John Connors and David Merriman establish affordable course aimed at young filmmakers

A new filmmaking course is launching in Dublin this March, designed and taught by John Connors and David Merriman.

Lights, Camera, Action is a 3 month course aimed at giving young filmmakers a chance to work with some of the best names in the Irish film industry. The course is set to cover the full production process of creating a feature length film.

Connors is an award winning actor, writer, and director - most well known for his work on the iconic Love/Hate crime series. He also wrote and starred in Cardboard Gangster, a box office hit.

Merriman is a writer and director, working with famed Irish filmmaker Jim Sheridan on the highly anticipated film Re-Creation. He has worked alongside Aslan, Pillow Queens, Gilbert O’Sullivan and Glen Hansard.

Guest tutors to the course will include Sheridan and other industry professionals, helping to guide the young filmmakers through the process.

“Coming from my background, a Traveller from Darndale, in Coolock, and David here is from Tallaght, we found it very hard to get into the industry and to access the industry,” Connors said. “It’s very expensive to go to film school.”

Connors noted that, in his view, despite the high cost of film schools, they don't provide young filmmakers with the tools necessary to launch careers in the industry.

“We decided to come together and do a three month course in which you’ll actually make a feature length film that will go on the big screen and get distributed,” Connors continued.

The course costs €2,500 and applications close on February 7. More information can be found here.