The Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, TD, has signed an order which appoints June 18th, 2018 as the date on which the name of the Bord Scannán na hÉireann/Irish Film Board will be changed to Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland. The change comes following the announcement of this date at the launch of Investing in our Culture, Language and Heritage 2018-2027, announced as part of Project Ireland 2040 on April 10th.
The change of name to Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland recognises and encompasses the widening remit of the agency and gives a greater voice to Irish creative storytelling talent on screen. The name change reflects the vision which the Government has for a vibrant film and screen content production sector in Ireland; bringing more Irish stories to more audiences across all platforms.
The way in which audiences see and hear stories on screen has evolved rapidly over the last number of years and with that evolution, the opportunities to have stories and voices seen and heard across a host of platforms has increased exponentially. Screen Ireland will support and nurture Irish talent by funding the development, production and distribution of feature films, feature documentaries, short films, TV animation series and TV drama series. Screen Ireland’s objective is to ensure that Irish stories are represented on emerging digital platforms, alongside the existing, traditional and much-loved cinema and television formats.
Screen Ireland reflects the evolution of screen storytelling as well as our ambition and vision for the future of Ireland’s film and screen sector. It is indicative of a more inclusive and representative name for both the Irish creative talent working on storytelling on screen and audiences for this work.
Earlier this year, the Irish Government announced their commitment of an investment of €200 million in media production and the Irish audio-visual industry and this unprecedented commitment will further consolidate Screen Ireland’s efforts to fully realise the ambitions of Pillar 4 of Creative Ireland, which is to make Ireland a global centre of excellence for media production.
Operating under Screen Ireland allows the agency to wholly fulfil its expanding remit and to support Irish creative talent in new and exciting ways, so that our uniquely Irish stories can reach further than ever before.
Annie Doona, Chair – Screen Ireland
The driving force behind the Irish Film Board was to support and nurture diverse Irish creative filmmaking talent and this is something to which Screen Ireland will remain strongly and unequivocally committed. Supporting the development and production of creative talent telling stories in cinemas, on television and online remains the agency’s number one priority.
There is an international revolution happening within the audio-visual sector and the traditional, clear distinction between feature films in cinemas and drama on television has now evolved into a more complex environment, largely driven by a host of new internet platforms, alongside the continued success of the traditional film and TV industry. Thanks to the increased Government support for the Irish audio-visual industry, announced as part of Project Ireland 2040, Screen Ireland will be able to facilitate and support Irish voices and their stories in Ireland and on the international stage on traditional and emerging platforms.
It is estimated there are more than 17,000 full-time equivalent jobs in the Irish audio-visual sector and the gross value added of the sector exceeds €1 billion annually. Detailed figures are expected to be published shortly in the Department-commissioned Olsberg SPI Report, which will provide a strategic framework for the development of the industry over the next five years.
Screen Ireland will be at the heart of these developments and we look forward to working closely with our stakeholders to capitalise on the growth opportunities within the sector and to provide support, encouragement and nurturing to Irish creative talent to ensure this vision becomes a reality.
James Hickey, Chief Executive – Screen Ireland
The name Screen Ireland/Fís Éireann will reflect the broader remit of the agency as the promoter of the Irish film, TV and animation sector. Thanks to the increased Government support for the Irish audio-visual industry, €200m over 10 years, which was announced as part of Project Ireland 2040, Screen Ireland will continue to support and nurture Irish talent by funding the development, production and distribution of the screen content industry.
Josepha Madigan, TD – Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht