IFTN takes a closer look at the nominees of this year’s Best Original Score category at the IFTA Film & Drama Awards, a distinguished short-list which includes composing heavyweights Ray Harman (‘Patrick’s Day’), David Holmes (‘71’), Stephen McKeon (‘Queen and Country’) and Stephen Rennicks (‘Frank’).
Ray Harman, nominated for Terry McMahon’s ‘Patrick’s Day’, is perhaps best known for his work on the landmark RTÉ gangster drama ‘Love/Hate’, which has sold in many territories around the world with a US remake currently in development. Harman’s varied and eclectic filmography includes short films, documentaries, feature films and television shows such as ‘Rubaí’, ‘Here Was Cuba’, ‘From The Dark’ and ‘Damo & Ivor’.
Harman has tasted IFTA success twice in 2004 (‘Timbuktu’) and 2011 (‘Na Cloigne’). He has also bagged two further nominations in 2012 and 2013 for his work on ‘Love/Hate’.
Check out IFTN’s interview with Ray Harman about his work on ‘Patrick’s Day’ here.
‘71’ composer David Holmes joins an elite list of double nominees at this year’s ceremony (a list which includes Emer Reynolds, Andrew Scott, Charlie Murphy, Gerard Barrett, Terry McMahon and Ken Galvin); he directed and produced the short film ‘I Am Here’ which secured a nomination for Best Short Film.
It is not the first time that Holmes has been up for two awards on one night at the IFTA’s. In 2009, Holmes was nominated for his composing work on ‘Cherrybomb’ and ‘Hunger’, walking away with the statuette for the latter project.
David is also well known for his collaborations with Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh on the Ocean’s trilogy (starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt), ‘The Girlfriend Experience’ and ‘Haywire’, the latter of which was shot in Dublin and co-starred Michael Fassbender. Other credits of Holmes includes ‘I Am Belfast’, ‘Perrier’s Bounty’, ‘Good Vibrations’ and ‘Diana’.
‘Queen and Country’ composer Stephen McKeon has previously collaborated with Oscar-nominated filmmaker John Boorman on the Brendan Gleeson starrer ‘The Tiger’s Tail’, which won McKeon a 2007 IFTA Award in this category.
Stephen has also received five previous IFTA nominations for his work on ‘Blind Fight’, ‘The Running Mate’, ‘The Flight Before Christmas’, ‘Savage’ and ‘Thor: Legend of the Magical Hammer’.
Other credits of McKeon’s include long running RTÉ medical drama series ‘The Clinic’, acclaimed Charlie Haughey biopic ‘Charlie’ and the animated film ‘Two By Two’ which is in cinemas now.
Stephen Rennicks has been a key collaborator of filmmaker Lenny Abrahamson over the past decade, working on his films ‘Adam And Paul’, ‘What Richard Did’ and ‘Garage’ (garnering IFTA nods for his work on all three).
He collaborated with Abrahamson again last year on the musical drama ‘Frank’, which already landed Rennicks a British Independent Film Award for Best Technical Achievement.
Check out IFTN’s interview with Rennicks about his work on ‘Frank’ and winning the BIFA Award here.
Other credits of Stephen’s include ‘Man About Dog’, ‘Boy Eats Girl’ and ‘The Stag’ and he is slated to collaborate with Lenny Abrahamson again on the upcoming ‘Room’, as well as with director Paddy Breathnach on ‘Viva’.
The IFTA Film & Drama Awards will take place on Sunday, May 24 – check out the full list of nominees here.