The producers gave lots of UL graduates their first jobs and they’ve invested over €50m into the local economy.
After spending decades watching films and TV, the majority of us are probably conditioned into thinking that big blockbusters and massive TV productions are only made in places like Los Angeles, New York, London and Paris.
The success of shows like Vikings, The Fall, The Young Offenders, Derry Girls and Game of Thrones has shown that Ireland is more than capable of matching the best that the world has to offer and Nightflyers, the new sci-fi/horror now available to watch on Netflix, is further proof of this.
Located on the outskirts of Limerick, Troy Studios is about to be shot into the stratosphere as the adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s novella is undoubtedly the studio’s biggest production to date.
With news that they’ve sought tendering to expand a sound stage space from 6,502sq m (70,000sq ft) to 9,290sq m (100,000sq ft), the future is bright for the film industry in Limerick, something that hasn’t surprised the showrunner of Nigthflyers, Jeff Buhler.
“What’s unique about the production is the level of buy-in that we’ve got from every single department,” Buhler told JOE.
“Despite fatigue, people are still rolling up their sleeves, being incredibly creative, and getting things done. From the minute that everyone read the script and understood what we were trying to do, there was just this level of enthusiasm that hasn’t waned.”
In strictly financial terms, Nightflyers represents a €50m single investment into Limerick, but that’s not all of the money being injected into the city as there’s so much more in ancillary finances and revenue that the production brings.
While finances are important, there’s a more humane aspect to the production as, for many people, this represents their very first job in the media industry.
Sean Ryerson, producer of the show, is extremely proud of the role that the city of Limerick has played in Nightflyers and he can’t speak highly enough of the crew that were involved in the production – many of whom had just graduated from the University of Limerick.
“I’ve never been here before but I was blown away by the size and scope of what we were able to accomplish,” Ryerson said.
“Everyone, including the city of Limerick, have been incredibly supportive. Everywhere I go, people are rooting for us and I feel like there’s a spirit of everyone wanting to make this work. Not just for the town, but because there’s not an awful lot of big productions going on in this part of Ireland. There’s a lot in Dublin and Belfast, but the idea of planting a flag here and building a local crew is very exciting.”
Having worked in the industry for over three decades, Ryerson has plenty of experience when it comes to working on a hit TV show, but for many of Nightflyers’ Irish crew, this was their very first gig.
We’re delighted to say that after starting the production as relative novices, some of these crew members have grabbed their opportunity with both hands and have even been given promotions.
“About 90 people were new hires getting their first break in the industry and a lot of our department heads are now promoting people that started at entry/mid-level,” Ryerson added.
“They’re now getting their chance to run departments and get some incredible experience. Their material has been top notch. People from LA that came to visit the set have been blown away by the craftsmanship and what they’ve seen.”
So, the €50m question: Why did the producers of Nightflyers opt for Limerick?
Well, it appeared that the draw of UL and the potential to create a brand new production hub brimming with talent and a desire to seize the moment was key.
“Limerick sort of came out of a woodwork,” said Ryerson.
“By January we discovered this spectacular neighbour – the University of Limerick – and it was the greatest concept of integrated studies. They’re producing students who can walk onto a sound stage and these kids know exactly what they’re doing. The college of art and design also have a costume department that has given us a ton of people. This crew were absolutely remarkable.
“For me, this is the kind of operation that’s so challenging and yet, so rewarding. People are absolutely blown away by their experiences on this. We’ve about 90 trainees and a ton of people that we thought would be trainees, but now they’re crew. That’s not an easy thing to do in this business.”
With plans to expand the studio and talk that Season 2 of Nighflyers looks set to be commissioned, it’s clear that the people at Troy Studios are planning on becoming one of the largest film and TV studios in Europe.
Now that the show is available on Netflix, it’s time for the world to see just how talented some of the people that work in Ireland’s film industry are – both in front of, and behind, the camera.
Clip via Netflix UK & Ireland
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
