Minister Deenihan Visits Set Of Irish Film Board Supported TV Series VIKINGS
The Ten Part Series Is Contributing €20 Million To The Economy And Creating Over 500 Jobs Over The 18 Week Shoot
Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan TD has met with the cast and crew of the major TV series VIKINGS. Made with the support of Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB), the ten part series is currently filming on location in the new Ashford Studios in Wicklow. On set with the Minister and Irish Film Commissioner, Naoise Barry were cast from the series including Travis Fimmel (The Beast), Clive Standen (Camelot, Robin Hood) and Diarmuid Murtagh (Camelot) along with the shows writer and Executive Producer Michael Hirst (The Tudors, Camelot), producer Morgan O'Sullivan (The Tudors, Camelot), the director Ken Girotti (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), the Emmy-winning Irish Production Designer Tom Conroy (The Tudors) and the three-time Emmy-winning Irish Costume Designer Joan Bergin (The Tudors).
Created and written by Michael Hirst (The Tudors, Camelot), the series is the first scripted series for The History Channel and is an international co-production between Ireland and Canada which was developed and produced by Morgan O'Sullivan and James Flynn's company Octagon Films.
Commenting on the benefits of having a TV series of this scale filming on location in Ireland Minister Deenihan said: "I'm delighted to visit the set of VIKINGS, a production that will contribute over €20 million to the Irish economy on local goods and services, and is creating over 500 jobs for Irish based cast and crew. VIKINGS is a production of huge scale which is set to be distributed across the world ensuring that images of Ireland will be broadcast to millions of international viewers, with great promot ional value for Ireland. The Government is delighted to support this major television series through funding from the Irish Film Board."
James Hickey,CEO, Bord Scannán na hEireann/the Irish Film Board added: "Ireland has become a location of choice for the production of high-end television drama. Irish producers, Morgan O'Sullivan and James Flynn have been supplying a global market with popular Irish-made shows including THE TUDORS, CAMELOT, and now VIKINGS. These three series alone have delivered over €140m in direct foreign investment. Overall, the increasing levels of film and television production in Ireland over the recent past could, if sustained, create over 5,000 new full time equivalent jobs over the next five years. This is made possible by essential government support, including tax incentives and Irish Film Board investment which enables us to compete with similar supports available in other EU territories and elsewhere. The opportunities for enhanced exports bringing revenue into the country as well as the impact of Ireland on screen in encouraging t ourism add significant value to what is being achieved by the work being done here."
Morgan O'Sullivan, Octagon Films said: "I am delighted to be producing a third series with Michael Hirst following THE TUDORS and CAMELOT. The combination of his great writing, a fantastic team of Irish creative talent in front of and behind the camera and the wonderful new facility at Ashford Film Studios made Ireland the right choice for this production. These factors combined with the support from the Irish Film Board and access to Section 481 made Ireland a financially competitive location for VIKINGS. I look forward to continuing to work with our partners in Ireland to develop other projects similar in scale with Michael in the future."
VIKINGS follows the adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok (Fimmel), an actual historical figure, and the greatest hero of his age who pushed the limits of exploration. The series tells the sagas of Ragnar's band of Viking brothers and his family, as he rises to become King of the Viking tr ibes and chronicles the world of the mighty Norsemen who raided, traded and explored. Gabriel Byrne stars as Earl Haraldson, the most important local ruler in Ragnar's district whose position is threatened by Ragnar.
Along with Tom Conroy and Joan Bergin, other Irish talent working on VIKINGS include IFTA winning and Emmy nominated Dee Corcoran and Tom McInerny in charge of the hair and make-up departments respectively.
VIKINGS is produced by Octagon Films for The History Channel in Canada, with MGM Television bringing the series to a global audience as it serves as the international distributor outside of Ireland and Canada. It received international production funding from Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) and benefited from Section 481.
With episodes directed by Irish director Ciarán Donnelly (The Tudors, Titanic: Blood and Steel), Johan Renck (Breaking Bad) and Ken Girotti (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), the filming of VIKINGS, which stars Irish Golden Globe Award winning Gabriel Byrne, will finish later this month following an 18 week shoot and is scheduled for transmission next year.
MORE ABOUT VIKINGS
Michael Hirst creator of Showtime's THE TUDORS and co-creator of Starz's CAMELOT is one of the premier historical story-tellers in the industry (Academy-Award winning film Elizabeth along with Emmy and Golden Globe nominated The Tudors). On VIKINGS Michael serves as Executive Producer along with Morgan O'Sullivan of World 2000 (The Count of Monte Cristo; The Tudors), John Weber of Take 5 Productions (The Tudors; The Borgias), Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer, James Flynn (The Tudors; The Borgias) and Sheila Hockin (The Tudors; The Borgias).
VIKINGS is an international Irish/Canadian co-production being co-produced by Octagon Films and Take 5 Productions.
Travis Fimmel (The Beast, Baytown Outlaws) stars as Ragnar, the first great Viking leader, a man of both history and myth; Clive Standen (Camelot, Robin Hood) stars as R ollo, Ragnar's excessive, cruel cousin;
Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment, Usual Suspects) stars as Earl Haraldson, the most important local ruler in Ragnar's district; Jessalyn Gilsig (Glee, Heroes) stars as Siggy, Earl Haraldson's beautiful wife; Gustaf Skarsgard (The Way Back) stars as Floki, a close friend of Ragnar's who is an inventive, creative boat-builder; and Katheryn Winnick (Stand Up Guys, Love and Other Drugs) as Lagertha, Ragnar's first wife and famous shield maiden who often fights alongside him. George Blagden (Les Miserables, Wrath of the Titans) plays Athelstan, an Anglo-Saxon monk captured by Ragnar on his first raid on England.