Elspeth Tavares COMMENT []Publisher & Editor in Chief The Last Bastion of2001 Raw Enthusiastic & Committed Talent. Getting to Know the Players in the New Zealand Film Industry n May1988, The Business of Film conducted its first in-depth look at the multinational world that we all now live in and can only continue to grow. In New Zealand film industry. In our “an around the world” research project this atmosphere of Maori renaissance which I had not witnessed before, Iwe revisited New Zealand in December 2000. It is abundantly clear that coupled with the changing needs and aspirations of filmmakers that I even though the Film Commission --now in its 22nd year -- without its interviewed from directors, producers, executives, I felt that an issue which continued support and the new 2000 initiative with the Film Fund, very few consists largely of edited conversations, will give you the reader an insight feature films by New Zealand filmmakers would come out of the country. As into not only the renaissance of what Maori is fighting for, but insight into would be expected the film producing, film-funding landscape to an extent has for example the many changes Ruth Harley has made since becoming CEO changed enormously, and yet in many aspects remained the same. The marked of The New Zealand Film Commission just over four years ago. In addition very marked change is that population complexion has changed quite the “In Conversation” really reflect what individuals feel about the film dramatically over the last ten to fifteen years. New Zealand has been undergoing making opportunities in New Zealand, about the dynamics of producing socio-economic and bicultural change. In 1988 when I visited Auckland, it was films in New Zealand, the new Film Fund and the issue of Maori. a rarity to see a person of any color; today this thriving metropolis is speckled nce Were Warriors is the highest grossing New Zealand film to with a variety of complexions from the lightest shades to the deepest tan. The date. To the unenlightened outsiders it was a ‘international story’ vibrancy of the milieu adds vibrancy to a country that is not only palpable, but Oabout abuse and violence within New Zealand’s uneducated also highly visible in relation to goods now available in the shops. In a series of population of an indigenous race within New Zealand. For the enlightened, conversations with Polynesian, Pakeha and Maori individuals it’s evident that Once Were Warriors is all the above but at it’s core, (the pito) it’s about the entire country is undergoing deep-rooted changes. power of spirit of Maori once lost, endeavoring to regain. For all the reasons he deepest vein touches the Maori, the original indigenous tribes of above, I felt obliged in interest of the entire New Zealand film industry to New Zealand, they are visibly fighting for a more bicultural present the following pages in the manner we have. Each individual Tacceptance of an environment in which the current renaissance of interviewed had a variety of thoughts concerning writing, directing and Maori culture, can survive and thrive to the benefit of the entire population. producing low budgets films in New Zealand, which is a learning curve in The Business of Film found that across every sector the people of New itself for the international film community. New Zealand also has its own Zealand are facing a crossroads in the development of their country and their vernacular, where possible, we have tried to preserve it. The Business Of people. Naturally some accept the changes more readily than others do, but Film was the first international magazine to interview the talented director as an outsider, I found the very air breathed this change. The time to change Peter Jackson. Through his efforts widely acknowledged by the entire is widely acknowledged by the ‘majority’ of population. However, the issues industry he has been in the three years since commencing New Line’s The are far more complex. My analysis as an outsider is what really is at stake is Lord of the Rings trilogy, notched the profile of New Zealand in the eyes of not just the economic rewards of belonging to an upwardly mobile socio the international producing community that no other entity or individual has economic geopolitical group, it’s the deep rooted culture that the younger collectively on behalf of New Zealand achieved before. Unable to talk with Maori feel were denied to them, as they intermingled and grew up as Pakeha him because of his tight schedule, his first international interview is again (mixed) straddled between two cultures diametrically opposed. These baby published from 1988. In addition we are pleased to include other firsts: the boomers are hungering for and demanding the right to be who they are within talented Christine Jeff’s whose film Rain is in Directors Fortnight; Vanessa Maori culture and that right is fully acknowledged. I discovered that Maori Ashurst and Gillian Sheldrick, director/producer team on Snakeskin, and culture is not unlike the North American culture, there is a strong bond with Vanessa Alexander of Magik + Rose. The talented Yvonne Mackay, fresh the earth the sky and all things of nature. A deeply spiritual people, they are from her enormous success with the telefeature Clare, is now concentrating trying in a modern world to hang on to the essence of Maori which they fully on developing and directing feature films, the first of which is One believe makes them all one, regardless of tribe. The social canvass of the Moment AKA Castle of Lies. I hope that you will enjoy this supplement to country is endemic to the film and television industries, as I wrote in The The Business of Film as much as I have enjoyed meeting and talking to this Business Of Film issue The New Genre Black Filmmakers in the ‘90s, the small section of talented and committed individuals who make up a minute medium of television and film has the power to influence and reflect in a proportion of a small, but vibrant community and film industry in New short space of time, I personally believe the mosiac of a multicultural, Zealand. MAY 2001 No 168 Head Office: London 41-42 Berners St. London WIP 3AA Tel: 0207-372-9992 Fax: 0207-486-1969 Los Angeles Office: 5150 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 509, Los Angeles CA 90036 Tel: 323-935-8228 Fax: 323-935-8229 Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Elspeth Tavares The Business of Film Media Foundation Training Programme Josephine McDiarmid. Contributors Deborah Vines, David Gibbs, Miles Fielder (BoF Alumni), Allison McKenzie, Elizabeth Joseph. Product Guides Betsy Pearson. Assistant to Elspeth Tavares Angela Knox. Accounting (London) Barbara Bogatko. Layout/Production Allen Boothe Contact Email addresses: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] The Business Of Film has freelance contributors in: LOS ANGELES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, SOUTH AFRICA, IRELAND AND ITALY Eastern Europe: Leposava Bukavac, Senjacka 10, 11000 Beograd, Yugoslavia. Tel: 381-11-650-188 Fax: 381-11-650-686 The Business of Film is available by subscription only. The Business of Film is published 15 times per annum including daily during the Cannes Film Festival under license from Elspeth Tavares. No portion of this publication, including text and graphics, shall be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Elspeth Tavares recently entered into a strategic alliance with Internet company Reelplay.com. Certain features and sections of the publication (In effect since October 1999), will appear under arrangement with Reelplay.com on their website: http://www.reelplay.com. Entire contents copyright © 2001 Elspeth Tavares. All Rights Reserved. New Yvonne Mackay Director CON Zeland One Moment AKA Castle Of Lies, her first feature for a number of years has secured the Special majority of its financing both from New Zealand and EuroArts in Germany. TEN Issue 102 78 Truth Of The 98 Series Success Catalyst Moment For Expansion 80 Focused In The Same 100 Squeezing The Maximum Direction From Every Dollar 82 Balancing The Complex 101 Independent Movies Not Needs Of The International Art House Film Community 102 An Impression That 84 The Black Hole Of Mergers Changes Our Lives & Acquisitions 104 Blending Comedy And 85 The Benefits Outweigh Drama The Compromise 80 105 Celebrated Maori 86 Seeking To Build A Strong 106 Aspiring To Achieve Two Vigorous Indie Sector Contradictory Aims 88 Sourcing Own Creativity 108 Communicating Directly & Images To The Audience 92 A New Generation Of 110 A Chain Of Empowerment Filmmakers 112 The Spirit Of Maori Essence 93 The Space And Time For 114 Young Blood Cult Film 115 New Zealand Biographies 94 A Rich Element Of Black 108 And Profiles Comedy 96 Films More Like Architecture Than Art 79 78 The Business Of Film 78 New Zealand Special Issue Scene From Rain The Truth Of The Moment The Business Of Film: You are obviously CJ: I didn’t try to control them in any way. thoughtful child, exceptionally bright and funny, a very thoughtful and careful director with a Just encourage them to release their spirit into the and just what I was looking for. He had closed desire to convey emotions in terms of the process and on to the screen. I didn’t direct them himself from the outside world, so we just storytelling. As a director, do you feel that technically with regard to the marks or about this encouraged what I felt was inside to come out. A you’ve conveyed that in the movie Rain, which is right or wrong. I used the script as a very basic currently is being shown during Directors guide so that the text is only there in terms of Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival 2001? guidance.