SPEAKERS

The speakers share their career journeys and discuss opportunities and roles within the industry.

Cathy Halloran, A journalist for over four decades, Cathy has been working as the MidWest Correspondent for RTÉ News and Current affairs for 35 years based in Limerick and covering stories in Clare Limerick and Tipperary for RTÉ TV Radio and our RTÉ News Online page. Prior to her work with RTÉ, she was a journalist with the Connacht Tribune Newspaper in Galway, and started off her journalistic career working for The Farmer Magazine in Dublin in 1980.

Mark Maher is CEO, Founder and Creative Director at Odyssey Studios. He has brought 17 years of international experience in the industry as a Concept, Lead or Head Model Maker to Odyssey Studios which he started to bring world class model making to the world. His credits include The Hobbit (The Battle of the Five Armies, The Desolation of Smaug and An Unexpected Journey), Alice Through the Looking Glass, Penny Dreadful and Into the Badlands to name a few. He can be seen building miniature cities, spaceships, Apes, Aliens, Zombies, Dinosaurs and more.

Simon Hepworth is a BAFTA winning Television Director. Simon originally from the UK Simon has a years of experience directing for television his highlights include, Big Brother, Top Of The Pops, in 2004 he won a BAFTA Children’s Award for Dick and Dom in da Bungalow. He has directed The Great Irish Bake Off and Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year Awards show 2021 and 2022.

Grainne Coughlan. MakeUp Artist, Grainne studied fine art and painting after school but was always passionate about the art of make-up and found herself going back to it time and time again. Painting faces is an extension of her creativity. When the opportunity arose, she returned to study and completed a diploma in film and media make-up. This began her career in television, film and theatre. Her highlights include Ros na Rún (TG4) Souvenirs (The Prine Family, The Mick Lally Theatre, RTÉ Radio One and South Wind Blows); Mary Coughlan at the Town Hall Theatre, Keys to Your Life, Vanilla (RTÉ); Creative Hearts, The Mighty Ocean (TG4); I Am Patrick (Netflix). Toy Show the Musical and Druid: The Cavalcaders.

Deirdre Barry is the Programme Director for the new National Talent Academy for Animation, launched in January 2022. Deidre has over 25 years of experience in the global animation industry, having started her career in Los Angeles for HBO. Her previous roles were Head of Production for Monster Entertainment, Ceo of Salty Dog Pictures and CEO of Avalon Films.

Derek Ugochukwu is a writer and director who graduated with a master’s degree in Screenwriting for Film & Television from the National Film School, IADT in 2019. His short film, To All My Darlings inspired from his Nigerian-Irish community to reveal the wonderful multicultural side of contemporary Ireland was shortlisted for the 2021 BAFTA Student Awards. It also won the Audience Award for best short film at the 2021 Dublin International Film Festival. In addition to his skill as writer/director, Derek is also an actor known for his roles in Cold Courage, Nightflyers, Honest, and other feature films. Consequences is his first feature-length screenplay. Recently Derek has been named one of Screen International Rising Star 2023.

Faye Shortt is an up and coming actress and is following in the family footsteps. Faye graduated from The Gaiety school of Acting in 2019 and Bow street Academy of Screen Acting full time course in 2020. She has since toured with Pat Shortt Faye has appeared in a number of short films including Warts and All and Give him Time and has just wrapped on a feature film which is now in post production.

Sean Flynn is locations manager most recently known for The Wonder starring Florence Pugh and television series, Hidden Assets filmed in Co Clare. Sean began his film career working in many different areas of the film industry including assistant director. Sean is a member of The Location Guild of Ireland.

Presented in Association with Screen Ireland