In this week’s The Third Degree column, Paul Bradley sits down with Donegal vlogger Karen MacDaid.
Hi Karen, thank you for taking this interview. How are you these days? Could you tell us a little bit about yourself first, please?
Hi Paul, thanks for having me. I am still quite hyped about my recent film ‘The Child I Left Behind’ which tells my story about growing up on a farm in Donegal. Somehow I managed to convince my Dad to be in it. I think he had a lot of fun pushing me in a wheelbarrow, teaching me how to drive a tractor and shouting at me when I let a cow past me when we tried to move the cattle.
In recent years I got inspired by my partner, Artur to pick up a camera. You might have seen his most recent feature film ‘Sandcastles of Donegal’ on YouTube. He is the reason I fell in love with the craft of filmmaking.
You specialise in making short films about Donegal. What kind of responses have you had from audiences, and do you get many foreign viewers?
Some people felt inspired to leave their house and engage more with nature, which I consider an incredible success. A few of them even decided to blow off the dust from their cameras.
I love when art inspires and sparks action. Even if one person decides to put down their phone after watching one of my films and goes outside – mission accomplished. Many people enjoyed the cinematography, music and storytelling – which is a nice bonus if that made their experience more pleasant.
Most of my audience is Irish, but my films do reach the UK, USA and Australia too. I got some messages about how lovely Donegal seems and that they need to visit this place someday. It looks like my productions have the potential to boost the local tourism sector, which is great.
You also seem to be very interested in the techniques and technology of making the films. Which came first for you, the photography, or the county?
The county came first. I am very proud to be born and raised here. Donegal always felt like a massive playground to me, where I can create and run wild.
Our landscapes make going out with a camera very exciting. Every beach and field looks like a movie set when you look at it through the viewfinder.
No wonder so many crews from all over the world are travelling to Donegal to shoot their films here.
I find filmmaking a very stimulating and developing craft. You are constantly challenged by the million things you have yet to learn – ideating, writing, performing, editing, filming, producing, marketing and so on – this list could go on forever.
Every task you do is a problem you need to solve. You often hit many walls and it’s tough. But once you have the breakthrough, you learn something of value – every time.
I detect a move towards more personal subjects recently as well. I presume it takes quite a while planning and shooting, then editing, and even re-editing for different online formats. How easy is it to fit in with daily/working life?
That’s right. It’s a hobby that you can get completely lost in for many hours once you engage with it.
Each film took about a month or two to produce on average. Short form videos can be done in a day.
It’s very easy to make time for it when you are excited about the process. I am having a lot of fun collaborating with my partner – we brainstorm, write, film and edit everything together. The creative practice is just part of the routine, I do it whenever I can.
Do you travel outside Ireland, and gather ideas (or footage) around the world?
I would love to travel more outside Ireland at some stage, but at the moment I am in the process of exploring my home Donegal. There are still so many local places I have never been to.
What do you like to do with your spare time?
I love reading. It’s a wonderful feeling to be seduced by a great storyteller and live a different life for the next 300 pages.
One of my favourite books is A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The main character Sara Crewe is imaginative and uses stories to deal with her reality. She also doesn’t do what she is told when the rules go against her natural way of being. “She liked books more than anything else, and was, in fact, always inventing stories of beautiful things, and telling them to herself”.
Although it’s a children’s novel, it ignites my imagination like no other book.
Any other projects we might see in the future? Would you fancy moving into feature-length films (on your own or as part of a team), or do you see it mainly as a bit of fun?
Yes. At the moment I prefer short films, because I can finish them in a reasonable time and move on to making better films. The progress feels more tangible. But it’s the fun that makes this filmmaking adventure so exciting. You never know what new crazy idea will take over your life.
Is there anything else you’d like to draw attention to?
Thank you Paul for your invitation to The Third Degree, this was fun!
Dear reader, I hope my films will help you see life in Donegal from a fresh perspective. You can find all my work online under ‘Karen MacDaid’. I publish short films on my YouTube channel and I share shorter videos and photographs on Instagram and TikTok.
Thank you for taking the precious time out of your day to read this interview.
If anyone else would like to take part in this interview, to raise a profile or an issue, please contact Paul at Dnthirddegree@gmail.com
