Dublin, has gone online.
Relieve your favourite moments from the event, or watch it for the first time.
