General

Peter Rowley on NZ On Screen

Taken from the NZ On Screen website.

Funny man actor Peter Rowley is best known for his appearances in a slew of TV comedy shows including A Week of It, McPhail and Gadsby, The Billy T James Show, the self-titled Pete and Pio with Pio Terei, and Letter to Blanchy. Rowley does however have a dramatic side which he has ably demonstrated in the feature films Savage Island, Russian Snark and Netherwood (currently in post-production).

In his ScreenTalk interview, Rowley talks about:

- How A Week of It became a hit satirising politics and politicians
- How lampooning Prime Minister Rob Muldoon made Muldoon more popular
- Being accused of ruining the career of Bill Rowling by the politician's daughter
- Writing for The Billy T James Show while living with the show's star
- Hating the emergence of political correctness while continuing to push boundaries in comedy
- Causing offence in a souvenir store by wearing a Nazi uniform
- Loving working with Pio Terei in Pete and Pio
- How Aucklanders didn't 'get' Letter to Blanchy
- Successfully begging to be in the pirate movie Savage Island
- The beautiful cinematography in Stephen Sinclair's film Russian Snark
- Overcoming personal doubts about his abilities

Watch the interview here.

 

 

My Big Week: Amanda Billing

Taken from the NZ Herald.

Seven days in the life of the actress and gospel singer.

Friday night drinks?
Begin at mine, starting with a cocktail featuring Raspberry and Lemon Drop by 26000 Vodka, apple vodka, lemon juice, sugar syrup and crushed ice.

Where I'll be wearing my new:
Simple shift top that I whipped up, hot Italian hosiery, the Ego-Inflators (fold-over, black, Puss-In-Boots boots) and jewels by Andrew Swann.

And this weekend I'm planning on:
Not setting my alarm and then not doing much.

My favourite cafe is:
The Corner Cafe in Pt Chevalier. Excellent coffee and scones and staff that make you feel like family.

Saturday evening. If my dreams came true there would be a gig by:
Eva Cassidy, Joni Mitchell, India Arie, L.A. Mitchell, Roberta Flack, Billie Holiday, Joan As Policewoman, Florence Welsh and Cleo Laine with the APO.

On my stero/headphones right now is:
Stuff from my random collection that I haven't listened to for years, especially classical music.

The books I can't put down are:
Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite by Paul Arden, The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo and La Bella Lingua by Dianne Hales.

The TV show I take the phone off the hook for:
Are you kidding me? Shortland Street.

The movie I've been dying to see is:
Inception (again, at Imax this time).

A non-cooking Monday night means takeaways from:
Handmade Burgers in Kingsland.

Or a splash-out Wednesday night restaurant:
It would have to be understated and Italian.

Shortland Street star Amanda Billing is part of the Jubilation Gospel Choir which is performing at the Montecristo Room on Saturday night.

 

2010 Qantas Film Awards Finalists

The film finalists have been announced for this year's Qantas Film & Television awards.

Both film and television awards will be presented together at a red-carpet event on September 18.

General Film finalists include the below. For a full list of film finalists see www.qantasfilmandtelevisionawards.co.nz.

Best Feature Film
Boy - Ainsley Gardiner, Whenua Films
Home by Christmas - Gaylene Preston, Sue Rogers & Nigel Hutchinson, Doublehead Films
Under the Mountain - Richard Fletcher, Matthew Grainger & Jonathan King, Redhead Films

Best Director in a Feature Film
Gaylene Preston - Home by Christmas, Doublehead Films
Stephen Sinclair - Russian Snark, Godzone Pictures
Taika Waititi - Boy, Whenua Films

Best Lead Actor in a Feature Film
Tony Barry - Home by Christmas, Doublehead Films
Stephen Papps - Russian Snark, Godzone Pictures
James Rolleston - Boy, Whenua Films

Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film
Alison Bruce - Life's A Riot, Riot Productions
Vera Farmiga - The Vintner's Luck, Ascension Film Ltd
Elena Stejko - Russian Snark, Godzone Pictures

Best Supporting Actor in a Feature Film
Te Aho Eketone-Whitu - Boy, Whenua Films
Sam Neill - Under the Mountain, Redhead Films Ltd
Taika Waititi - Boy, Whenua Films

Best Supporting Actress in a Feature Film
Keisha Castle-Hughes - The Vintner's Luck, Ascension Film Ltd
Tina Cleary - Home by Christmas, Doublehead Films
Stephanie Tauevihi - Russian Snark, Godzone Pictures

Best Screenplay for a Feature Film
Dean Parker - Life's A Riot, Riot Productions
Gaylene Preston - Home by Christmas, Doublehead Films
Taika Waititi - Boy, Whenua Films

Best Cinematography in a Feature Film
Alun Bollinger - Home by Christmas, Doublehead Films
Adam Clark - Boy, Whenua Films
Denis Lenoir - The Vintner's Luck, Ascension Film Ltd

Best Editing in a Feature Film
Chris Plummer - Boy, Whenua Films
Ken Sparks - Life's A Riot, Riot Productions
Paul Sutorius - Home by Christmas, Doublehead Films

Best Original Music in a Feature Film
Lukasz Buda, Samuel Scott & Conrad Wedde - Boy, Whenua FIlms
Victoria Kelly - Under the Mountain, Redhead Films Ltd
David Long & Stephen Gallagher - Russian Snark, Godzone Pictures

Best Sound Design in a Feature Film
Tim Prebble, Gethin Creagh & Gilbert Lake - Under the Mountain, Redhead Films Ltd
Tim Prebble, Ken Saville, Michael Hedges & Gethin Creagh - Home by Christmas, Doublehead Films
Ken Saville, Tim Prebble, Chris Todd, Michael Hedges & Gilbert Lake - Boy, Whenua Films

Best Production Design in a Feature Film
Ralph Davies - Under the Mountain, Redhead Films Ltd
Grant Major - The Vintner's Luke, Ascension Film Ltd
Shayne Radford - Boy, Whenua Films

Best Costume Design in a Feature Film
Leslie Burkes-Harding - Home by Christmas, Doublehead Films
Amanda Neale - Boy, Whenua Films
Beatrix Pasztor - The Vintner's Luck, Ascension Fims Ltd

Best Make-Up Design in a Feature Film
Steve Boyle & Jane O'Kane - Under the Mountain, Redhead Films Ltd
Angela Mooar - Home by Christmas, Doublehead Films
Dannelle Satherley - Boy, Whenua Films

Best Visual Effects in a Feature Film
Charlie McClellan - Under the Mountain, Redhead Films Ltd
Park Road Post - Russian Snark, Godzone Pictures
George Ritchie - The Vintner's Luck, Ascension Film Ltd

Best Short Film
Zoe McIntosh - Day Trip, Lone Pine Film
Sam Peacocke - Manurewa, Robber's Dog Films Ltd
thedownlowconcept - Only Son, thedownlowconcept featuring Josh Thomson, Elizabeth McGlinn & Andrew Munro

Best Performance for a Short Film
Tuhoe Isaac - Day Trip, Lone Pine Film
Aaron McGregor - Choice Night, BOP Film
Josh Thomson - Only Sob, thedownlowconcept

Best Screenplay for a Short Film
Sam Peacocke - Manurewa, Robber's Dog Films Ltd
Paul Stanley Ward - Choice night, POP Film
thedownlowconcept - Ryan Hutchings, jarrod Holt, Nigel McCulloch - Only Son, thedownlowconcept featuring Josh Thomson, Elizabeth McGlinn & Andrew Munro

Outstanding Technical Contribution to a Short Film
Robert Key - Roof Rattling, Robin Murphy Productions Ltd
Ginny Loane - Redemption, Isola Productions Ltd
Gareth Moon, Jodie Stack, Chris Ulutupu & Kate Logan - Day Trip, Lone Pine Film

 

2010 Qantas Television Awards Finalists

The television finalists have been announced for this year's Qantas Film & Television awards.

Both film and television awards will be presented together at a red-carpet event on September 18.

General Television finalists include the below. For a full list of television finalists see www.qantasfilmandtelevisionawards.co.nz.

Images and Sound Best Drama Programme
The Cult - Rachel Gardner, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV 2)
Go Girls - South Pacific Pictures (TV3)
Outrageous Fortune - South Pacific Pictures (TV3) featuring Antony Starr, Roz Turnbull, Wesley Dowdell and many more

Best Comedy Programme
7 Days - Jon Bridges & thedownlowconcept (TV3) featuring Jeremy Elwood.
The Jaquie Brown Diaries - Jaquie Brown, Gerard Johnstone, Young, Gifted & Brown (TV3)
Pulp Sport - Jamie Linehan & Ben Boyce, Shonky Productions (TV3)

Best Maori Language Programme in association with Te Taurawhiri I Te Reo Maori and Te Mangai Paho
AKO - Jeni-Leigh Walker & Pania Papa (Maori Television)
E Tu Kahikatea - TeNoni Ltd (Maori Television)
Moteatea - Hinewehi Mohi (Maori Television)

Qantas Cure Kids Best Children's/Youth Programme
Eco Rat Trap - Luke Nola and Friends Ltd (TV2)
Kaitangata Twitch - Christopher Hampson Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)
Reservoir Hill - KHF Media (TV2)

Best Entertainment Programme
Good Morning 'Sir Howard Morrison Special' - Sally-Anne Kerr, TVNZ (TV One)
Homai Te Pakipaki - Homai Te Pakipaki (Maori Television)
The Topp Twins & The APO - Arwen O'Connor, Satellite Media (TV3)

Best Performance by an Actress - General Television
Danielle Cormack - The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Kate Elliott - The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Siobhan Marshall - Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV 3)

Best Performance by a Supporting Actress - General Television
Lisa Chappell - The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Chelsie Preston Crayford - The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Miriama Smith - Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)

Best Performance by an Actor - General Television
Latham Gaines - The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
George Henare - Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)
Kirk Torrance - Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor - General Television
Grant Bowler - Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)
Matt Whelan - Go Girls, South Pacific Pictures, (TV2)
Scott Wills - The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)

Best Script - Drama/Comedy Programme
Michael Bennett - Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)
James Griffin - Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)
Rachel Lang - Go Girls, South Pacific Pictures, (TV2)

Images and Sound Best Director - Drama/Comedy Programme
Peter Burger - Go Girls, South Pacific Pictures (TV2)
Gerard Johnstone - The Jaquie Brown Diaries, Young, Gifted and Brown (TV3)
David Stubbs & Thomas Robins - Reservoir Hill, KHF Media Ltd (TV2)

Best Director - Factual/Entertainment Programme
Jane Andrews - Radar's Patch, JAM TV (TV One)
Melanie Rakena - South, JAM TV Ltd (TV One)
Belinda Simpson - Intrepid Journeys (TV One)

Best Cinematography - Drama/Comedy Programme
David Paul - Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)
Simon Reira - The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Marty Smith - Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)

Images & Sound Best Editing - Drama/Comedy Programme
Eric de Beus - The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Bryan Shaw - Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)
Mark Taylor - Go Girls, South Pacific Pictures (TV2)

Best Original Music in General Television
Gareth Farr - Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)
Eden Mulholland - World Kitchen, Zoomslide Media Ltd (TV3)
Rhian Sheehan - The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)

Best Sound Design in General Television
Tom Miskin, James Hayday & Steve Finnigan - Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)
Tom Miskin, Steve Finnigan - Go Girls, South Pacific Pictures (TV2)
Carl Smith - Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)

Best Production Design in General Television
Clayton Ercolano - Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)
Gary Mackay - Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed (Maori Television)
Gary Mackay - Go Girls, South Pacific Pictures (TV2)

 

2010 WIFT Awards

South Pacific Pictures Award for Achievement in Film - Ainsley Gardiner

Great Southern Film and Television Woman to Watch Award - Julia Parnell

Television New Zealand Entrepreneurship Award - Tania Rodger

Images and Sound Award for Success in Television - Rachel Lang

Screentime Unsung Heroine of the NZ Screen Industry Award - Adria Buckton

Te Puni Kōkiri Te Reo Māori Champion Award
Te Kaihapai o Te Reo Māori - Tini Molyneux

Outstanding Contribution to the NZ Screen Industry - Gaylene Preston

Special Award - Te Whaea Whakaata Taonga - Keri Kaa


Congratulations to all the 2010 WIFT NZ Award recipients.  

Peta Rutter

March 1959 - July 2010

We are extremely sad to announce that Peta Rutter passed away on 20 July 2010, after being diagnosed with a maligant brain tumor approximately a fortnight ago.

Her funeral was held Wednesday 28 July - 11am
at St Andrews Church, 100 St Andrews Road, Epsom, Auckland 1030

All our love to Carl and family.


If you wish to send a message to Carl and family please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or mail to PO BOX 56-460 Dominion Road Auckland 1446 and we will pass on.  

Antony Starr on Flicks

from Flicks, New Zealand film website.

"We asked Antony Starr - Jethro and Van in Outrageous Fortune - to recommend five of his favourite films...

'Watching films and going to the movies is, I believe, one of the best expenditures of time. It is fantastic. I’ve seen a lot of films in my time so it’s difficult to pick five and label them favourites. Flavours of film and film-making have changed dramatically over the years, making the selection even harder to call.

There are very few films I see that don't have something in them I like, at some level. More often than not, the films I don't like are re-makes (usually of classics) to which I usually find myself saying, 'Why bother? Why not let people enjoy the original?'

For the most part, however, any film I see will have something in it I like - a particular performance, theme, idea, etc.

Sometimes there are films that come along and tick all the boxes for me. The list of these films in totality would be very long indeed but I've managed to whittle it down to five. Not easy. I could not put them in order of preference as they are all so different and as such I find them non-comparable in that way.

Hopefully you'll find some time to watch some or all of them, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.' "

Read about Antony's film picks & the full article here.

 

Lauren Jackson on The Big Idea

 

Article taken from The Big Idea, interview written by Renee Liang.

"A few days ago I had instant coffee and some very nice chocolate with Lauren Jackson, sitting out the back of a Unitec rehearsal room. Lauren is an actor, playwright and director who is directing her award-winning play, Exchange, for the Auckland season of Young and Hungry 2010.

Exchange was written and premiered in 2005 based on Lauren’s own recollections of her time as a German exchange student in the 1990s… although she’s keen to let us know that not all the material is autobiographical! The Young and Hungry festival, originally started by BATS theatre in Wellington, grabs talented young actors, designers, stage managers, publicists and backstage crew and puts them in a high-pressure situation making real plays whilst being mentored by seasoned professionals. In Auckland,  the Auckland Theatre Company (ATC) provides this support, with the three plays Exchange, Thinning by Eli Kent – see next week’s interview – and Fitzbunny: Lust for Glory happening at The Basement in July.

Renee: Tell me a bit about how you came to be a writer.

Lauren: Firstly let me just say I have huge respect for the craft of writing and know I still have lots to learn. Exchange was the first full-length play I wrote but I've always enjoyed writing. A little-known but very important fact about me is that I was runner-up in the 1990 What Now Milky Way Short Story Competition. I won an electronic typewriter and many, many Milky Way bars. Anyway, after graduating from drama school I was employed quite a bit to workshop plays as an actor. I loved watching how the plays grew and developed. It demystified the process for me and showed me that all writers hit blocks and hurdles. After a while I started to wonder if I could give it a go myself. In 2003 I was on a theatre contract in Wellington when the Young & Hungry Trust asked for submissions for the 2005 season. I had spare time and was babysitting a friend's flash computer. I had a great time listening to her crazy music collection and typing up my submission. There have been times in my life when I just knew I was going to go for something and this was one of them. Over the next year and a half I wrote Exchange."

Read the full article here.

 

 

'Only Son' to screen at Fantastic Fest

Auckland based production company thedownlowconcept took top honours at the 48 Hour FIlm Festival this year with their hilariously deadpan ghost story Only Son, beating out 650 other short films to be crowned V48HOURS Grand Champions 2010.

Now the short film has been officially invited to screen at this years Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas (Variety's Ten Fests We Love) amongst studio premieres and festival flicks from around the globe.

Only Son features Auckland Actors Josh Thomson Andrew Munro and Elizabeth McGlinn alongside Mick Innes, Ian Gordon and Cori Gonzalez-Macuer.

Directed by Ryan Hutchings, Jarrod Holt, Nigel McCulloch.

To view the film click here.

 

 

 

 

Latest NZ On Air Funding Decisions

Three documentarys for TV One, and Go Girls season 3 are amongst the latest shows given production funding by NZ On Air.

NZ On Air is an independent government funding agency, formed in 1989. They invest in a colourful range of cost-effective local content, to extend choices for different New Zealand audiences.

For all the most recent funding decisions see the NZ On Air website, www.nzonair.govt.nz