Getting Your Short Film Made

You have a short film script – what now? In this workshop I will draw on my experience as an actor, writer and now director to talk practically about beginning a career as a filmmaker. From applying for funding to building a team through to casting and growing your artistic networks, we’ll cover what it takes to get your debut going.

About your facilitator:

Clare Monnelly is an Actor, Writer and Director from Dublin.
Her first play Charlie’s a Clepto was nominated for two Irish Times Theatre Awards and the Stewart Parker New Playwright Bursary. Her second play minefield premiered in Dublin Fringe Festival 2019 and was nominated for three Fringe Awards. She has gone on to have four more plays produced by Once Off Productions, Livin’ Dred Theatre Company and as part of Kilkenny Arts Festival. Her play Grace was chosen for the prestigious Druid Debuts 2025. Good Girls, her most ambitious play to date, will premiere later this year.

In 2022 the short film Departure which Clare wrote was produced by Take Ten Productions as part of Bow Street and Screen Ireland’s Actor as Creator scheme and premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh. Her second short as a writer, Cat & Mouse received Screen Ireland Focus Short funding and premiered at Galway Film Fleadh 2024. Clare was the recipient of the Dublin International Film Festival Discovery Award 2025. In 2025 Clare’s debut feature Grace was chosen to be part of Screen Ireland’s Perspectives scheme and is currently in development. Her directorial debut Babysitter by Aisling O’Mara premiered at DIFF 2026.