52 Jokers Wild

We are in the room again, discussing where it is we are, so nothing new there then. We have arrived at the end of a one part only to arrive at the beginning of another and such is life. We realise that we are where we are meant to be, we are here and now. I am usually somewhere in an unmanifested and somewhat intangible future possibility as are a lot of people it turns out. I know so many burning the present for their future pension days, what a way to live or die even. I know it is planning for the best but sometimes I think is it worth giving up the known now for a time or an eventuality that may never exist. That doesn't mean don't plan or sacrifice just not at any cost. Stay present, enjoy the moment, enjoy your time, your story of existence even if it might be in the matrix. We are happy to be where we are in our project, our Indie Micro Budget Feature Film even if it is twenty workloads of madness and mayhem but it is our story of now and the many more to come on our journey to a Feature Film which is not a set of tasks for the faint hearted. Go Live Your Story and leave some footprints in the sands of time, in my case size 13 Doctor Martens.

In The Room S4E09: All Things Are Difficult Until They Are Easy.

In The Room S4 E08 Keep It Small & Simple

ITR S4E07 2 -Today's episode is all about getting the right perception and looking at things from a different perspective. Today's episode is all about getting the right perception and looking at things from a different perspective. No Point catastrophizing or feeding the imposter syndrome, Now is all that matters, get your mojo in gear and get things done no matter how small or irrelevant the tasks seem. By just talking things through with someone else, the problem is shared or more than likely diminished, in my case I am a feeder to improbable potentialities and have lived through the worry many times for something that was under my control to avert by identifying and implementing mitigating remedies and then pursuing alternative solutions to more advantageous goals that came from chatting with others. Go find your team, mentors, coaches, and collaborators, the answer usually is found elsewhere when not within.

In the Room with Gavin and George, we're exploring our exploits with film festivals and what we are doing with artwork, storyboarding and storytelling, and the difficulties people have been having in the industry, which we've also experienced over the last few years in one form or fashion. What was coming in front of me (Garvin) of all my streams was anime, manga, you know the language, it was colour. It was a flat colour caricature, something maybe I could draw in sketch form. It wasn't fine art, Michelangelo. Leonardo. It was something I could attempt to colour by numbers, but large. Over the last number of years, these images started to appear in six-foot by six-foot paintings. And that's now the journey of storyboarding the 52 I assemble.  

In The Room Series 4 Eps 05. Angels, Demons, NDE, then 1s and 0s. Garvin and George started talking about angels and demons and Garvin asked George if he believed in them. As a deacon, he does, but things have to be tested out to see what is true or false. A Boolean statement looked as though it was going to emerge, however, things go off in other directions about what drives us and our purpose.

In The Room Series 4 Eps 04 Planes, Trains & Automobiles. Where's your ticket? Sometimes everyone feels lost. Garvin is worried about running out of runway, while George is looking down the line to see how far the track goes. It's really about the destination and where it terminates. Or is it just a station on the way? The key is not to go off the rails and end up lost in the wilderness. What is life really about? This is the main topic for today's episode.

Garvin and George explore recent disappointments and how they each have deflected the potential low moods through positive activities. For Garvin, a five-year-long project is gaining new life. For George, his artistic leanings are finding new avenues that link to Garvin's project. It's all in the story and how you interpret the way ideas are spun into your head, filtered and processed to meet their full potential and realisations. A lot of ideas are spun out, and when reeled in, a might catch may be found.

Garvin Burke and George Kingsnorth chat about firing up their passions. Garvin has purchased 52 7ft by 4ft canvases on an artistic spree. The conversation goes on to how we need to find our passions and make them become a reality. Stop being in your head and let your heart lead you on a journey of discovery.

Back in the room after a two-years break. The journey continues as Garvin and George make it real and talk about the short film and a feature, and what the learnt.

Each day brings us into a strange new world, one where what WE used to do is gradually being taken over by robots. Well, maybe not, maybe Artificial Intelligence, A.I. In the form of cars, lorries, potato pickers, lawyers, doctors, artists, dentists, mechanics, and filmmakers. What? We are all being taken over. So what's left? If all the creative stuff is being taken away from us. And, and, and, all the mundane stuff is also being automated, what's left? What are we supposed to do? Or, or, or, is it that we are really in a multiverse matrix where we can reinvent everything and not worry about having to do 50 hour weeks and can get to spend time with the family, especially the cat. Yes, that's right, the one in the box. What do you mean, it could be dead but also alive, and we won't know until we open the box? So do I have a choice? Other than opening the box to see either a dead cat or one that is licking its paws wondering what took me so long to open the box.

It doesn't matter whether you are building a Universe, Multiverse or just a simple little, short film project, you have to work out all the details, plan for all possibilities and remember the extra little ingredient of magic is the unknown that will always throw in a little extra bit of spice. That's the fun bit, the not knowing what will happen, the unexpected, the flaw in the tapestry but you still have to give it room to be there. If you don't it'll still manage to muscle in any way, and if you forget to invite it, it'll be very disruptive and moody. Possibly even sabotage the whole project. And you don't want that. Garvin and George start to go down deep into the fabric of their Academy Project, looking at the fine details that thread everything together, hoping there are no ladders that will wrench away at the stitching.

What is a reset? Usually, it is when you press a button and the numbers go back to zero. Often we think if only we can press the button and start again. But is that really what we want. A year ago, Garvin and I were excited about where the journey was taking us. At this point, with massive disruptions going on in the world, beyond our control where you might wonder where we are going, we were surprised to find, on reflection that we are still on the straight and narrow, heading towards the goals we had set way back at the beginning. The reset was back then, nothing has changed and the enthusiasm is still there. We are ploughing forward and achieving what we originally set out to do. All we needed was to be reminded of what the reset was and when and to keep on believing.

Be Passionate is the theme in this episode because being in the film industry can be quite a juggling act trying to catch great paying jobs and then trying to produce a project that will show the world who you really are. The trouble is you need both, the first to pay the bills and the second to meet your own creative aspirations. If one dominates the other either you make tonnes of money but don't really have anything to show what your ideas are about and what your voice is or you struggle to make ends meet because you've gone for the artistic option. In this episode, seven producers, Sean Breathnach, Sinead Cassidy Holt, Frank Kelly, Dave Minogue, Francesca Romana Nider, Dave Thomas, and James Webber, share their thoughts on how they cope with the juggling act.

You know, Garvin pretends he doesn't like to go deep. He sees himself as being quite simple and shallow, just paddling away letting nothing go higher than his ankles. BUT in this episode, he goes deep, and I mean deep, reaching down into the depths of his soul, where no one (including himself) has gone before. So deep, that even black holes are scared to go beyond the event horizon. Yes, we get totally spaced out, including the music. We're made of stardust, and there are some who can prove it, trouble is they have dodgy backgrounds, and probably need a lot of counselling, so as long as they can wait a couple of years so George can get qualified, then all is good. The planet can be saved. In your dream, at least those are the ones that George and Garvin have as the philosophy oozes out all over the place. Told you it was deep.

As we travel back from our future guesses to be in the room with 52 Jokers Wild, we have jumped back into a few of our early shows to see what we were talking about. Initially, it was about fear, and then we seemed to find that as a recurring topic in later shows. Then we looked at what was needed in the industry and how there seemed to be a paradox. Everyone wants producers, directors and writer, but seem to forget about the rest of the crew who make it possible to writers, directors and producers to see their dreams come true. All those unsung heroes need to be considered. Motivation is another topic, Garvin was influenced by writer Danielle Serpico, which inspired us to engage in the podcast process, then nearly a year later Danielle was on our show. Just goes to show how once you say what you want in words they can manifest themselves into reality.

In the room, this session is Phil McKenzie, COO of Goldfinch who talks about Finance, Production & Ventures in Entertainment & Exploring Web3. Yes, we got talking about Block Chains, NFTs or Non-fungible Tokens, you know digital cats that can be traced to their original owner. No, no, their not real cats that have been tagged (though thinking about it perhaps that might be a use for them). No, these are digital artefacts that are unique, one of a kind. Yes, yes, I know digital things can be copied and not degenerate. Oh, no, this conversation could easily degenerate in one of our typical conversations (BOOM). Ok, head cleared, Seriously, now, this is a good thing. Especially with all the deep fake stuff. We need to be able to discover the origins of things. Who created them. No, we're not getting into a philosophical debate. Simply put, we talk about improving prospects for women creatives in film, funding opportunities and eenn-ph-tees. That is the programme, you get the idea. Oh, and Garvin is quiet for quite a few minutes at the start. I thought it was a deep fake version of him, but he soon got wound up, proving he is the original. Yes, go watch the show, you'll love it.

Nathan Mac is "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild this week. Lots of clowning around, juggling a range of topics, discussing white elephants, and the all-important reason there are 52 Jokers Wild. Quite a circus event. Nathan shares his thoughts on working with and nurturing other artists. He has found his own music producer and after producing a short film, Nathan is ready to launch it with a music concert on 3rd September 2022. Having such a deadline and making it public has really focused his energies. Nathan's motto is "Support Your Local Artist By Helping To Fund Them." This way they can continue to be creative and produce even more art, which is what they were put on this planet to do. Garvin was reminded of another Douglas Adams title, George found a range of ideas sparked by the conversation flying through his mind, and Nathan conducted the two of them demonstrating his talented ability in balancing acts with a range of creatives.

Over the week Garvin and George have interviewed some very talented people. In this episode, we take another opportunity to mashup some of our previous interviews to see where there were links between conversations. We revisit chats with Stephen Ford, Ronika Merl, Myia Elliot, Aidan O'Sullivan, and Sinead Cassidy Holt who share their aspirations for writing, acting and directing. We find common themes. Yes, we all have to make money but at the same time, we all want to develop our craft and find ways of working in collaboration with some amazing people who share our passion for filmmaking. Garvin and George mix in some of their words of wisdom built up over the past four decades, but are also inspired by the young blood forging their way into independent film production.

Sinéad Cassidy Holt, joins us "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild, and straight away we got onto the 'goodies', fairy cakes and the likes. The stuff that makes every film crew happy because their tummy is filled. With a happy crew, you get a great show. Everyone has a positive attitude. And we all know that if there is any of that negativity around, accept when testing for you-know-what, that little downer voice can be so disruptive in a way you just don't want. Time to expel from our presence. And if you are making horror stories you'll need as many blessings as you can get to keep those demons away. Especially, if they come in drain your batteries, make your clapperboard fall to piece and leave your director in tears. Nope, none of that. Another round of the cakes, please. That's the ticket and a good bit of talking it through as we do in this week's show.

Grainne Humphreys, Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival is "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild. Most of us focus most of our attention on getting our films made and are usually exhausted by the time we get our babies birthed, BUT, like the real thing, that's when it all started to happen. The sleepness, diapers to change, feeding them so they grow and everything else associated with parenting a film. And from what Grainne says, it's all about building the relationships and networking with other to build the support you need to get that little darling of your's noticed. Because without all this love and attention, you're neglecting that baby that so many people put their love and attention into. You MONSTER. Sorry, this is turning into a real horror story. So, here is some good film parenting advice to help get you baby-film in all the right place to be noticed.

The dragons are coming out. They're all over the place, whether sculptures, iguanas or fantasies. This is Garvin's hot topic, as he sees himself as a real dragon, with his sharp tongue, and fiery speech and often George doesn't get a word in edgeways. But not this show. In this show, Garvin takes the reins as the show host and interviews George. Was this a good idea? Well, George was all of a fluster, not his normal composer but the equilibrium was soon found and normality restored, at least by the end. Do you call this normality? It's all about squirrels, nuggets and gems. All stored up for a future. Then there are those dragons spying on some good pickings, lusting after forbidden fruit, eager to make a killing in the financial world, of course. What did you think I was talking about? This is 52 Jokers Wild when all said and done.

Stop, Look and Listen become key factors of my discussion with Garvin Burke, CEO of The Film Production Academy. This was a reflective piece in which the two of us explored key issues that we had discovered through our interviews, now nearly 130 episodes. We recognised the gulf between what the filmmakers want and what the investors want and pondered on how best to bring these two sides together. What motivates each side determines how successful their journeys are. Yet, no matter whether the filmmakers were journeying 30 years ago or today, similar problems arise. Preparation is a key factor and knowing who your audience is. Everyone, including ourselves, struggles with these issues. As Garvin and I reflect, we also conclude that we are where we are meant to be. And so are you, especially if you find yourself listening to our show. We all tend to put ourselves down but often it is what is in front of us that we don't see. So, before going any further it is essential to Stop, Look and Listen.

Judith Blackburn, director of the Chicago Irish Film Festival says the strongest films coming out of Ireland are horror stories. Though a good comedy would also go down well. Garvin and George felt in their element creating more horror and generating laughs all the way. With feral children lost in the attics down in Thomastown, with creaky floorboards, spiders webs, and strange moaning noises sending shivers down George's spine. Sorry, no that's just Garvin moving some furniture around on the third floor preparing for the newest guests to up-and-coming boot camps. Getting back to the plot, the Chicago Irish Film Festival is definitely one for every budding Irish filmmaker to submit to, especially with an impartial voting system to get your film chosen. It's really down to your to pull all the fingers out and make sure you're carving out your best film. Just a second, why has it gone dark? Another horror story looms in the corridors off Chapel Lane......

Irish F-ing Attitude is all over the place this week. There's no stopping it. George, now Irish, attempts a coup to change the show name but the 52 Jokers WIld strikes back as plenty of attitude coming from Garvin. Matriarchy wins the day as the strongest voice, as Myia Elliott rounds the boys up and sings the song that inspires both Garvin and George in getting the blend right between creativity and profitability. Myia tells them that they have to have passion, regardless of whether they have a budget or not. If it is really important to you, you will find a way to make the film of your dreams, to nurture your baby and bring it to life. It doesn't matter which part of the world you are in, there are no excuses for chasing your dreams.

Over the last six months, Garvin and I got to talk to many leading female filmmakers and businesswomen, all with a strong voice and a sense of purpose. Each at different stages of their career. All have similar goals. Have either achieved them or are preparing to put their plans into action. Business is foremost. Each knows how to work with and get the best out of others, understanding the importance of working with and leading a team. These are voices worth listening to and if you ever get the opportunity, worth collaborating with, because you'll certainly learn a thing or two that will benefit your own career, regardless of your gender.

New Year 2022 Compilation It's the beginning of a New Year, and after the festive season, we are all fired up for new adventures. It's also a great time to reflect on what has been achieved to date and take some advice from our most recent guests. So we have pulled out a few gems from those conversations to make our latest compilation. We hope you enjoy and look out for more guests from around the world in Indie Film Production. Happy New Year 2022 from Garvin and George

Ronika Merl has only been a scriptwriter for three years. Three years. Yep, that's right three years. And she has been firing on all cylinders, blasting out a grand total of 22 features in 36 months. The last producer told Roni the budget was just ten grand. No problem. 48 hours later. Bump. There's the script. No messing. Job done. None of this lily-livered pining over each syllable, glassy-eyed viewing the heavens for inspiration or looking for that elusive muse. If you want the job done, Roni's that gall. And she knows where the money is. She's a family woman and the kids need fed. Let's just get practical about this. This is her business. And when the job needs done, it gets done. No messing. A script is a script, not a novel. It's for someone else to interpret and Roni is here to collaborate. Enough said. Then she smiles.

CJ Walley is stirring up quite a revolution. "Power to the People," Garvin fists the air, spurred on by 'Citizen Smith' starring Robert Lindsey as Wolfie Smith in the old British TV series from the seventies. "More like Winston Smith from George Orwell's 1984," George remarks. But CJ Walley's revolution is in screenwriting, ramping up the action with indie writers trying to get a break. "What's the problem?" Thinking that the wonderfully written script will find its own way to success. Nope, not on your nelly. That is where the writers need to think outside the box and find their passion for success. It's a brutal world out there. You can't just hide under the television scribbling away, hiding from the Thought Police. You've got to put your head above the parapet and take a few hits to toughen up and spitfire those scripts like a Gatling gun with a keen aim to strike your target audience. Don't be modest you've got to be brutal to get that script noticed.

Stephen T. Ford was shy, reserved and introverted as a writer, BUT then it twigged, the only way to get noticed was to muscle in on the director's gig and make his own shorts. Now everyone is after him and he's becoming a powerhouse in Irish Indie Productions, and by the time this blurb is finished, he'll a made five more movies. What am I doing? I shouldn't be writing this stuff. I should just get out there and make movies...... Seriously folks, by the time December casts a shadow, Stephen will have directed four of his own screenplays and the connections he's making are just speeding up the creative juices. He's on fire. Garvin and George are just lucky they were able to stop his for a moment to record this episode.

Gerry Cannon as an Actor & Producer came to the game later in life but has managed to put the full weight of his commercial knowledge into developing his new skills within the film industry. He has a great way of looking at the holistic picture and seeing ways to solve problems in a manner that no newbie producer would be able to. Having studied acting in his youth, life took a different journey but the skills he picked up from yachting gave him the calibre of knowledge to captain a Viking ship in HBO's television series. So with Gerry at the helm of your masterpiece, either as actor or producer, you'll have the confidence that you're being piloted down difficult fjords with no bother - except for a few pesky Norsemen trying to cut you off in their longboats, perhaps?

Baz Black is a big fan of the old DVD. Says he is old school, just like Quentin Tarantino. George got to talk, briefly about the olden days of Super8mm from his old school, while Garvin brewed up a few numbers to frame his picture. Everyone was getting in on the act, and so did the subject. Baz is definitely beating his own drums, tapping out an amazing number of short films, winning awards and making his presence felt. Now, it's on to bigger things and he's getting the support he needs with sheer bloody-mindedness and determination, not letting anyone stop him from getting where he wants to be. A filmmaker producing quality work that gets his films in front of a cinema audience. And what he doesn't know himself he's not too shy to ask for help. This was such a refreshing conversation with someone who really knows what he wants but also wants to be ethical in a world that is environmentally taking a nosedive, but not if Baz can help it.

Eleven Jokers, including Pauric Brennan, Sean Breathnack, Annie Doona, Mo O'Connell, Roisin Kearney, Frank Kelly, Dave Minogue, Grace Garvin and James Webber talk about their passion for filmmaking and the different methods they go about where they get ideas, the roles they find they have to take, the right way or practical way to make films and the way they plan for the future. Garvin throws in the Finances 101 while George reminds everyone not to leave it until the edit. Even with all the heartaches and spanners-in-the-works, the last word is all about how much enjoyment filmmaking brings to all involved.

Michael O'Sullivan was a gift, coming in at the last minute as a referral by Aidan from a previous show. Garvin and I were like old prospectors in some far off Canadian ravine watching out for old grizzlies that might have come bounding out of the undergrowth looking for a tasty meal. Instead, we struck gold, that rare nugget that pans out and brings in a richness to the show that you just could not plan for. At one point Garvin was dumbfounded, lost for words, flabbergasted, not knowing which way to take the conversation. Both of us left agog, as Michael took over. He introduced the show and round it off creating a well-formed package that only Santa Claus knows best how to deliver. And what a gem of a show, all about giving and receiving. With presents that are valuable all year round as they are paid forward in such a generous way showing love and compassion, that can bring the mightiest of men to their knees. This show will warm your heart and get you into the mood for the approaching festive season.

Aidan O'Sullivan, Actor, Voice-Over Artist & Comedian, had hoped to do a monologue from Shakespeare but there was no chance of competing with Garvin's monologue in this show. The battle gear came on in each corner as all and sundry clashed like the Titans. But Aidan wasn't going to take it lying down, even though he'd played a corpse in a coffin. George found a lanyard and the power seemed to shift, momentarily. Once Aidan was given a megaphone there was no stopping him from causing a riot. Garvin thought he knew a thing or two about improvisation but he had met his match. The belly laughs came thick and fast with the scores flying high. All this "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild flying high with Aidan O'Sullivan.

Dave Thomas, Writer, Producer and Director, is "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild. Discs started flying off the wall. Garvin and I weren't sure if the alien invasion had begun. Should we bunker down in defensive mode? Then the TARDIS appeared and we knew we were on safe ground. Dave Thomas, writer, producer and director is an avid sci-fi fan. Along with the many awards, are a fleet of Star Trek ships and it wasn't long before R2D2 filled the screen. Were we ever going to talk film? We were in our element. Sci-fi, Daleks, Intercepters, UFO... we were off into our own little universe only to discover that inside the TARDIS it gets bigger. We even found out what inspired Dave on his sci-fi journey and the other key interests that ignite his passion for filmmaking, now keenly focused on drama and documentaries that are winning awards around the world at film festivals. This is another show we couldn't stop ourselves from laughing. #FILMACADEMY #FILMFUNDING #FILMPODCAST

Dave Minogue, Film Producer and Director, is "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild. S3E16 The banter was mighty in this episode of "In The Room". Garvin got thrown a couple of curveballs as Dave Minogue, our guest this week, had us both rolling in the aisles with laughter. Dave set himself a challenge to get a film made and out there to an audience on Sky and other streaming platforms, and he did in the shape of "Poster Boys". All the way long Dave kept his target audience in focus, follow principles set by many of our other guests to use what was available and make the most of it, never letting anything block the way forward and achieve his goals. He doesn't have all the answers but he's open to learning what he needs to get the job done and knows how to work with others. Most importantly, he knows how to make others laugh and enjoy the experience. We certainly did in this episode.

Annie Doona Chair of Galway Film Fleadh is ”In The Room” with 52 Jokers Wild. S3E15 We have reached another milestone. This time we celebrate our 100th episode of "In The Room". This week our guest is Annie Doona, Chair of the Galway Film Fleadh and recently Chair of Screen Ireland. Annie has a wealth of experience in film education as she was for many years the chair of the National Film School, part of the Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Dún Laoghaire, in Ireland. Our conversation with Annie spans the issues relating to building a trained workforce who are equipped with the necessary skills to join the film industry, how women still struggle to find opportunities in film and the rise of the studio in Ireland as more streamers buy up real estate due to the boom in demand for more quality film content. The final segment looks at the importance of film festivals for up and coming filmmakers, not so to watch films but to build the ever-important network of contacts that could lead to the fruition of that special passion project. #FILMACADEMY #FILMFUNDING #FILMPODCAST

Frank W. Kelly Multi Award-winning Filmmaker is "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild. S3E14 Our guest this week is Frank W. Kelly, a multi-award winning filmmaker. Two pointing fingers and a smoking toy gun is the challenge in this week's 99th episode of "In The Room" with Garvin and George. A new teleprompt stirs up some issues but are quickly resolved and the outtakes are kept in. The main thrust of the conversation quickly turns to the importance of understanding and recognising your worth as a filmmaker, especially if you have many years behind you. So often we filmmakers find ourselves being asked to do projects at such a low rate but we are professionals too. The Business 101 jumps out and Frank relates his experience in the building trade and how it compares to the process of crafting a film together. At the production stage, it's all about following the schedule and ensuring there is enough material for the editor to work with to construct a story worth telling. The philosophy of Plato comes into frame as we discuss the importance of each person's craft and that if we get used to being multi-hyphenated we dilute our skills. By collaborating, you can work with the best in the trade, who have developed their skills 100%. This becomes the family and everyone knows each other's capabilities, just as they do in the building trade. And Frank should know as he has built up an impressive collection of award-winning films in his portfolio, and he is now sharing his techniques in a new book "8 Simple Steps to Making Your Short Film". #FILMACADEMY #FILMFUNDING #FILMPODCAST

Roisin Kearney Multi Award-winning Screenwriter & Director is "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild. S3E13 In this weeks episode, our guest is Roisin Kearney, Multi Award-winning Screenwriter, and Director talking about her beginnings in theatre and how this inspired her passion for writing and film directing. Roisin is aware of the importance of collaboration and how helping others to achieve their filmmaking goals helps to support her own film projects. Film directing is also a combination of passion projects and jobbing projects. Getting this balance right is crucial to a successful career and meeting one's own aspirations. So often people fall into the securing of a job and let their passions go, but following only your dream projects doesn't pay the bills or keep the family happen. Getting this balance is essential. Roisin shares with us about her family of filmmakers and how each has supported their adventures and ensured the projects get finished and on to their desired audience. It was great fun for Garvin and George chatting with Roisin who remained enthusiastic about her craft throughout. Another insightful encounter that got the two boys thinking movies. #FILMACADEMY #FILMFUNDING #FILMPODCAST

Mo O'Connell (Actor/Screenwriter/Director) is "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild. S3E12 In this weeks episode, our guest is Mo O'Connell, actor, screenwriter, and director who talks about how she gets her films across the finishing line and has the drive to succeed. Each project is a labour of love and seems to cause all the pains and heartache any mother would go through bringing her baby into this world. Some willingly but others throw tantrums stubbornly resisting. Mo always takes on the challenge to bring her art to life and won't let money stand in the way. If you wait around for the money nothing would get done. Mo's talent is highly sought after as can be see through the number of short films she has created and the feature films produced or in production. It was a privilege to have the chance to chat with Mo about her passion for filmmaking and the many areas she has tackled to ensure her films arrive to their target audience. #FILMACADEMY #FILMFUNDING #FILMPODCAST

James Webber (Screenwriter/Director/Producer) is "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild. S3E11 In this weeks episode, our guest is James Webber, screenwriter, director and producer who is gaining success with his first feature film, Sorority. Garvin and I managed to get some great insights into James filmmaking process and how he managed to develop his feature film based on an earlier short film he had been successful with.  Key themes in the discussion related to how he worked with investors and the motivation for offering funds. The hardest part of any film is trying to get investment and quite often filmmakers resort to seeing what they have available and just getting stuck in. This can be a long and arduous process and it becomes important to have the right team to provide the necessary moral support and encouragement. However, if you see this as a business, then the details of preproduction become the driver for managing your film.  James highlights his process and has managed to get his feature film into a range of film festivals with prospects of reaching a wider audience.  #FILMACADEMY #FILMFUNDING #FILMPODCAST

Francesca Romana Nider (Screenwriter/Producer) is "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild. S3E10 Our guest this week is Francesca Romana Nider, a screenwriter and producer. Francesca has studied screenwriting and is looking for collaboration with her feature-length script, The Sins of Our Mothers, which was a Semifinalist in the recent Writers Lab UK and was in the Top 50 Finalists of the ScreenCraft Drama Competition 2019. Her second feature, Rabbit Skin, is a Finalist in the Top 100, Table Read My Screenplay Genre Screenplay Competition Austin 2021, a psychological horror she initially developed with Film Hub North. With Garvin and me, Francesca talked about the importance of developing your skills and testing your writing abilities with genres you may not be familiar with. The key is to prove that you can do the writing gigs called upon by film producers and directors. #FILMACADEMY #FILMFUNDING #FILMPODCAST

Grace Garvin (Wild Rice Films) is "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild. S3E09 Our guest this week is Grace Garvin, managing director of Wild Rice Films and film producer. Again, like several others we have interviewed, film producing is Grace's job. She loves it but it is her business, even though she sees her projects as being precious. Though new to film producing her previous experience in marketing has well equipped her for her current role. She knows how to put a team together, how to pull in the necessary facilities and knows how to push the right psychological buttons to get the best out of her crew. All with an amazing bubbliness that only can inspire positivity and professionalism to meet the deadlines. This is a super interview and definitely inspired Garvin and George into shifting up a gear or two. #FILMACADEMY #FILMFUNDING #FILMPODCAST

Producers and Influencers in Film S3E08 In this week's episode, we revisit four of our recent film interviews focusing on our guests. Karl King talks about being a locations managers and the issues of trying to find people to fill the below-the-line jobs. What he has found is that most media courses promote producers, directors and writers but the craftspeople are missed and would-be filmmakers do not realise the vast array of opportunities in film production. Johnathan Brownlee shares with us the importance of doing other things while you are on your filmmaking journey. He loved making things and finding out how stuff works. This led to him creating a range of television series on carpentry, house renovation and golf, all bringing in a good income leading to broadcasting encouraging him to write more shows. Donna Phillips set up the International Film Producers Networks purely because she found she had a talent for connecting people. Her father was a painter who struggled to get representation which influenced Donna into finding ways to bring people together to promote their crafts. This led her into working on shows such as 'A Place In The Sun' opening up offshoot opportunities because of the popularity of the show. Siraj Zaidi combines acting and producing with running the Indian Film Festival of Ireland bring a diverse cinema and culture that is often neglected as most assume Indian film production is basically Bollywood when it is not. Siraj career as an actor has brought him into contact with most of the Irish film industry and Hollywood, so that what he has learnt he is putting into good use as a producer. A wealth of insights to encourage new and seasoned filmmakers. #FILMACADEMY #FILMFUNDING #FILMPODCAST

Pauric Brennan (Bren Enterprise) is "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild. S3E07 This is a must-see episode, or at least listen-worthy,, as our guest, Pauric Brennan, goes where no micro-producer or buddy filmmaker goes, into the Heart of Darkness of the Mysterious world of.... promoting, distributing and, basically creating a target audience, so there is someone to watch your film once it has been produced. The easy part is making the movie. Pauric's film "Don't Sell Me A Dog", a road-movie thriller was made in a frantically short amount of time with amazing ingenuity, from conception to execution and completion with a constant eye on the target audience wants and desires, so that what he can deliver meets expectations. "Don't Sell Me A Dog" can be seen on Plex (https://watch.plex.tv/movie/dont-sell-me-a-dog). On more about how Pauric tackled the film and much more on indie film production listen or watch this week's "In The Room" with Garvin and George. #FILMACADEMY #FILMFUNDING #FILMPODCAST

Sean Breathnach (Ego Productions Ireland) is "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild. S3E06 Sean Breathnach (Ego Productions Ireland) is "In The Room" with 52 Jokers Wild. S3E06 In this week's show, Garvin and George get to talk with Sean Breathnach, writer, director, producer, and editor of the film “Beyond the Woods” which is currently available to see on Amazon Prime. Sean runs his own production company Ego Productions Ireland where he is developing a slate of Horror Genre feature films. Having produced a series of shocks he then went beyond his comfort zone to break into feature film production. It was a long road but with his film industry contacts, he brought it all together in “Beyond the Woods”. After writing 16 other screenplays the time was right for his pet projects to be realised. “In The Room” Sean shares with us some of the horrors that many filmmakers encounter but as we discover Sean has more of an accountant's head on his shoulders than a dreamy filmmaker's one, digging deep into the reality of budgeting so that he could find a way to bring his story off the pages into a movie. Sean is brutally honest about the hardships of filmmaking but his passion spurs him on and he never gives up. It's all about making the connections and building the right relationships in order to endure the stormy journey into film production but unlike many Sean is willing to go beyond the woods after dark.

Siraj Zaidi - Producer, Writer, Actor & Film Festival Director S3E05 “In the Room” with Garvin and George is Sarij Zaidi, producer, writer, actor, and film festival director for the Indian Film Festival of Ireland. The 2021 online film festival has recently been launched. Siraj shares his insight on how he is producing his latest production, raising funds for film production, and marketing the project. He shares what he knows about getting pre-sales and the importance of knowing where your audience is and what they want. Garvin brings in his analysis from an accounting perspective and George's job is to ensure all sides are still talking to one another by the end of the show. Bollywood is discussed and Siraj talks about how his work spans both Irish and Indian cultures.