Spotlight on NZ film industry
2009 wraps up a positive year for film in New Zealand with the movers and shakers of the movie world shining the spotlight on everything the country has to offer from location to expertise.
Shooting is underway on a string of high-profile international productions, and major stars are being spotted Kiwi-side as they’re filmed in picturesque locations.
Current New Zealand movies and their makers are also enjoying the limelight with new international releases, while talent and location scouts scour the country for the up-coming celebrities, and pre-production gears up on a number of keenly anticipated Kiwi films.
To top it all off, New Zealand and its reputation is behind a new project that could give aspiring movie-makers the chance to hit the big time.
The ‘Big Break’
Known as ‘Your Big Break’, the project is a short film competition that will give five up-and-coming film-makers an opportunity to get their work in front of New Zealand’s Academy Award-winning director, Peter Jackson.
Already there has been keen interest from aspiring movie-makers wanting to make the most of the rare opportunity.
Finalists will shoot and direct their own short films on location in New Zealand with the assistance of The Lord of the Rings executive producer Barrie Osborne and world class post-production facility Park Road Post, in Wellington.
Peter Jackson will view and judge the completed films, and the winning entry will be shown on US television.
On a film roll
Despite the fluctuating dollar it seems Hollywood producers have not been put off coming to New Zealand for big-budget movies, and some are already being filmed while others are in the planning stages.
Auckland Film Studios chief executive Kieran Fitzsimmons says New Zealand will always be a prime production location due to its diverse environment and ability to offer "first world service for third world prices".
"We’re known for our No 8 wire approach to service. We just get in and get the job done," Fitzsimmons said.
Peter Jackson is currently developing multiple projects. Tintin is in the can, but he says it will take two years for the computer animation to be completed. The Dam Busters is in script development stage with reports that Stephen Fry is involved.
Tintin
Jackson says Stephen Spielberg’s film Tintin is made, and describes it as "great". The movie has been cut together and now is being turned into a fully-rendered film.
Principal photography on the movie - fully-titled The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn - began in January 2009.
It is the first in a series of two or three films based on comic cartoon character Tintin, whose first adventure created by George Remi, better known by his pen name Herge, appeared 80 years ago in January 1929.
Jackson is apparently set to direct the second film in the series.
The Hobbit
Tintin was shot in full 3D, but Jackson confirmed recently that The Hobbit - his next project as a producer - would not follow suit.
Hobbit director Guillermo del Toro wants to shoot in 35mm, old-fashioned film, according to Jackson.
The aim was for the two Hobbit films and The Lord of the Rings to feel like part of the same cinematic universe, despite del Toro being in the director's chair this time around, he said.
Filming of The Hobbit - to be shot as two movies - has been delayed by a few months, and the release date may be pushed back.
Jackson told moviereporter.net that filming would move from March to June 2010 as work on the second script wouldn’t be completed until either late 2009 or early 2010.
"When the scripts are completed, we can begin with the exact calculation of the necessary budget. We hope to start filming in the middle of next year. However, we've received no green light from the studio yet," he said.
Jackson says scouting for locations is still taking place and while there is no word on casting other than Ian McKellen as Gandalf, there are rumours that British actor Brian Cox (Manhunter) may play a dwarf after John Rhys Davies confirmed he would not be returning.
McKellen has said he is "itching" to return to Middle Earth after reading the script for the first Hobbit movie and while he is sworn to secrecy, the British actor says the part has his name on it and he’s longing for production to get underway.
Lovely Bones
Jackson’s comments about The Hobbit were made during an interview in London at the world première of his latest film, The Lovely Bones - due to have its New Zealand première in Wellington on 14 December, ahead of general release on Boxing Day.
Based on Alice Sebold's best-selling novel, the movie is told from the perspective of a murdered teenage girl who reaches out to her family from the after-life. It stars Saoirse Ronan, Susan Sarandon and Mark Wahlberg.
Several of The Lovely Bones stars are tipped to appear at the New Zealand première at the Embassy Theatre, in Wellington.
The appearance of Peter Jackson, Susan Sarandon, Kiwi’s Rose McIvor and Carolyn Dando and the film’s protagonist Saoirse Ronan could make it a star-studded affair for the Kiwi fans who turn up to see the red carpet.
Tracker
The man-hunt thriller Tracker starring British acting royalty Ray Winstone has just finished filming in Queenstown and Auckland.
The $10 million movie is set in early 1900s New Zealand, and was shot on location at Glenorchy and Moke lake near Queenstown, as well as Narrow Neck Beach on Auckland’s North Shore.
In the film, Winstone plays as ex-Boer war guerrilla who’s sent out to bring back a Māori seafarer accused of killing a British solider. Kiwi actor Temuera Morrison, who is best known for his starring role in the critically acclaimed Once Were Warriors, plays the part of the accused.
Morrison and Winstone literally go head-to-head in the movie and have developed a powerful on-screen chemistry making light-hearted comments about the fight scenes.
Tracker is a UK / New Zealand co-production directed by Ian Sharp, whose television work includes Robin of Sherwood and Tess of the D’Urbervilles.
The movie is to première at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival in France.
Yogi Bear
A film adaptation of classic TV cartoon Yogi Bear, featuring singer Justin Timberlake and Ghostbusters star Dan Aykroyd, is currently being shot in New Zealand.
The film blends live action with CG animation and is being shot in 3D using Aykroyd and Timberlake as the voices of Yogi and Booboo.
It isn’t known whether Aykroyd or Timberlake will be in New Zealand for filming.
New Zealander Tim Coddington is producing the film.
Yogi was reputedly ‘smarter than the average bear’ and it’s hoped the tailor-made Hollywood movie will resuscitate the hirsute cartoon hero who once stole picnic baskets from the campers in ‘Jellystone Park’.
Unbound Captives
Fans of Twilight star and teen heart-throb Robert Pattinson are excited about reports that he will be filming his next movie in New Zealand next year.
Unbound Captives is a $125 million western about Comanche Indians that will be directed by actress and first-time director Madeline Stowe.
It will co-star Rachel Weisz and Hugh Jackman, and has a late 2010 scheduled release date.
Pattinson, 23, is currently one of the world’s most high-profile movie stars thanks to his role in the Twilight movies, an adaptation of the successful Stephanie Myer book series.
Tumanako Springs
Continuing on the vampire theme, a short film, described as New Zealand's "first vampire Western", has been selected to screen at a French short film festival in early 2010.
Tumanako Springs, to be shown at Festival du Court Metrage de Clermont-Ferrand was selected as part of four film programmes featuring "Zombies, Vampires & Other Undead". The festival takes place in Clermond-Ferrand from 29 January to 6 February, 2010.
Film-makers makers Francis Glenday and Dave Slade describe Tumanako Springs as "New Zealand's first vampire Western".
They plan to attend the festival to "fly the flag and get people interested in some of our bigger projects".
More information:
Lovely Bones première
The Hobbiton moves into Wellington
The Big Break film competition
Taika Waititi's 'BOY' for Sundance festival
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