Film Ireland Podcast

What does it take to create the visual worlds of modern cinema?

Recorded on location at RENDR 2026 in Belfast, we catch up with CG & On-Set Supervisor Noel O’Malley and BAFTA-winning DFX Supervisor Dean Koonjul of Union VFX. With credits spanning Ex Machina to 28 Years Later and Poor Things, they discuss their exciting careers, creative collaboration, and the changing demands of high-end visual effects across film and TV.

After, (at timecode 31:37) we speak to James Carson, CG Supervisor at Sony Pictures Imageworks, whose work includes KPop Demon Hunters and the upcoming feature Project Hail Mary starring Ryan Gosling. In this conversation, he reflects on his career journey from Belfast to supervising major international productions, sharing insights into working in animation and live-action, and working with teams on ambitious projects.

This series of talks was recorded in The Spinners Mill Studio, a podcast and DJ studio based in Banana Block offering tailored solutions for DJ sessions, small-scale events and podcasting from concept to final distribution.

We are delighted to present a very special speaker series in partnership with RENDR Festival and supported by the National Talent Academy for VFX.

James Carson - CG Supervisor
James is a CG Supervisor at Sony Pictures Imageworks, most recently working on the global phenomenon KPOP Demon Hunters for Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix. Carson is currently supervising the live-action feature Project Hail Mary, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and starring Ryan Gosling. His other CG Supervisor credits include the animated feature In Your Dreams and the Academy Award®-nominated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Carson joined Imageworks in 2015 and has served as a Lighting TD and Lighting Lead, working on both animated and live-action projects. His additional Imageworks credits include: In Vaulted Halls Entombed, Mulan, the Academy Award®-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Smurfs: The Lost Village, The Angry Birds Movie 2, The Meg, and Alice Through the Looking Glass. Prior to Imageworks, Carson worked in various roles at Image Engine, ScanlineVFX, Prime Focus World, MPC, DNEG, and Zoic Studios. Carson is from Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Union VFX
Headquartered in Soho, London with a sister company in Montréal, Union has established an unrivalled reputation for seamless invisible effects on a wide range of projects building strong creative relationships with really interesting directors including Danny Boyle, Susanne Bier, Martin McDonagh, Marjane Satrapi, Sam Mendes, Fernando Meirelles & Yorgos Lanthimos. The studio’s regular clients number some of the world’s top filmmakers, who return to Union time and again as a trusted technical partner and creative ally. The team works closely with clients throughout every phase of the creative process. Union has been the sole visual effects studio behind many prestigious film projects, including Three Billboards Outside, Ebbing Missouri, Florence Foster Jenkins, T2: Trainspotting, 127 Hours, Black Sea, The Two Popes, Radioactive, The Dig, Stan & Ollie, Mamma Mia! Here we go again, The Gentlemen, Empire of Light, The Banshees of Inisherin and Poor Things. Episodic projects include Black Mirror, The Regime, Moon Knight, Trust, The Third Day, The Irregulars, Pistol, The Undoing, Happy!, The Crown, Outlander, For All Mankind, The Wheel of Time, The Sandman, The Power and Slow Horses. A significant highlight on the Union roster saw the company joining Danny Boyle’s creative team to deliver the short films for the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony.

RENDR FESTIVAL
This is a unique event celebrating creative craft and artistry in a fully immersive two-day festival exploring the space between Creativity and Technology. Ignite your imagination with inspiring speakers from the worlds of Film, Gaming, Animation, Immersive, and more! Learn from the best, with 30+ creatives from the likes of Netflix, Pixar, Walt Disney Studios and Epic Games among others.
Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

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https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-in-conversation-with-creative-producer-laura-mcnicholas-spilt-milk/In this Film Ireland Podcast, we’re delighted to be chatting with creative producer Laura McNicholas, as her film Spilt Milk hits cinemas across the country.
Founder of 925 Productions, Laura has been doing exciting work developing and produces television drama and feature films. Following a series of acclaimed shorts and extensive work across the industry, now her debut feature, Spilt Milk, has enjoyed a successful festival run, picking up major awards including the MUBI Audience Award at the Glasgow Film Festival, the Golden Slipper for Best Film at the Zlín International Film Festival, and a top prize at the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People, alongside many others.
We chat with Laura about her career journey, bringing Spilt Milk to the screen, and her approach to developing strong, character-driven stories.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.
https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-in-conversation-with-creative-producer-laura-mcnicholas-spilt-milk/

Spilt Milk
In a gritty 1980s Dublin inner city neighbourhood, 11-year-old Bobby (Cillian Sullivan - Blue Moon) idolises TV detective Kojak and sets up a private eye agency with his best friend. However, when Bobby’s rebellious older brother goes missing, their investigations turn chillingly real — leading them into secrets and danger far beyond what children are ready to face. Nevertheless, Bobby’s brave, loving and inspirational Mother (Danielle Galligan -House Of Guinness) leads him through these tough times.
The filmmaking team includes Cathal Watters (The Dry, Peaky Blinders, Foundation), director of photography; Shane McEnroe (Foundation, Abigail, Disenchanted), production designer; Gwen Jefferes Hourie (Sing Street, Abigail, I Kill Giants); Colin Monie (Hallam Foe, The Magdalene Sisters), editor; Scott Twynholm (Vanilla Sky) as composer and Áine O’Sullivan (The Tourist).

Spilt Milk is in cinemas from 20th March 2026.

Laura McNicholas
Laura established and runs 925 Productions, which develops and produces television drama and feature films. Her debut feature, Spilt Milk, had its world premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and was nominated for four Irish Film and Television Academy Awards, including Best Film and Best Director. Spilt Milk went on to win the MUBI Audience Award at the Glasgow Film Festival, the Golden Slipper for Best Film at the Zlín International Film Festival, and a top prize at the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People. It also received audience awards at the Mediterranean Film Festival Split, the British & Irish Film Festival Luxembourg, and the Kerry International Film Festival. Further festival selections included its US premiere at the Chicago International Film Festival and a screening at Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival.
Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

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In this Film Ireland Podcast, supported by Screen Ireland, we’re delighted to be chatting once again with director Brendan Muldowney. An accomplished filmmaker, Brendan is the talent behind features such as Pilgrimage and The Cellar, and now his latest offering, One Last Deal, explores the high-stakes world of sports. Set against the ruthless backdrop of football politics, this is a fast-paced, pressure-cooker thriller, with Danny Dyer delivering a standout performance.

Directed by Muldowney (Pilgrimage, The Cellar), the film sees Dyer (The Football Factory, Marching Powder, Rivals) take centre stage as Jimmy Banks, an old school football agent who desperately needs to get his troubled star footballer one last big payday before Jimmy’s life, and his player’s reputation, comes tumbling down. When the prospect of a major new deal with a promising young player appears, Jimmy sees a route to get himself back on top… but when a blackmailer calls and the shady dealings of his past resurface, can Jimmy keep calm and get the job done?

Written by Peter Howlett and shot on location in Ireland last year, the film was produced by Paul Kennedy (Nightride) for Village Films, Richard Bolger (Father, Mother, Sister, Brother) for Hail Mary Pictures, and Patrick O’Neill (Kneecap) for Wildcard, with support from Screen Ireland / Fís Éireann and Northern Ireland Screen.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.

Brendan Muldowney
Brendan is an Irish writer/director. After graduating from the National Film School/IADT he wrote and directed 9 award winning shorts. His debut feature Savage (2009) was nominated for 6 Irish Film and Television awards and he was nominated for the IFTA ‘Rising Star’ award. His second film, Love Eternal (2013) has played at over 80 festivals worldwide and was winner of the ‘Dublin critics circle’ award for best Irish film at the 2014 Dublin Film Festival. His film Pilgrimage (2017) starring Tom Holland, John Bernthal and Richard Armitage, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and sold to multiple territories, including the US (RLJ Entertainment) and the UK (Studio Canal).
His last feature, The Cellar (2022), premiered at the SXSW film festival. It has made a theatrical box office of over 2 million worldwide and is streaming on Shudder and multiple platforms. He is represented by the Independent Talent Agency. He is one of the founders and co-owner of the Irish production company SAVAGE PRODUCTIONS. He has taught at the LIR, Huston School of Film, Filmbase, and mentors under the Screen Skills Ireland – Mentorship Programme. He lectures in directing.

This episode has been made possible with the support of the Screen Ireland Stakeholders Fund.
Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Film Ireland Podcast, we’re delighted to partner with the Foyle Film Festival, which takes place in the Nerve Centre in Derry each year. An Academy Awards® and BAFTA-qualifying festival, Foyle Film Festival is celebrating its 39th year this November.

First, we chat to from Eavan King, Head of Film Programming at the Foyle Film Festival & Nerve centre, about how the festival began, how it has evolved and how much fun it is to visit.
Then, at 10:08, we catch up with David Pope, an internationally renowned script consultant, who was working with screenwriters at the festival as part of their comprehensive industry programme.
Finally at 17:12 we host a live discussion on presenting local stories to an international market, recorded live and featuring producer Dearbhla Regan from Wild Atlantic Pictures and Louise Gallagher from Hat Trick Productions and Gallagher Films.

Submissions have just opened for the Foyle Film Festival, so get yours in.

https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-david-pope-dearbhla-regan-louise-gallagher-at-foyle-film-festival

Foyle Film Festival
This vibrant film festival takes place in venues across Derry each November to bring the best of international cinema and industry players to the city. The festival also delivers screenings, events and workshops throughout the year, including Reel Lives which has replaced the Intercultural and Anti-Racism Festival, as well as Educational and Community Outreach Screenings. The prestigious Light In Motion (LIM) competition is open to filmmakers and animators across the world, with winners qualifying for consideration in the Live Action and Animated Short Film categories of the Academy Awards® and BAFTA.

Louise Gallagher
Louise has been working in the media industry for 30 years, with 23 of those years spent at the BBC in Belfast in various production roles across Radio, TV and Online services. In 2011 she flew the BBC nest and moved into the independent film and TV sector, working on independent shorts and features. Louise went on to found Gallagher Films in 2018. Major recent projects for Gallagher Films include BAFTA award-winning ‘Blue Lights’, a BBC drama series set against the backdrop of policing in Northern Ireland, on which Louise is Co-Creator / Executive Producer. Her first feature film, ‘A Bump Along The Way’, had a successful cinema release and won several awards at home and internationally. Written by Tess McGowan, directed by Shelly Love and produced by Louise, it starred Bronagh Gallagher and Lola Petticrew. ‘A Bump Along the Way’ was developed with the assistance of Northern Ireland Screen through their New Talent Writers and New Talent Focus programmes. Louise recently received an IFTA for best short film ‘Rough’ written and directed by Declan Lawn & Adam Patterson.

David Pope
David is a script consultant and screenwriter working internationally. Script consultation projects include Obraz, candidate for Best International Film Academy Award 2026; Tiger Stripes, winner of the Jury Prize Critics’ Week Cannes Film Festival 2023 and candidate for Best International Film Academy Award 2024; Take It or Leave It, candidate for Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award 2019; and Truth or Justice, candidate for Best International Film Academy Award 2020. Other recent projects as script consultant include the feature films Natatorium; Last Sentinel; Splendid Isolation and the drama series Imperial Spy for Fremantle (American Gods, Deutschland 83). David was Creative Producer on feature film The Goat. In addition to designing and delivering for Stowe Story Labs, he is the long-standing annual advisor & facilitator for Rotterdam Lab at IFFRPro for producers. David has been a creative consultant on Rawi Screenwriting Lab for Royal Film Commission - Jordan, facilitated the Convergence programme funded by Screen Scotland & British Film Institute, and is the script consultant for Funny Features delivered by Glasgow Film Festival and funded by British Film Institute.
Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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In this Film Ireland podcast, recorded live on location in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Irish Film Festival, we chat with author, playwright and screenwriter Sheena Lambert about her feature Báite.
Presented annually by Solas Nua, the 20th edition of the Capital Irish Film Festival ran from 26th February to 1st March 2026, presenting one of the largest programmes of Irish cinema in North America. Irish-language feature Báite tells the story of a rural village during an All-Ireland weekend in 1975. Blending murder mystery with family drama, the film follows Peggy Casey as her life begins to unravel after a body surfaces in the local man-made lake.
In this episode, we catch up with Sheena Lambert about her journey as a writer, the origins of the story, and the ins and outs of adapting a project from page to screen.
Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.

Sheena Lambert
Dublin-based screenwriter, playwright and novelist Sheena Lambert has an exciting few months ahead with the 2025 release of her debut feature film, BÁITE, an adaptation of her own novel The Lake (HarperCollins, 2015) which was filmed in Galway and produced by Danú Media under TG4/Screen Ireland’s Cine4 Scheme. Following a hugely successful, sold-out, extended summer run, Sheena’s stage play COSIMA, based on her Screen Ireland supported feature screenplay of the same name, is scheduled for an Irish tour via Breda Cashe Productions, with some pre-Christmas Dublin dates already announced. Cosima was the daughter of Franz Liszt, who refused to allow her to perform publicly; she married Richard Wagner to get away from her controlling father and helped him become a much greater success than her father had ever been.

Báite

Winner of Best Irish Language Feature Film at the 2025 Galway Film Fleadh and nominated in four categories at the 2026 Irish Film & Television Academy Awards, Báite arrives in cinemas nationwide on 6th March 2026 to coincide with Seachtain na Gaeilge (1–17 March). Directed by Ruán Magan (The Hunger, Our Blue World – A Water Odyssey), the film is a haunting Irish-language mystery set in rural Ireland in September 1975.
When a body is discovered in the receding waters of a lake, the find sends shockwaves through a small community. For 23-year-old Peggy Casey, who runs the local pub, the revelation threatens to upend not just her life, but an entire town built on secrets long submerged.

About Capital Irish Film Festival
Solas Nua’s annual Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington, D.C., presents one of the largest programmes of Irish cinema in North America, showcasing the latest Irish dramatic and documentary features, shorts, art films and animation releases by Irish and Ireland-based filmmakers. The 20th edition of the four-day festival takes place 26 February – 1 March 2026 in partnership with the prestigious American Film Institute’s Silver Theatre & Cultural Center.
The festival provides a US platform that amplifies the work of independent filmmakers working in Ireland and beyond, and celebrates the strength of Ireland’s contemporary cinematic culture. The programme highlights the country’s rich cultural heritage while fostering an inclusive and diverse community of Irish filmmakers. Capital Irish Film Festival champions emerging voices on Irish screens, showcases the exceptional talent and craft within Irish filmmaking, and reflects the robust and vibrant screen industry that has grown in Ireland in recent years.
Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.