The low budget horror feature film ‘Nailed’, from debut director Adrian O’Connell has wrapped in Northern Ireland. The script, financing and production for the film was assembled and completed in just under four weeks.
‘Nailed’ is set in the New York borough of Brooklyn but has been shot entirely on location in Belfast. The film stars Charles Porter and Sam Sarpong as two petty criminals on the run who hide out in a derelict house occupied by a sinister care worker played by Wilson Heredia (Rent).
All three actors have been alternating schedules, playing supporting roles in Mark Hammond’s ‘Johnny Was’ which is also shooting in Belfast at this time. Borderline Production’s Ben Katz, executive producer of ‘Johnny Was’, is producing and financing ‘Nailed’.
Whilst director O'Connell and writer Stephen McAnena were celebrating their birthdays earlier this month, the pair had a chance meeting with Ben Katz in a Belfast pub. Naturally, conversations turned to filmmaking and Katz enquired if they had any material to occupy his three actors arriving from the US, who would have a lot of downtime whilst shooting ‘Johnny Was’. McAnena, who had been working on the story for ‘Nailed’ for some time, said ‘yes’ and adapted the screenplay to suit the US actors within 3 days.
Shot on three mini DV cameras on one location (a derelict house in North Belfast), the film is the debut feature for director Adrian O’Connell. O’Connell has much experience working with DV as he specialises in video art and is a teacher at the IADT College in Dun Laoghaire. Writer/producer Stephen McAnena's previous scripts include the short ‘The Good Son’ (Cannes critics week nominee), ‘Ocras’ and the BAFTA nominated ‘Something I Don't Know’. The crew, working for free, included DOP’s Brian Drysdale and Damien Elliott and college graduate Aisling Toner who worked on Hair & Make Up.
The 9 day shoot wrapped yesterday and speaking to IFTN from Belfast, an exhausted McAnena said, “It’s been interesting as I am now a producer on this film along with Ben, Adrian and the three actors, because we’ve given so much to it. I’ve been on set pretty much all the time and, as a writer, I pretty much try to avoid that as much as I can. It’s really tiring and hard work and I used to take the mickey out of producers who were always on their mobile phone but, it’s true, you are always on call for people when you are making a film.”
“Mostly it’s been a really humbling experience because everybody on this film has worked for nothing. It’s been long 12/13 hour days and the people working on the film have stayed cheerful, professional and were all completely competent, even putting me to shame! That has been the best thing, working with those people, and when I’m making another film, they will be the ones I want to work with again. Also, everyone has been so helpful and supportive especially Kevin Jackson in the BBC who has helped us in ways I can’t even describe.”
No post production or release plans have been confirmed yet with the filmmakers currently concentrating on getting some sleep. Stay logged on to IFTN for further updates!
