thePULSEPULSE FILM: A Tale of Two Fledging Film Companies
Shamrock Films& VisionCraft Productions
Kenney’s goal is to make a film that Irish American audiences can be proud of and that they, and the general public, will want to watch over and over again. He explained, “Townies, even in pre-production, has already been said to be the Irish version of Goodfellas. I didn’t just replace the ziti with potatoes; it’s much more than that. Moviegoers are going to get a true account of what it’s like to live a life within the Irish Mafia in Massachusetts.”
The screenplay for “Townies” tells the story of Mickey Callaghan, an excon who falls in with a mob boss following his release from prison. Their relationship sours rapidly and Callaghan rapidly becomes immersed in hostility and fatality.
The Irish mafia has fascinated Kenney since he was a child, as have all things Irish, including the stereotypical shamrocks, boxing and drinking. He boxed for a year in his twenties but gave it up when he realized it didn’t mix well with socializing and a “normal” life. Kenney began considering a career in film after he received encouragement from some film indus-try veterans while he was working as an extra on the film Monument Ave. in 1997. By the middle of ‘04, Kenney was busy surfing craigslist (www.craigslist.com), a sort of nation-wide, community-centered site known for attracting artists and would-be artists, amongst others, in search of parts in low-budget independent films. Too often, though, he found screenplays that were disappointing in their predictability. “The scripts I read didn’t interest me, it was all clichéd material that had been done many times before on-screen. It was then that I committed all my efforts to creating my own original movie.”
In Townies, audiences can expect a gangster movie devoid of the usual fancy silk suits, pinky rings and Cadillacs. Kenney explained that his characters drive regular cars, wear regular clothes and drink regular beer to escape the daily grind; they’re characters that regular people can relate to in spite of their brutal nature. He expects Townies to initially attract an audience of males from 18-35. But the film is not just about brutality and mobsters, it’s about much more, and that’s what Kenney hopes people will take away from it. The film is about having pride in your heritage, about casting aside stereotypes, and about realizing that decent people can be drawn into “indecent” circumstances.
Kenney hopes to begin screening Townies in Massachusetts theaters, especially in larger cities like Worcester that are known for having an independent and foreign film niche. He said, “It’s really important to me that Townies is engaged in theaters in the Worcester area where there is a significant Irish population.” Kenney also hopes that others interested in the film industry will be inspired by his process and will consider starting their own projects. Shamrock Films encourages persons of Irish descent to submit their headshots and resumes. No definite casting date has been set, but for more information about Towniesand about Shamrock Films, please visit www.towniesmovie.com.
VisionCraft Productions
By Lisa M. Robbins
VisionCraft Productions, based in Lancaster, MA, is a relative newcomer to the local indie film scene but already has a ful length film poised for distribution to small arthouses in the Central MA area: “Cracked,” shot entirely in the Worcester area and starring local actors, deals with themes of alienation and shines a light on the dystopia of modern society. As is the case with Shamrock Films, VisonCraft has its roots in creative frustration; Executive Producer Damian Bonazzoli was so disappointed by the general quality of available screenplays and scripts that he decided to take matters into his own hands. “There are very talented artists who just happen not to live in California or New York, who happen to believe that creative expression in the film medium shouldn’t have to happen only within those two states. There is a wealth of talent right here in New England.”
It was this belief that gave birth to VisonCraft. The young company was created to give local actors, filmmakers, screenwriters, musicians and artists of all types the opportunity to explore and display their talents in the film/video medium. “The process is a collaborative effort,” reports Cinematographer Brian Daigle. “Although actors have their specific jobs as do the artistic and technical folks, there’s so much quality input from everyone. It’s like everyone was just waiting for someplace to channel all this creativity. We all have the common goal of creating something great, something that gives the local film scene some credibility.”
VisionCraft encourages people to submit work samples, original musical compositions, resumes, and headshots. Its next project, a drama entitled “A Terrible Darkness,” is scheduled to begin shooting in late August. Please send submissions/inquiries to visioncraftproductions@ yahoo.com.
