Executive Producers, Alan and Joanne O'Sullivan, Site Manager, Joe O'Sullivan and I had driven up from Kerry to Dublin, a three and half hour journey, over which we recalled some stories and episodes from the production process. When we arrived to the IFI skipping in from the driving rain, we walked in through the tunnel of light entrance and saw the vibrant lush red of the Spiderhole Poster on clear display glowing out to us. There we took some snaps and went in to buy our tickets and sat back to relax on the balcony over looking the foyer and watched for friends to arrive. Executive Producer, kevin Hannafin and his wife Meta showed up minutes later drenched from the down pour, a group of friends and family in toe. A little later a few other friends came through the doors, but our initial impression was that perhaps the attendance might be small as it was now already 6.45, and we watched as a decent cue dissolved into Screen 2 leaving the foyer rather sparse and quiet. This felt somewhat ominous.
Then literally within 15 minutes of the screening the flood gates opened and everything changed and the place was fizzing with life, I had gone down stairs to speak with Edward King the director of the festival when suddenly the levee's broke as the foyer filled with faces, and I had to push through what was now a huge crowd attempting to greet those friends I recognized who had come out to see the movie. 5 minutes to go for the screening, the audience was spilling into the theatre, new faces and characters were appearing, then our striking actor John E.Regan in dapper attire had his hand out to shake mine with his bright eyes and beaming smile, then in walked the gorgeous Stephanie Tobin ( Daisy Gray ) who had made the effort to get there with her lovely sisters all in trail behind, and while welcoming as many people as possible I was also attempting to document some footage using my phone, it was a literal whirlpool of activity all streaming through the doors of Cinema 1 where Spiderhole was the name on display on the flat screen monitor....it was all rather hectic and surreal and exciting.
Inside this impressive theatre the crowd spread out to take their seats and a thought crossed my mind as I entered and snapped some pictures 'where the hell was I going to sit' when before I knew it Edward King passed me the microphone to introduce the film. Now I was standing before an expectant audience, a full house, and behind me towered the huge screen, so I gathered my breath and let loose an introduction to the story of this film to date in summary, then I scrambled off to find the guys and a seat as the lights sank and big Hollywood movie trailers roared and tumbled, then the time came for those opening moments and credits, and there it was 'Spiderhole' larger than life a huge vibrant rich colourful bright brilliant cinemascope tapestry beaming in our faces, and visibly more than capable of punching with those block buster previous trailers as our movie clearly SANG of QUALITY.
Knowing exactly what it took in the absence of a much bigger budget to fight to get our low budget movie finished to the highest possible standard, this was a great moment to behold, sat there in the darkness over looking all those people seeing for the first time, what the Spiderhole team had managed to create over 33 months of a splendid adventure, where episode after episode of progress and energy got us here and now and not with a whimper, but with a BIG BEAUTIFUL BOLD CINEMASCOPE FEATURE FILM. What a first night...and did they like it? did they what?! as the lights went up the cinema thundered with an eruption of spontaneous applause, and people shared their enthusiasms generously as we left the cinema and tried to talk through the din of a teaming packed foyer....you got to come see this in the cinema, get you all to The Empire, Leicester Square beginning Friday the 29th, check their website for details.
