Short Summary
I fell in love with film when my Dad took me to see Peter Pan at the age of 4. Disney’s Peter Pan. I asked to leave 30 minutes in because I had finished my popcorn. Hence, even from a very young age, I had a clear draw to the short film format.
The idea for Dolphins came from a close brush with the delicate nature of life and how rash decisions can be made when things seem heavy. It’s about how important it is to have love and support around you, to help you keep making the right choices. Although having a button to breathe in the film makes us into machines in some way, it really only serves to pull ourselves out of the instinctual and highlight the choices we make everyday. I have always been a fan of science fiction and technology. It was a natural choice for me when I started writing to being those elements into my work but never for their own sake. How we choose to interact with technology says something about ourselves. Now I see these elements as the most important tool I have available to take a closer look at ourselves and humanity from a fresh angle.
For most people in their day to day lives, they don’t think about living. But for some, that unconscious thing has become a question that they can’t ignore. This is an issue that I want to shine a light on with my film Dolphins. It’s something that affects us all.
Dolphins is a film about us all, that point of danger brought on by unavoidable hurt in our lives. What we all face when the world gets too heavy. It is a film about choosing your next breath.
With a bow to the films of David Lynch and Charlie Kaufman, Dolphins takes a look at issues like depression and anxiety in an unconventional way. It draws on the works of Arthur C Clarke and Iain M Banks, where the ordinary human is placed in extraordinary circumstances. When we are drowning in the extraordinary, we desperately cling to the familiar; even when that rock is a pain or presence we would actively avoid in our ordinary lives.
This is a film that brings light to a part of life that can be uncomfortable to look at, but we can’t shy away from examining.
By donating you are helping bring unique film to fruition and helping create a little piece of Irish cinema.
What We Need & What You Get
Making films costs money. Everything from sandwiches to lighting to editing has to be paid for and we want to make sure almost everyone involved in giving up their time for the film (from actors to the set designer) gets a small payment.
- The cast - €250
- The sound - €100
- Makeup/SFX - €400
- Equipment - €500
- Catering - €350
- Post-production - €250
- Set dressing - €250
- Festival submissions - €400
- Screening - €200
- Crew - €300
We have a lot of different rewards for our backers, ranging from signed scripts to executive producer credit. This is an amazing opportunity to peer into the filmmaking process and help create a piece of Irish film history.m
The Team
We are all doing this for the love of film, and because we believe in the project.
Duncan McKenna (Writer/Director)
Duncan is an aspiring writer/director who has been cinematographer/editor on a number of short films and promo videos. He is currently drawn to the power of science fiction, particularly the works of Arthur C Clarke and Iain M Banks, where the ordinary human is placed in extraordinary circumstances. Starting his career as a web developer/designer Duncan has always been obsessed with the capabilities of technology to enable story-telling. Following a short obsession with making his own 360 degree camera set-up he has now sold his collection of Go-pros and is focusing his creative talents on writing and directing. He has also started a new bi-annual film festival in Dublin, iffy, as a show case of the power of short films to move us.
Barry McEvoy (Producer)
Barry McEvoy has over 30 years professional experience in Theatre, Television and Film. As an actor, films include Veronica Guerin, Gloria (directed by Sidney Lumet), An Everlasting Piece (which he also wrote), Gettysburg, Five Minutes of Heaven and Pirates of the Caribbean; Dead Man’s Chest. He has written feature screenplays for Dreamworks, Artisan/Summit and completed rewrites for Workhorse Films, Parallel Pictures and Touchstone. Variety Magazine awarded him Screenwriter to Watch (2000) and he carries an MFA in Playwriting from The LIR academy, Trinity College. He has developed his own Screenwriting programme which he teaches at the Pearse centre in Dublin in association with Flying Turtle productions.
Steve Hartland (Actor)
Steve is a wonderful, experienced actor who has appeared in Othello at the Mill Theatre, I Want to Know at the Abbey and films such as The Comeback, I.T., and tv series such as Republic of Telly, Fingerprints, Life of Crime and Dani's Castle.
Robin J. Kavanagh (Cinematographer)
Robin J Kavanagh is a Freelance DOP and Camera Operator. Robin graduated from the National Film School Ireland with a First Class Honours in Cinematography and received a special mention at the Galway Film Fleadh Awards regarding his work on the award winning short film, Backwater. Robin has created commercial content for various brands such as LIDL, Jameson, and Lifestyle Sports, and has worked on documentaries for BT Sports, and RTE.
Risks & Challenges
Shooting a film is not easy. There are many obstacles that can crop up, from acts of God to the weather (although in Ireland, they are often the same). While we aim to have the film shot and ready by December, we cannot guarantee that will happen. We can guarantee that the film will be made and that all donors will get their rewards. We appreciate your trust in us.
Other Ways You Can Help
Even if you can't donate, you can still help us. Tell friends and family, both on and offline. Spread the word, particularly if you know people who love Irish cinema. As anyone who has tried to make a film knows, it's not easy. All your help is very much appreciated.
