TLRH | Irish Film and TV Drama: A Labour History

Monday, 12 April 2021, 10 – 11am A research presentation by Dr
Denis Murphy (Department of Film, TCD) as part of the School of
Creative Arts Research Forum (SCARF) in association with Trinity
Long Room Hub. Although filmmaking in Ireland dates back to the
silent era, Irish film workers have not always enjoyed easy access
to employment on the international productions on which the Irish
film industry has always depended for its economic survival. These
struggles – for the right to employment itself, and the right to
influence its quality through pay and working conditions – have
been shaped throughout the past six decades by film worker
activism. This presentation introduces this ‘bottom-up’ approach to
understanding Irish film and television production, highlighting
the unique contribution of film workers to the development of
screen policy in Ireland. The research, therefore, takes a novel
approach to the examination of Irish screen media, appreciating
them for their industrial rather than cultural aspects – and
particularly the extent to which they provide quality employment to
screen workers (and screen producers) in Ireland. Denis Murphy is a
Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Dept. of
Film at Trinity College Dublin, where he also lectures in screen
production. He has also lectured at DCU and Maynooth University and
previously worked as an editor and producer in film, cable
television, multimedia and advertising. His book on the labour
history of Irish film and television production is to be published
by Liverpool University Press. The School of Creative Arts Research
Forum meets fortnightly at 10am on Mondays during term and is led
by the School's doctoral students. The aim of the Forum is to give
a space for School researchers, both staff and postgraduate
students, to share their ideas in a supportive environment. It is
also an opportunity for the School to hear about the research of
colleagues both from within TCD and outside who share our research
interests. In line with the research agenda of the School, talks
will encompass traditional research and practice-based research and
will be followed by Q&A. Learn more at:
https://www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub/