These Books is the most ambitious film I've ever made - a 17 minute tragi-comedy set across 40 years. It centers on an actor who takes on a role only to become trapped in the dialogue he's been given, completely destroying his life. The film was shot on Arri Alexa, stars Kevin McGahern & Aoife Spratt, and was produced by Barrie Dowdall.
Cinematography by David Boyle, Art Direction by Margot Cullen, Assistant Director was Vincent McEntee, Sound by Simon Murphy and Andrew Flaherty, Music by Josh Reichental, Assistant Camera was Richard Lacey, and Clapperloader was Zia Pfeiffer.
I love seeing a film go from the word to a drawing to a real image. This is the storyboard for the image at the top.
I liked the idea of a sketch that just keeps going and going, until the central joke becomes quite painful, and in the end meaningful. The main character is trapped in 3 short lines that define him to the world, and I often think that's how personality can feel - a collection of automatic responses to the world that we're trapped in, rarely getting to say what our central thinking selves want. It’s something I’ve felt very acutely, and this film is very personal to me. With Henry in These Books, we see a man's whole life in which his desires and what he says are in conflict.
As the film was set across so many years, we ended up having to approximate the future in Smithfield Square
Shooting a short scene in Wallaces Taverna on Bachelors Walk
The Dublin Unitarian Church were remarkably helpful, with Josh Johnston allowing us to film in this truly stunning building.
Chatting with DOP Dave Boyle in Dublin Unitarian Church