TV
Nothing Trivial: Hitting the right answers
Taken from NZ Herald, by Jacqueline Smith.
Pub quizzes are a Tuesday night staple. All over Auckland, hotch-potch teams assemble, bevies in hand, to "name that celebrity/vegetable/musical score" and recall "who has won the most medals in this obscure sport: A, B, C, or D".
It's a bit of fun, and an excuse to drink with purpose, but it's also a mighty tough competition.
As Blair Strang, who plays a pub quiz regular on TV One's new series Nothing Trivial says, "social competition in New Zealand man, there's no such thing, we're a competitive lot."
The idea for a show about a group of characters in their mid-thirties and early fourties, whose lives intersect at a pub quiz comes from Rachel Lang and Gavin Strawhan, who recently masterminded Go Girls and This Is Not My Life.
"We had some characters in mind but we couldn't quite find the right place for them to come together. And then Rachel went to a quiz night with her brother and thought 'ah'," says Strawhan. "We thought an underlying theme could be that these people are busying themselves answering all the small questions and hoping the big ones will take care of themselves."
Read the full article here.
Brooke Williams in the NZ Herald
Taken from NZ Herald, by Jacqueline Smith.
A year ago, you might have been forgiven for not knowing Kiwi actress Brooke Williams, but then she stripped off, whipped out a convincing Russian accent and became quite a talking point.
Audiences fell in love with Elena, her character on Outrageous Fortune, who married Van after he doggedly pursued her after seeing her in life-drawing class.
In between, she's also sported an English accent to play Aurelia on Spartacus: Blood and Sand and an American one in Legend of the Seeker. A few months ago she showed off her natural Kiwi twang when she played the begrudging, gothic goddess Eva on The Almighty Johnsons.
And this week she turns up in Ferndale.
It's fair to say that Williams, 27, is now a lady in demand. She had just a week between wrapping up on the set of Spartacus: Gods of the Arena before she was due on the set of Shortland Street.
"I'm very lucky because I went from a job where I was covered in blood and dust to this one where I am wearing amazingly gorgeous hand-constructed vintage outfits, and beautiful makeup. It's very glamorous, very different to what I wear but a real treat."
Read the full article here.
Nothing Trivial
SOUTH PACIFIC PICTURES
screening from 20 July on TV One, 8.30pm
Nothing Trivial is a new romantic comedy/drama from the creators of Go Girls, This Is Not My Life and Mercy Peak. Light hearted and fun - it also deals with some of the bigger questions about life, love and the pursuit of happiness.
The show is set in the convivial and highly competitive world of Pub Trivia and is based around a pub trivia team of five late 30/early 40 year olds, who have one thing in common. Each of them is unhappy or unlucky in love.
Watch the promotional segments here.
Nothing Trivial features Auckland Actors Mike Edward, Katrina Wesseling, Barnie Duncan, Damien Avery and Manon Blackman.
On Demand audiences on the rise in NZ
Taken from Throng.
More and more kiwis are heading online to catch their favourite NZ TV shows according to TVNZ and TV3.
The two broadcasters' online catch-up services are attracting larger audiences than ever before, with home-grown shows high on the priority list for viewers.
TV3's service attracted roughly 180,000 in a "good week" with shows such as New Zealand's Next Top Model, Outrageous Fortune and The Almighty Johnsons proving the most popular.
TVNZ's service last year attracted around 320,000 weekly views with Shortland Street the most popular series.
MediaWorks interactive director Siobhan McKenna said the On Demand service had gained 20 per cent more viewers since this time last year.
"We've spent a long time getting smart about our approach to running it well and that means we haven't needed to continue throwing millions of dollars at it," McKenna said. "The big shows from [TV3] and Four are what we throw most resources at."
Introducing the Aotearoa Film & Television Awards
Taken from Throng.
Formerly known as the Qantas Film and Television Awards, now the Awards are back in 2011 but with a fresh look and a new name that better reflects the nature of the Awards - the Aotearoa Film and Television Awards (AFTAs).
Approximately sixty AFTAs will be awarded between the two Awards ceremonies, and a complete list of award categories and criteria are available on the AFTA website.
With the very strong slate of films and television programmes produced in New Zealand over the past year, organisers expect this year's Awards to be the most hotly contested in years.
The key dates for the 2011 Awards are:
Entries open: Monday 27 June
Entries close: Wednesday 10 August
Finalists Announcement: Friday 14 October
Craft Awards: Thursday 10 November
Gala Awards: Saturday 12 November
Regular followers of the Film and Television Awards will notice that the Awards have been moved back by about eight weeks from their normal timing in early September. This is a one-off change which recognises the Rugby World Cup activities in New Zealand across most of September and October.
The Awards continue to be administered jointly by The Screen Directors' Guild of New Zealand and ThinkTV (formerly the New Zealand Television Broadcasters' Council).
Zoe Cramond in The Beast
Taken from The Beast, by Dan Hutton.
During the month The Beast caught up with Packed to the Rafters' newest local star, Zoe Cramond...
Where are you originally from?
I'm from Papamoa, which is in the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand and I'm also from Waihi as well. I kind of went between the two.
Where's Waihi?
Waihi is just another little surf town, same as Papamoa.
Where's the nearest big city?
Auckland is about three hours away.
Where are you living these days?
I'm living in Clovelly - little old Cloey.
What brought you from New Zealand to Clovelly?
Well, I got a job on Packed to the Rafters so I moved for the job. We first moved to North Bondi, which was fun, and then decided we wanted somewhere that was close to a bit of surf and a little bit quieter.
What attracted you to the Eastern Suburbs rather than elsewhere?
I just love the vibe. The cliff walk is so cool, the surf's fun and the people are really relaxed, and it's cool being able to drive to work and then come home and be so close to the beach. I'm sure the Northern Beaches would be awesome and I love it up there but it's just so far away and there are all the road tolls and all that stuff too.
Is it true you dragged your boyfriend out across the ditch with you?
I did drag him over, poor man.
Was he happy to come or was he dragged kicking and screaming?
I didn't know he was coming until the week before I left so it was very last minute.
Did he drop everything and come?
Yeah, he did.
What a romantic...
I know, romance, pretty cool.
You mentioned that you surf, how long have you been surfing for?
Since I was about 14. I learnt at Waihi Beach with my best friend. We learnt together and we were always the chicks with all the surfer guys.
Do you have a favourite surfer?
I grew up watching Andy Irons and he was my favourite, which is pretty sad what happened to him. Andy and Kelly Slater are probably my favourites.
Read the full interview here.
NZ On Air announces funding for second season of The Almighty Johnsons
Taken from Throng.
The second season of The Almighty Johnsons has officially received funding from NZ On Air this month.
The TV3 series has received $6.9m for its second run of 13 episodes after performing well for the network as a replacement of sorts for Outrageous Fortune.
Get to know: Benedict Wall
Taken from TVNZ Shortland Street website.
New guy Benedict Wall plays ED consultant Owen Sutherland. We chatted to him about fitting in at Shorty Street.
How did you get your role on Shorty?
I walked in and asked for a part, Joking! I auditioned after getting a call from my agent.
How long have you been acting and how did you get your first big break?
I started acting seriously seven years ago when I moved to New York to attend drama school at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre. My first big TV job was playing Ben on Outrageous Fortune.
Are you from Auckland or did you move here to film Shortland Street? Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Auckland and Wellington, although I have been living in Sydney for a few years working on a project over there.
Name three similarities between you and your onscreen character.
I can be a real perfectionist with my work. I can be pretty cheeky and we are both 6ft 2 tall (scary coincidence).
Which other character would you like to be and why?
I think that George's character Regan would have been a laugh; naughty but lovable.
What are your hobbies / interests outside of work?
I am pretty social and spend lots of time with friends. I also love movies, books and exercising so pretty much divide my time between those.
What do you do in your down time during the day when you're not shooting?
At the moment learning lines is how I spend my downtime, but I love going to movies and plays. Running / reading / going out with my friends are also up there!
What is your favourite destination in NZ and overseas?
In NZ my favourite place is the Coromandel and overseas definitely New York.
What is your date of birth and what star sign are you?
June 17th and I am a Gemini.
Who is the actor or actress that you admire the most?
Historically, it would have been to be Paul Newman but I do really like Tom Hardy at the moment.
What is the thing you enjoy most about going to work everyday?
Playing with the other actors. Acting is a fun, difficult, trying game but it is also very rewarding.
What has been your favourite scene to film in your time at Shortland Street?
I have some scenes coming up with Ben Mitchell (TK) which get pretty heated - as an actor they are a lot of fun.
Which other actors / actresses do you like working with the most and why?
Most of my scenes are with Ben (TK) and Shavaughn (Roimata) and they are both great to work with. I am also really looking forward to my scenes with Amanda (Sarah) as she is great too.
Have you made any good friends amongst the cast and crew?
Amelia (Bella) and Sarah (Tracey) were friends of mine before I started so it's been great to spend time with them. Everyone here is so cool so I am making lots of new friends too!
TV3 screening Outrageous Fortune from the beginning
Taken from Throng.
Think back to 2005. A highly eligible young Prince William arrived in New Zealand for an 11 day tour. George W. Bush was inaugurated for his second term as President. Kate Moss was dropped from several major fashion labels after a drug scandal. And the cheerfully trashy West family first hit our TV screens.
When it all started the Wests were a one-family crime wave with a proud tradition in thievery, larceny and petty crime. But then patriarch Wolfgang West was sentenced to four years in jail, and his wife Cheryl decided the family were cleaning up their act and going straight.
Each instalment is a movie-length celebration of all things West as we follow matriarch Cheryl, determined to save her brood from following in their father's fingerprints; eldest son Jethro, an ambitious lawyer-to-be with a few secrets; Jethro's twin Van (identical except in the brains department) who only wants to be like his dad; 18 year old Pascalle, who wants to be Rachel Hunter; 15 year old movie buff Loretta, who is blackmailing her teacher; and Grandpa Ted, who may have Alzheimer's - unless he's just playing it up to annoy people.
Then there's Detective Sergeant Wayne Judd, the West family nemesis; the Hongs, a wealthy Asian who may or may not have Triad connections; Caroline Darling, Loretta's deputy principal, who has been having an affair with Jethro since he was a 15 year old student; Munter, Van's best mate and partner in crime; and Wolf himself, who does not intend to take his wife's sudden wave of righteousness lying down.
Created by James Griffin and Rachel Lang, Outrageous Fortune stars Robyn Malcolm as Cheryl West, Grant Bowler as her husband Wolf, Antony Starr as twin brothers Van and Jethro West, Siobhan Marshall as Pascalle, Antonia Prebbble as Loretta and Frank Whitten as Grandpa West.
Over six seasons, 108 hours and more than 60 awards, Outrageous Fortune has become the most successful drama series in New Zealand television. The West family, their friends and associates, laughed, cried, loved, drank and swore their wat into the hearts of audiences at home and around the world.
Don't miss the movie-length episodes of Outrageous Fortune, Saturday 11 June, TV3, 8.30pm.
ScreenTalk: Madeleine Sami
Taken from NZ On Screen.
Actor, musician and comedian Madeleine Sami has been on our TV screens since the age of 18 when she debuted on Pio! and Shortland Street. Since then she has appeared in a number of TV shows including The Insiders Guide to Happiness, The Jacquie Brown Diaries and Diplomatic Immunity. Sami has graced the big screen in Sione's Wedding, Under the Mountain, and in 2012 a sequel to Sione's Wedding. Her most recent TV appearance was in Super City - a programme of her own creation in which she played five roles.
In this ScreenTalk interview, Sami talks about:
- Having to be taught continuity on the set of Shortland Street
- Learning a lot from her more experienced co-stars on the soap
- The fun and chaos on the set of the feature film Sione's Wedding
- How action in her most memorable scene was not actually in the script
- Being in the most blood-thirsty episode of Xena
- Loving her role as the comic patsy opposite the lead in The Jacquie Brown Diaries
- Wanting to create a different type of comedy in Super City
- Mixed reactions to the show - from confusion to cultural icon
- Not realising how much work was involved in playing five lead characters
- Being taken by surprise by the news of a sequel to Sione's Wedding
Watch the interview here.