Season 1, 4x1hr - Palatin Media Film- & Fernseh GmbH
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Season 1, 4x1hr
RARE EARTH (aka Fractured) is a Bandit Films Ireland production being co-produced by Fine Point Films (Belfast, NI)
and Palatin Media (Munich). Created by Johnny Gogan, the series is written by Joe O’Byrne and Brian Leyden. Filming
will commence March 2021 for Delivery August 2021.
1Rare Earth (aka Fractured) is set in the under-utlized but quirkily international
Irish north-south border landscape. The 4x60’ drama series brings a new role
model - that of Environmental Enforcer- to television screens.
While the Environment and struggles over access to Energy and Water are
subjects set to dominate the 21st century, the 1980s series Edge of Darkness
is a particular touchstone for this series in the way it slowly reveals the
conspiracy at the heart of the story.
When the Irish Troubles ebbed in the mid 90s, the border region opened up
economically so that previously inaccessible areas opened up to economic
activity - of the official and unofficial variety. This included widespread
smuggling as well as resource and energy exploration.
In this first series Alice Watters (25), a conflicted character with a violent
and troubled past, assumes, in dramatic personal circumstances, to the role
of Environmental Officer of her cash strapped border town and its wild and at
times lawless hinterland.
Rare Earth (Fractured) avoids the pitfalls of procedural drama through this
new role model, the pace of its story-telling, use of innovative and dramatic
locations such as the karst cave system.
2In Series One this wild landscape has claimed the life of a young person, a close friend
of our protagonist, in an act of seeming misadventure in an extensive cave system.
Alice has to make sense of this on a personal and public level. She finds herself at
the intersection of competing forces - a cash-strapped municipality, a conspiracy-
minded environmental campaign and a seemingly pragmatic geothermal company
which is promising development for the region.
In her alliance with her boss Jim Warner, the opportunity is there for her to gain the
trust she never had with her father and to find a positive path that up to now has
eluded her. Despite her contradictions she is as suitable a person as any to uncover
what really happened to her friend Celia and to be a defender of the landscape she
has grown to appreciate.
Despite her emerging official role (which she will pursue in the returnable series),
Alice will never quite manage to leave her complicated past behind, not least a
troubled relationship with her father, her inclination towards score-settling or her
bad choice in men.
At the commencement of the story the fictional border town’s derelict power plant
- a remnant of a past coal industry - has been sold off and the new owners have
demonstrated for all to see - their intent through investment in a geothermal facility.
Their mercurial CEO Noel Wallace (Adrian Dunbar has agreed to play the role) are
now leaning on the Municipality to open up protected lands adjacent to the plant for
further drilling. Wallace believes he is the one pulling the strings but soon finds thngs
spinning out of his control.
3ALICE (Louisa Harland) OUR PROPOSED LEAD
Energetic, strong-willed green horn character (25) forced to grow up quickly if she is to meet the challenges of her new responsibility.
Develops a sparky father daughter relationship with her boss Jim Warner. Carries the grief of her brother’s death, an event that blew her family
apart. Her fearlessness in the face of her flaws remains an enduring attraction as she learns to negotiate both sides of the law.
Louisa has most recently played the role of Orla McCool in the hit Channel 4 series Derry Girls amd the role of Clodagh in The Deceived (Virgin
Media, 2020)
NOEL WALLACE (Adrian Dunbar) CONFIRMED
Energy executive returned to his native soil, ostensibly to aid its economic development through a renewable energy project. His knowledge
of the area from childhood has made him aware of other energy resources beneath that soil for which there are now the techniques to extract
commercially. He is under pressure to deliver from his boss in North America but the death of the young woman and the opposition to his project
that builds from this sad event leads him to employ pressure to get the kind of permissions he needs. But these measures, which include re-
kindling a past attachment to Municipal CEO Donna Desmond, do not stretch to murder. He soon realises as the body count mounts that he is
losing control of the situation and might just fall foul of the forces he has unleashed.
JIM WARNER (Jim Norton) CONFIRMED
Alice’s boss – the city’s incumbent Environmental Officer - appears to be a lazy time-serving boozer, ready for retirement. But he is a much more
wily operator than that as he is forced to play a rear-guard action with a strident Energy company moving into his area and a boss prepared to
bypass his office to give the company what they want. Alice is a match for his bitter tongue, something that quickly endears her to him, the
daughter he always wanted.
Jim Norton recently played the lead role of Arthur Rudolph in Johnny Gogan’s Prisoners of the Moon (2019). He has a rich stage and screen CV. His
feature film work includes leading roles in Hidden Agenda (1990) and Jimmy’s Hall (2014) for Ken Loach and alongside Dustin Hoffman in Straw
Dogs. He recently played the role of Arthur Rudolph in Johnny Gogan’s Prisoners of the Moon (2019).TV Drama work includes Midsomers, Waking
The Dead and Wycliffe, among others.
Jim Norton has agreed to play the role of Jim Warner.
4DONNA DESMOND (Cathy Belton) CONFIRMED
The city’s Chief Executive and the aunt of Celia, the disappeared young woman.
Donna spends much of her time keeping tabs on her errant Environmental Officer Jim Warner. Under pressure to fill the empty city coffers, she
acts like a corporate CEO finds herself in thrall to the Energy Park developers, in particular Noel Wallace whom she knows form her youth.
Cathy’s recent work includes Philomena, Red Rock, Delicious (Sky), The Woman In White (BBC 2018) and Prisoners of the Moon (2019) with
Johnny Gogan.
Heiko Karsten (Joachim Krol) LoI
Scientist and guru of the renegade and almost sect-like Eco-lodge. Abrupt with his son and intolerant of opponents and the “charlatans” who
run Energy Park. Energetic and physical, he interfaces with the wider community in a combative way.
Joachim is a major German actor not least in tv and in feature films such as Run Lola Run. He and his reps are keen for him to play this role.
ROBBIE KARSTEN TO BE CONFIRMED
Has grown up in Ireland to German parents, so somewhat stateless. With Alice, shares a sense of blame for the disappearance of Celia in the
cave system. Determined to put things right he seems put down by his over-bearing and dogmatic father, but is unable to leave the protection
of the Eco-community in which he has grown up.
5Larissa Helms (Cosima Shaw) CONFIRMED
Of ambiguous origin, for reasons only explained at the end. An early convert to the Eco Lodge when she arrived as a back-packer volunteer - and
now Heiko’s “younger model” wife. She keeps everyone in Eco-lodge on their toes with her barbed wit. Flirts with her step-son and engages
with Alice in a combative, playful way. With events she moves to the forefront of opposition to Energy Park, with increasing impact in the final
episode..
Cosima’s first big break came when she was cast as the German lesbian receptionist in the BBC1 comedy, Trevor’s World of Sport (2003), written
and directed by Andy Hamilton. This led to parts in feature films, such as V for Vendetta (2005), “The Danish Girl” (2016), “Papadopoulos and
Sons” (2012), Notable British TV productions have included “Dr. Who” (2008), “Zen” (2011), “Dirk Gently” (2012) and “Toast of London” (2013).
Shaw also continues to appear in German TV and film productions.
Chris O’Rourke (Seamus Hughes) CONFIRMED
Be careful what you wish for. Righteous Mayor-in-waiting is the perfect apologist for the city’s controversial flag-ship enterprise, particularly
when he finds himself being held “over a barrel”.
As Charlie Breen says, “exactly the man you would want to have inside the tent pissing out”. Ultimately has to make an alliance with Alice
despite initially trying to do her down. Seamus is known for Jimmy’s Hall, An Klondyke, An Mhallacht, displaying a keen comic timing in the latter.
Breda Sweeney (Sorcha Fox) UNDER DISCUSSION
Jim’s loyal assistant has an appetite for Town Hall intrigue and a capacity for calling it straight. She becomes Alice’s eyes and ears in the cut
throat world of Town Hall politics. Sorcha Fox is a highly acclaimed stage actress with a comic flair. Appeared iKen Loach’s ensemble Jimmy’s
Hall (2014).
Best Actress Award for ‘BOGBOY’ at the New York 1st Irish Festival, New York in 2011.
6Trevor Geraghty (Dermot Murphy) UNDER DISCUSSION
Techie boyfriend (25) of Celia. Warm but vulnerable character who is pushed to the brink of death by the wave of blame following Celia’s death.
When the issue of a “mole” in the ranks emerges he has to prove himself yet again.
Dermot Murphy made his feature film debut in Johnny Gogan’s Black Ice (2013). Played the lead in Nick Kelly’s The Drummer and the Keeper (2017).
Moya Shine (Amy Molloy) CONFIRMED
Alice’s pragmatic and ambitious friend thinks that Alice makes life complicated. However, Moya’s involvement with a married man – and the
city’s Mayor - brings its own complications. Ambition gets in the way of Alice and Moya’s friendship with near devestating consequences.
Amy Molloy has combined impressive theatre work in the likes of Druid Theatre’s Big Maggie with Screen work including Black Ice, ‘71 and BBC
series Call the Widwife.
Charlie Breen (Donal O’Kelly) CONFIRMED
Local Auctioneer working for Johnny Wallace. Has promised them the political connections and influence with the authorities necessary to
deliver the land-bank needed for the Energy Park. Levering Chris into the position of Mayor is his master-stroke until the body-count starts to
rise.
Donal is a renowned playwright and stage actor. His feature film appearances include Stella Days, I Went Down and The Van. He is a frequent
collaborator with Johnny Gogan, most recently in Prisoners of the Moon.
7Martin Watters (Conor McDermottroe) CONFIRMED
Alice’s father lives in the grey areas of the law as he tries to get himself back on his feet after a conviction for diesel smuggling and the demise
of his business. As Alice’s mother describes him:
A director in his own right, Conor appeared in Ken Loach’s Jimmy’s Hall and will reprise his role in the feature film Black Ice.
Kate Watters (Marian Quinn) CONFIRMED
Alice’s mother maintains an even keel as she tries to rescue her family. She spends much of her time bailing her husband and daughter out.
Marian is an experienced stage actress who began her career in New York. Screen roles include the Irish box office success This is my Father.
She will also reprise her role in the feature film Black Ice.
8EPISODE 1
LOGLINE
When her best friend Celia dies under suspicious circumstances, Alice Watters
is determined to find out what really happened to her, but finds there is already
a campaign of misinformation building around the death.
SYNOPSIS
Alice Watters is more focused on helping her friend Celia make a music
video in the subterranean caves than the “dead-end” internship at the
Environmental Office that she has been bounced into by the Dole. When their
shoot is beset by a flash flood, Celia is swept away, and found dead, under
suspicious circumstances. Guilt-ridden, Alice wants to find out what really
happened, but her efforts to place blame are stymied when a toxicology report
is released: Celia’s death was drug related. Unbeknownst to her, her father has
started working for the new Geothermal energy in the company and has been
instructed to seal up the cave system, erasing evidence of wrongdoing, but
Alice’s spirit of dissent will not be quelled.
9EPISODE 2
LOGLINE
When Alice discovers the cause of Celia’s death, she and Jim aim to take the
truth to the Municipality, but their efforts are stymied by another horrific
accident.
SYNOPSIS
Celia’s bereaved boyfriend is arrested for supplying the drugs that might have
killed her. Alice finds this cause of death hard to believe. Chris O’Rourke is
surprised to find his Mayoral candidacy embraced by the capricious Charlie
Breen and is soon being asked to spearhead an anti-drugs initiative to add to
the moral panic around Celia’s death.
Alice and Robbie attempt to get Celia’s post mortem results to disprove the
rumour of her drug-taking, and discover that she died from methane poisoning.
Alice takes this information to Jim, who sees it as the missing piece of the
puzzle in his case against the company. On his way to deliver this information,
Jim is killed by a hit-and-run, right in front of Alice.
10EPISODE 3
LOGLINE
In the wake of Jim’s death, Alice must find Jim’s hidden samples to prove
that Magma is illegally fracking, before the destructive company receives
permissions to move into protected lands.
SYNOPSIS
Alice withholds information about the van that killed Jim - it looks like a vehicle
belonging to her father. Alice inherits both Jim’s house and job, but must find
his hidden samples in order to prove that Magma is illegally fracking, before
they are approved to move into protected lands. Donna and Mayor O’Rourke
discover that Magma’s ‘environmentally friendly’ project is unviable, but
Magma has made a major gas discovery that will deliver the requisite energy
boom and financial dividends to the bankrupt municipal coffers. As Alice finds
Jim’s samples, and brings them to Heiko to be tested, O’Rourke is blackmailed
by Breen into approving Magma’s destructive expansion. Heiko is attacked, the
Eco Lodge is set alight, and Jim’s samples are destroyed. The mole is revealed
to the audience.
11EPISODE 4
LOGLINE
Magma has sold their “play” and Wallace has been ordered by his superiors
to sanitize the site of any evidence of illegal fracking. With Jim’s samples
destroyed, Alice comes up with a plan to get new evidence, puts her life in
danger to return to the caves, and discovers who the mole is in the process.
SYNOPSIS
Heiko is in a coma, and Robbie and Alice are at a loss about who could be
responsible. Alice attempts a formal inspection of the Magma facility but is
frustrated by her boss Donna. Chris confesses his affair with his intern to his
wife, freeing him from the hold of Charlie Breen. He, Robbie and Alice join
forces to find new evidence of illegal fracking in the caves. As Heiko surfaces
from his coma, he tells Robbie that Larissa is the mole. Elsewhere in the caves,
Alice is out of reach and unsuspecting when Larissa makes an attempt on her
life. Alice fights Larissa, who we discover is really ‘Emelie’, and finds dozens
of barrels of illegal chemicals. The truth about Magma comes to light as they
discover a smuggling route for chemicals across the frontier.
12AUDIENCE POTENTIAL
With its strong themes and its mix of characters, BBC and RTE have identified the series’ potential for Peak-time
viewing. The contemporary themes, the quality of the writing and characterization and the action-based drama will
connect with internaional audiences.
PROJECT REALIZATION
Bandit Films and co-producer Fine Point Films have identified a strong set of locations in the Irish Western and
Border Region.
SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT
Comprehensive screenplays of all four episodes have been prepared by writers Joe O’Byrne and Brian Leyden.
13BANDIT FILMS is the development and production vehicle for the films of Irish filmmaker Johnny Gogan. The company was
set up in 1990 to make the award winning short Stephen (Best Film Galway Film Fleadh 1990). The company have recently
completed the feature docs Home is a Sacrifice Zone (premiere Cork Film Festival Nov. 2020) and the British-Irish released
drama-doc Prisoners of the Moon (2019).
The Guardian’s Leslie Felperin described the latter as having “ a heft that’s given an eerie quality by fine performances, thoughtful
direction and a creepy soundtrack by Steve Wickham”; Irish Examiner as “a gripping account of one of the biggest cover ups of
the twentieth century”: The Telegraph “unveils staggering information and imagery”.
In addition to a wide range of TV docs and shorts, feature film work has included Black Ice, one of the Irish box-office surprises
of 2013, a success which was followed up with a successful DVD campaign through major outlet Tesco. Donald Clarke, Irish
Times said: “Gogan shoots the race scenes with real panache and McGrath and Scott have undeniable chemistry”. Pavel Barter,
in the Metro Herald said of the film: “Newcomer Jane McGrath is mesmerising as Alice”; Alistair Daniel of Dublin Film Festival
“Jane McGrath is one to watch after a strong performance in Black Ice”. Nominated for an Irish Film and Television Award in
Best Actress category.
Mapmaker (2001-2) was produced for ZDF-Arte, Ireland’s TV3 (now Virgin) and the Irish Film Board. It premiered at Seattle Film
Festival (2002) and was distributed widely by Portman Pictures. It secured a Special Mention at Amiens Film Festival (2002).
The Last Bus Home (1997) was produced for WDR, Beyond Films and the Irish Film Board winning a Best Film award at Cherbourg
Festival of British and Irish Cinema (1997) which was followed by a French cinema release in Spring 1998. International
Festivals include Fort Lauderdale, Montreal, Galway, Mannheim, Brussels.
The Bargain Shop (aka Big Deal in Dublin, 1993) was commissioned by ZDF-Arte, RTE and received repeat screenings on French,
German and Irish tv (RTE).
14FINE POINT FILMS is a Belfast-based company established in 2013 to produce feature documentaries and fiction films for the
international market. The majority of our films have theatrical releases in cinemas and theatres in the US and UK. We’ve worked
with Netflix (Mercury 13), ESPN (George Best, All By Himself) and Amazon (No Stone Unturned) and been twice nominated for
Emmys, (Elian and No Stone Unturned).
We’ve worked with Oscar winning director, Alex Gibney and seen our films become the highest grossing Irish documentary ever
released in Ireland (Bobby Sands: 66 Days). Fine Point is now one of the most significant and successful feature documentary
companies in the UK and Ireland.
Gaza, described as “a compassionate human document about a people under siege” (Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian), first
screened in the World Cinema Documentary competition of the 2019 Sundance Film festival, the most prestigious date in the
annual documentary calendar.
A year later, we were back at Sundance with our first major music film, “The Go-Go’s” which premiered to critical acclaim. It
was funded by Universal Music and was broadcast by Showtime Networks on August 1st 2020 and Sky in the UK the following
week (its intended theatrical release in the US was shelved due to Covid 19 pandemic).
Fine Point Films key creative Brendan J Byrne has also produced 2 feature films; JUMP, selected for the TIFF 2012 and MAZE,
which grossed over €1 million in Ireland and is currently available on Netflix.
15Bernd Schlötterer (Executive Producer)
Bernd has more than 25 years of experience and a significant track record as producer, investor in and distributor of filmed
entertainment product, particularly as a former managing director (since 1997) and shareholder of Tele München Gruppe (TMG),
one of Europe‘s largest independent film investment and distribution companies.
He ran the day-to-day core business of TMG, the sourcing and distribution of product via all steps of the exploitation chain, and
served on the board of various subsidiaries, which gives him a substantially unique 360° perspective of the audiovisual sector.
He founded Palatin Media in January 2011. In December 2011 Bernd was elected as a member of the International Academy of
Television.
Additionally, Bernd has successfully invested in, and served as Managing Director or board member to a variety of media and
high-tech companies, like Kinostar Filmverleih, Entertainment Programm AG, Aventin Filmproduktions GmbH or Watch4 (Video
Solutions).
He holds two master degrees in business administration (WHU Koblenz & ESC Lyon).
His recent productions include a.o. SPIDES (8x1h) for Universal, EVOLUTION OF DRIVING, AM ABEND ALLER TAGE (Grimmepreis
Nominierung) and RUN.
About Palatin Media
Palatin Media’s activities include worldwide distribution, production of fiction and non-fiction programs, theatrical distribution
as well as AVoD- & SVoD channels. Palatin Media was founded in Munich in 2011 by long term TMG-Managing Director +
shareholder Bernd Schlötterer. He owns a.o. stakes in the theatrical distributor Kinostar, Swiss Entertainment Programm AG
(former Teleclub Programm AG), film & television production company Aventin, as well as in the AVoD/SVoD-platform Watch4
(Video Solutions).
www.palatinmedia.com - Email: presse@palatinmedia.com
16JOE O’BYRNE (co-writer)
He was artistic director of Co-Motion theatre company from 1985 - 1998. For Co-Motion he directed and wrote many productions.
Highlights were Ghost of Saint Joan (1989), and The Sinking of the Titanic and Other Matters(1990), which he both wrote and
directed, at successive theatre festivals. He also directed Methusalem by Ivan Goll, From Morning to Midnight by Georg Kaiser,
Woyzeck by Georg Büchner, and a show about French and German cabarets called Cabaret/Kabarett Other shows he directed
include Frank Pig Says Hello adapted by Pat McCabe from his novel The Butcher Boy. (This show won many awards and was
performed at the Gate, Dublin, The Royal Court, London, and in Melbourne and New York 1992-96), and The Drum (1995), by
Tony Kavanagh. At the Gate Theatre, Dublin, he directed The Dumb Waiter as part of the Pinter Festival (1994). Other directors
included Harold Pinter and Karel Reisz. He directed The Dead School (1998) adapted by Pat McCabe from his eponymous novel
for the Galway Arts Festval and the Olympia Theatre, Dublin. He directed Loco County Lonesome also by Pat McCabe which ran at
the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh in August 2000. His play It Come Up Sun was premiered by Passion Machine Theatre Company
in Dublin in November 2000. His play, The Article, had its world premiere in German at the Altes Schauspielhaus, Stuttgart, in
April 2001. His play En Suite premiered at the Abbey Theatre on the Peacock stage in March 2002. In 2003 he directed the stage
version of the adaptation of The Woman Who Walked into Doors by Roddy Doyle. Most recently he wrote and directed McKeague
and O’Brien present The Rising and by Way of Interludes World War 1.
FILM He wrote the screenplay for the feature film Korea, adapted from the short story by John McGahern and directed by Cathal
Black for ZDF. His first feature, Pete’s Meteor, was based on his own screenplay. He has a number of films in development,
including The Straits (co-written with Johnny Gogan), The Sam Strategy, “Plantation”, “Old Punks Rule” and Killing Mammy.
He is currently developing the TV series ideas “The Soul Negotiator”, “Medicus” and “Rare Earth”. He is a writer on the TV/Film
production “An Bronntanas”.
RADIO His radio play “Honeymooners at 3 a.m.” was broadcast by RTE in Sept 2008, “Crane” in May, 2009, “Old Punks Rule”
in May 2010, “Yards8ck” in April 2011, “The Blue Hyacinth” (adapted from Maeve Brennan) in October 2011, “Sam the Snail” in
2012, and “What next for Hedy Lamarr” in 2013, “Crash Course on Earth”, in 2014. He also directed all of these.
17BRIAN LEYDEN (co-writer)
Brian co-wrote the screenplay for the feature film Black Ice, one of the Irish box-office surprisesof 2013. He lives in County
Sligo. He is the author of the best selling memoir The Home Place, the novel. Death and Plenty and the short story collection
Departures. His work for radio includes No Meadows in Manhattan and Even the Walls Were Sweatin’ and the Jan 2015 broadcast
The Station Mass. He has been a guest reader at The Green Ink Festival, (London), Ireland and its Diaspora Writers and Musicians
Tour of Germany, The Dublin Writers Festival and the The Flat Lake Festival, and the Newport Festival Rhode Island. In July 2009
he was awarded a Norman Mailer Writers Colony scholarship to Provincetown, Cape Cod.
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