Expert passes on tips

Press, 31 July 1986, Page 15

Expert passes on tips

Gofta award-winning cinematographer Alun Bollinger is accustomed to teaching about film. Last year he taught fifth formers at Inangahua College in his small West Coast home town of Reefton, and also fitted in two weeks teaching while filming in Sydney. He taught students on the current film-production course in Christchurch for a week in early July and will teach a further module In September. Filming means a lot of travelling. Mr Bollinger spends up to

six months a year on location, out of Reefton, but whenever possible takes his family with him. ' His career began as a cameraman on television just after leaving school. He trained on the job, learning from colleagues and by critically watching the news and current affairs he had filmed during the day, on the screen that evening. After 2 years, he left television to freelance, initially working with friends on films

such as “Wild Man,” “Solo,*’ and “Sleeping Dogs,” in the 1970 s at the beginning of the new wave of New Zealand productions. Although he limits the amount of filming he takes on now, Mr Bollinger said he would like to return to filming full-time when his children have grown. He is impressed with the film-produc-tion course in Christchurch, and sees it as providing students with valuable and versatile skills, as well as being a stimulus for the industry.