NEW FILM RELEASES 2018 - Part 2

Following on from my previous post, 2018 saw Mary's Dowry Productions work on several more new DVD releases in 2018.  It was fantastic to work on another English Martyr - St. Thomas Garnet this year.  Although filmed for in March 2017 and being so keen to have this DVD, it was not until late this year 2018 that work was finally completed on this great saint.

We had invested in a particular costume for this saint, a high quality, authentic style garment that really made the visuals for this film stand out. 

Screenshot from "St. Thomas Garnet and the Gunpowder Plot" DVD

 We had a sudden few days here of intense snow and for ten years we have wanted to venture out into the snow to acquire footage.  We did this, obtaining beautiful shots of hills, horses, cows, nature, close ups of flowers in the snow, branches and blizzards.  

Screenshot of St. Thomas Garnet at the Gallows

St. Thomas Garnet was the first production we used the snow footage in and it really added to it.  We were particularly pleased to be able to use the horse-rider in the snow that we shot to portray St. Thomas Garnet's travels around England.

Saint Thomas Garnet and the Gunpowder Plot DVD

When it came to me composing the music score for this I was able to use all my old English sounds and samples but I also added depth by incorporating a lot more sound effects, including horses hooves with the horse in the snow footage as well as snow falling plus many more.  This film is called "Saint Thomas Garnet and the Gunpowder Plot" and is now available on DVD.

Our Lady and the Visionaries of Knock

Saint Thomas Garnet marked the end of the films we shot for in March 2017, leaving us with only the Ferring barn footage shot for St. Mechtilde of Magdeburg film. The next production we worked on was "Our Lady and the Visionaries of Knock" which we filmed for earlier this year.

I was extremely excited about this production.  All my life I have found the Knock apparitions to be important and fascinating but I've never understood the entire process of what happened.  I looked forward to working on this to find out.

We had filmed not only the visuals of the villagers who saw the apparition, but we had also recorded several parishioners who volunteered their time to narrate several witness accounts from Knock, mostly genuine Irish parishioners, one who is actually from Knock and remembers the time before the basilica, with all the crutches from cures upon the walls.

It was so effective to show the actual people experiencing the visions, it really brought the whole thing to life.  We used everybody who was at the barn for the filming day for St. Alban Roe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Jane de Chantal and St. Gemma Galgani so we had several people and it worked out perfectly.

Screenshot from Our Lady and the Visionaries of Knock film

The side of the barn was perfect to represent where the apparitions took place.

We also filmed our parish priest for the 1960's section and building of Knock Airport.

Our Parish Priest in the production of Knock.

Putting this production together was quite a pressure, it was longer than our average DVD, plus there were lots of different narrations to work with. I was looking forward to writing Irish-themed music but I found it quite difficult.  The difficult productions always turn out quite profound and it was the case with this.  I was astonished at the shocking Irish history

I learned so much about Ireland and it finally clicked exactly why Our Lady appeared here and at that time in history.

The film is now available on DVD.

St. Mechtilde of Magdeburg and the Souls in Purgatory

I had been wanting to have this production for over a year because I wanted to see how our discovery of the ruined barn at Ferring would turn out.  Visually it was perfect!  I was much moved by St. Mechtilde's life and particularly new insights into the devotion to the Holy Souls in Purgatory which is covered in this film. 

St. Mechtilde DVD

I enjoyed writing the music for this film, mystical, reflective and lots of use of soundscapes and ethereal voices and nuns. 

Screenshot from St. Mechtilde of Magdeburg DVD

This DVD has actually proved extremely popular, more than I would have thought.   Finishing this DVD marked the completion of our catch-up of outstanding productions and footage filmed for in 2017.  It was a great feeling to have all these wonderful saints' DVDs available and their stories told.

St. Mechtilde of Magdeburg Trailer can be viewed here:

A step forward to Mary's Dowry Productions, we have been pleased to begin introducing some Beguines into our catalogue, Beguines and the Beguine vocation is very dear to us.

Saint Gemma Galgani

The very end of 2018 has seen us working on St. Gemma Galgani.  I liken this production to our film on Blessed Alexandrina produced in 2010.  As with Alexandrina St. Gemma Galgani is in black and white with effects surrounding visions, her guardian angel and mystical experiences.

Screenshot from St. Gemma Galgani

 I found writing the music quite difficult again but went for something very moving with use of cello and strings.  Gemma's story is fascinating and deep.

This DVD is available through Mary's Dowry Productions and Amazon.

Saint Gemma Galgani DVD NOW AVAILABLE worldwide.

Feeling quite overwhelmed and a little burned out but so pleased to have caught up, we have decided to leave St. Alban Roe and St. Francis de Sales to the new year.  We have begun filming for Edel Quinn but only allowed ourselves one filming day, taking advantage of the cracked earth and heatwave that took place here, to represent Edel's time in Africa.  

Screenshot from Edel Quinn upcoming film 2019

This has been archived until 2019 when we are feeling a bit more recovered.  Next year will surely see some new saints and fascinating new releases.  Meanwhile I will be concentrating a bit more on my albums.