MAY 2023
FIDIL GHORM - Feature Film
We are looking for cast for this new Feature Film. Main part is for a young girl aged between 8-12 to play MOLLY. She must have fluent Irish and the ability to play Fiddle. Filming to take place in September 2023.
Please send in a 1 min clip of your Molly to fidilghorm@gmail.com clearly playing the fiddle and speaking Irish to Camera. Previous acting experience is not a requirement
June 2022 Update
Well since we haven't posted anything for a while we have lots of exciting news and updates
Currently in production
Sloinne - this a 7 x 1 hour series for TG4 which uses a Factual Entertainment approach to do a deep dive behind the stories of Irelands most famous Surnames. We are featuring among other Murphy, Joyce, O'Flathery, O'Donnell and Kelly surnames.
Go Gasta season 3 - Our stalwart entertainment sereis has begin broadcasting on TG4 again every Sunday evening at 2030 with repeats every wednesday at 1930. teh hunt is ongoing for this years ALL IREKLAND GO GASTA CHAMPIONS
Na h-Innealtóirí - our TG4 / BAI science and engineering series is back for a second run. Filming will start in a gfew days time in June wiht another 13 episodes being shot. Rachel Moriarty is back to Direct and favourite presenters Colm O Hanluain and Maria Schaller bothe retrun. Expect more bangs, rockets, electric motors and slaor powerd what nots.
Just wrapped or broadcast
Eco Loach - Production ahs wrapped on our childres environmental series Eco Laoch (Eco Heroes). Funded by TG4 and teh BAI this 7 x 30 min series will broadcats in September 2022 on TG4. Exact dates TBD
Colmcille - The Bold Saint
This commerative documentary 1 hour film on the life of Ireland and Scotlands most influential Saint and Teacher St. COLMCILLE / ST. COLUMBA a co-production with MAC TV in Scotland and Brassneck Films in Derry was aired on simultaneously TG4 adn BBC ALBA on Dec 5th 2021 and was repeated again on June 7th on TG4 this year.
July 14th
IFTA AWARDS
We are delighted and chuffed that our CINE4 feature film FINKY has got 2 nominations for this years IFTA awards. Dara Devaney has been nominated a Best Actor and Louise Meyler has been nominated for Best Make. Huge achievements for both in a super competitive and high quality environment. Time to book the tuxedos and buy the new ball gowns I guess.
July 4th
Hi to all our American friends. All 8 of you. you know who you are.
July 2nd
BIG BREAKING NEWS
Just got news that TG4 are coming on board with us to develop 3 really exciting projects
-
Imeall an Locha a 4 x 1 hour series looking at life along the shores of our Lough Corrib
-
Ag Lorg an Iarla (The Hunt for Red Hugh) a historical landmark doc following the dig for Red Hugh O'Donnels remains in Vallaadolid in Spain
-
Na hInnealtóirí - a kids science series where we explore Engineering science, meet great engineers working on cutting edge projects, build mad stuff and blow the odd thing up (We hope)
June 30th
BIG BREAKING NEWS - GUARANTEED 100% COVID19 SAFE TO SHOOT
So our new format Corona Couples - Love in Lockdown has just been Greenlit to go to series. the pilot was just fantastic and we are delighted to say its now a real International format & world class series. Can't wait to get started on it. Has to be ready to TX in TG4 Autumn schedule. No pressure. It will be one of the highlights for them in September 2020. GUARANTEED 100% COVID19 SAFE TO SHOOT
Series Producer - Bríd Seoighe
Series Director - Pierce Boyce
June 13th
CINE 4 - AN FHIDIL GHORM
Delighted to announce that our new feature film project AN FHIDIL GHORM (The Blue Fiddle) has been selcted for funding for the latest Cine4 scheme by TG4, Screen Ireland and the BAI. Cant wait to tell this heart warming tale in 2021. Filming scheduled for April 2021 - COVID depending. Written by Patricia Forde , to be directed by Anne McCabe and produced for Abú Media by Bríd Seoighe.
May 20th
Corona Couples
Shooting a new pilot in conjunction with TG4. Corona Couples - Love in Lockdown. Amazing couples in Meath and Dublin. Cant wait to edit and show the world that lockdown has lots of positives as well as all the negative stuff.
3 Go Pro cameras
2 Mobile phones
1 Zoom Laptop
2 Couples
Covid Goodie Hamper
Super safe, fun, entertaining, uplifting, positive, life affirming show.
Stay safe and look after each other.
April 20th
Developed a new COVID 19 safe format called Corona Couples - Love in Lockdown. This is available for international partnerships. Super simple, super easy to produce (under our guidance) , totally Covid Safe even in 100% total lockdown. Email pierce@abumedia.com for more details if looking to licence a cracking brilliant new format. Think First Dates meets Mr & Mrs, a dating format for couples already in love.
March 17th
HAPPY SAINT PATRICKS DAY FROM LOCKDOWN
March 12
Covid Schmovid 19
Abú Media closes down due to Covid 19. We have just stood down Go Gasta and Victims of the Vikings due to covid outbreak. in line with best practice and Government and best health advice we cannot be in production until this virus clears. Looking at seeing if we can make Abu HQ safe to be in and work. updates to follow
March 2nd
RTE Broadcasts of our back catalogue
Look out for Crann Na hEireann and An Klondike broadcasting on RTE1 in the coming weeks / months. UPdates to follow wiht dates and times.
Feb 28th
Go Gasta 2
Things taking shape for Go Gasta 2. We can still can fit in a few teams for Season 2 if anyone wants to volunteer to run 10km, carry a big heavy rope all the way, negotiate 11 obstacles and smile at all times! Easy Peasy. Check out the Go Gasta apart of our website or email info@abumedia.com for more info. There may be stuff coming up on twitter too.
January 18th
Victims of the Vikings
So excited to be on recce for this project with Stefan Ludwig (Director) and our Austrian partners. Been to Lettermullen, Lough Corrib, Loch na Fooey and Cragganouwen in Co Clare. Hoping to work with Shannon Heritage on some locations.
January 3rd
BELATED HAPPY NEW YEAR. BEST OF BEST WISHES TO ALL OUR FRIENDS FOR 2020.
December 21st
Closing for Christmas. now and not coming back until mid January. What a year. Finky win best Cinematography Award at Galway Film Fleadh, gets official selection for Black Night Festival in Tallin, The Brigade goes out on RTE1 as part of the War of Independence 100 years commemoration, Colmcille - The Bold Saint in late stages development for TG4/S4C/ILBF/BBC ALBA, Go Gasta 1 airs on TG4 to great ratings and Season 2 already in planning for April 2020, Victims of the Vikings ready to roll in New Year and much much more.
Hope you all enjoyed 2019 and Happy Christmas to all out friends.
November 28th
Black Nights Film Festival Tallin
fantastic time screening Finky at Tallin. Made great contacts and learnt a few Albanian folk songs. Long Story! Sang lots of Karaoke as well. Trip back bit of an adventure. Was due to be 4 hours but took 18 with delays, diversions and what not. Still it was all worth it. Snow ice frost winds...... but I guess that's the Baltics for you.
October 21st
Go Gasta our hit format continues on TG4 this week going out on Sunday27th at 830pm.
This weeks show comes from the far North West of Ireland with teams
from Gweedore (Green) & Cloughaneely (Blue) competing. Run over a 14km distance
there was only 1min 20 seconds between the teams at the end. Such a tight and
exciting race.
Gweedore Team - Cathal De Búrca, Meadhbh Nic Giolla Bhríde, Eamonn McGee
Caoimhe Ní Fhearraigh, Ethan Ó h-Earcain, Kelly Ní Dhomhnaill
Cloughaneely Team - Doireann Nic Pháidín, Cormac Coyle, Grace Doohan, Patrick Kelly
Mary O’Donnell, Conor Mac Giolla Chumhaill
Follow progress on Twitter @go_gasta
October 17th
FINKY our latest feature film has been accepted to the prestigious Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn, Estonia and will screen on Wednesday November 27th at 830pm.
FINKY was directed by Dathai Keane (An Klondike) and has already picked up Best Cinematography Award at the Galway Film Fleadh.
Click here for more info on the official festival website.
October 7th
MIPCOM - representing Abu Media at MIPCOM this year are Bríd Seoighe and Pierce Boyce. We will be actively looking for Distribution deals for our new Family Entertainment format Go Gasta as well as our 2 x 1 hour History series The Brigade and our award winning feature film FINKY. More information on our shows and Meetings can be arranged by emailing info@abumedia.com
October 6th
Go Gasta series starts October 13th at 2030 on TG4. Our new family entertainment show starts this weekend the excitement is palpable as the teams get ready to fight it out every week in our arduous new format. Two teams complete over a course varying for 8km to 16km negotiating numerous obstacles along the way and all the while carrying a 3 metre long rope. for more info follow our Twitter feed on @Go_Gasta
July 12th
FINKY wins Best Cinematography award at the recent Galway Film Fleadh. Cathal Watters was not here to pick up the prestigious award so we did it on his behalf and kept the cheque.
July 8th
FINKY the movie will finally gets its world premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh this week. Starring IFTA winner Dara Devaney it screens on Thursday 11th at 6pm followed by a Q&A with Dathai, Eileen and Pierce. Eileen Seoighe will be attending the Fleadh Marketplace looking for Sales Agents and possible Distribution partners for the film.
July 5th
Go Gasta our new 10 x 1 hour family entertainment series is all set to start shooting on July 16th in Galway. once we finish in Galway we will be moving on to Waterford, Donegal, Cork and finishing up in lovely Kerry. Evan Chamberlain is directing this for us and will air on TG4 in late October. presenters are Máire Treeasa Ní Dhubhghaill
& Conall Ó Máirtín
July 4th
For the day that is in it we are still in production with Máthair Trump (trumps Mother), the story of how Donald Trumps mother came from humble Scottish Island beginnings to bearing a son who would go on to become the 45th President of the United States of America. Her name was Mary Anne McCleod. A co-production with Calum Angus Mackay of Mast-Ard Studio in Lewes, Scotland for broadcast on BBC Alba and TG4.
June 13th
The Brigade goes out on RTE1 tonight at 1015pm. It's been a brilliant production to put together and we hope the people (especially in West Cork) enjoy watching it. Part 2 follows next week at the same time same place. M<Any thanks tot RTE, the BAI (Sound & Vision fund) and the Government of Ireland Film Tax Relief through Section 481 for making it possible to produce this great body of work
May 2nd - Upcoming Markets & Festivals
We have a busy few months ahead with lots of Markets and Festivals to attend.
-
Cannes Film festival : Attending are Eileen Seoighe / Bríd Seoighe & Pierce Boyce from May 16th to 19th
-
Celtic Media festival : Attending are Bríd Seoighe & Eileen Seoighe from June 4th to 6th
-
Belfast Doc Fest : Attending Pierce Boyce on June 13th
-
Sunny Side of the Doc : Attending are Pierce Boyce & Bríd Seoighe from June 24th to 27th
May 1st - The Brigade Update
So we can now confirm that our latest 2 x 1 hour Doc Series The Brigade is to be broadcast on RTE1 for the first time on June 13th and 20th. We are very excited to be bringing this living history project to the Irish audience initially at this time. The series was shot entirely in West Cork in form November 2018 to February 2019 and is funded by RTE, BAI and with the assistance of the Irish Government through the Irish Film Tax Relief Scheme Section 481
March 24th - FINKY Update
So we screened Finky for the first time in the Pálás cinema to a select few on Friday 22nd March and it was most exciting and exhilarating to see it projected on the big screen for the first time. We are in teh final stages of post with it now. Steve Lynch of Stellar Sound is finalising the orchestral music for it which he recorded in Budapest, Eugene McCrystal and his guys in Outer Limits are finalising the picture Grade and we are completing the Audio mix here in Abú HQ.
We can't wait to have it all finalised and debuting on a big screen very very soon. It's super exciting.
March 23rd 2019
EDN Pitch Pilot Workshop - We are delighted to be one of 5 companies selected to participate in the EDN Pitch Pilot Worklshop which is taking place in Galway from April 2nd to 4th.
Five projects have been selected for the EDN Pitch Pilot Workshop to be held in Galway in April with the support of the BAI Sectoral Learning and Development Fund.
Colm Cille The Bold Saint - Abú Media: Bríd Seoighe, Pierce Boyce & Shane Lawles
We Shall not Rust - Ishka Films: Alice McDowell & Julie Flavin
Sins of Ireland - Atom Films: Alex Fegan
Dazzled by Daylight - Lifeblood Films: Maurice O'Brien
Game of Truth - Domino Production / New Decade: Sergio Ghizzardi
The EDN Pitch Pilot Workshop is an intensive 3-day workshop which will focus on the development of Pitch Pilots for these projects. During these three days the selected teams will re-edit their Pilots and make crucial decisions regarding the visual approach to their stories.
March 20th 2019
Series Mania - Abú Media are attending Series Mania in Lille from March 24th until the 28th. We are part of the Irish Delegation organised by Screen Ireland and are pitching our own series idea's as well as looking for potential co-production partners with exciting and engaging series. We can be contacted through the Ireland stand in the Delegates Hall of the Grand Palais
BIG NEWS : IRISH SECTION 481 TAX CREDIT IS NO A MASSIVE 37% IN REGION. YES WE CAN ACCESS 37% OF ALL ELIGIBLE IRISH SPEND BY FILMING WITH US IN GALWAY. YES! YES! YES! THAT'S 37%.
This is a huge boost to Production in Galway and you SHOULD work with us to maximise the 37% BENEFIT
THE BRIGADE - We are currently looking for recruits for our new exciting
living History series which we are producing for RTE1 and the BAI.
Called "The Brigade" it is all about the Cork 3rd Brigade IRA during
the War of Independence or Tan War. This is a very exciting and innovative
project and a great opportunity for you to experience history first hand.
The Brigade recruits will be chosen and put through an intense week long
Boot Camp in West Cork where we will push them to their limits to see if they
have what it would have taken to survive in an active Flying Column.
Recruitment day is February 9th in Clonakilty GAA Club starting at 10am
Full details are available if you email info@abumedia.com
MIPCOM 2018 Update : Bríd Seoighe & Pierce Boyce will be representing Abú Media at MIPCOM 2018 in Cannes. Contact can be made on email with brid@abumedia.com or pierce@abumedia.com. Attending from Sunday 14th until Wednesday 17th. They are actively seeking co-production opportunities and talking about the new 37% tax credit available in the West of Ireland. Yes folks that is 37%
December 18th : FINKY is wrapped.
We wrapped out feature film with a 3 day shoot in Glasgow on Wednesday 12th December. Dermot Diskin is already cutting away here in Abú Media HQ and we expect to deliver this masterpiece in March 2019. We are currently working on a marketing and Festivals strategy for it and check back in here for updates. Finkay stars IFTA award winners Dara Devaney and Ned Dennnehy alone with Fionnuala Gygax, Diarmuid De Faoite and Eoin Geoghegan. It was directed by Dathai Keane and DoP was Cathal Watters.
December 10th : Colmcille - The Bold Saint
Colmcille "The Bold Saint" has secured Celtic development funding from TG4, S4C, MG Alba, the ILBF and also the EBU. This large scale epic retelling the story of one of Ireland's Great Patron Saints will be led by Abú Media along with co-production partners WIldFlame (Wales) and MacTV (Scotland). Development will continue to June and production will start in September 2019.
November 16th : CINE4 Update
As we finish Week 1 of our Feature Film FINKY we just got great news that our next feature script JACKIE COOL has got development funding from TG4, Screen Ireland and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland under the CINE4 scheme.
All things being equal we should be in production with this in November 2019.
November 11th :
Shooting starts Monday 12th November on our latest Feature Film - FINKY. Funded by Screen Ireland, TG4 Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and Section 481 Film relief the 5 week shoot takes place in Galway and Glasgow. Directed by Dathai Keane (An Klondike), Director of Photography Cathal Watters (Peaky Blinders) and starring Dara Devanney, Ned Dennehy and Fionnuala Gygax it is being produced for Abú Media by Eileen Seoighe and Pierce Boyce.
November 2nd :
Filming has just wrapped on the first part of our major historical documentary series The Brigade in West Cork which is due for broadcast on RTE1 in September 2019. An amazing week of filming with a group of history students from Essex University looking to learn about the War of Independence in the west Cork area. Stunning locations, intriguing local experts and living relatives of the men and women who fought in the conflict. Produced for Abú Media by Pierce Boyce and Bríd Seoighe. This series is funded by RTE, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and Section 481 tax relief for Film and TV in Ireland.
4th October 2018 : Had a great and productive visit recently to the Imperial War Museum for The Brigade, our 2 x 1 hour Historical Doc series for RTE & BAI. Only problem, it was way too short. Must return soon for a social call and spend all day there.
10th Sept 2018 : New Website - yes today's news is that we have a new website. Feedback welcome here
7th Sept 2018 : FINKY casting today in Galway Arts Centre, Dominick Street for parts for this new exciting feature film to be directed by Dathai Keane (An Klondike)
5th Sept 2018 : The Brigade is in pre-production and filming is due to start on October 22nd in West Cork. Check local press for call outs for participants and some production crew positions.