Rephrasing the original text using British English: /”Definitions: Fright flick – horror movie; final touches; feeling jittery/tight; wrench – wrench; succinct – sharp; duties – responsibilities; self-funded – self-financed; without a home – shelterless; groundskeeper – caretaker; ruin – devastation.
Several horror movies have been created on a budget. This isn’t unusual in the film world – some of the most acclaimed fright flicks were produced for a song: projects such as Psycho (1960) by Alfred Hitchcock had a budget of $800,000, Paranormal Activity (2007) cost $15,000, and The Blair Witch Project (1999) required $60,000 for production.
On a completely different level, however, is the movie An Taibhse, a fresh Irish work by Jackpot Films, initially birthed from a college assignment by John Farrelly, a director hailing from Co Louth, screened at the Galway Film Fleadh the previous week.
Farrelly was wrapping up the film when the Report interviewed him. As he revealed, he had only a modest budget of €3000 for the movie.
“The project was totally self-financed. I amassed the funds and it took us a year to complete, but we’re delighted with the results,” he divulged.
The movie was crafted during the covid-19 pandemic when the nation was under lockdown rules. Though only three actresses were part of the project, they shouldered numerous roles.
“The actresses were fashioning their on-screen attire, performing, and erecting sheds amongst other duties,”
The initial segment of the movie was filmed in November 2021, with the remaining sections completed in January and March 2022. The movie was a product of John Farrelly’s academic journey at the University of Ulster.
“I studied Cinematic Arts at the University of Ulster where we were required to produce a short horror film for the course. The project was so well received that we resolved to develop it into a full-length film later,” he shared.
The principal objective of the movie is to maintain the viewers in suspense and sporadically, provoke their fears”./
Farrelly, a noted horror genre enthusiast, once disclosed
Despite the challenges presented by the film’s serious, bold storyline, the team persevered, occasionally struggling with some elements of the content. “The journey was quite tough, but the incredible efforts of the actors and crew kept us going,” states the director.
Creating a film is indeed a tedious and often solitary task, but it’s all worthwhile in the end. The need for equipment led to borrowing from the University, though the Lumix GH5S cinematography from his own personal stash was particularly helpful. Despite being deemed the “least expensive among its contemporaries,” it delivered incredible results.
The director, Farrelly, garnered the interest of various producers, including the renowned Jim Sheridan, whom he greatly admires. Having Sheridan on board as an executive producer was nothing short of a dream come true for him. In his bedroom working into the late hours, he painstakingly edited the footage to give the movie a crisp, clean-cut finish. Sheridan’s feedback and notes were invaluable during this process.
Even though the film was only completed a few days prior, it was showcased alongside many other intriguing films at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh. To market his film, Farrelly has entered discussions with distributors and film agents and has already made headway – arranging a screening at the reputable Frightfest, a horror film festival in London, later this year.
Furthermore, Farrelly strongly supports the Irish language and appreciates its utilization in various art forms, including films and music. He believes in the significance of creating a diverse range of content in Irish.