Oracle Pictures and Orion Productions are currently in pre-production for Seanchaí, a new Irish mythology series based on old Celtic stories.
Created by Alan Dunne, written and directed by Alan Dunne and Eamonn Tutty (both award winning writer/directors) and co-produced by Damian Byrne (Oracle) and Sinéad O’ Riordan (Orion), the mythology series is set to excite, inspire and bring the oldest of Irish traditions back to the forefront of our culture.
[quote]With shows like Game Of Thrones, Vikings and many other mythology based series currently in production in Ireland, both of which are at their height of popularity, there has never been a better time to bring the full canon of Irish mythology to the screen[/quote] says Dunne.
The promo for Seanchaí which was filmed in the Wicklow mountains (Burschi Wojnar – DOP) and which has already been submitted into RTE as part of their Storyland incentive, stars one of Ireland’s most respected and renowned actors, Owen Roe, who says, [quote]For as long as I can remember, I have always been captivated by those rare creatures, the great storytellers. As a kid I listened constantly to old recordings of some of the greats of the radio age. People like Valentine Dyall (The Man in Black), Bill Mitchell (a classic recording on vinyl of Edgar Allen Poe stories), Orson Welles and, our very own and dearly missed, Eamon Kelly (Stories From an Irish Fireside).
As a result I always took great joy in telling or reading stories to my own children(captive audiences whether they liked it or not)attempting to emulate their various styles with a rightly judged pause, knowing when to lighten the moment, sometimes allowing a heavy silence to descend before a poignant revelation in the tale. I loved it! So when asked to be the storyteller in Seanchaí, I had been handed one gift of a gig. One I immensely enjoyed being a part of. A pure labour of love.[/quote]
Hours of work have already been poured into this project from prop and costume making to storyboarding and developing art concepts. The production team behind the making of this promo have worked extensively on productions such as Penny Dreadful & Ripper Street and much credit is due to Paula Fajardo, Lilla Nurie, Ciara Gannon, Tee Elliott & Táine King.
http://vimeo.com/102920272
Storytelling is one of Ireland’s oldest traditions and something we are renowned for worldwide. The Seanchaí was known to have gone from town to town telling these stories for a living, and in doing so passed down these stories from generation to generation. These stories are still with us today because of this. What makes Seanchaí an original and exciting series, according to Dunne and Tutty, is that it will incorporate a brand new mixing of fiction and format television. It is structured for casual viewing but rewards continuous viewing by telling one off stories that will have re-occurring characters. A world inhabited by minor characters, each with their own story being told within a larger world.
[quote]We plan to start at the beginning and tell the stories of the Tuatha De Danann, The Children of Lír, the love between Finn MacCool and Sadbh and how Cuchulainn got his name. These are just four well known mythology stories from a very large collection of tales[/quote] continues Dunne. Producer/Director, Damian Byrne (The Nymph, Cuchulainns Lament) and Actor/Producer, Sinéad O’Riordan (Stolen, Bible Basher, Coming Out) wholeheartedly believe that this is a series worthy of commissioning and they will be approaching major TV channels to pitch their project, seeking funds and are fully committed to realizing it’s creative intent.