Oddalenia 2016 Short Film Festival coming soon. Interview with Eamonn Norris

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Growing up, Eamonn loved watching movies and TV shows and now as an adult he gets to make them. He thinks the most important thing to have during the creation of a film is a team of people who believe in the project. His films have recently begun to feature at festivals around the world.

Samantha Stochla spoke with Eamonn Noris, who won at the “Oddalenia 2015” Short Film Festival, before the next edition of the festival in June.

Eamonn, why are you making movies?

I’ve loved film and television since I was a little boy and we grew up with a camcorder in our house so I was used to being around a camera and operating one. I guess I was a bit of a dreamer growing up. When I was 16, I got to act in a school production of King Lear directed by Richie Ball. This had a big impact on me.

How did your adventure in film and television begin?

My friend from college, the comedian; Fred Cooke and I started running our own comedy club in 2006 and that led to me booking the warm up acts for the Late Late Show (Ireland’s most viewed television programme) on RTE1. I loved the buzz of television and in 2007, the Irish language drama, Ros na Rún (TG4) hired and trained me. I spent a few years working as an assistant director on TG4 and RTE dramas and on independent films.

I then went to Co. Kerry where I enrolled on the highly respected television and video production course with FÁS in Tralee, Co. Kerry. This course was run by Paul Dolan and Brian Nolan.

It was here I learned how to use professional cameras, to edit and do light and sound. With the people I met on the course, particularly John McCarthy, David Pembroke and Fred O’Connor, I began to make my own short films and these have gone on to compete at film festivals around the world.

What happened then?

I spent 2013/2014 out working in the USA on the television show Blue Bloods on CBS which was an amazing experience. Irish Assistant Director, Andrea O’Connor who has worked out in the USA for the last 20 years brought me on to the show. Since coming back to Ireland, I’ve begun directing with Ros Na Rún.

I directed my first feature film last summer. The comedy drama ‘Making it’ tells the story of family man, Mike McMahon who after losing his job decides to make an action movie to win a big cash prize. This turns out to be a big disaster as he has no experience and he ends up in a lot of trouble with both sides of the law. It stars Irish actors Seamus Hughes and Moya Farrelly and a big cast of Kerry actors. I also co-wrote the script with Fred O’Connor based on a story by Brian Nolan. The film was produced by the Kerry Educational Training Board, Broadcast Production Course.

My main aim for the future is to try and make television and movies that people enjoy. Whether that be comedy or drama, science fiction or horror, I don’t mind. Being able to create is a wonderful feeling and I feel very privileged to be able to be a part of the television and film industry in the small way that I am.

Polish audiences saw your work for the first time at the Oddalenia 2015 Short Film Festival? How did you hear about this festival?

My cousin Aoife Walsh told me about it. I went and did my own research then and I found I really liked what the festival is about and saw that it is building up a fine tradition as a film festival. I was really excited to hear that our short film ‘The Countryman’ was selected to screen and that I would be free to attend.

A year ago, you received the Audience Award. What did you feel when you received it?

Seeing your work go out there into the world is a terrifying but also a thrilling experience. It was the first time I had actually seen ‘The Countryman’ with a live audience and I was nervous that nobody would find it funny as comedy is so subjective. On the night, when people did begin to laugh I breathed a sigh of relief. Getting to win the audience award was very special. It is a tough business to be in but when you win an award, it is a great feeling.

What are the most important elements during the creation of a film?

I think the most important thing to have during the creation of a film is a team of people who believe in what it is you are trying to create. From the crew to the actors, if everyone is behind the project and believes in it, I think it has a much greater chance of succeeding. We had a lot of fun while making ‘The Countryman’, easily the best laugh I ever had on a shoot. All of the people that worked with me on my short films came and worked on our feature film recently also.

What do you know about Poland?

I visited Poland in 2000 when I travelled around Europe and I remember thinking “Wow the people here are really beautiful and the landscape is amazing”. I look forward to the day that I get to return. Polish people have had a massive impact on Ireland over the last 20 years and I hope that our two cultures continue to learn from each other and grow together. The Oddalenia Short Film Festival is a great example of how our cultures and indeed others from around the world can meet together and enjoy all the different and similar perspectives we have of the world.

Is there a Polish director that you like?

I have seen the Three Colours trilogy by Krzysztof Kieślowski and I love the work of the Irish director Lenny Abrahamson who has Polish grandparetns. I look forward to seeing more Polish cinema now that I have become involved with Oddalenia.

Any hopes for the future?

I hope that I continue to work in Film and Tv in Ireland, the USA and around the world. I feel very lucky to be able to do what I do and I try to never forget it.

Conducted by Samanta Stochla

Eamonn Norris is a Writer/Director/Producer from Ireland.

He has worked on Irish TV shows such as The Late Late Show (RTE), Single Handed (RTE) and Mattie (RTE) as well as Irish language dramas, Údar (TG4) and the award winning Na Cloigne (TG4). He also worked on the hit CBS tv drama Blue Bloods in New York City.

Eamonn has written and directed several short films that have featured at festivals around the world and he directed his first feature film, the comedy drama ‘Making It’ in 2015. It is due for festival release in 2016.

He also is a director on TG4’s popular TV drama Ros na Rún.