New TV series pilot shot in Trim

The pilot episode of a fictional community-based TV show was filmed on location in Trim over the past few weekends, as well as in Donnybrook in Dublin. Written by Rita-Marie Lawlor and directed by Noel Farrell, 'The Arts Journal' is a fictional community-based TV show focusing on the show's presenter, Zoe Carter (played by Rita-Marie Lawlor) and her sidekick Graham Smith (played by Tony Murphy). Together they chronicle the ups and downs of various people who are only too willing to talk about their artistic endeavours with some hilarious consequences. The pilot episode was shot over two weekends on location in Trim and Donnybrook. 'Stranger Than Fiction' introduces the series' principal characters, Zoe and Graham, and their attempts to enter the strange worlds of an array of musicians, writers, actors and filmmakers to interview for their show, 'The Arts Journal'. Subsequent episodes have been written and the production team will attempt to secure funding to turn the pilot episode into a series. They have thanked all the local people in Trim who helped make the pilot episode possible, especially Billy Wilson who allowed The Bounty Bar in Trim to be used as a location, and also John Kiely, who acted as executive producer for the pilot episode. The series featured an array of crew and acting talent both from Trim and further afield and was heavily reliant on many people coming together in a collaborative way to make it possible.