‘TOMMY TIERNAN’S EPIC WEST’
Two part arts series for RTE, broadcast in December 2022
SERIES DIRECTOR: Maurice O’Brien
SERIES PRODUCER: Zlata Filipovic
Prod Company: Crossing the Line
https://www.rte.ie/culture/2022/1212/1341368-epic-west-how-we-made-tommy-tiernans-ultimate-road-trip/:
The production of ‘Tommy Tiernan’s Epic West was a fairly epic endeavour in itself.
I had always had the outsider’s romantic love for the West of Ireland, and wanted to find out why this place had inspired so many artists, writers, musicians and filmmakers over the years. The 100th anniversary of independence seemed a good time to try and dig in to the space it occupies in our imagination given that the West was the cradle of inspiration for so many of the political revolutionaries.
From the beginning we decided to take a very broad definition of ‘The West’, and in the series we travel from Skellig in Co. Kerry all the way to Tory Island off Donegal.
Production began in March 2020 so for most of our filming period covid restrictions meant that there were few festivals and large public gatherings to attend. We spent more time than originally planned with Tommy on his own in various parts of the West - but no better buachaill to knock a bit of crack and a few interesting thoughts out of a field in Carna.
The very first shoot involved spending two nights on Skellig Michael - and it’s hard to think of a more spectacular place to begin. It was such a privilege to have the island to ourselves for three days – well, except for the thousands of puffins who continually whizzed past us. We could probably have made an hour long show out of that trip alone – maybe some day it will see the light of day, like a more psychedelic version of ‘Puffin Rock’ for the spiritually perverse.
Tommy’s aims for the programme were to deepen his sense of connection with the West, and “to find freedom”. I certainly feel more in love than ever with the West and its people. But as to whether Tommy fulfilled his own lofty ambitions – you’ll just have to watch and decide for yourself.
WATCH ON THE RTE PLAYER:
https://www.rte.ie/player/series/tommy-tiernan-s-epic-west/10001209-00-0000?epguid=IP000066433
THE ARTIST AND THE WALL OF DEATH
Feature documentary directed by Maurice O’Brien (Screen Ireland/ Screen Scotland/ RTE/ BBC Scotland/ BAI}
Would you die for your art? In the 'Artist and the Wall of Death', enigmatic Glasgow-based artist, Stephen Skrynka, becomes obsessed with transforming The Wall of Death, a century old fairground motorcycle spectacle, into a place of Art, risking life, limb and hard-won friendships along the way, but finally coming to understand that when Life knocks you to the ground, only Art can break your fall.
World premier at Galway Film Fleadh 2022, UK Premier at Glasgow Film Festival, International premier at Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival.
Directed by Maurice O'Brien
Produced by John Kelleher, Grant Keir and David Power
Edited by John Murphy
Tx'd on RTE and BBC in Autumn 2023
LEAVING LIMBO
A clip from 'Leaving Limbo' - the inspiring story of best friends Minahil and Natasha as they prepare to sit their Leaving Cert, broadcast in RTE1 on New Year's Day, 2020. Directors: Maurice O’Brien and Cara Holmes.
‘THE ABBEY THEATRE - A RIOT OF THEIR OWN’
Observational documentary going behind the scenes of the Irish National Theatre as two new directors take charge promising a revolution…
Filmed and Directed by Maurice O’Brien
LIFEBLOOD FILMS FOR RTE Arts
‘PITCHING UP’
Ancient sports for children in Ireland's most ethnically diverse town.
Filmed, produced and directed by Maurice O’Brien
Guardian Documentaries
‘HEY RONNIE REAGAN’
Directed by Maurice O’Brien and produced with Marmalade Films for the Irish Film Board
World Premier at Tribeca Film Festival
Cinematic 1 x 10 mins short about Ronald Reagan’s 1984 visit to Ballyporeen. Official selection Cork, Dublin, Fastnet, Newport, Dallas, Sydney, Helsinki, IFI Films Fests, international premier at Tribeca 2018