Filmmakers seeking to fund mullingar project

Two young film makers who are making a short film that they hope to launch on the international film festival run in the coming year have chosen Mullingar as the location for filming.

Conor English, who is from Mullingar, and Calvin Doyle from Portarlington, are both first class honours graduates from the graphics and visual communication course at Athlone Institute of Technology, and, says Calvin, they have scripted the film themselves.

The film is ‘Live Psychic’, which Calvin describes as a “mystery thriller”.

“It follows the path of a psychic in a small midlands town in Ireland, comforting and consulting those in need of her guidance, however, her dream-like visions turn to nightmares as they uncover a harsh reality,” says Calvin, who says the film is “somewhere between David Lynch and Father Ted set to the sound track of Joe Dolan”.

The film is to be of seven minutes in length, and the story grew as a concept from a fable that Calvin once read, and now the two have crafted it into something very Irish, and very contemporary.

“The dialogue is based on the way someone from the midlands speaks,” says Calvin.

They have already filmed some footage, as an experiment, so that once they have their chosen star actress on board, they will be able to get through the filming without a hitch.

“We have a lot of support on the making of the film already: we have backing from both the Westmeath County Council and the Westmeath Arts Office, who are keen to promote the undeveloped film-making scene in the midlands,” says Calvin.

“Several well respected local figures have given guidance and their expertise on film work up until this point. We have the full support of the Chimera Gallery in Mullingar in both production and screening of the final film. For all of this we are very grateful, but we still need help to complete our project to its full potential!”

To that end, they have set up a Fundit page to raise money for the project. “The Fundit page allows the public to donate and become part of creative projects. Any amount of money can be donated and exclusive rewards are given to those who donate.”

The two have come up with around €1,000 towards the cost themselves, and through Fundit, are attempting to raise a further €2,500.

“We aim to have our project finished at the beginning of June and first screenings to take place at the end of June,” says Calvin, explaining that financial support provided will help cover the editing, visual effects, grading and post-production costs, festival fees, marketing and printing. We greatly appreciate your financial support for this project.

• Calvin and Conor’s Fundit page is at fundit.ie/project/live-psychic.