Documentary sound

I finally got the sound working on the documentary files. This is a taster...

Paralympics Archery documentary

So over Christmas I've been trying to edit this documentary about my dad playing archery for Ireland in the paralympics. I had to buy a new programme just to get the video to import into final cut but now the audio isn't working and I can't figure out why. I still edited some of the footage I have just for practice. I also-like the bimbo I am-discovered that all the final cut studio manuals are also located in the help section of each programme so I've downloaded them all into a folder and I fully intend to learn everything in them-eventually. Can't believe it's almost 2010...

Back in the factory

Was in the factory working today again-kind of a last hurrah before Christmas. Was sick with a bad stomach the last few days after eating something really bad so couldn't go back til today. Did some seriousy hard work!-lifting heavy speakers, cabinets etc-it was harder than it sounds. Anyway I think it paid off cos met some of the directors of the place-including Lance Daly-director of Kisses. He is also in Fastnet-the company I am supposed to have the interview for re the production assitant job early in the new year-which was a lucky thing! Got on well with Kirsten i.e. Jim Sheridan's daughter as well and she said she hopes to give us work in the new year. So things are looking up. Here's hoping they work out :-)

More factory work

Was painting in the factory the other day to help out with this film crew. It was fun but the place is a death tap. One of the guys fell through the floor and almost killed himself! Was off today to get all my Christmas presents. Will be in Monday and Tuesday helping with furniture transport for the factory. The things I do to get a job.

Facory work

I've spent the last two days cleaning and clearing stuff in the factory in town the filmmakers are using to make films in the new year. The place is a complete dump but it's a fantastic opportunity for me. Jim Sheridan's daughter is one of three directors who will be setiing up shop there. I was speaking to her today and she is so nice. It's a big operation. It seems like the space will have a multi-purpose purpose if you will-from reghearsals, to actual shooting, to casting, to wardrobe etc. The casting department were setting up today. I am supposed to still have an interview for the production assistant job with fastnet films but if I don't or I don't get it I would love some kind of a job with this crowd in the factory. I feel really ambitious now and feel like this could be a fantastic opportunity. I hope it all goes well. I finished the structure of the script and sent it to Cherida as well i.e. the girl who is reading my script. She said she will have a look over it during the Christmas break.

I spent all day going through an excel sheet trying to restructure the plot of my script. My head is in bits. I don't actually know how I'm gonna make everything work. I want to get it finished anyway in the next couple of days so I can concentrate on other things. Tomorrow I'm helping out in the factory for Fastnet films. According to my stars forecast for tomorrow a colleague is gonna be irate or highly strung and I will be caught off guard. I hope to God it doesn't come true!

Fastnet film factory

A woman from Fastnet films called me to help prepare factory space for some movies that are going to be made in the new year. She got my number off the receptionist I have the interview with this week-at least I hope I still have an interview. It will be dogs work and unpaid but hope to 'get in with the gang' and might get some paid work in the new year. Just fixing the structure of my of my script at the moment. Pain :-(

Film script

Got Final draft from my friend when I got my mac so spent all day tidying up the text of the script I'm working on. Had to paste it in from the pdf. For some reason when I installed Final draft Celtx was over ridden and I can't use it which sucks. Anyway I'm hoping to have the script tidied up by the end of tomorrow and then finish an excel spreadsheet with the new structure. It's called Karma Addiction. I think it's quite a catchy title actually. The girl who used to work for the film board who is reading it said she would have a look over the structure during the Christmas free of charge which is sweet!

Fastnet films

Got an interview with Fastnet films next week for the production assistant job. SOunds like a great opportunity. Got some job postings in FAS too-there's actually some really cool positions relevant to the film industry so gonna apply :-)

Art direction

I finally read the script I will be art director of when it shoots in January. It's for a short film. Had a chat with a friend of mine about it who is the first AD today. I also received an email reply from Fastnet films about a production assistant job. I don't even remember applying for the job. Would be cool to get it. I guess I'll hear from them tomorrow.

Set design

At the bottom of the post you can see the set design I did that wasn't chosen for FIngal Community TV. It's completely wacky but I thought it would have been cool. See what you think. The pictures that influenced its design are to the left. They are from a store in Dublin.

God I'm thick

Was just reading over a previous entry here where I was actually wondering if the company I could buy a mac from in the Philipines was a legitimate company. God I'm thick! Won't even go down the road of how that turned out. In other news my Adobe creative suite arrived today too. I'm hoping to learn some skills to maybe get some jobs in the art department of film or TV shows. It's got Dreamweaver, Indesign, photoshop, Illustrator, bridge-the works. So I'm really happy about that. Getting Final Cut installed on my mac tonight too so can't wait about that as well.

Mac Arrival/Final Cut studio

So my macbook pro finally arrived and I have to say-while it may be boring to you-this is a very happy day for me. This machine is truly incredible! I'm getting Final Cut Studio on it tomorrow so I can finally edit like a pro-even though I didn't pass my Final Cut exam-yesterday. It's kind of a kick as I spent 700 euros on the course but screw it-nobody else in the class passed either.

In other news, I didn't get chosen for the set design for Fingal TV as I had no laptop to submit designs and was busy studying for the editing exam. But my mate COnstanze asked me to be art director on a short film come this January and I have been short-listed as production designer for an Irish film board short-funded-to be filmed March 2010. I ordered the adobe creative suite with photoshop, dreamweaver, illustrator-the works-from the UK to build up my skills maybe for art department jobs and so on for film and TV. That's about it. Hope to have more interesting news soon :-)

Fingal Community Television

So firstly the bad news is I didn't get a position on the FAS scheme with DCTV and Near FM but I have started stuff with Fingal Community TV. I went for an interview/chat the other day. They are broadcasting on the web but have applied for a TV licence and hope to broadcast on NTL soon. I sent all my stuff to them including a comedy script I wrote and pictures of sets I made etc. They totally want me involved and I'm designing sets already for a show called Q which is really exciting. It's not paid but the great thing is that it's a free access to a proper studio with lights, green screen, cameras, Final Cut studio, everyhing-so I have a chance to make some films or do some projects finally to build my show reel!

I told the guys we are doing the music video for about it as well and they are siked that we can use the studio to make the video so hopefully that will happen before Christmas. I'm doing production design and you can see my ideas here http://picasaweb.google.com/paulheary/MusicVideoResearch?authkey=Gv1sRgCIb0trirp_rP6QE#

I got a second hand macbook pro as well from ebay. It's been a nightmare because it's being shipped from the UK and the money isn't even in paypal yet to pay for it. I screwed up the transfer as well so I had to go to the bank. It's gonna be about a week by the time I get it which is a pain. But my classmate from last year is gonna give me final cut studio as well which is fantastic. I'm thinking of trying to get Adove cs4 on ebay as well so I can do photoshop and otehr stuff as jobs as well. Here's hoping :-)

Apologies/Macbook pro

So last night the director got back to me and apologized for his tone earlier which was kind of a relief cos I worked so hard on the film. So now I'm happy :-) At the moment I'm trying to buy a macbook pro from the philippines because they are so cheap! Just trying to suss out if it is a legitimate company. Will keep you posted :-)

Director Headaches

Today I had an email from the director of Between the Canals threatening to take down my name from the credits from the film because I had put continuity stills of some of the scenes on this blog. I had no idea it was a bad thing etc. and was kind of thrown by his tone. Hence them not being on this blog any more. Eugh!

FAS/Near FM interview

Today I had an interview for a FAS job in the Near FM radio station in the Civic centre. It's a programme running over the course of a year for film related graduates in conjunction with Dublin community television and the digital hub in Dublin. They are looking for new programme ideas for the project and I will have access to camera and editing equipment which is really ool as I'll finally be able to make some stuff. There are only two positions so I hope I get it! It's 19 1/2 hours a week but the same amount as social welfare so I can work a part time job apart from that as well if possible. I can also keep my medical card and rent allowance at the same time so it would be really cool :-)

Ed Aldridge phone call

Today I called Ed Aldridge in the UK. He is the director of the movie Tanlines. There is a movie he is planning to make in the Spring and by the sound of the story summary I really want to be involved in it-so I called him. I found his number on his C.V. on My Space. He was really nice and appreciated my guts to call him. He asked me to call him again in January as he is still in development. I sent my C.V. etc. to him by email so we will see what happens. Aside from that I was studying Final Cut Pro-it's hard and really frustrating when I don't even have a mac to practice on so I'm working extra hard to learn all the stuff to pass the exam. My exam is on December 4th.

Final Cut Pro

I spent all day reading and making notes of chapters eighth and nine in the Final Cut text book. it's getting really technical and there is a lot to learn. I was learning how to do transitions and capture and transfer footage. It is hard and a lot to learn but a brilliant qualification when you pass the exam. I'm hoping my condensed notes will help. I hope to have notes on the whole book by the end of the week and then start learning everything or using someone's mac to use the programme and become more fluent because at the moment I have no mac.

Final Cut Pro

Spent all day trying to study final Cut Pro text book. This programme is difficult and technical but I want to pass the exam! Got callback for an interview for a FAS training programme as well where I will be working in a television crew. Will be really good experience and paid as well if I get it. I hope i get it!

My Father's Trousers

These are pictures from a film I fiished working on last week called 'My father's Trousers' by TJ O' Grady-Peyton. I was art director. It was unpaid and I got covered in muck for five days but it was a lot of fun too and great experience :-)

Between the Canals

I worked on this film during the summer. Such a funny script! It was funded by the Irish film board and produced by Avalon films. The director of photography of the film Kisses (i.e. Dave Grennan) worked on this too which is quite cool. I did the storyboards and continuity. The film has yet to be released so photographs can not be posted yet on this blog-unfortunately.