Statement Of Intentions

My practical production is going to be a 5 – 8 minuet film based on a song called Whiskey In The Jar. This song was originally a traditional Irish folk song but has been covered by numerous bands including Thin Lizzy and Metallica who performed it as a rock style song. The song Whiskey In The Jar will be played in the background as a narrative device, telling the viewer what is happening in the film. I will try use a variety of different media techniques like filming, editing, and stock frame animation and more to create my production.

My aim is to create a film that is slightly comedic because the song has a slightly humorous vibe about it but it still has a serious element about it because ultimately the song is a love story, which has a disastrous ending. It encompasses all aspects of romance: deceit, trickery and betrayal.

The protagonist of my production is an unnamed man who is a wheeler-dealer of his time. He gets by in life by theft and other unimaginable acts. However he is a loveable character who the viewer can relate too. He is out walking one day when he comes across Captain Farrell, a high-ranking member of the army/police force, it is not clearly stated. He accosts him and then plunders his commodities. After this he takes the spoils back to his girl Jenny who swears to love him forever but then betrays, by running off to Captain Farrell to tell him where his valuables are, leaving our loveable protagonist completely unawares of what is happening. While our man is taking a slumber, Captain Farrell and a band of footmen apprehend him in his crib. He tries to fight back but Jenny has taken his sword, and the ammunition/gun powder has been removed from his pistols. After that it is not clear what happens to our main character but it can be presumed that he survives whatever happens to him and lives on with his life after it however it is made clear that he never gets over his love of Jenny and how she betrayed him.

I have been influenced by both song and film alike in the making of my practical production. These included an 1969 album called Tommy by the British rock band The Who. Tommy was The Who's fourth album and was the fist musical work ever to be given the name a Rock Opera. It tells the story of the life of a deaf, dumb and blind boy called Tommy. It has a strong narrative, much like the song I have chosen to base my practical production on. I was also heavily influenced by Tommy for another reason, because in 1975 a film version of the opera was released and it was based on The Who's album Tommy. This is much like what I am hopefully going to produce in my Practical Production. The Who have had other films made since Tommy, based on other albums. These include Quadrophenia which was a 1979 film based on there 1973 album under the same name. It tells the story of the famous rivalry between the two British subcultures the Mods and Rockers. All of these work and many more have influenced me into the making of my practical production.