Film industry ticking over, with two productions being shot in S.I. locations

Press, 25 February 1987, Page 19

Film industry ticking over, with two productions being shot in S.I. locations

By

JANE DUNBAR

The Wizard, a local television journalist and author, and several well-known Christchurch performers had something in common this month. They all had parts in one of the two feature films being shot in the South Island.

The production of the two films, "Starlight Hotel" and "Illustrious Energy,” shows that despite its difficulties of the last few years, the industry is still fighting on, and is providing employment, interest, and a creative outlet for many people. Both films are being made by Auckland-based companies, who are making good use of South Island facilities and talent. Production of “Starlight Hotel,” the first feature film to be shot in New Zealand for a year, began at the beginning of January, and has used Oamaru and other South Island locations. Set in the summer of 1929- • 1930, the story is about a young girl, Kate (played by Greer Robson, the child-star of “Smash Palace”), who runs away from home to try to find her father who went to Wellington for work. On her way she meets two important figures: an old hobo, “the Spooner” (played by the Wizard), and a 31-year-old man, Patrick (Peter Phelps), who is on the run from the police. The film follows Kate’s and Patrick’s journey together — how they overcome feelings of mutual mistrust and hostility and develop a strong friendship which helps them both.

The story, built around a human relationship, achieves intimacy and dramatic tension without using sex or violence, and will make ideal family viewing, says the producer, Finola Dwyer. The second film “Illustrious Energy,” is also being filmed in Central Otago, mainly in the Alexander and Clyde area, but is set in 1895, 35 years earlier than "Starlight Hotel.” Filming began at the beginning of this month, and is about the lives of Chinese gold-miners who were still working remote claims in barren valleys 30 years after the goldrush.

The writers of the script, Martin Edmond and Leon Narbey, wanted to make a film about a time in New Zealand’s history which had not been looked at before. Leon Narbey, who is also directing the film, says it looks at the frugal and pragmatic life-

styles of two Chinese miners, at their alienation and selfsufficient loneliness being trapped in a hostile and foreign land, and at moments of joy and colour that lighten their harsh search for the source of "wealth and honour.” The use of South Island talent as well as locations in both films has been interesting. The wizard, in the role of the hobo, “the

spooner,” “is a slightly frightening character, but always speaks the truth, and in the end saves Kate,” says the director of “Starlight Hotel,” Sam Pillsbury, (who among other things directed “The Scarecrow”). "I’ve been impressed by the Wizard’s energy, charisma, and wit, and in a way he’s a contemporary version of “the Spooner” — an urban hobo. “The Wizard

himself was taken with the idea when I approached him; and although it’s a vaguely risky venture, it will certainly be interesting working with him.”

Michael Brown, whom many will know from the past work for the Mainland Touch, plays the role of an anti-government rab-ble-rouser. “I had a ball,” he says. “I’d take it on full-time if they’d pay me enough.” Other Christchurch performers such as Janice Gray, Geoffrey Wearing, Lex Matheson, and David Telford will be making appearances in the films. Performing in a different way are Marilyn Hudson, Mike Hill, and Alistair Broughton, all from Christchurch. Marilyn Hudson, the co-ordinator of the Film and Video training programme which runs at the Arts Centre, is responsible for continuity in "Illustrious Energy.” Mike and Alistair, who were both students on Marilyn’s course last year, are working for “Starlight Hotel;” Mike as a runner and Alistair as a lighting trainee. The only South Islander in a leading role is the Dunedin-based lawyer, Peter Chin, who will play Wong in “Illustrious Energy.” He played the lead Chinese character in the TVNZ drama production “Hanlon,” and also the Chinese cook in the TVNZ series “Adventurer.” The female lead in the film is Geeling, the New Zealand Chinese actress who played the part of the Chinese woman in the

David Bowie video clip, “China Girl.”

The biggest role in the film, Chan, will be played by Shaun Ba'o. He has acted in 15 films in China and came to New Zealand in 1985 to study English drama at Canterbury University. He was then cast for the role.

Shaun says he is excited about the film. He believes Chinese people have been mistrusted and misunderstood in the past, and even still sometimes today. He hopes that through the film the gap between myth and reality will close as Western audiences come to understand something of Chinese people. Shaun has studied Chinese literature at university so he brings to the film more than just his acting skills. “As Westerners making a film about Chinese people,” says the production designer, Janelie Aston, “we have to be very careful. The Chinese have a different way of expressing things — there is a sort of poetry in everything. It’s vital we get this right in the film; To have Shaun around to help with these things is tremendous.” The most difficult role to cast was Kim, and so the crew were excited when the “perfect person,” Chen Shu, was found in China and agreed to take the part. Chen Shu has appeared in 40 Chinese films and had a major role in “Taipan,” the Americal film recently shot in China. He

has also just finished filming in the new Bertolucci film “The Last Emperor.”

Unfortunately, just a few days before the shooting of “Illustrious Energy” was due to begin, Chen Shu was still in China and there was some confusion about, his arrival in New Zealand. This meant the shooting schedule had to be changed, which for some meant they would not still be available for roles.

“We just have to keep on persevering,” says Leon Narbey. “It’s just one mountain after another, but we’ll get there.” "Starlight Hotel,” on the other hand, has been able to keep to its schedule, and Finola Dwyer expects the filming to be finished within the six weeks planned. She believes the film will have a wide range of appeal. “The energy and charisma of

Peter (Phelps) and Greer (Robson) make for magic on the screen, so that audiences will become absorbed with them,” she says. “The scenery down here is another feature of the film. Thanks to the colours and the skies, it’s going to be visually very beautiful. You will never have seen a New Zealand film which looks like this one.”

This film’s female lead, Greer Robson, is a 15-year-old schoolgirl who, despite her acting success, is “right into her schoolwork” and wants to be a doctor, says Finola. Peter Phelps is an Australian actor who has appeared on New Zealand television in the Australian series “Sons and Daughters,” and will soon be seen in an Australian film epic, '‘The Light-horseman.” Finola Dwyer says auditions were held throughout New Zealand for the role but no-one suitable could be found. “Peter is just perfect,” she adds. Filming of “Starlight Hotel” will shift to Christchurch for a couple of days at the end of this month, and then will move on to Wellington for the final scenes. The film should be released in the August holidays. It is not yet known how long “Illustrious Energy” will take, nor when it will be released. It too, however, promises to be a visually very interesting film. Several sets will be used; one of which, the Chinatown, has already attracted a lot of local, tourist, and media attention.

Another major set is in Conroy’s Gully, where a hut built of local schist under over-hanging rock was found still intact Brian Omundsen and Clint Herdman, who were travelling through the South Island on a working holiday, took on the job of clearing six acres of surrounding scrub, and developing a garden just below the hut.

“It’s the garden which was the big difficulty,” says Brian. “All the locals said you won’t get anything to grow there, and it sure has been difficult. The wind rips down here at night, and the sun’s too hot during the day, so we’ve had to cover up everything with shade cloth.

“The weird thing is the plants don’t die; they just stay the same and won’t grow. The only real success we’ve had is with the spuds and beans.” Despite the difficulties and frustrations, Brian says that he and Clint loved living in the gully for 2 1/2 months and have made invaluable friends with people they have met through the job. That seems to be the way it is with the film Industry: coping with the bad and enjoying the good. With film-making, even once the major obstacles are overcome, new problems and causes for frustration are constantly arising. The devoted few, however, stick at it; and everything is made worthwhile once the cameras start rolling — and ‘it’s a take.’