The History Channel Announces ‘Vikings’ Broadcast Date
The nine-part series, which is a World 2000 and Take 5 Productions co-production, shot on location in Ballyhenry Studios in Ashford in Wicklow this year.
Irish actor Gabriel Byrne stars as Viking chieftain Earl Haraldson in the series which tells the story of the Dark Age raiders through the eyes of Viking society itself. Although described as a “family saga at heart”, the series is expected to bring conflict, warfare and plenty of bloodshed to our screens in 2013.
The series has been written by ‘Camelot’ and ‘The Tudors’ creator Michael Hirst. It also stars ‘Bones’ actress Katheryn Winnick, who plays Lothbrok’s wife Lagertha; ‘Glee’ star Jessalyn Gilsig, who plays Haraldson’s wife Siggy, George Blagden (Les Misérables) as Athelstan, and Clive Standen (Robin Hood) as Rollo, Lothbrok’s brother.
Hirst also serves as executive producer on the series, along with Morgan O’Sullivan of World 2000, James Flynn of Octagon, John Weber of Take 5, Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer, and Sheila Hockin. Dirk Hoogstra and Julian P. Hobbs are the executives in charge of production for The History Channel.
Read full article here: http://www.iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4285668&tpl=archnews&force=1
King Nidge Gets US Audience
Nidge and co are taking their love/hate relationships to the US for the first time, as on-demand video service Hulu has acquired the rights to 'Love/Hate'.
American-owned Hulu, which is in direct competition with Netflix and Virgin Media in the US, has bought seasons one and two of the gangland drama, and plans to show the first two episodes to a US audience this week. This will be followed by two episodes airing every week to a US audience.
RTÉ has also revealed that the third season of ‘Love/Hate’ has just been acquired by Australian and South Korean territories. Seasons one and two already air in Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and the Middle East.
The deal marks the first drama deal between RTÉ and Hulu, which has previously shown RTÉ factual shows such as ‘Secret of the Stones’ and ‘The Man Who Shot Beckett’.
‘Love/Hate’, an Octagon Films production, is currently in its third season on RTÉ One. Last night marked the fifth episode of season three, and reached over 1 million viewers, with an average 720,600 viewers. The series has consistently been the most watched showed on the RTÉ Player, with last night’s episode streaming more than 34,000 times so far.
‘Love/Hate’ is now joining other crime-based shows such as ‘The Wire’ and ‘Homeland’ on Hulu, as well as the hugely popular ‘Downton Abbey’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’.
Read full article here: http://iftn.ie/digital/DigitalNews/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4285642&tpl=archnews&force=1
How LOVE/HATE Became RTÉ's Best Drama
Love/Hate is the best drama RTÉ has produced. Created by writer and former Last Word producer Stuart Carolan with director David Caffrey, Love/Hate tells the story of feuding inner-city gang members and their wives, girlfriends, drug-connections and victims. The penultimate episode of last season pulled in an average of 659,000 viewers to watch brooding, morally-conflicted Darren, aka Robert Sheehan, knock-off paranoid, shifty-eyed crime boss John Boy, aka Aidan Gillen. (Both actors are, incidentally, internationally successful sorts, not usually found slumming it at the national broadcaster.)
What’s different about it? Well, we’ve come a long way since the 1978 drama The Spike was taken off the air because it featured a naked lady. Love/Hate not only features naked people, but recreational drug-taking and ultra-violence. If you happened to think RTÉ was still following the educational template it set with The Riordans, a programme partially designed to teach viewers about modern farming methods, you’d assume that Love/Hate was produced to teach us about new-fangled drugs, sex-positions and murder techniques.
Read full article: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2012/1109/1224326361372.html
John Michael McDonagh’s CALVARY Begins Filming
Principal photography has begun in Co Sligo on CALVARY, the new black comedy-drama which reunites Brendan Gleeson with THE GUARD'S writer-director John Michael McDonagh.
CALVARY also stars Marie Josée Crozé, Isaach De Bankolé, Aidan Gillen, Domhnall Gleeson, Dylan Moran, Chris O'Dowd, Kelly Reilly, Pat Shortt and David Wilmot.
Writer-director McDonagh said: "It is with great excitement, bordering on tumescence, that I am looking forward to collaborating once more with Ireland's greatest actor, Brendan Gleeson, and working with the finest ensemble cast ever assembled in the history of Irish cinema."
CALVARY will also film in Dublin and will be released next year.
Read full article: http://www.rte.ie/ten/2012/1002/gleesonb.html
‘Loving Miss Hatto’ Says Goodbye to Dublin as Post-Production Wraps
Post-production on BBC drama ‘Loving Miss Hatto’ has been completed at Dublin’s Screen Scene and Wicklow’s Ardmore Sound after a successful four-week shoot in the capital.
The TV film, directed by IFTA-winner Aisling Walsh, is set in the 60s, and depicts the life of British pianist Joyce Hatto, whose record producer husband William Barrington-Coupe released dozens of recordings belonging to other musicians under her name. The fraud became known as the greatest scandal to ever hit the classical musical world, which wasn’t unearthed until 2007, months after Hatto’s death..
The real-life drama was written by Victoria Wood (Dinnerladies) and produced by James Flynn for Octagon Films with Radford Neville. Andy Harris was the executive producer.
It was shot entirely in Ireland last April and used locations in Bray, Co Wicklow, and the Dublin suburbs of Dalkey, Cabinteely and Booterstown, as well as the National Concert Hall in the city centre.
Irish crew on the project include Ned Dennehy (Titanic: Blood and Steel) who plays the role of Philip, IFTA-winner Anna Rackard (Stella Days) who served as production designer, costume designer Alison Byrne (When Harvey Met Bob) and first assistant director Liz Gill, who is currently directing upcoming TV3 drama ‘Deception’.
Read full article: http://www.iftn.ie/news/crewnews/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4285183&tpl=archnews&force=1
Jeremy Irons digs in to 'Borgias' darkness
As the brutal Pope in the Showtime Drama, the actor enjoys the play of contradictions that he says mirrors the real world.
Jeremy Irons starts as the ruthless Rodrigo Borgia, who became Pope Alexander VI in Sowtime's period drama "The Borgias," now in its second season.
You really seem like you're having fun with this role?!
I'm glad about that. I've always believed that in the theatre or movies, whatever, the audience's enjoyment is increased if the actors seem to be enjoying what they're doing.
What's fun about the Borgia Pope?
The great thing about doing series television is you have time. I've had now 19 or 20 hours to explore this character, and that means that Neil Jordan, the writer, can write a character that has inconsistencies, that has enigmatic qualities that you wouldn't be able to explore in the shortened period of a film. So it's great fun to play all the contradictions, which most real-life people have and certainly Pope Alexander had.
Read full interview: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/20/entertainment/la-ca-conversation-20120520
Ireland's Gabriel Byrne Joins Cast Of Morgan O’Sullivan’s ‘Vikings’
Irish actor Gabriel Byrne has been cast in upcoming Irish co-produced mini-series 'Vikings,' which will shoot in Co.Wicklow this summer.
Byrne will return to Irish shores to play Earl Haraldson, a political leader whose position is threatened by young decendants of the gods, Ragnor Lothbrok, who is attempting to become King of the Vikings.
English actor George Blagden (Wrath of the Titans) has also been confirmed to play Athelstan, an Anglo-Saxon monk captured by Ragnor during a raid in England.
Acclaimed writer and period drama specialist Michael Hirst (Elizabeth/The Tudors) created the 'Vikings' series, which will be aired on the History Channel as the broadcaster's first ever scripted series.
Read full article: http://www.iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4284958&tpl=archnews&force=1
The Borgias outshines its first season
Corruption, lust and murder — welcome to the Vatican of the Italian Renaissance. Showtime’s second season of The Borgias continues the saga of the notorious Spanish family and its machinations in 15th-century Rome. If Sunday’s premiere was any indicator, the second season looks even more promising than the first.
Season one of The Borgias had several strengths. Creator Neil Jordan captured Renaissance-era Rome as a beautiful, ancient figure with seeping cracks of corruption. The visuals were gorgeous, especially for television. The costumes and sets were striking and lush. The acting was strong for the most part — Granger as Lucrezia’s character arc from sweet, precocious child to angel-faced manipulator was especially compelling.
Full review at: http://dailytrojan.com/2012/04/09/the-borgias-outshines-its-first-season/
'Loving Miss Hatto' Sets April Dublin Shoot Date
Award winning Irish director Aisling Walsh (Song For a Raggy Boy, Trial & Retribution) is set to film a new BBC Drama ‘Loving Miss Hatto’ on location in Dublin, Ireland this coming April. The €2million production will be produced by Octagon Films (The Tudors, Raw, As if I’m Not There) and Left Bank Films for the BBC with financing from Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board.
More: www.iftn.ie/broadcast/BroadcastNews/
Love/Hate and Borgias lead nominations for IFTAs
IT’S ALREADY BEEN named the most popular TV series in Ireland in 2011 – and now the success of RTÉ’s ‘Love/Hate’ has been acknowledged with no fewer than 10 nominations for this year’s Irish Film and Television Academy awards.
The crime drama is nominated for Best Drama as well as being shortlisted for awards in categories including directing, writing, acting, production design, sound and score.
Cast members including Aidan Gillen (John Boy Power), Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (Nidge) are Denise McCormack (Linda) are nominated in acting categories.
Read more: www.thejournal.ie/lovehate-leads-nominations-for-2012-ifta-awards-324733-Jan2012/
Octagon Receives MEDIA Slate Development Funding
Octagon Films has been awarded development funding from MEDIA's April 2011 Call for Proposals for Slate Funding. This will enable Octagon to maintain the momentum of their slate throughout the development process.
Two Emmy wins for The Borgias
Season One of The Borgias picked up two awards at the Creative Arts Primetime Emmy Awards on Saturday night in Los Angeles. The hit TV show picked up the top awards in both the Outstanding Costumes and Outstanding Main Theme Music categories.
The producers of the series expressed their appreciation for the creativity and hard work the crew had put into the production, and are thrilled to see this work recognised by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
'The Borgias' Receives Six Emmy Nominations
Irish producer of ‘The Borgias’ James Flynn gives his reaction to the fantastic news that the series has been nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards.
‘The Borgias’, created and directed by Neil Jordan, is an Irish/Hungarian/Canadian co-production with Flynn’s Octagon films producing from Ireland.
“We are delighted to have six Emmy nominations for Season One. It is always a real challenge in the highly competitive international television market to achieve nominations in the first season since series drama takes time to build and develop.
“I’m particularly delighted for Neil who really deserves this for creating and directing ‘The Borgias’. Huge credit is also due to my co-producer Karen Richards and our entire production team in particular Costume, Design and Cinematography.
“As an official Irish/Hungarian/Canadian co-production, I also extend my congratulations to our co-producers and colleagues at Take 5, John Weber, Sheila Hockin, Bill Goddard and the VFX team. Special mention to the fantastic Trevor Morris for such a great score. Sincere thanks are due also to our distributor Showtime and our co-producing authorities Telefilm and the Irish Film Board.
“Finally, I also want to sincerely acknowledge our Hungarian Producers Adam Goodman and Howard Elis as well as our collaborating producers Jack Rapke of Image Movers and Justin Falvey and Daryl Frank at Dreamworks.”
© IFTN 2011
'Camelot' & 'The Borgias' Make US Ratings Splash
The April 1st US premiere of the first two episodes of 'Camelot' on the Starz network drew in the largest ever opening for a new drama series on Starz, exceeding the highly successful Spartacus premiere. Furthermore, following its premiere screening at MIPTV Camelot has now made extensive worldwide sales. Fellow Irish co-production, 'The Borgias', written, directed, created and co-produced by Neil Jordan opened on Sunday, April 3rd and achieved Showtime's highest premiere ratings since 2003 and was even 20% up on mega hit The Tudors premiere figures.
http://www.iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4283777&tpl=archnews&force=1
Almost one million watch Love/Hate finale
Warning: Spoiler alert!
According to the Nielsen TAM ratings, this is an increase of 337,000 on the number of viewers who watched the season finale of the second series, which attracted an average audience of 616,000.
Speaking about the ratings, Love/Hate writer and creator Stuart Carolan said: "I think it's amazing that the Irish public has come on this journey with us and in such numbers. From Clondalkin to Cahersiveen they've stayed with us and this is because of world class Irish actors like Tom Vaughan Lawlor and Robert Sheehan.
Commissioning Editor for RTÉ Drama, Jane Gogan, said: "The success of this series comes directly from the hard work, immense creativity and ingenuity of the many people involved throughout this production led by Stuart Carolan, James Flynn, Suzanne McAuley, Steve Matthews and David Caffrey.
Read full article here: http://www.rte.ie/ten/2012/1218/lovehate.html
Life Of Crime to Shoot In Dublin next Week
Rising British actress Hayley Atwell is to head up the cast of a new ITV urban crime drama which will begin shooting in Dublin this Monday (November 5).
Production on ‘Life of Crime’ will get underway in various locations around the city next week before the shoot moves to London. The series will see Atwell (The Sweeney) play risk-taking and impulsive rookie policewoman Denise Woods, who becomes obsessed with tracking down the killer of a 15 year-old girl called Anna.
Principal photography will last six weeks in total with Jim Loach (Oranges & Sunshine) directing three one-hour episodes written by leading Irish crime writer Declan Croghan (Waking the Dead). Wicklow-based Octagon Films are the Irish producers on the ITV commission, alongside London’s Ecosse Films. James Flynn will produce for Octagon alongside Emma Kingsman-Lloyd (DCI Banks) and executive producers Douglas Rae (Nowhere Boy) and Michael Parke (Raw) for Ecosse. Oliver Frampton will also co-produce.
Read full article: http://www.iftn.ie/broadcast/BroadcastNews/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4285540&tpl=archnews&force=1
John Michael McDonagh’s CALVARY Begins Filming as Dylan Moran Joins Cast
CALVARY, a dark comedy from THE GUARD director McDonagh, stars Brendan Gleeson as a Sligo priest who is tormented by his parishioners after he is threatened during confession.
As exclusively announced on IFTN last month, Gleeson and Moran are joined by a strong Irish cast including Gleeson’s son Domhnall (Anna Karenina), Domhnall’s ‘Shadow Dancer’ co-stars Aidan Gillen and David Wilmot, ‘Killinaskully’ star Pat Shortt, ‘Moone Boy’ creator Chris O’Dowd, ‘Sherlock Holmes’ actress Kelly Reilly, ‘The Savage Eye’ comedian David McSavage, Fiona O’Shaughnessy (Alexander) and ‘The Others’ actress Elaine Cassidy. Marie Josée Crozé (The Diving Bell) and Isaach De Bankolé (Casino Royale) make up the final cast.
Production crew includes Chris Clark and Flora Fernandez-Marengo, who will produce for Reprisal Films, with James Flynn of Dublin-based Octagon and Elizabeth Eves. Larry Smith is the cinematographer.
Read full article: http://iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4285427&tpl=archnews&force=1
ITV Series ‘Foyle’s War’ To Shoot In Ireland
UK-based Eleventh Hour Films will produce the new series alongside Irish co-production partners Octagon Films.
Jill Green, founder of Eleventh Hour Films, will executive produce alongside Ronan Flynn of Octagon. The series will be produced by British producer Jeremy Gilt, who has previously executive produced ‘Ballykissangel’ in Ireland. The project will receive funding under Section 481.
Speaking to IFTN about the decision to film in Ireland, producer Jeremy Gwilt (The Reckoning) said: “Creatively Dublin is a fantastic city. There are some wonderful buildings that we think will help us to create what is London in 1946, which is obviously a very important element of the production. There are obviously other financial incentives as well and, all in all, Ireland really is a fantastic place to film, not least because of the wonderful talent base that exists here.”
Read full article: http://www.iftn.ie/actors/actorsnews/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4285213&tpl=archnews&force=1
Irish Studios Have a Moment in Clover
"The Tudors," "The Borgias," "Camelot," "Love/Hate," "Titanic: Blood and Steel," "Raw," "Ripper Street," and an assortment of BBC productions, have been shot, are being shot, or have their productions based in the Irish Republic.
At the brand new Ashford Studios, 30 minutes south of the capital city, the groaning of saws and whining of drills echoed around Ragnar's house, a rough-hewed Scandinavian-inspired assemblage of timber that will be the centerpiece of "Vikings," the first scripted series being made for the History channel, as well as the first production for Ashford, in County Wicklow. Large as it is, Ragnar's home doesn't even dominate the room: the 30,000 square foot main stage is a vast space competitive with London's Pinewood Studios and is just part of this site that includes 300 acres that can provide rolling green fields or a rock quarry.
....In the meantime it's Ashford that's home to "Vikings." Behind the scenes the team includes Michael Hirst ("Elizabeth," "Elizabeth: The Golden Age") who wrote all 38 episodes of "The Tudors," and the costume designer Joan Bergin, a multiple Emmy winner for that show.
Read full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/arts/television/vikings-made-in-ireland-thrones-in-northern-ireland.html
'The Borgias' Renewed For Season 3
"The Borgias" will return for a Season 3 full of sin on Showtime. The cable network has ordered a third season of 10 episodes slated to premier in 2013.
Jeremy Irons will return as Pope Alexander VI. Production on Season 3 is expected to begin during summer 2012. Now in Season 2, "The Borgias" (Sundays, 10 p.m. ET on Showtime) tells the story of the Borgia family, their rise to power and the struggles they face to keep it.
Thus far the second season of "The Borgias" is averaging a little more than 500,000 viewers per episode.
Read full article and watch Jeremy Irons interview: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/04/the-borgias-renewed-showtime-season-3_n_1478562.html
IFTN visits the set of award winning series Love/Hate
It’s a mark as to how much ‘Love/ Hate’ has entered the public consciousness that Tom Vaughan-Lawlor rarely goes a day without being approached by a fan of the RTÉ show. “I get a lot of the ‘King Nidge’ thing,” he smiles as he relaxes on a break from filming.
On a breezy May morning in the Dublin suburb of Donnybrook, IFTN is on the set of the much-anticipated third season of ‘Love/Hate.’ There’s one week to go on an 11-week shoot and Vaughn-Lawlor, who plays likeable but dangerous gang boss Nidge, notes that the crew are itching to “cut loose and have a big party” after a long three-months of filming that has required lengthy 10 to 12-hour days on-location across the capital.
Full article: http://www.iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4284915&tpl=archnews&force=1
Gangland drama back filming on streets of city
FANS of hit RTE series Love/Hate will be glad to know that filming for the third series is now under way.
The gangland drama, which attracted close to a million viewers for the last episode in the second series, will be back on the small screen later this year.
Actors Tom Vaughan Lawlor, who plays new gang leader Nidge, and Robert Sheehan, who plays henchman Darren, are expected to join the set this week.
The second series attracted an average of 530,000 viewers and picked up seven IFTA awards, including best actor for Aidan Gillen and best supporting actor for Tom Vaughan Lawlor, while Denise McCormack was named best supporting actress for her portrayal of tragic gangsters' moll Linda.
Full story: www.herald.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/gripping-gangland-drama-back-filming-on-streets-of-city-3033528.html
Raw left me hungry for more
FANS of the fourth series of RTE kitchen drama Raw will be rueing the recent series' end.
Charlene McKenna certainly hit the right note as the irritable, promiscuous, alcohol-addled sous chef -- largely contributing to the show being the closest yet in portraying the adrenalin-curdling chaos of a cook's world.
Because any of us who have ever worked in one can vouch that REAL kitchens tend to be deafening, claustrophobic infernos peppered with the sort of cursing that would make Colin Farrell blush, and populated by mad, knife-brandishing pirates who, when they're not plating up 600 dishes seasoned with sweat, spend their off time until the wee hours decompressing with enough alcohol to pickle an elephant.
Raw may have occasionally seemed more like Home And Away with a side order of sauce, but it's left a lot of us hungry for a fifth course.
Full article: www.herald.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/rtes-raw-left-me-hungry-for-more-3024057.html
Love/Hate returns to RTE
Love/Hate receives strong praise on its return to Irish screens. From the Independent:
"Gangland shootings are a common occurrence; the list of the bereaved gets ever bigger. Programmes like Love/Hate were commissioned specifically to reflect those changes.
If last night’s episode is anything to go by, it’s starting to warm to its task"
"Having been commissioned for this second series, Love/Hate seems more confident in its treatment of gangland life. It’s edgier, more violent, less likely to make an impressionable teenager apply to his local gang leader for an internship"
"Expertly written and structured by Stuart Carolan, and confidently directed by David Caffrey, Love/Hate is close to being an unqualified success"
Full review at: www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/last-nightrsquos-tv-love-amp-hate-2927485.html
Irish send 'As If I Am Not There' to Oscars
LONDON -- Juanita Wilson's "As If I Am Not There" is Ireland's submission for the foreign-language category for the Academy Awards.
Pic, which is the feature debut from Irish helmer-scribe Wilson, was announced as the Irish entry by the Irish Film and Television Academy on Wednesday.
Story, set in the Balkans, was developed and produced by Octagon Films in Bray, and shot primarily in the Serbo-Croatian language.
Pic stars Natasa Petrovic and Miraj Grbic, and follows the true story from the Balkan War of the 1990s, based on Croatian journalist Slavenka Drakulic's book of the same name.
More from Variety: www.variety.com/article/VR1118043167
The Borgias takes home top honours at Gemini awards
When it premiered in April, The Borgias, a period drama full of sex and scheming, grabbed the attention of 1.3 million viewers.
The series, which stars Jeremy Irons as Pope Alexander VI, apparently also caught the attention of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television; at a star-studded gala Wednesday night, it won the Gemini Award for best dramatic series.
“A lot people, myself included just love learning about those times and love the costumes and the pageantry. It’s almost a fantasy. It takes you out of contemporary life,” said Sheila Hockin who is also a producer of The Tudors which won best drama last year.
More: arts.nationalpost.com/2011/09/07/the-borgias-takes-home-top-honours-at-gemini-awards/
Juanita Wilson: Irish helmer turns attention to Bosnia
Despite her exotic first name, Juanita Wilson is all Irish, born and bred in Dublin, where she lives with her producer-husband, James Flynn. That said, the director isn't afraid to venture far afield in search of the stories she wants to tell.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118029646