Off The Record: Stars are shining bright for Limerick director Laura O'Shea

BETWEEN awards nominations and the hectic nature of film sets, director Laura O’Shea caught up with the Limerick Leader/Limerick Live.

A couple of weeks ago, she won the Discovery Award at the Dublin International Film Festival and her short film, Wednesday’s Child recently won ‘Best Irish Short’ at the Catalyst Film Festival.

Originally, from Janesboro, Laura is a director, writer and actor. Her latest directorial work with ‘Wednesday’s Child’ won the Oscar-qualifying Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama at the 34th Galway Film Fleadh, making her the first female director to receive the honour in over 20 years.

For Laura, it all started back in 2015. After training at the Bow Street Academy for Screen Acting in Dublin, her goal was to be an actor. But after graduating, her plans changed.

“I was starting to feel like things were not moving as quickly as I would've liked, so I decided it to make my own work. I started writing short films, directing them, but putting myself in there as the actor as well. So I did a couple of shorts that way and kind of progressively the shorts started doing better than my acting career. So I eventually migrated from acting to directing, very naturally,” she explains.

The director’s strength lies in getting the best performances from her actors. Through her work, she explores human connection and finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.

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Based on the book of the same name by Shane Dunphy, her latest directorial work, Wednesday’s Child, tells the story of Marie who faces her first day on the job as a social care worker. Despite her optimism, a house call to family in crisis quickly brings her down.

Written by Caroline Harvey, Wednesday’s Child was nominated for an IFTA – Irish Film and Television Academy Award, an accolade the Limerick director is extremely proud of.

Speaking of the short-film, Laura says: “We shot it over two days. It was a real low-budget film, but it was made with a lot of love, and we were very lucky to premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh last summer. People seem to connect with it, it’s a very realistic film. It paints a very real portrait of social care workers and how their day-to-day lives go.”

For her, it all seems nuts. “A lot of the time, people make short films as a labour of love. It’s just for people to be creative and get better at their craft and get to practice things with their friends, you never really think you're going to get anything back from it.

“So, the nomination's really incredible. I think we're all still digesting the news, but it's really wonderful considering it was a real modest budget with a very modest crew. So we're definitely going to go with the heads high to the ceremony.”

On set, what Laura prefers is communicating with the actors. “That's what I did for years before I started directing. I feel like when I'm on set, my favourite part is working with actors, trying to get the best performance from them and make them feel as comfortable as possible. I think because I know what it's like on the other side of the camera, I can kind of put myself in their shoes and hopefully, it makes me a more empathetic director,” she says.

Would she ever consider going back to acting? For her, there’s a certain fluidity to the job.

“I don't think I've ever left it, I still consider myself an actor. And when auditions come in or sub tapes come in, I'm always excited to do them. I think we're at the stage now in general where I think it's kind of fluid.

“People aren't really branding themselves as much any more as just an actor, just a director, just a writer. I think it's becoming hugely popular for people to kind of just mix roles and try everything.”

In the Mid-West, the film industry is blooming – to say the least. According to Laura, Limerick is becoming a hub for creativity.

“I've been down here now for the last two months working on the second season of the TV show Hidden Assets, and we've been shooting primarily in Limerick. It's really wonderful to see all the local crew getting involved, and using all the lovely locations that we have as well,” she points out.

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At the moment, the Janesboro native is working on a feature documentary. “I can't really say much more than that, but we’re at the development stages now, so fingers crossed. All going well, we'd be able to shoot something over the summer.”

As our conversation comes to an end, this reporter wonders who would her dream cast be.

“Kristen Stewart and Emma Stone. I think I'm assembling like a big group of fabulous women,” she laughs.

“I love Ryan Gosling as well, La La Land is one of my favourite movies.”