The announcement of the BAI Sound and Vision II funding marked a major success for TG4 in being awarded the highest sum of €530,000 for new comedy drama series ‘Barney Bunion’.
Commissioning Editor Mícheál O’ Meallaigh spoke to IFTN about the six new TG4 programmes/documentaries given the financial green light today to go into development.
‘Barney Bunion’ - produced by Cul a’ Tigh Teoranta for TG4 - was created by Seán McGinley (Seán Mac Fionnghaile), the late Donegal actor who starred in 'CU Burn', 'Gleann Ceo' and was executive producer in the 12-part series 'FFC’.
‘It’s been in development for a long time. Seán had this idea of a comedy series about a guy who’s unemployed who sets up his own private eye investigative operation. The first episode is an hour long to establish the characters and there are five half-hour episodes after that,’ Mr O’Meallaigh said.
‘GIG - An Gaeilgeoir is Greannmhaire' - produced by Good Company Productions - was awarded BAI funding of €230,000.
‘The idea is to find the best stand-up comic in the Irish language. As we don’t have a tradition of stand-up comedy in Irish, we thought this would be an opportunity to find Irish speaking people who have a natural leaning towards comedy and have them mentored by experts in the field. We’ve asked Tommy Tiernan and Des Bishop to take part but that depends on their schedules.
‘The contestants would then practice in front of an audience and perform in the various comedy clubs around the country. Six would be chosen initially and we would eliminate people along the way and the final would be a competition at the Oireachtas in November,’ Mr O’Meallaigh said.
‘Tea With The Dead – Life, Death and a Packet of Digestives’ – an animated series by Wigglewoo Ltd – was granted €205,000 in BAI funding.
‘It’s an adult animation series about an undertaker who has conversations with his clients, namely the dead bodies. There are five seven minute long episodes and the show is black humour.’
‘Lockout'- produced by Ferndale Films Limited for TG4 - was awarded €95,000 by the BAI.
‘It’s a one-off documentary to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the Dunnes Stores workers’ strike in 1984, which they did in protest against handling goods from Apartheid South Africa,’ Mr O’ Meallaigh said.
‘Nancy Corrigan Eitleoiracla’ - produced by Gmarsh TV Productions for TG4 - was awarded €93,000 by the BAI.
‘Nancy Corrigan was a very famous aviator from the 1930s and 40s, like the Irish version of Amelia Earhart. The documentary will look back at her story and history.’
At the age of 17 in 1929, Nancy Corrigan left her home in Owenduff in Achill for Cleveland, Ohio - eventually becoming the second female commercial pilot in the US. She subsequently took part in high-speed air races and was employed by the US Air Force during World War II to train many of their fighter pilots.
‘Páidí Ó Sé – Rí an Pharóiste’ - produced by Magamedia Teo for TG4 – received €72,000 in BAI funding.
‘It’s a documentary about Páidí through the eyes of his neighbours and his family. It won’t just be a white wash job, it will be more than that. But it will focus on his demons and strong points.’
