Main pic: Ciarán McCann (left) and Shaun Doogan of Re-Act Productions.
Dungloe-based Re-Act Productions is the recipient of the 2023 Donegal Film Bursary funded by Creative Ireland.
Famous for their Daniel O’Donnell horror ‘Night of the Daniels’, Re-Act is a film production company founded in 2018 by childhood best friends Ciarán McCann and Shaun Doogan. They both studied and graduated in Animation at ATU Donegal, Letterkenny.
Aideen Doherty, of the Donegal Film Office at Donegal County Council, commented: “Donegal Film Office is committed to developing the sector within the county so it is great news that a Donegal duo are the recipients. This production will afford Donegal talent, crew and services the opportunity to participate. I am delighted for Re- Act productions and am looking forward to seeing what they deliver.”
Before starting Re-Act Productions, Shaun and Ciarán used to make their own videos and short films together before turning their talent into a business. This experience with creative film making and their background in animation has allowed them to push the boundaries of what’s expected and to bring fresh, engaging content to audiences.
Both Ciarán and Shaun have had small roles in film crews on various productions across Ireland including ‘Game of Thrones, ‘In the Land of Saints and Sinners’ and ‘Four Letters of Love’. This experience, along with their passion for filmmaking, has inspired them to dive into creating their own shorts, and maybe one day, feature films.
Their first short film/music video, ‘Night of the Daniels’ won the ‘Silver Award’ for ‘Best Short’ at the Sandbar International Film Awards. It was officially selected for the Achill Island Film Festival, and the 14th Underground Cinema Film Awards.
Commenting on the news Re- Act Productions added: “We’ve always felt that Donegal is a candy shop for filmmakers and it’s fantastic that we’re seeing Donegal on the big screen more and more in recent years. This is in no small part to the huge amount of effort and work put in by the Donegal Film Office to promote and foster filmmaking in this wonderful part of the world. We’re extremely excited to receive the Donegal Film Bursary. With it, we’re hoping to make something that you’ve never seen before, with our rich, seaside heritage and stunning locality serving as the perfect backdrop for our short film. We’d like to say a huge thank you to the Donegal Film Office for supporting us.”
The film office was delighted with the number and quality of the applications submitted.
Applicants for the bursary were required to show significant accomplishment in their field or display a high degree of promise in their ability to sustain the industry in the county. All submissions were assessed by an independent, expert panel.
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