In Conversation With…

Would you like a tea or coffee Ed?

Coffee please

Sit down and tell us about yourself…

I joined Windmill in 2022 as Head of Operations. Prior to arriving at Windmill I was lucky enough to fulfil a childhood dream and worked for almost 2 decades in the animation industry. I also teach animation production techniques in a local animation degree program.  I grew up consuming as much Movies, TV, and video games as I could get away with; everything from ‘Street Hawk’ to ‘Thundercats’, ‘The Goonies’ to ‘Road To Perdition’, ‘Duck Hunt’ to ‘Left for Dead’.  I can still occasionally be found watching cartoons and eating giant bowls of cereal while trying to convince my kids to rewatch all 7 seasons of ‘Hill Street Blues’.

Favourite TV theme tune?

Has to be either ‘Jayce and The Wheeled Warriors’ or ‘Magnum PI’.

Work you’re most proud of?

I try to bring energy to every project I’m involved in, but watching former students of mine embark on their careers and fulfil their potential is something I’m very proud to have contributed to.

Favourite joke?

Anybody who’s spent any length of time with me knows that I have a penchant for groan inducing dad jokes. One of my all time favourites is:

How do you organise a party in space? You Planet!

But… you can’t have a party in space.  There’s no atmosphere.

Favourite social channel?

Reddit

Tip for anyone looking to work in film & tv?

Talent can only ever get you so far. Attitude, attention to detail, consistency and (sometimes) a thick skin are equally, if not more, valuable. Don’t take advice from me though, take some from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson; “Be the hardest worker in the room”. 

What song should people listen to after reading this?

Colter Wall – The Devil Wears a Suit and Tie

 

Ed Smith IMDB

Ed Smith LinkedIn

Windmill Lane make Key Appointments

 

Windmill Lane make Key Appointments

Windmill Lane is Ireland’s leading picture and sound post-production, VFX and content creation studio. Having experienced a buoyant start to 2022 – it has recently announced a number of new senior appointments; VFX Producer Louise Ní Chonchúir, Ed Smith as Head of Operations and Jason Gaffney taking on the role of Marketing Manager. In 2023 Windmill Lane will celebrate 45 years in business and in advance continue to grow headcount, their VFX department, service offerings as well as its focus on the domestic Irish market. Commenting on recent appointments, CEO of Windmill Lane, Dave Quinn, said “As we near 45 years in business – our ambition has not abated even slightly. In fact I believe recent hires represent an intention to grow, diversify and to stay on the forefront of technological advancements – key to our corporate objectives. Through the appointments of Louise, Ed and Jason – we are harvesting over 40 years of knowledge and experience across our key sectors“.

Appointments

Ed Smith joins the Windmill Lane team after 18 years with Boulder Media where he was Head of Post Production. Speaking today Ed said “I fell in love with all things Post Production while working so closely with the Windmill crew over the last few years. When the opportunity arose to work with such an incredible team on so many challenging and dynamic projects , I knew I had to grab it with both hands.

Jason Gaffney has spent the last 6 years with LinkedIn working as an Account Director having previously worked with, among others, Boys + Girls and IFTN. “Coming from a film and marketing background I have worked across; film, tv, commercials and tech for the last 10 years. Working as Marketing Manager for a business as reputable as Windmill Lane felt like a natural progression as well as a great opportunity“. 

VFX

Windmill Lane’s VFX division started out over 10 years ago with Luc Besson’s space prison sci-fi Lockout. In the years that followed Windmill Lane have worked on shows and films for Netflix, Rai, AMC, BBC, HBO and SKY. Head of VFX for Windmill Lane, John Kennedy discusses Windmill Lanes approach to VFX; “Our (Windmill’s) approach to VFX is informed by decades of post production experience and it means we are invested in projects from start to finish. We are at our best when we collaborate closely with producers and directors to solve problems and deliver world class results. Our track record is testament to this. Working with clients globally – we help leverage tax incentives, we offer competitive partnerships but for us the quality of our work is paramount”

Los Angeles 

Between 17th-23rd May Windmill Lane will be on the ground in Los Angeles for IrelandWeek. IrelandWeek aims to continue to showcase where Ireland excels, in the fields of Entertainment, Arts, Culture, Tourism, Tech, Food, Fashion & Business. This b2b showcase will include leaders from Ireland and the USA with a key topic being ‘Ireland at the centre of the VFX revolution’. This year Minister for Arts & Culture Catherine Martin will address the event and will be keen to highlight how Ireland has become a centre of excellence for VFX comparable to any standard globally.

Speaking ahead of the trip Deborah Doherty, Head of Production for Windmill Lane, said “We’re delighted to be on the panel of Ireland Connects next week in Los Angeles supported by Screen Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. It’s a great opportunity to showcase Ireland and Windmill’s talent on a global stage and while the world has become so much smaller in many ways in recent years, it’s fantastic to be able to connect with some of our current clients in person.

Fastnet Film Festival Puttnam Award open for entries

Applications are open for the Fastnet Film Festival’s Puttnam Award, which is awarding €20,000 to fund production of one live-action drama.

Short films should be a maximum duration of 10-mins, made on the Cork Wild Atlantic Way and have a theme connecting to “The New Normal”.

Four finalists will be selected by a panel of industry judges to take part in a pitching event during Fastnet Film Festival 2021 (26–30 May), and the winner will be announced on Sunday 30 May 2021.

The winning film will have its premiere screening in Schull in May 2022.

Deadline for applications is 12 noon on Monday 1st March so get your applications in soon.

Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival 2021 announced for March 3-14

The Dublin International Film Festival is back from 3-14 March with a re-imagined physical and digital 2021 festival featuring an exciting multi-platform programme of drive-in, cinema and online screenings crafted to fit the challenges of the ‘new normal’.
The full line up was announced with a special ‘drive-in’ event, and this year’s programme includes exciting new Irish and International feature films and documentaries, seven programmes of short films, alongside archive programmes, virtual red carpets, special artist tributes, panels, interactive workshops and Q&As with cast and filmmakers.
The 2021 Virgin Media Festival Closing Gala will be the world premiere of Rachel Carey’s highly anticipated Irish comedy ‘Deadly Cuts’, where the stylists of a Dublin hair salon become accidental vigilantes as they take on a local gang threatening their community.
 
For more information and tickets: www.diff.ie

THE BALLYMURPHY PRECEDENT lined up for Foyle Film Festival

The Foyle Film Festival returns with a full virtual line up from November 20th-29th.

One of the titles we had the pleasure of working on was THE BALLYMURPHY PRECEDENT, Callum Macrae’s BAFTA-nominated documentary which investigates the deaths of 11 innocent people at the hands of the British Army in a Catholic estate in Belfast in 1971, and asks the question, did this secret massacre lead directly to the Bloody Sunday Killings just 6 months later?

John Pilger called it, ‘A landmark film. The sheer humanity makes the crimes committed and the justice denied unforgettable.’

Screening on Saturday 21st Nov 14:00

https://www.foylefilmfestival.org/whats-on/film/ballymurphy-precedent-0

Credits: Director: Callum Macrae DOP: Huw Walters Editor: Charlie Hawryliw

For Windmill Lane:

Editorial Assistant: Martin Fanning Colourist: Aaron Carroll Dialogue Editor: Jordan Mullen Sound Effects Editor: Dom Lawrence Re-Recording Mixer: Mark Henry

Cynthia airs as part of RTÉ’s SHORTSCREEN

If you’re looking for something great to watch we have two shorts on the RTÉ Player as part of their Shortscreen collection, which highlights the best of Irish short films every Monday night on RTÉ2 and all day every day on the RTÉ Player for the next 30 days.

Over the course of a fraught evening, Cynthia navigates her once familiar circle of friends and comes to realise that some bridges can’t be mended.

Starring Clare Dunne, Moe Dunford, Valerie O’Connor, Peter Campion and Caoimhe O’Malley.

Check it out now on the www.rte.ie/player.

Credits: Director: Jack Hickey Producer: Lara Hickey DOP: Philip Blake Editor: Julian Ulrichs

For Windmill Lane: Editorial Assist: Oisin O’Connell Colourist: Aaron Carroll Online Editor: Robbie O’Farrell Post Production Supervisor: Sarah O’Carroll Audio Post Supervisor: Sinead Brady Re-Recording Mixer: Jordan Mullen

Andrew Baird’s been making us blush

Check out director Andrew Baird talking to IFTN about ZONE 414 and his new feature ONE WAY (starring Travis Fimmel and Kevin Bacon). Lots of news from Andrew and he had some really lovely comments about working with the team here at Windmill.

We loved working with him too and we’re looking forward to doing it all again.

We think “world-class” Tim Morris, John Kennedy, Nadège Dumont, Sarah Caraher, Matt Branton, Fionan Higgins and Martin Fanning might be blushing a little right now.

Read the full article here: http://www.iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4293712&tpl=archnews&force=1

SOMETHING DOESN’T FEEL RIGHT Scoops Best Horror in LA

Big congratulations to director Fergal Costello, producer Fiona Kinsella and DOP Philip Blake as ‘Something Doesn’t Feel Right’ has just nabbed Best Horror at the LA Shorts International Film Festival 2020, rather aptly on Halloween 2020.

Credits:
Director: Fergal Costello
Producer: Fiona Kinsella
DOP: Philip Blake
Editor: Stephen Staunton

For Windmill Lane:
Colourist. Aaron Carroll
Online Editor. Robbie O’Farrell

It’s a Pony Life

We’re delighted to see that MY LITTLE PONY: PONY LIFE will be starting on Discovery Family on Nov 7th in the US. The Number 4/Audio team here spent many months working with the gang in Boulder Media on the all-new series featuring brand-new adorable character designs inspired by Japanese Chibi-style animation. Each 11-minute bite-sized episode features playful stories grounded in modern-kid dilemmas with over-the-top humour and magic.

Fans can expect to see dialled-up personalities, energy and tone and each pony now has a signature “adorability” power that boosts their personality in an outrageously wacky way!

For Boulder Media:
  • Director: Adrian Ignat
  • Production Manager: Abbie Browne
  • Art Director: Aleksandra “Alex” Vetter
  • Ep. Directors: Paul O’Flanagan & Gillian Comerford
  • Post Supervisor: Ed Smith
For Windmill Lane:
  • Online Editor: Robbie O’Farrell
  • Sound Mix: Dom Lawrence and Ed Costello
  • Sound Editors: Conall O’Brien, Ryan Quinn, Jordan Mullen, Denis O’Connor, Kate Dineen
  • Post Coordinator: Aurora Brenan

Cork International Film Festival kicks off on 4th November

Cork International Film Festival 2020, which is celebrating it’s 65th anniversary, opens on November 4th with the multi-award winning ‘NOMADLAND’, starring Frances McDormand in what The Guardian has called “the performance of her career”.

It’s already won the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival’s People’s Choice award, so a real coup for Festival Director Fiona Clark and Director of Programming Anna Kopecká.

We’re definitely looking forward to seeing this one. CIFF2020 will be a blended 12 day physical-virtual event, delivering a full programme of predominantly Irish premieres of films by new and established Irish and international filmmakers to audiences physically in Cork City and County from 4th-8th November, and nationwide online from 8th-15th November.

Tickets are on sale at corkfilmfest.org.