Human Error, a sci-fi comedy written by the award-winning writer/director Damien O'Donnell, was shot over 4 days in May this year at Belfast Met's E3 campus and Flax Art Studios at Havelock House. The short film centers around a man who wakes up in space many years later than anticipated, and begins his personal mission to return home to his family.
Students involved in this film have gained invaluable experience working in the film industry across a range of different activities, everything from building the interior of the spaceship to creating the astronauts' spacesuits. The young people enrolled on the VFX academy visited the set and then worked on the extensive number of VFX shots to bring the film to life in post production.
The students also worked alongside local talent Enda Kenny, a costume designer who worked on Academy Award nominated ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and make-up artist Connie McGrath who worked on the television series ‘Krypton’ and Paramount Pictures’ production of ‘The Lost City of Z’.
Screen Academies provide opportunities for young people aged 16–19 to gain hands-on experience of work in the creative industries. Shooting this Sci-Fi film allowed the young people to work on constructing the set, designing and creating the costume, props and set decoration as well as working on the VFX in post production.
Jennifer Lamb, Production Design Academy, who worked on set design and graphics said “The Production Design Screen Academy was an invaluable opportunity to learn from professionals, develop skills and build a portfolio. Working on Human Error was a great introduction to the film art department and inspired me to follow a career path in film. Being a part of this Academy helped me find employment in the film industry and taught me the skills in my craft and set etiquette that I have been using in my new job.”
This project has been funded by Northern Ireland Screen and Belfast Harbour and has been supported by Belfast Met and Flax Arts Studios.
The film will be shown at a private screening in the Strand Cinema in Belfast on 3 November 2021.
Visit Screen Academies website for more information various screen academies.