Movie Maker

How one local man is offering people their own 15 minutes of fame

If you have ever wanted to star in a mini movie about your own life or make a family film to celebrate a special occasion, you now can thanks to the entrepreneurial vision of local man, Donagh McKeown.

It was when Donagh, an experienced radio broadcaster, decided to make a short autobiographical film to celebrate his 50th birthday that he hit upon his business brainwave.

“I had invited around 100 friends and family members to my 50th party,” explains Donagh, “and decided to incorporate a load of old photos, some ancient cine-film and tons of memories into a short home movie. Everyone loved it and after the event quite a few of my guests approached me to ask if I could do the same thing for them. I suddenly realised that if I could do it for them, I could do it for anyone, and the idea for my business, Relive Productions, was born.”

At the time, Donagh was working as a freelance radio producer for Northern Sound in County Monaghan and he wasn’t yet ready to totally move away from radio. He knew, however, that if his vision was to become a reality, he would need some practical support, and approached Invest NI for advice. They encouraged him to enrol on their Start a Business Programme which, Donagh says, was crucial for the development of Relive Productions.

“My background in radio provided me with the necessary skills to research, write, film and narrate the DVD presentations I planned to make,” says Donagh, “however I had absolutely no business experience. The programme welcomed me with open arms. A lot of people may think that such organisations are only interested in young people with new business ideas, but I am proof that this isn’t the case. The Start a Business programme is a superb initiation for anyone with a business idea, regardless of their age, background or experience. It was certainly instrumental in getting my business off the ground and it taught me so much about the basics of setting up and running a business.”

Since launching Relive Productions in June, Donagh has been inundated with orders for his unique short films from both private and business clients.

We have made DVD presentations for weddings, birthday parties, retirement parties and anniversaries,” he says. “Hosting a private premier for the evening is definitely an exciting and unusual addition to any party, and our clients and their guests love it. We have also attracted an extremely strong commercial customer base. Our products are ideal for small businesses that want to get a corporate message or marketing initiative across to their clients, but don’t have the budget to employ a large advertising agency or media production company.”

Donagh believes he is proof that it is never too late to change direction in your career or to set up your own business and he hopes that Relive Productions will not only become a household name, but that his story will inspire others to follow their dreams.

If you have an idea for a business, the Go For It Programme can help you, just as it helped Donagh. Call 0800 027 0639 to turn your business idea into a business success story.