Congratulations to all at Cartoon Saloon on their Oscar nomination for The Secret of Kells!
Director Tomm Moore was a member of Young Irish Film Makers for many years as well as fellow Cartoon Salooners Ross Murray and Ross Stewart and Skunk Fu! TV series director, Aiden Harte.
After college they gathered fourteen of their friends together and created Cartoon Saloon through participation in a three year FAS scheme in Young Irish Film Makers set up by Oliver Clancy and Michael O’Meara. During their time here they developed the early concepts for Rebel, the early name for the film that was to become The Secret of Kells.
Tomm and his team had a real struggle over many years to put all the elements of The Secret of Kells together and there were times when it looked like the film would never happen. But they stuck with the task and now we can see their completed vision, The Secret of Kells, in all its luminous beauty.
Well done, Tomm, from everyone in Young Irish Film Makers. Your vision and creation of The Secret of Kells is an inspiration to all our young members and a wonderful gift to the world.
Every best wish for an Oscar win in 2010. And then five in a row!
It’s Back by popular demand! – Caffeine, the 24 hour international film festival, returns on the 15th of January 2010. You can now register your teams here to take part.
2009 winner “Sclever”. On the team were Stephen Colfer, SarahWalsh, Conor Barry, Richie Cody and John Doran
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.
.
.
Conditions
> All participants must be ages 12 and over
> The Competition runs from 6pm Friday 15th of January 2010 to 6pm Saturday 16th of January 2010
> Running time of each film must not to exceed 5 minutes
> All films for the competition must be hosted on YouTube, posted as a video response to the YIFM CAFFEINE YouTube Channel.
> Films must be scripted, shot and edited within the 24 hour time limit.
> The objects given and named at the offset of the 24 hours must be relevant to plot.
> Crew and cast may be prepared before the 24 hours begin.
> Films may be shot on any medium (from camera phones, Hi8 to HD and beyond).
> Films may be edited on any software or edited in camera.
> Films may be of any genre,
> YIFM equipment may not be used in the making of these films, however YIFM computers will be made available for upload to YouTube should that be required.
> All teams and individuals taking part must register for the competition before the deadline of WEDNESDAY 14th JANUARY 2009.
Top tips for Caffeine
.
Write your script
Make sure it has a beginning , a middle and an end! The three act structure with plot point one at the start and plot point two near the end is preferable.
A comic story with a twist at the end is usually the best for this type of film.
A protaganist and an antagonist are usually working against each other with a climax at the end.
Keep away from too much interior monologue or too much talking- this isn’t a novel or a play.
Think visually- this is visual medium!
Show your character through action not by what they say.
Make sure there is narrative tension in your script- boring your audience is death!
Hide your back story and avoid too much exposition.
Show – Dont tell your story.
Find locations-
Be warned you lose an hour everytime you change location.
Try to use one location preferably interior – two at the very most.
Schedule your film-
Be careful that you give yourself enough time for every scene and not to spend too much time on the shorter ones.
If there are any that can be cut out leave them till the end so you can shoot them if you have time.
Spend a good five hours scripting, three hours pre production, five hours shooting, five hours editing, two hours uploading.
Do not spend too much time on any of them. If you behind schedule while shooting change your story or combine shots to tell the same story.
If you have night time scenes outside be careful.
Do your storyboards-
Draw a comic strip of your story.
It should be possible to see your story through these panels without any dialogue.
Dont worry about the quality of the drawings.
Do an overhead of your scenes(especailly if it is a dialogue scene)-
If you have a talking scene with lots of shot reverse shot be careful not to cross the line.
Do a shot list-
This is a list of all your shots so that it will save you time
The three main types are-
Close Up (CU) -This is usually a characters face and shoulders.
Mid Shot (MS)- This is a characters from his waist up.
Wide Shot (WS)- A characters from their feet up.
There are other shots like Extreme Close Up, Tracking shot, Handheld, Two Shot, Over the Shoulder etc.
You will only use the wide for beginning and end of scene usually then go to mids and close up in the middle. Then back out to wide at the end.
Rationalise your shot list!- That means shoot all one way besides wasting time having to come back and set you camera up twice.
Leave the cutaways till last as they take time to do and actors prefer to get the flow of their performance out of the way.
Camera- Remember the rules of compostion when you are shooting- The Rule of Thirds.(Imagine a Tic Tac Toe grid on your shot- try to have something of interest where it intersects.)
Try to keep everything in the left of right of your frame not in the middle.
Avoid too much negative space on left or right.
Watch out on the head height of your characters from the top of the frame.
Be careful of over exposure and the opposite under exposure which is worse.
White balance, focus and adjust the aperture of your camera(Use the auto settings if you want- its easier on smaller cameras!)
Help your director but don’t take over!
Directing-
Overlap all your shots- shoot coverage that will join up with the next shot in your sequence!
Create transitions- make sure that you know how your scenes will edit together.( A nice match cut is always cool!)
Keep calm and be authorative while listening to everyones advice but be the final say!
Listen to actors performance and watch everything are doing through the viewfinder if possible.
Give them notes after every shot. Praise if they deserve it but be constructive in your criticisms.
Communicate with everyone especially your cameraman.
Be decisisive- if you are panicing set up a cutaway shot while you think about it.
Get your main shots done that will tell the story and then do the ones that you can live without.
Shoot loads and loads of cutaways- these will save your life in the edit.
Editing- Digitise all your footage. Watch every take and take notes. You never know what you will use.
Try to find movements of characters in shots that you can cut on.
Do not always come in on a wide- sometimes it is funnier to start on a close up and jump out to a wide.
Use close ups for more emotional shots.
If an actors performance is too broad use the wider shot.
Avoid the shots that last too long- these will bore your audience.
Let the pace reflect the film- a moody film shouldn’t be cut like an MTV video!
Editing is about finding solutions to the mistake of the shoot. Help the director find those solutions but don’t take over.
Try to get a montage sequence or at least one scene involving music.
Watch the transitions between scenes.
Try to cut dialogue scenes using the reaction of the other person they are talking to as much as possible.
Tighten every single edit on the final cut.
Watch the film with the sound turned down and see if it still works.
Editing in Camera
Be warned you do not have a second take.
Planning is essential.
Make sure you have a few tapes if you mess up.
Be inventive as you can. Use the cuts.
Uploading-
Turn it into a Quicktime clip
Then create a YOUTUBE account.
Upload your Video and MAKE SURE WE CAN FIND IT!
Good Luck! and Remember Have Fun!It’s Back – Caffeine, the 24 hour international film festival, returns on the 15th of January 2010. You can now register your teams here to take part.
2009 winner “Sclever”. On the team were Stephen Colfer, SarahWalsh, Conor Barry, Richie Cody and John Doran
Conditions
> All participants must be ages 12 and over
> The Competition runs from 6pm Friday 15th of January 2010 to 6pm Saturday 16th of January 2010
> Running time of each film must not to exceed 5 minutes
> All films for the competition must be hosted on YouTube, posted as a video response to the YIFM CAFFEINE YouTube Channel.
> Films must be scripted, shot and edited within the 24 hour time limit.
> The objects given and named at the offset of the 24 hours must be relevant to plot.
> Crew and cast may be prepared before the 24 hours begin.
> Films may be shot on any medium (from camera phones, Hi8 to HD and beyond).
> Films may be edited on any software or edited in camera.
> Films may be of any genre,
> YIFM equipment may not be used in the making of these films, however YIFM computers will be made available for upload to YouTube should that be required.
> All teams and individuals taking part must register for the competition before the deadline of WEDNESDAY 11th MARCH 2009.
Top tips for Caffeine
.
Write your script
Make sure it has a beginning , a middle and an end! The three act structure with plot point one at the start and plot point two near the end is preferable.
A comic story with a twist at the end is usually the best for this type of film.
A protaganist and an antagonist are usually working against each other with a climax at the end.
Keep away from too much interior monologue or too much talking- this isn’t a novel or a play.
Think visually- this is visual medium!
Show your character through action not by what they say.
Make sure there is narrative tension in your script- boring your audience is death!
Hide your back story and avoid too much exposition.
Show – Dont tell your story.
Find locations-
Be warned you lose an hour everytime you change location.
Try to use one location preferably interior – two at the very most.
Schedule your film-
Be careful that you give yourself enough time for every scene and not to spend too much time on the shorter ones.
If there are any that can be cut out leave them till the end so you can shoot them if you have time.
Spend a good five hours scripting, three hours pre production, five hours shooting, five hours editing, two hours uploading.
Do not spend too much time on any of them. If you behind schedule while shooting change your story or combine shots to tell the same story.
If you have night time scenes outside be careful.
Do your storyboards-
Draw a comic strip of your story.
It should be possible to see your story through these panels without any dialogue.
Dont worry about the quality of the drawings.
Do an overhead of your scenes(especailly if it is a dialogue scene)-
If you have a talking scene with lots of shot reverse shot be careful not to cross the line.
Do a shot list-
This is a list of all your shots so that it will save you time
The three main types are-
Close Up (CU) -This is usually a characters face and shoulders.
Mid Shot (MS)- This is a characters from his waist up.
Wide Shot (WS)- A characters from their feet up.
There are other shots like Extreme Close Up, Tracking shot, Handheld, Two Shot, Over the Shoulder etc.
You will only use the wide for beginning and end of scene usually then go to mids and close up in the middle. Then back out to wide at the end.
Rationalise your shot list!- That means shoot all one way besides wasting time having to come back and set you camera up twice.
Leave the cutaways till last as they take time to do and actors prefer to get the flow of their performance out of the way.
Camera- Remember the rules of compostion when you are shooting- The Rule of Thirds.(Imagine a Tic Tac Toe grid on your shot- try to have something of interest where it intersects.)
Try to keep everything in the left of right of your frame not in the middle.
Avoid too much negative space on left or right.
Watch out on the head height of your characters from the top of the frame.
Be careful of over exposure and the opposite under exposure which is worse.
White balance, focus and adjust the aperture of your camera(Use the auto settings if you want- its easier on smaller cameras!)
Help your director but don’t take over!
Directing-
Overlap all your shots- shoot coverage that will join up with the next shot in your sequence!
Create transitions- make sure that you know how your scenes will edit together.( A nice match cut is always cool!)
Keep calm and be authorative while listening to everyones advice but be the final say!
Listen to actors performance and watch everything are doing through the viewfinder if possible.
Give them notes after every shot. Praise if they deserve it but be constructive in your criticisms.
Communicate with everyone especially your cameraman.
Be decisisive- if you are panicing set up a cutaway shot while you think about it.
Get your main shots done that will tell the story and then do the ones that you can live without.
Shoot loads and loads of cutaways- these will save your life in the edit.
Editing- Digitise all your footage. Watch every take and take notes. You never know what you will use.
Try to find movements of characters in shots that you can cut on.
Do not always come in on a wide- sometimes it is funnier to start on a close up and jump out to a wide.
Use close ups for more emotional shots.
If an actors performance is too broad use the wider shot.
Avoid the shots that last too long- these will bore your audience.
Let the pace reflect the film- a moody film shouldn’t be cut like an MTV video!
Editing is about finding solutions to the mistake of the shoot. Help the director find those solutions but don’t take over.
Try to get a montage sequence or at least one scene involving music.
Watch the transitions between scenes.
Try to cut dialogue scenes using the reaction of the other person they are talking to as much as possible.
Tighten every single edit on the final cut.
Watch the film with the sound turned down and see if it still works.
Editing in Camera
Be warned you do not have a second take.
Planning is essential.
Make sure you have a few tapes if you mess up.
Be inventive as you can. Use the cuts.
Uploading-
Turn it into a Quicktime clip
Then create a YOUTUBE account.
Upload your Video and MAKE SURE WE CAN FIND IT!
Dreamstuff Youth theatre staged their first production in the Watergate way back in 2000. The play was Monty Python’s Life of Brian and ever since the group has produced sixteen fun filled comedies like Robin Hood, The Three Musketeers and Macbeth (OK, not all of them were fun filled!) in the style of their original crazy comedy production. This Christmas for their 17th stage production the group will present the (mostly) fun filled Sword in the Stone telling the magical story of the young Arthur and his childhood in Camelot.
As We Begin…
It is a dark time in the land of Britain. The mighty King Uther Pendragon of Britain had been dead 17 years. There was not an heir to carry on his throne. In his hometown, a magical village known as Camelot a sword appeared within a stone. And upon it was an inscription: ‘He who pulls the sword from out the stone will be the ‘once and future king of Britain’. And with no king to rule the land Camelot went to ruin and the old Knights of the Round Table want to restore hope to the kingdom. The plan is to hold a jousting competition in Camelot, to restore glory to the famed village but also, yes, to crown a new king! Hoorah!
One young buck in particular has vowed to win this competition and his name is… Lancelot? Yes, Lancelot! He is handsome and strong but not even slightly intelligent. However with the help of his friends he might just succeed. And his friends? Merlin, a hazy, drawling young wizard in the making and Arthur… who doesn’t do much or really want to do anything, but he’s pleasant and exceedingly plain and inoffensive. Can they succeed in making Lancelot king? Will the kingdom be restored to its former glory? Will this competition attract some unsavoury power hungry characters? And will the boys be distracted by the new (and only) girl in class, young Guinevere? For the answer to this, and other questions you haven’t thought of yet, come see Sword in the Stone played by a cast of hundreds (well – about twenty actually!) and a night of the Christmas fun and fantasy mayhem is guaranteed for all the family!
For all fans of Monty Python type comedies this is an experience you shouldn’t miss, unless you have to go to the dentist! The play opens on Tuesday 15th and runs until Saturday 19th december at 8pm each night. Tickets cost €8 (€6 concessions).
Oh, and for the kid in all of us at Christmas, keep a look out for the actual (yes, really!) sword in the stone touring Kilkenny in the days before the play.
For one night only Young Irish Film Makers, in association with Office of Public Works, Kilkenny Castle, will present an intimate, dramatic reading of the seasonal classic A Christmas Carol in the Parade Tower.
This reading will bring together the pleasure of hearing a one of the great Christmas stories, the joyful music of the season, and the inspired reading of some of Kilkenny’s leading personalities, John Morton, Betty Manning, John McGuinness, and Sue Nunn.
Please join us on Tuesday 22nd December at 7pm to enjoy this unique version of Charles Dickens timeless story
Rehearsals are in full swing with the show being run in full every Saturday. Pictures have been taken for the poster which will hopefully be up around town sometime next week. Lines have been off for over a month which is always a good sign and costumes are looking AMAZING!
Make sure you join us in the Watergate Theatre from the 15th to the 19th of December. Tickets €8 (€6 Concession and Tuesday night). 8pm nightly.
The trailer for our 2009 feature film Viral is now online…
Directed by Fergal Costello and Peter O’Connor it is a psychological thriller about a group of teenagers who have to deal with a traumatic event. It stars Paddy Corr, Aoibhinn Murphy, Ian McEvoy, Hazel Doyle, Colin O’Brein and Peter O’Connor as well as Brendan Corcoran and Angela Barret. It is now going straight into post production and we are hoping to premiere it before the new year.
Young Irish Film Makers and Dreamstuff Youth Theatre are back in action this September when their exciting film making and acting classes for young people start up again. There will be a class or workshop to suit every young person interesting in acting on stage or making films to professional standards.
Every Tuesday from 4 -6pm is Junior Drama for 8 to 12 year olds. On Wednesdays 13 to 18 year old take part in Senior Drama from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Film acting classes for 13-18 year olds are held on Fridays from 4:30 to 6:30pm.
There will be a special young professional acting class for 13-18 year olds held on Thursdays. Entry to this class is by audition only.
These classes cover theatre games, improvisation, stage and film acting. Most classes will include some film making experience. All young casts for Dreamstuff Youth Theatre and YIFM film production come from these drama groups.
Film Making Workshops will be held on Fridays from 4:30 to 6:30 for 12 to 18 year olds. These workshops will cover camera, lighting, sound recording and editing. On Saturdays there will be intensive film production and directing classes from 11am to 1pm for 12 to 18 year olds. There will be a special script writing class developed with the film production and directing students.
We are also interested in young people who would like to develop web design, special visual effects and editing skills. If you have good computer skills and want to develop them through working on web design or film productions then contact us directly or call in to our Waterford Road studios and start working with us.
Classes begin on Tuesday 15th September and you just come along on the date and time of your class or workshop.
Dreamstuff Youth Theatre will return to the Watergate Theatre in December with their annual Christmas production The Sword in the Stone, a thrilling tale of knights, schoolboy wizards, dark magic and ..er…a sword in the stone! The true (almost!) story of the boyhood of the famous King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table will be a truly fun Christmas treat for all the family.
Auditions for The Sword in the Stone will be held in the YIFM premises on the Waterford Road on Saturday 12th September from 2pm to 5pm. Everyone from 13 to 18 years of age is invited to come along and begin their acting career. No previous experience necessary!
Our latest feature film wrapped last weekend after a hard but enjoyable four week shoot. Directed by Fergal Costello and Peter O’Connor it is a psychological thriller about a group of teenagers who have to deal with a traumatic event. It stars Paddy Corr, Aoibhinn Murphy, Ian McEvoy, Hazel Doyle, Colin O’Brein and Peter O’Connor as well as Brendan Corcoran and Angela Barret. It is now going straight into post production and we are hoping to premiere it bef
ore the new year. We would like to thank everybody who worked on it both cast and crew as well as anyone who helped out with locations and transport.
A short behind the
scenes look at Shakespeare in the House is now online for all involved to
view.This really successful weekend is documented here and it shows all
the work by the various groups it hopefully captures some of the fun we
had as well. Special thanks to all who participated and helped facilitate
this event especially everybody from Devious, Dreamstuff, Cartoon Saloon
and Rothe House.
Our 2008 Summer School film is now online. This the first Young Irish Film Makers film to be released online in its entirety. Please watch this film and leave a comment/review. This homage to silent comedy was directed by Stephen Colfer from an original story by John Morton. It was produced by Mike Kelly and Darragh Byrne with an original score by Neil Brand the greatest silent movie composer in the world. [blip.tv ?posts_id=2210205&dest=-1]
Dreamstuff Youth Theatre will stage a true classic of the Irish theatre, The Playboy of the Western World by John Millington Synge from Tuesday 28th April to Saturday 2nd May. 2009 marks the 100th anniversary of the death of J.M. Synge and what better way to commemorate of Irelands greatest playwright than by staging his greatest play.
This timeless, classic tells the story of Christy Mahon (Peter O’Connor) a young man who on arriving in a remote Irish tavern claims he has killed his father, much to the entertainment of the locals, especially the publican’s daughter Pegeen Mike (Aoibhin Murphy), all are in awe of his courageous deeds, until his father turns up to spoil his brave tale. When Christy attacks his father a second time thinking he has killed him this time for sure the locals instead of praising him turn on him and led by Pegeen insist he is handed over to the authorities to be punished. Christy’s life is saved when his father, beaten and bloodied, crawls back onto the scene having survived his son’s second attack and the two depart for home together, leaving Pegeen to lament losing the man she loved: “Oh my grief, I’ve lost him surely. I’ve lost the only Playboy of the Western World”.
This is a masterpiece of Irish drama presented by Kilkenny’s premier youth arts group, Dreamstuff Youth Theatre, and is a great night out for all the family. The play is directed by Mike Kelly and runs from Tuesday 28th April to Saturday 2nd May at 8pm each night at the Watergate Theatre. Tickets cost €10 (€8 opening night) and can be booked on 056 7761674.
Congratulations to all at Cartoon Saloon on their Oscar nomination for The Secret of Kells!
Remember the rules of compostion when you are shooting- The Rule of Thirds.(Imagine a Tic Tac Toe grid on your shot- try to have something of interest where it intersects.)
Digitise all your footage. Watch every take and take notes. You never know what you will use.
Dreamstuff Youth theatre staged their first production in the Watergate way back in 2000. The play was Monty Python’s Life of Brian and ever since the group has produced sixteen fun filled comedies like Robin Hood, The Three Musketeers and Macbeth (OK, not all of them were fun filled!) in the style of their original crazy comedy production. This Christmas for their 17th stage production the group will present the (mostly) fun filled Sword in the Stone telling the magical story of the young Arthur and his childhood in Camelot.
Rehearsals are in full swing with the show being run in full every Saturday. Pictures have been taken for the poster which will hopefully be up around town sometime next week. Lines have been off for over a month which is always a good sign and costumes are looking AMAZING!
production come from these drama groups.
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