Getting to Know... Bodacious

Bodacious is an innovative, disruptive, visionary, production company based in Dublin Ireland with a roster of award winning, inspirational directors. Led by executive producer Max Brady with 30 years of experience, we produce multi-platform content for the international and domestic market.

LBB> Tell us a bit about Bodacious – when did you form and why?

Max> Boacious was formed out of a previous company - Pull the Trigger. I felt it was time to do something that was a little more feminist and a bit less reflective of the current state of the world. When I say feminist - I mean that in the true spirit of the word - an ideology that works towards equity and equality - not just in the sphere of women's rights, but equal rights for all. We live in such a crazy world right now where social norms are being eroded - people are experiencing a lot of change and flux, it's all highly emotive whether you identify as left or right, so I feel that there is room for a production company that just wants to do good work - while also working towards promoting equality and affecting societal change. I actually went off and put my money where my mouth is and completed an MA recently in gender and equality studies during which many of my own long standing feminist theories and beliefs were challenged. I like to think that I can bring that learning, and challenging, into my work.

Apart from that - we are a really, really, good production company. I have too many years of experience to mention here - because then I might appear as more ancient than I care to admit - but I like to think that we run a positive production from bid to delivery. No challenge is insurmountable, (if you have resources and a creative 'can do' attitude), and what we do in our business is very privileged, so it shouldn't be a chore to show up. I try to ensure that good humour is maintained, no matter the vagaries of Irish weather, the curve balls, and we always ensure that our clients are collaborated with and our crew feel supported.

We are nothing in production without our clients and the crew. It's really important to me that we respect the craft of what goes in to making a TVC or a film, and that means respect for everyone who makes it happen.

LBB> What’s the story behind your name?

Max> I like to think that I'm fairly brazen and bold, (though also shy!) and the name encompasses that. I have had the name for a while - and was surprised that it was available. I feel it encapsulates the feminist approach we are taking to the work, is memorable, and hopefully reflects my own ethos.

LBB> Tell us about three campaigns that epitomise what you do as a company?

Max> I suppose I'd talk about three very different campaigns.

Firstly Phone Watch Burglar - the next instalment of which breaks on June 2nd. This has been a challenging local campaign for a client that has a limited budget and is in a market crowded by competitors with deep pockets. We work very closely with the Dublin based agency Boys and Girls on this one. The director, Chris Cottam, and I love the bravery and bodaciousness of the agency and the client for the creative - it is not often that you will get a client to lean in to the very thing that their customers might be trying to avoid.
By focusing on 'Trevor' the burglar and the issues they are having around the response time of the product, we really got to have some fun in collaborating with ways to make it all work within the budget.

In this year's campaign 'Phobia' sees us revisiting Trevor and the trauma she is experiencing due to the success of the home monitoring system. While our production budget was testing I think the end result of two very strong pieces of work that don't compromise on production standards is an indication of how we work. We are afraid of nothing and approach every project with Bodacity.

'Bootcamp' has been so successful for the client and agency and I'm looking forward to seeing what 'Phobia' does.

Secondly then the Square Space project we provided production services for to Biscuit Filmworks in the LAST week of December before Christmas on the West coast of Ireland on some of the shortest days of the year, with storms, mud, celebrities, twisty windy roads, cliff tops, and an entire area that did not have enough accommodation because it was out of season for the hoteliers. (Convincing a hotel to hand us over the keys and let us set up the production base there was inspired. I hear that the craic the crew had in that hotel made the difficult working conditions worth it.)

This too was a challenging production for a myriad of reasons - including those listed above. But...given the demands that both Biscuit Filmworks and Bodacious were facing - I'm very proud of how we managed to make it happen. Due in no small part to the flexibility and understanding of the Biscuit and Square Space team, but also to the tenacity of the very loyal crew that we put together.

Finally, I am anchor sponsor of the IAPI Cannes Young Lions Film competition since it's inception in 2016. This year through Bodacious, we produced the powerful film for Threshold Ireland. I love this opportunity to work with young creatives and to generate platforms for younger directors and for crew to step up into more senior roles. It's very much a labour of love for everyone as there is no budget. But every year I am blown away by the generosity of our crew and suppliers, and I like to think that that comes down to mutual respect.

LBB> What are your strongest opinions relating to your specific field?

Max> Fairness, respect, equality and transparency in all that you do.

Fairness: Be kind, be fair. Pay for the work that a creative or a crew member has put in to your project.

Respect: Respect for the craft of production, the work of the crew, the needs of the client and for each other - we're all trying to get to the same result

Equality: Do what you can to create a just and equitable workplace with dignity and opportunity for all.

Transparency: Goes without saying really. Nobody likes murkiness - there is enough of that in a wobbly global time with wars, poverty and hatred.

LBB> What are you proudest of as a company?

Max> The relationships and therefore loyalty that we have managed to build up amongst repeat clients and crew. Production can be an absolute pain in the proverbial - often times like herding cats that are on fire and feral. To know that you are a 'go to' for many key people in the industry who may be seeking advice or have a problem to solve - and to know that crew and suppliers will do what they can to help you pull a project together no matter how challenging, is something to be proud of. It reaffirms my feminism and belief that what we do can make a difference. Every production offers a platform to say something and affect societal change. How we portray society; pushing through glass ceilings and dismantling stereotypes. Making sure that whoever we work with, will come back again. (Sometimes that's just for the craic! See first answer. We do like to sprinkle in craic to the positivity.)

LBB> What are some upcoming projects our readers need to keep an eye out for?

Max> Next project coming up is Phone Watch 'Phobia' for Boys and Girls. Otherwise - very happy to have any scripts sent along that might need some Bodacious production skills.

LBB> Looking beyond LBB, what socials can we check Bodacious out on?

Max> We are on Instagram and I am on Linked in, currently trying - badly - to figure out how to set up the Bodacious account on Linked In. And we are also part of all of the Global Production Network's socials. (Ditched FB and X too much toxicity on there, and I'm pretty wary of TikTok, SnapChat and Telegram! )