“Thumbs up” from cast and crew at special cinema screening of ‘Displaced’

Film maker, Declan Cassidy, breathed a sigh of a relief as cast and crew emerged from a special screening of his new film “Displaced” with smiles all around. The cast and crew screening was facilitated by Dublin International Short Film and Music Festival at Cineworld in Dublin, and was the moment of truth for a Coimisiún na Meán-funded project with a unique and unprecedented production history.

“When I got the green light for the project from the then BAI I had been experimenting with TikTok as a way to reach out to the Generation Z younger demographic who didn’t watch traditional television and who didn’t hang out on Facebook,” explains the director. “I made the announcement that I was going to be making a short film and that I’d be looking for actors and crew. Within a week or so I’d had over 5,700 people looking to get involved and from countries all around the world. Another result of the process is that we had a mix of people – some of whom were experienced actors, and others who had little or no experience at all.”

While the logistics of dealing with the response took quite a bit of time and imagination, the numbers were finally down to a level where auditions could take place.

“We started with Zoom auditions,” recalls Declan. “I’d never held online auditions before, and it wasn’t quite the same as having the person in the room, but it had its advantages too. We were able to audition people from far afield without dragging them out of their way at such an early stage, and we were able to audition people alongside each other who were, in reality, miles apart.”

With the numbers narrowed down to just a few potentials for each of the 19 speaking roles, Bow Street Academy was booked for live auditions.

Andríu Lavelle (Mr ‘the Grinch’ Dunne) and Lisa Marie Murphy (Sara) at the cast and crew screening during Dublin International Short Film and Music Festival. Lisa Marie was chosen from hundreds going for the main female protagonist role.


“It was then that I realised that the TikTok process had worked,” says Declan. “We had narrowed it down to a group of people who proved to be extremely talented. Any one of them could have played the role they went for, so it came down to considerations on who would ‘make sense’ alongside the person they’d be acting with in a scene. It was a really luxury to be able to split hairs like that.”

Similarly, the crew came through the same process.

“That was more difficult,” admits Declan. “Whereas we could send scripts to potential actors and see what they made of them in an audition, we could only judge crew by what they could show us that they had done and by their attitude. But we had over 700 applicants so we had a wealth of talent to choose from.”

The unusual staffing of the film didn’t stop with cast and crew however.

“TikTok also gave me a really important member of the production team,” recalls Declan. “Ashling Delaney is a Kilkenny-based human resources professional who had built a large following on TikTok. She saw my call out about the film and got in touch wanting to help out. Although she had no film industry experience, she ended up as production and locations manager and did a thoroughly amazing job.”

Twice more, in the production process, Declan turned to TikTok and twice more TikTok came through.

“One of the two stories that intertwine in the film centres on a music megastar called Melanée. We had to have a poster of her in the final scene. The problem was that she doesn’t actually exist,” he explains. “I announced a competition through TikTok under the hashtag #BeMelanee, asking people who fitted the profile I had in mind for the character to submit photos of themselves in the guise of a music megastar. The response was fabulous and, through it, I found the wonderful Nicola Devine. Half way through a shoot day on the film, Ciaran Black of The Grand Social in the city centre turned on the lights and smoke machine at his venue and I did a photoshoot with Nicola for the poster shot.”

Nicola Devine (Melanée, is prepared for the photoshoot by Head of Costume and Wardrobe, Isobel Lord (middle) and Head of Hair and Makeup, Zerica Griffin (right)

The other TikTok call that went out resulted in a film soundtrack that marks an inspired collaboration between film maker and musicians.

“There are three scenes that take place in a barber shop,” explains Declan. “The main protagonist of one of the stories is Sara – a jet-setting ultra-cool barber, based loosely on my niece Hayden Cassidy whose studio is in London. I had been to a studio she worked at in Berlin some years ago and was struck by how the music in the background really set the mood for the place. I had intended to find generic music for the film from the libraries that I have licenses for, but one of the things that fascinates me about TikTok is the number of amazing undiscovered artists who are producing incredible music. So I put out a call for any of them who would be happy to have their music playing ‘on the radio’ in those barber shop scenes. Again, the response was phenomenal.”

Aside from the music that was introduced into the film in this way, was “Location, location, location” – a theme song written specifically for the film by UK band The Be-Aclectics who responded to the original TikTok announcement. The song has been released and has an official video that features scenes from the film.

Indeed, Declan’s two co-producers, along with one actor, were just about the only members of the team who didn’t come via the TikTok route.

Declan with sister Jacinta, a co-producer of the film, at Cineworld, Dublin for the cast and crew screening

“I’d qualified for the Oscars in 2010 with an Irish Film Board-funded short, “Whatever Turns You On”. On the production team then I’d had Bill Tyson and my sister, Jacinta,” explains Declan. “Because this was my return to drama after an absence of some years, I brought them both onboard as co-producers. The other person from that film that I called on was Richard Wall.”

Richard is an actor who had played a security guard in Whatever Turns You On. His character has been rather nasty to a homeless man in the multi-award-winning short. This time Richard agreed to play a homeless man.

“There was a kind of poetry to it,” laughs Declan.

Shooting took place over five days but not before a series of meetings where both cast and crew rehearsed.

“Short films have low budgets,” says Declan, “so nobody gets involved for the money. That was really apparent in making this film. Everyone was prepared to put 110% in. There was some nervousness from those who had never acted before, but those with experience were so generous with their knowledge and time. And I really feel that the preparation shows in the film.”

The support from the film didn’t stop with cast and crew.

“We had some very tricky locations to find,” recalls Declan, “but we had amazing support. Dave Allen from Whelan’s on Wexford Street provided us with a key location. Lisa McKenna Solicitors on Baggot Street let us take over the entire offices and Lisa even stepped in with her team when we needed extras. Ciaran Black in The Grand Social gave over the venue for our photoshoot and then hosted us after the cast and crew screening. Ammobile on Mary Street were incredible too. They came in and opened the shop early on a Sunday morning and let us totally redo the shelves for our scene. Another real life-saver was McGrattans Pub who, again, came in out of hours to let us overrun the place for a scene, and a real star was Warren of The Dublin Barbers. He gave us his entire studio for a day and was on hand to help out even though it was a rare day off for him. Then Hollybrook Homes gave us everything we needed to turn a perfectly normal piece of grass into a building site and they put us on to the ever-patient Joe Cox who showed up with his van and drove it up and down the canal about 10 times until I had the drone shot I needed. It’s incredible how generous these people were.”

With teamwork and collaboration underscoring the production process, Cassidy was keen to have the cast and crew’s approval before locking the film down.

“I’ve to deliver to Coimisiún na Meán, but, before doing so it was important that everyone was happy,” he explains.

‘Displaced’ is one part of a two-part hybrid project that was backed by the funders.

“I’m making a half-hour documentary to accompany the film,” explains Declan. “The central theme is the additional difficulties that face someone who runs into trouble while living in an adopted country. They often don’t have the support of family and friends that they’d have had in their native land. I’ve been that ‘lone stranger’ a number of times while living away from home, and with Ireland’s multicultural society of today, it’s important to me that we keep an eye out and offer a helping hand to the newer members of our Irish family.”

In the case of the film, the non-Irish national protagonist of one of the two storylines is a Polish man called Stefan, played by debut actor Jakub Keringer.

Jakub Keringer in his role as Stefan, the Polish man who finds himself in a crisis without the support of family and friends


“This essential role was one of the roles that we didn’t have lots of people applying for,” recalls Declan. “Although we have 120,000 or so Polish people in Ireland, it seems that they’re not busy applying to be in films or they’re not on TikTok! I was so lucky to find Jakub. I auditioned a few people for the role, but I knew, from the moment I saw him, that there was a special talent in him. He’s a natural method actor who can really immerse himself in the character. You’d never know he hadn’t acted before. I feel that there’s a future for him in the industry if he chooses to go that route.”

With excitement high after the cast and crew screening, all thoughts are now on getting the film out to the viewing public.

“The film and documentary will show on Dublin Community Television, which is available on Virgin Media 802, so all the families and friends will get a chance to see it. But the big hope is that it will be picked up by film festivals around the world. Starting immediately we’ll be submitting it and crossing our fingers!”