Film-maker, Neil Elworthy has spoken exclusively to the Echo about his love of Wexford.
AN AWARD-winning film-director has spoken exclusively to the Echo about his interest of county Wexford and why he loves coming here to work.
Neil Elworthy is currently in India where he is filming a documentary on the history and story of coffee.
The film will be screened by RTE and across a number of internet platforms and follows on from a successful documentary made by Mr. Elworthy about the story of chocolate which also featured RTE presenter, Lucy Kennedy.
Mr. Elworthy began his career with the ITN News Division in 1990 and since then he has travelled the globe producing television programmes and documentaries for some of the world’s leading broadcasters.
He was the first, and arguably the best, producer and presenter of ‘Wexford County Matters’ on IrishTV and has provided media consultancy services for many different Governments worldwide.
The Echo met with Mr. Elworthy to find out why a Dublin born, award-winning film-maker who also speaks several different languages, likes to think of Wexford as home.
BK: What inspires you most as a film-maker? Is it the story or the cinematography or a little of both that you find the most enjoyable?
NE: As a producer, what first inspires me is the story. I’m always on the lookout for a good story and once I’ve got that the director in me kicks in and from there it’s all about how best to tell the story, what shots should I use, what music will help define the piece that I’m trying to produce or create an emotive response. How do I wrap the package up in such a way that it does the story justice.
BK: So far what film have you completed that you’ve gotten the most satisfaction from?
NE: “It’s hard to say there was one particular project but I suppose there are three that stand out for completely different reasons. The documentary I received an award for has to be in the top three yet I was told by several broadcasters and the broadcasting authority of Ireland that there was no interest in it and it wasn’t Irish enough! Typical bureaucrats! At a time when one-in-every-four houses being bought as cheap holiday homes abroad was in Bulgaria we delved into the links between Ireland and Bulgaria through history, heritage, culture and modern day experience. It aired on BBC and we received an award for it and acclaim from the Government of Bulgaria for our endeavours. So much so, that we gained a few governmental contracts too. We also produced an infomercial for The Christina Noble Children’s Foundation. We travelled to Mongolia in March 2003 to report on the incredible work that she does with the street children. It was then that I learned a valuable lesson. This work isn’t about reporting charity, its not about them and us, it’s about all of us – one world, about our humanity. That can sound really pompous but as a producer, you have a responsibility to your subject matter to portray them, regardless of who they are, with dignity, honesty and respect. It took a kid living in a sewer in minus 50 degrees to teach me that.
Then the last documentary we produced for RTE & RTE Digital International, ‘The Story of Chocolate – from Bean to Bar’ – that was a blast. It’s incredible to think that nobody really knows where the origins of most of our food commodities come from or the challenges faced by farmers who grow them, like chocolate. We went to Ghana for two weeks, with Lucy Kennedy. That was fun and I really wanted to work with Lucy because she has that every-woman presence on screen and I felt she would be brilliant if taken out of her comfort zone. RTE didn’t really make the mental leap but when the final production aired I felt very proud of it.”
BK: You’ve obviously got a fondness for Wexford having filmed numerous people and their stories here; when did you first come to Wexford and what was the reason?
NE: “Damn right I have an incredible fondness for this county – in fact I call New Ross my spiritual home. I produced a documentary nearly 15 years ago now called ‘A tale of two Wexfords’, in which we followed the links between Wexford, Ireland and the town of Wexford, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Not only did we get in all the information about the famous sons of Wexford but I had the pleasure of working with The New Ross Pipe band, some amazing characters and professionals to the last. An incredibly talented and fun bunch of guys to work with.”
In May last year Mr. Elworthy was asked to pick a county, either Wicklow or Wexford, to produce a series called County Matters for Irish TV. He said the choice was easy.
“It was with a big grin on my face when I chose Wexford. I said to myself that I’d give it 13 weeks or one season to see how it would go; it lasted two seasons up until Christmas 2014 and it was probably the nicest eight months work of my career. Not because of the job but the friends I made and the inspiring people I met on that journey. A real pleasure to try and promote Wexford and its unique personal charm.”
BK: What is it about the county that inspires you to come back repeatedly?
NE: “There are two things really; you don’t call it the model county for nothing. It’s got everything, golf, beaches, great places to eat, spas, it’s steeped in history and heritage, pride, a reasonably good hurling team and incredibly talented musicians from all musical backgrounds, like the Carty Sisters, Shane Kenny, yourself, and others, just amazing raw talent, that I discovered for the first time at ‘The Last Friday Sessions’, in the Bolg Bui pub in New Ross.
I suppose the real reason for me coming back to Wexford as often as I can is its people. I just can’t put into words how amazing you all are. No, I’m not running for office (laughs) but I’ve been so fortunate to have been let loose into people’s lives while producing TV programmes and I’ve met some really inspirational characters all over this county.”
Just for the record I must admit that I’ve been told I’m not an outsider and that brought tears to my eyes. A sense of belonging in Wexford – now I feel humble. There is incredible warmth, a friendliness here, that I don’t get anywhere else in this country.
I’d love to mention just a few who have inspired me: Sabina Rossiter, Norma and Margaret in Wells House, Mairead Stafford in Castlebridge, Tina Gaffney and Bettie-Marie Burger-Smit, in New Ross, Rory O’Connor and Jacqui Hynes, in the 1798 centre in Enniscorthy, and the sense and sensibilities of Michael Benson in Wexford Town. I know I’m leaving out nearly all of Wexford I’m sorry I can’t name them all!”
BK: You are very well known in Wexford as a film and documentary maker is there any particular area that you prefer more than others and if so why is that?
NE: “If I said yes, then I’d get shot! But I always refer to New Ross as my spiritual home because even though I don’t live in Wexford (yet), every time I leave Wexford after filming or meetings I feel so elated. I don’t feel like I’ve been working. If I ever find out what causes that, Ill bottle it – it would be worth a fortune on the black market!”
BK: Who are your inspirations in terms of film-making and documentary making?
NE: “Orson Welles stands out. Here’s a guy that never went to college to study film making and has produced some of the most important classic films and documentaries of our time. He came to Ireland aged 16, pretending he was an impressionist artist, probably because nobody in Ireland at the turn of the last century knew much about impressionism and wouldn’t question him through fear of showing ignorance. He wrote a letter to The Abbey Theatre stating, The Great Orson Welles, thespian protégée from America was now touring Ireland and would be considering main roles, which he duly got! He also coined the phrase, ‘Never tell me it can’t be done’.
That’s the spirit of Wexford – he got off his knees and didn’t wait for someone to do it for him, he did it himself.”
BK: Have you ever thought about making a full-length feature film? Is that something you’d like to do at some point?
NE: “I’d love to produce a feature film on Wexford but not an historic bio-pic. Imagine ‘A year in the Model County’ with time-lapse photography, changing seasons, and a fly- on-the-wall look at life, love, death, heritage and redemption in Wexford over the course of a year.
If I could do that right then maybe those who don’t see what I see about Wexford might begin to understand it because I could show them the beauty and passion that I get from Wexford.”
BK: If you were given the opportunity to ‘sell’ Wexford through film what are the potential options that exist which, to your mind, haven’t been exploited or explored yet?
NE: “That’s a tough question; Wexford in people are really good at selling themselves, its finding a new way to do that. Rebellion, historic re-enactments are huge all across Europe and in America. Its big business, a crowd pleaser, and money spinner at the same time, but don’t just dress up in period piece costumes – get everyone else to do it too. You have to transport your visitor both body and mind back in time to relive the experience not just watch someone else act it.
Wexford Paranormal are genius in providing a genuine, entertaining, experience and at imparting information about the history and heritage of different attractions around Wexford. I didn’t even know there’s a Castle in Wexford that is home to a meeting of international witches several times a year and houses the Temple of Isis; it’s incredible what you can find here.
I feel that there are many festivals, however, they are all for the tourist. Why not do something for the locals. Wexfords people are its biggest unexploited asset, they are the first, last and lasting impression that a tourist gets, invest in your people, and you’ll be surprised how amazing they really are.”
