This article is from page 35 of the 2007-05-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 35 JPG
WHAT does a Californian boyband, reality television and the Burren have in common? Manband, a new feature film by Lisdoonvarna writer/director Dermott Petty, ties all three together in a seamless dark comedy.
The film, which was shot in Los Angeles last year, receives it’s Irish debut in Glor this weekend.
“Tt’s a feature film that I made in California. It’s a dark comedy about a boyband made up of middle aged men and a reality TV show,” said Dermott.
“It starts with a pair of record pro-
ducers who are going through a bad ey lKeee
“They decide to try the band with a group of middle aged men but it’s all a mess from the start. They can’t sing, can’t dance, they are hopeless. A video of them somehow get broad- cast by accident as a reality TV show and amazingly becomes a hit.”
Originally from Lisdoonvarna, Dermott left Ireland in the 1980’s and has been based in Los Angeles for the last 11 years.
“It was shot on a really small budg- et. If fact it was all shot on weekends because we all had full time jobs during the week. It was a really great
experience,’ he continued.
“We were able to break all of the rules, there is about 50 speaking roles in the film for example. After doing it I felt like I could do anything. That is one of the reasons why I decided to return to Ireland.
After years trying to break into the business as a writer, Dermott felt the time was right to go it alone and pull together a feature film off his own bat.
“T directed and wrote the film as- well-as doing a little bit of everything else. | have done a short movie before and a load a scripts.
A lot of them were close to being
taking up but for some reason or an- other they never quite made it,” con- tinued Dermott.
“So I figured I would just go out and make a feature film myself. I was a punk rocker years ago and it’s start- ing to become a similar situation in Hollywood. You have to go out and make things happen for yourself and be bold.”
Manband will be given it’s Irish debut in Glor in Ennis on Saturday, June 2, at 2.15pm.
For more information on_ the Manband gig check out www. burrenproductions.com or _ email dermottpetty@hotmail.com