heritageatplay

Archive for the ‘Playing Irish’ Category


Conclusions

In Playing Irish, Reflections, Updates on October 10, 2010 at 7:26 pm

It has now been weeks since we premiered “Playing Irish” at the Newport Public Library. In that interim, the Heritage at Play team has been busy mailing out DVDs to our sponsors, friends, colleagues, and project participants. We have also been working on some formal conclusions to the project, with an eye to review what we did, how we did it, and why we did it the way we did.

For both of us, the Heritage at Play project was an absolute joy. It’s challenges and hundreds of hours of work were validated in a simple experiment. We showed the film to a public audience we did not know, and they enjoyed it. In fact, they wanted to know more about Gaelic Games. An Irishwoman in attendance told us we had captured “the entire ethos” of gaelic games and what they mean to the Irish. An American told us he was smitten with the beauty and uniqueness of the games. Both of these responses create great satisfaction for us, as appeasing these two populations with different agendas was our ultimate goal.

Read on for the full, formal conclusions:

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“Playing Irish” Premiering This Weekend

In News, Playing Irish, Updates on September 13, 2010 at 7:58 pm

Playing Irish a 2010 documentary by Colleen Brogan & Zachary McCune will premiere in Newport

NEWPORT, R.I. – This Saturday (September 18th), Colleen Brogan & Zachary McCune will premiere their “Playing Irish” documentary at the Newport Public Library. The event will be free and open to the public. Nearly two months since the pair left Ireland, and three weeks since the team completed the film, the event will mark a celebratory conclusion to the Heritage at Play project. The Newport Public Library is located at 300 Spring Street Newport, Rhode Island and the screening will begin at 4:30 pm. A question and answer session with the filmmakers will follow, and items collected during the filming of “Playing Irish” will also be shared.

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Lessons from the Field

In Playing Irish, Reflections, Travel on September 2, 2010 at 9:51 pm

So the video is finally UP! And we could not be prouder. This project was challenging on every level, but we were thrilled for the opportunity and wanted to produce a high quality, intermedia documentary with professional level content, videography, and product.

None of this would have been possible without the generous AT&T New Media Fellowship and the support of the Watson Institute for International Studies and the Global Conversation blog. We were honored to be in the company of outstanding students, alumni, and faculty of Brown pursuing fascinating and forward-thinking topics and issues on an international scale. We have enjoyed the project and the collaboration immensely, and greatly hope that the AT&T New Media Fellowship will continue and grow in the following years, as it has been an incredibly influential project for us and we know many who would appreciate the same opportunity.

With that being said, as part of the first (we hope, of many) iteration of the AT&T New Media Fellows, we thought it only proper to offer some of our tried-and-true lessons from the field. Brown University and a liberal arts education prepares you for many challenges in life, but there were some specific skills and lessons we learned that were absolutely vital to a high-level media production skills while abroad. We thought we would share some of those lessons here, and hope you will add anything you have learned (here’s looking at our fellow AT&T Fellows!).

1. Don’t skimp on the multimedia tools you will need for success: besides cameras and tripods and necessary audio equipment, don’t forget to buy a cell phone (preferably with a 3G signal at minimum), wireless modem, or some way to ensure steady Internet access with decent bandwith. We found, unfortunately, that though Internet was widely available in Ireland, often it was very low bandwidth, so it would take 2-5 hours to upload one of our 5-minute videos–often these hours were spent in a cafe using the free wireless, biding our time over cappuccinos and croissants. Ensure that

a. you are producing content that isn’t so huge it will be impossible to upload

b. you have access to consistent Internet and bandwidth to upload your polished product.

[Click below to keep reading ... ]

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‘Playing Irish’ Completed!

In Broadcasts, Playing Irish, Updates on September 1, 2010 at 2:55 am

Playing Irish a film about gaelic games by Zachary McCune and Colleen Brogan

After dark, wet week in Cambridge, Mass. Colleen and I were able to complete our feature documentary. The result, a 32-minute exploration of what gaelic games are and what they mean to the Irish who play them, is cheerfully titled “Playing Irish.” The title is inspired as much by our experiences as filmmakers in Ireland, playing along within a world of Irish sports and culture, as it is by the fact that for many of the Irish people we met, gaelic games represent an Ireland at Play.

Much of the final film cut has been drawn from the best of our broadcasts so readers and viewers familiar with our material here on heritageatplay.org will recognize a number of the characters, places, and adventures shown in the final documentary. But fear not, the documentary also features a host of new material and more importantly, the entire approach to editing this final film was very unlike the broadcasts. Instead of focusing on our travels and experiences, “Playing Irish” approaches gaelic games as a single theme, working through its meaning to communities, players, coaches, and spectators around Ireland. The result, we think, is a tight and informative exploration of hurling and football, offering an introduction for the uninitiated and a succinct celebration of the GAA for the long-time fan. Or as we describe it on the DVD box (which are prototyping this week)

Gaelic Games are among Ireland’s most popular and celebrated pastimes, with massive stadiums, national television coverage, and a network of clubs criss-crossing the Emerald Isle.

But few outside of Ireland have ever heard of Gaelic Games, and fewer still know how they are played.

Just after graduating college, two Irish-American filmmakers (Colleen Brogan & Zachary McCune) set out for Ireland to learn about these ancient games and their importance to the Irish people.

And that’s the story we’re telling!

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