Dublin People

Tuesday, February 03 2004

Donaghmede filmmaker on a roll.

Last week proved hugely successful for the Irish film industry with 'In America', produced and directed by Jim Sheridan, receiving three Oscar nominations. Now, another budding film maker from the Northside with a string of successes already to his name is making waves in the States. Originally from Donaghmede Avenue, James McDonald emigrated to America in 1994 to further his career as a filmmaker, a decision that has proved to be inspired. James's first film, a half hour comedy called 'In The Spotlight' made in 1997, was an instant success. It won the 1999 Dallas Crystal Award for Best Entertainment and was screened at a number of festivals around the world.

Following this achievement, James made his first feature-length film titled 'Nemesis'. It tells the engaging story of a social worker who befriends a teenage junkie and prostitute named Polly, and who helps her to get her life straightened out. However, the plot thickens when a face from her past appears and throws everything into disarray. Nemesis premiered at the renowned Lakewood Theatre in Dallas in July 2000 and was shown at several film festivals. It won the 2001 Telly Award for Best Drama/Entertainment, the 2001 Aegis Award for Best Drama/Entertainment, and the 2003 Communicator Award of Distinction for Best Director.

After Nemesis, James made a supernatural thriller called 'The Photograph' in 2003, which is about one woman's obsession with a famous movie star. Last September, 'The Photograph' premiered at the Magnolia Theatre in Dallas. This hugely successful film has already won seven awards including another Best Director award for the Northsider.

James started shooting his latest film, 'Divine Souls' last April. The story centres around Kerri, a nurse who works at an AIDS clinic and her interaction with the patients there, and how difficult it is to try and lead a normal life when you work daily with dying people. James found some excellent actors to star in his film including Nancy Chartier (It's In The Water), Jeffie Legend (Born On The 4th of July) and Kelley West (Evenhand, TV's Two and a Half Men). He is also playing a small part in it himself.

From his Dallas base, James told The Northside People: "We are almost finished shooting and I hope to wrap it up before May." A former student at Grange Community College, Donaghmede, James has been making films since he was 12-years-old. "I haven't looked back since," he declares. "However, I had to leave Ireland back then because there was really no film industry as such. I felt a move to America was the best thing to do. And I was right. I have achieved so much over here that I feel I wouldn't have gotten back home."

"I believe the industry in Ireland is doing much better but when I left it was practically non-existent. That's why so many actors and film makers have to move abroad, they have to go where the work is." He adds: "It's great when you finally start making a name for yourself because at that point you have some clout in the industry and that's when you can try and get more films made in Ireland. I have so many ideas for films that I'd love to shoot in Ireland and hopefully, some day soon, I'll be able to achieve that."

James is fulsome in his praise for the Liberties Vocational School in Bull Alley, where he went to study after Grange College. "It was at the Liberties that I learned to edit and basically shoot movies on video," he recalls. "I made a lot of great friends there and for anybody interested in communications, the Liberties is the place to go. I always hated school but when I went to the Liberties, I hated missing any days. I still have every film I've ever made, especially all the footage I shot while I was at the Liberties. Although we all move on with our lives, I still love to look back at the great times we had there."

After studying at the Liberties, James worked for RTE for five years and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. But now, due to his successes to date, James is making quite a name for himself in Dallas. He says: "A lot of times when I'm introduced to people, they already know who I am. That's all I'd ever wanted - to be recognised for what I love to do best, make films."

Monday, 19 March 2007

Donaghmede filmmaker enjoys reel success.

WHILE the stars of Hollywood and beyond were living it up at the recent Oscars, one young Northside filmmaker was quietly going about his business in the fiercely competitive industry.

James McDonald, from Donaghmede, featured in Northside People back in 2004 after winning a string of awards in America. His latest feature, 'Divine Souls', has been accepted into the inaugural American Film Institute (AFI) Dallas International Film Festival, which runs from March 22 to April 1 in Dallas, Texas.

'Divine Souls' is a touching story of love and hope over adversity, and humanity at its best. From his base in Texas, James told Northside People: "The film has been accepted into the AFI Dallas Film Festival but it will screen as a Special Presentation. Every year, at these major film festivals, one film is chosen out of all of them to be the big fundraiser event. AFI and Arts Fighting Cancer (AFC) are going to be sponsoring the event and it will have huge press and media coverage surrounding it.

Part of the reason is because one of the film's lead actors, Jeffie Legend, died of cancer last October."

James says it's ironic that Jeffie's character plays a lady who's dying of AIDS. "In real life, at the same time, Jeffie was dying of cancer," he explains. "She told nobody about it and it wasn't until after she died that her family informed me of this. Looking at the film, there are scenes where her character wants to know when she'll die, how she'll die and in what way. It's so sad to think that, in the movie, while her character was asking all these questions, in real life, Jeffie must have been thinking the exact same thing. James says he is dedicating the film to Jeffie's memory.

"Jeffie had been an actor for many years and had appeared in films such as 'JFK', 'Born on the 4th of July' and 'Dr. T and the Women', he says. "The rest of the cast is made up of other wonderful actors." James's film mostly comprises a female cast and other actors include Nancy Chartier, Kelley West, Marie DelMarco and Bob Cawley. As well as directing the film, James also wrote, produced and edited it. "I also have a small part in there," he adds. "I always give myself a role in my own films." James adds, "Some of the celebrities who'll be attending the festival are Morgan Freeman, Bill Paxton and Lou Diamond Phillips, among others."

"After the world premiere, which takes place on Wednesday, March 28, at the Magnolia Theatre in Dallas, I will start work on my next two films. One is a dramedy titled 'Remember The Best Times' and is along the lines of 'St Elmo's Fire' and 'The Big Chill'. "It's about a group of friends who haven't seen each other in years. The other one is a horror film called 'God's Chosen'. The story follows Caleb, an ex-cop with a shattered past, who travels the country with a nine- year-old psychic named Precious who claims to communicate with God. With the help of the child's special gift, Caleb hunts down child predators and administers his own personal form of justice."

"We're currently talking with investors for 'God's Chosen'," reveals James. "We're also in talks with representatives of Morgan Fairchild (Friends), Christopher McDonald (Happy Gilmore, Thelma and Louise) and Glenn Morshower (The Island', TV's 24) to star in the movie."

These are exciting times for James, a former student at Grange Community College, Donaghmede. The Northsider has been making films since the age of 12 and hasn't looked back since. However, after his studies he felt he had to leave Ireland to achieve major success. "I felt a move to America was the best thing to do," he states. "And I was right, as I have achieved so much over here."

James is fulsome in his praise for the Liberties Vocational School in Bull Alley, where he went to study after Grange Community College. "It was at the Liberties that I learned to shoot and edit and basically make movies on video," he recalls. "I made a lot of great friends there and for anybody interested in communications, the Liberties is the place to go."

"I always hated school but when I went to the Liberties, I hated missing any days. Although we all move on with our lives, I still love to look back at the great times we had there." After studying at the Liberties, James worked for RTE for five years and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. James' official web site is www.lcafilms.com and the site contains information about his past, present and future projects.