The call for submissions to the Splanc! initiative, a scheme to produce documentaries for television in the Irish language, is now open. Filmmakers and production companies can pitch for a share in the €180,000 fund available for 2006.
Splanc! is jointly funded by TG4, the Arts Council and Bord na Leabhar Gaeilge. The scheme aims to produce a documentary series of six half hour programmes that will broadcast on TG4 in 2007. The 2006 series fund will focus on one art form - An Litríocht Bheo or contemporary literature in the Irish language.
Submissions are therefore invited for this six-part series which aim to give visual expression to all forms of contemporary writing in Irish: for example, the work of novelists, short-story writers, poets, composers of the traditional dialogue forms of agallaimh beirte and lúibíní, stage and screen-writers etc, should be considered as subject matter by applicant film-makers and production companies.
Since its inception in 1998, the Splanc! Scheme has funded over 20 documentary films on the arts, and on making art, in the Irish language. Speaking about the new Splanc! series, An Litríocht Bheo, Arts Council Director, Mary Cloake, says: “The Arts Council welcomes this, the very first series on TG4 about contemporary Irish language literature. It will undoubtedly help to increase awareness of Irish language writers and their work and it is hoped it will kindle a spirit of discovery and rediscovery among readers.”
To help stimulate imaginative approaches and assess the practicalities of visualising the written word in film production, Splanc! is holding a half day workshop at Filmbase in Dublin’s Temple Bar, Dublin 2 on Tuesday 20 June from 11am until 3pm. Extracts from previous documentaries will be screened and an exploration of the scheme’s subject will be led by experienced practitioners. Writers, directors, publishers and production companies are welcome and anyone considering applying for funding is particularly encouraged to attend.
Name registration is required to secure a workshop space. Those interested in attending should email splanc@filmbase.ie with contact details and an up-to-date 40-word biography. (This information will be made available to other participants. It is hoped a useful database can be created from this registration procedure).
This scheme is administered by TG4. Application forms for Splanc! are available to download from www.tg4.ie
Deadline for submissions is the 31st of July 2006.
For queries on the scheme, please contact Proinsias Ní Ghráinne, Tel + 353 91 505050. Email: proinsias.ni.ghrainne@tg4.ie
