Ex-Game of Thrones star in Farr grittier RTE drama

11 February 2015

MOVE over The Fall — Belfast has a brand new crime drama. Downpatrick actor Shaun Blaney is starring in RTE’s Farr as Michael Gallagher — an ambitious young detective hunting down Belfast’s most dangerous crime family.

The drama centres on Michael as his investigation deepens and a murder of one of the Farrs pushes him towards a reckoning with his own dark past. As the bodies and betrayals mount, Michael must choose between destroying the Farrs or saving himself.

The four part series was produced by the Belfast-based production company Stirling Film and TV Productions. Shaun also co-created the story along with writer and director, Aidan Largey.

Farr is one of five new original dramas, commissioned by RTÉ and the Irish Film Board for the new season of Storyland, a commissioning platform to identify new and emerging creative talent in Ireland.

Each Monday a new series will be released on the Storyland hub on the RTÉ Player, available for national and international audiences. Close to 200 aspiring and experienced drama production teams pitched their ideas, with five winning the chance to make the four six minute episodes.

For writers, actors, directors and

producers, it has been an invaluable springboard for past participants, who include, among many others, Thomas Martin (Danger High Voltage) and Charlie Murphy (Love/Hate).

Shaun said the success of The Fall was certainly an inspiration but that the two dramas were quite different.

“The Fall was really more psychological, we are providing a bit more action,” he said.

“Belfast is going great for film making, the whole Game of Thrones effect means we have crews that are so experienced.”

Shaun, who made a spot for Game of Thrones on his own CV as a Karstark lookout, has been everything from a familiar local face in performances such as ‘Cooking With Elvis’ at Down Arts Centre, to part of the critically acclaimed feature film Made in Belfast while also making strides behind the camera.

In 2013 he released his directorial debut, the short thriller Trespasses, which played as part of the Belfast Film Festival, and as well as teaming up with Aidan Largey for Farr, Shaun has a number or new projects as a writer and director in the pipeline.

In the meantime Farr looks likely to grab the 28-year-old some national attention.

“It was great to film something like this on a grander scale with the RTE budget,” said Shaun. “They fund the whole thing. Storyboard was adopted to financially back the five entries out of the 200 submitted.”

The industry will now be watching closely to see the public’s reaction to the five Storyboard dramas — with always the possibility of them being fully developed into full series.

“To take this further it is now a matter for us to approach people like RTE and Stirling,” said Shaun.

“It is great the feedback we have received so far through Facebook etc and people can also follow us on Twitter @FARRStoryland.”

While the bright lights may be beckoning the former St. Patrick’s Grammar pupil says some of his most rewarding work remains with community based theatre companies such as Replay who work with children with learning disabilities.

“I studied drama at Queen’s University, but it was more of an academic course. I learned a lot through theatre in the community and it made me a better actor.

“We go round schools, we were at Knockevin in Downpatrick for instance, with different themes on stage such as going into space. It is the best experience ever to see the reaction from the children.”

Despite the competitive and unreliable nature of the acting world Shaun can certainly count family and friends among his proudest supporters.

“Mum and dad go to Mass to light a candle every time I have an audition,” he laughs. “They were fantastic when I said I wanted to be an actor and I was grateful for that.”

The new Storyland dramas can be watched on the Storyland hub on RTÉ Player www.rte.ie/storyland

To watch the Farr promotional video visit http://youtu.be/egVhIW5aICU

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