Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Booker's World - Cast

With The Arts Journal now completed it is time to concentrate on something different and all going to plan, the Booker's World web series will be shot in the first two weeks of June over two weekends.
With over 50 pages of script to be shot it will be a tough ask, but if an extra day is needed we will find it from somewhere. I think it is manageable after blocking off the scenes earlier today. The series will be shot entirely in Trim and Kildalkey.
I have now cast most of the principal character and considering the budget is a big fat zero at the time of writing, I can only say I must be pretty damn lucky with who I have managed to secure the talents of so far.
I'm really hoping that this initial web series will be the launching pad required when it comes to securing budgets for future projects and turn this into a paying gig at long last. It seems like a long apprenticeship, but I guess they are that by their nature. Gaining experience can only be got by working with the best you can find, and on this one i think as a writer/director it's a great step up to take. You kind of feel with the state of the country at the moment, it's now or never. With so few opportunities about, maybe it's time to make a few for ourselves. Trying to get those ideas taken seriously is an altogether different story. I've had dealings lately with people and it seems the pursuit of artistic work in many fields is frowned upon outside artistic circles. With a country in crisis, that's the wrong way to be thinking. But we'll keep trying anyway.

The title role of Don Booker will be played by the multi-credited, Brian Fortune. I was supposed to work with Brian on I Wish some time back, so to be able to have him along on this is great.
Meath actor, Gerry Shanahan, another actor I was supposed to work with before has agreed to come on board as 'Flash' Simpson.

Johnny Elliott, who I worked with on The Arts Journal is having a run of success with Terry McMahon's Charlie Casanova at the moment. The Indie Irish flick, shot for under a grand, is whipping up a storm on the International film festival circuit at the moment despite having little or no support from our relevant film bodies. Johnny will play Sonny Strange.

Meath-based actor and Impersonator Ray Reilly has just finished shooting a TV pilot with Tobar Productions and is working on his new stand-up show. Ray will be playing the director from hell, Dan Donavan.

Also added to the cast in the past week are Vivienne Connelly, Liam Heffron, and Andrea McCaffrey.

I hope to add to the cast by the end of this week and source somewhat locally. This will be the third project I have shot in Trim over the past three years and some local people have helped along the way. It would be nice to shoot my first full length feature in my hometown. I guess time will tell.

Blog been a bit ignored this year as I finished off work on my first book. If you have more of an interest on the background of what's going on with these characters and books, I update my writing blog regularly here.

You will find links to character bio's and a link to a free download of Sonny Strange, who features with Don Booker as together with a little help from a few friends along the way strike out to make opportunity for themselves. More to follow soon...

2 comments:

  1. Good luck with the shoot Noel, I've worked with both Brian & Gerry several times before and know most of the others, you have a solid cast.

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  2. Congrats Noel, you have some talented actors helping out there. I wish you courage and daring in your directing. cheers John E Regan

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