The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has recently signed contracts with a number of producers that have been awarded production funding to make TV or Radio programmes through the BAI’s Broadcasting Funding Scheme – Sound & Vision II.
The Broadcasting Funding Scheme was established to provide funding in support of high quality programmes on Irish culture, heritage and experience, and programmes to improve adult literacy.
The Broadcasting Act, 2009 also extended the scheme to offer funding towards programmes dealing with the themes of media literacy and global affairs and increased the percentage level of funding for the Scheme via the television licence fee to 7%.
Dublin based Tile Films Limited has received funding of €250,000 towards the production of ‘72 Uair Cinniúnach’ (‘72 Hours that Changed the Rising’). Set in 1916, this feature length documentary drama focuses on the battle for Dublin’s Mount Street bridge and King Street during the Easter Rising. The project, written and directed by Keith Farrell, is based on firsthand accounts from both sides of the battles. Stephen Rooke is the Executive Producer, while Dave Farrell is Producer of this 90 minute feature, which will be broadcast on TG4 around Easter of next year.
Elsewhere, West Dublin Access Radio received funding of €6,500 to make ‘Ballyfermot Rocks’. The station will broadcast live from the West Dublin Community Family Festival being held in August. The programme will feature a live concert starring local, unsigned bands.
New Decade TV & Film Limited is another Dublin based production company, which has been awarded funding for their six-part series, ‘The Science Squad’.The series, which received €60,000 from BAI, will see New Decade’s Ciaran O’Connor and Nuala Cunningham visit universities and corporations around the country where there is a focus on interesting science projects – from web technologies, to agriculture, to communications technology. When complete the series will be broadcast on RTÉ.
‘Once Upon a Time in a Kingdom’ is a 21-part radio series to be broadcast on Radio Kerry, looking back over the stations 21 years on air. Events include Bill Clinton’s visit to Ballybunion and of course Kerry’s numerous All Ireland wins. The series is presented by Audrey Galvin and Radio Kerry received €19,700 from the BAI to support the project.
The local radio station for Carlow and Kilkenny, KCLR, received funding of €17,000 to produce a 10 part series entitled‘Full Circle – The Irish Songwriter’. Hosted by Philip Donnelly, the series will focus on the lives and work of a number of Irish singers and songwriters. These will include the likes of: Mundy, Eleanor McEvoy, Declan O’Rourke and frontman of the Republic of Loose, Mick Pyro.
Rockfinch Limited received funding from the BAI of €20,000 towards the production of a six part documentary series entitles ‘Women of Note’. The series throws the spotlight on forgotten and neglected Irish women composers from the 19th and 20th centuries. A range of music genres will be covered, from trad to classical. Much of this often unheard music will be performed by pianists David Brophy and Anthony Byrne, and metro sopranos Elizabeth Pink and Collette Mc Gahon. The series will be broadcast on Lyric FM from September 2012.
Finally, Igloo Productions Limited received funding of €180,000 for the animated series, ‘BB agus Bella’. This 10 x 5min series programmes is based on the first ever Irish speaking teddy Babogbaby and is aimed at introducing pre-schoolers to Irish through numbers, colours and shapes. Adrian Devane, who hails from Galway is the Executive Producer on the project, which is directed by Kealan O’Rourke. The series will be broadcast on TG4.
Further funding, as part of the BAI’s Broadcasting Funding Scheme – Sound & Vision II will be rolled out throughout the year.
ENDS
Media Queries to:
Brian Furey
01 6441200