ScreenTalk » Interviews

Bruce Allpress – a Kiwi character

Screen Talker — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:16:51 +0000

Veteran actor Bruce Allpress has had a long career in theatre, film and television. His television credits include Close to Home, Hanlon, Shark in the Park, Duggan, The Cult, and the lead role in the series Jocko. His many film appearances include The Piano, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and, most recently, Rest for the Wicked.

In this ScreenTalk interview, Allpress talks about:

Getting a dressing down from a producer on the set of Close to Home
How being ‘laconic’ at his audition got him the lead role in Jocko
Having to learn how to use a bullwhip in four days for the show
How the character of Jocko was a quintessential New Zealand character
What happened when his mate Ian Mune lost control of a horse on set
Getting the role of Sparky on Mortimer’s Patch by removing his teeth
Almost wrecking a camera while riding a quad bike on Duggan
Finding The Piano an odd film to be in
Not really understanding his role in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Acting with his ‘over 60s mates’ in the film Rest for the Wicked
How the best has yet to come in his career

This video is available on YouTube to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence.

Finola Dwyer: an education in production

Screen Talker — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:09:17 +0000

Internationally successful Kiwi film producer Finola Dwyer began her career as an editor at the National Film Unit and then moved onto editing and producing at TVNZ. Dwyer migrated over to the film industry and worked as an editor and producer. Some of the memorable New Zealand films she worked on include Came a Hot Friday, Starlight Hotel, and The Quiet Earth. In the 90s, Dwyer moved to the UK where she has made a name for herself producing films such as Backbeat, An Education and Dean Spanley. Her latest project is Quartet, a film directed by Dustin Hoffman.

In this ScreenTalk, Dwyer talks about:

Learning to edit film at the National Film Unit
Editing the classic short film Score with director Arthur Everard
How editing Country Calendar for TV was more stressful than NFU editing
How an unplanned visit to the beach led to Raglan by the Sea
Creating the quirky chat show McCormick Country
Having to re-record the dialogue and soundtrack for The Quiet Earth
How her first producing job on Queen City Rocker was a baptism by fire
Overcoming fear by producing the Beatles biopic Backbeat
Being proud of the film Dean Spanley and its cast and crew
Sharing teenage dating stories while co-producing An Education
How the film struck controversy due to its subject matter
Feeling blessed to be working and continuing to learn in the film industry

This video is available on YouTube to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence.

Nicole Whippy – creating memorable characters

Screen Talker — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:13:31 +0000

Vivacious actor Nicole Whippy has created some memorable characters on our television screens. She debuted playing a warrior queen on Xena and then appeared in the film Vertical Limit. She made a splash on the drama Jackson’s Wharf before appearing in a slew of TV series such as Mercy Peak, Being Eve, The Strip and Outrageous Fortune. In 2011, she starred in the comedy/drama hit Nothing Trivial.

In this ScreenTalk, Whippy talks about:

Being terrified having to ride horses on Xena
Having all her acting flaws pointed out by a producer on Jackson’s Wharf
How a sexy costume helped her create Elektra in Being Eve
Being taken on an intense emotional journey on the set of Mercy Peak
Filming scenes from The Strip in a real strip club and refusing to go in the spa pool
Playing an extreme version of herself on Outrageous Fortune
How people on the street had some negative reactions to the role
Auditioning for a role on Nothing Trivial that was modeled on her
Feeling that her role on the show is the ‘big one’ in her career

This video is available on YouTube to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence.

Theresa Healey: From Play School to Carmen

Screen Talker — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:23:46 +0000

Actor Theresa Healey first appeared on screen entertaining a generation of kids on Play School. She became a household name playing the popular character Carmen on Shortland Street for five years. Since then she has been in a range of New Zealand TV dramas including Marlin Bay, Mercy Peak and Go Girls. She has starred in the films Jubilee and Savage Honeymoon.
In this ScreenTalk, Healey talks about:

Learning not to look bored on the set of Play School
Not knowing the director’s intentions in cult classic Kitchen Sink
Loving playing the ‘sassy’ Carmen on Shortland Street
Filming an embarrassing sex scene in Marlin Bay,
Being unhappy with her performance in Jubilee
Being tired and rundown but loving the experience of Dancing with the Stars
Playing a money obsessed blonde mother in Go Girls

This video is available on YouTube to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence.

Catherine Saunders on generous figures, genuine advice, and gyms

Screen Talker — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 02:00:47 +0000

Catherine Saunders has had a long career in both broadcasting and PR. She began her media career as a radio announcer in 1961 and produced a number of radio documentaries before crossing over to television as a continuity announcer. In the mid 60s, Saunders was a reporter on the current affairs programme Town and Around. She was also a panelist on Beauty and the Beast for 12 years, and co-hosted the chat show Saunders and Sinclair. In the 90s, Saunders hosted 50 Forward with Gordon McLauchlan – a show aimed at older viewers.

In this ScreenTalk, Saunders talks about:

Doing ‘silly’ stories on the current affairs show Town and Around
Working with intelligent articulate women
How female presenters today have thin waists and perky breasts
Shooting three weeks of shows in a day on Beauty and the Beast
Tackling controversial topics on the show and offering serious advice
How the audience didn’t want advice from men on the show
Working with the genius that was host Selwyn Toogood
Being surprised by a mass protest on the chat show Saunders and Sinclair
The reason co-host Geoff Sinclair left the show
Having fun at a gym with Gordon McLauchlan on 50 Forward

This video is available on YouTube to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence.

From Pop-a-Long to King Kong – Ray Woolf on the value of variety

Screen Talker — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 03:15:50 +0000

Veteran entertainer Ray Woolf has appeared on television and film as a pop singer, song and dance man, TV host and actor. Starting out as a singer, Woolf made a splash on television in the swinging 60s music shows C’mon and Happen Inn. His career took an unusual direction when he turned up as co-host on the long-running children’s show Play School. Showing his versatility as a performer, Woolf also hosted his self-titled chat show The Ray Woolf Show, and has appeared in a number of TV dramas such as Xena, Marlin Bay, Street Legal and The Strip. In 2011, he had a guest role in the hit show Nothing Trivial.

In this ScreenTalk, Woolf talks about:

Pre-recording and miming to songs in a tiny studio for the music show C’mon
Loving being part of Happen Inn, and how it gave him a strong public profile
How hosting Play School made him a hit with young mothers
Feeling intimidated by big name celebrities guests on The Ray Woolf Show
Playing bad guys on the set of Xena
Being impressed by the huge scale and skill of everyone involved in the show
The “incredible experience” of working with Peter Jackson on King Kong
Having fun with a coffin on the movie Insatiable Moon
Enjoying playing a philanderer on the TV show Nothing Trivial
Coping with the fast paced shooting on set

This video is available on YouTube to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence.

Jim Moriarty on getting back on the horse

Screen Talker — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 03:13:24 +0000

Actor Jim Moriarty cut his teeth on the early dramas Pukemanu and Close to Home, then went on to appear in a number of other TV projects such as Inside Straight and City Life. He has starred in films The Strength of Water, No Petrol No Diesel, and played Jesus in Saving Grace. As well as acting, Moriarty has directed in television and theatre, and works with at risk Māori youth. In this ScreenTalk, Moriarty talks about:

How actors were allowed to help develop the scripts on Close to Home
Incorporating political and social issues into the show
Being thrown from a horse on the set of The Lie of the Land
Making ‘love’ the central focus of playing Jesus in Saving Grace
Being give the freedom to improvise while making The Waimate Conspiracy
How the film No Petrol No Diesel gave at risk youth a chance of participating in the industry
Having an emotional reaction to the story in The Strength of Water
Not regretting turning down the role of Jake in Once Were Warriors

This video is available on YouTube to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence.

The real Kate Elliott

Screen Talker — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 02:52:47 +0000

Kate Elliott began her life on screen after attending an audition at school. Since winning that role – as a bulimic, sexually abused, self-mutilating teenager in House of Sticks – Elliott has starred in many of New Zealand’s major television productions including Street Legal, The Insiders Guide to Love, The Cult, Shortland Street, and played Katherine Mansfield in tele-feature Bliss. Her film credits include Toy Love, The Locals, and Fracture.

In this ScreenTalk interview, Elliott talks about:

Why she chose to be an actor
How she began her screen career at age 14
Making out with Madeleine Sami while wearing a school uniform in the Harry Sinclair production Pale Blue
Her experiences on TV series Street Legal
How strippers at Mermaids taught her how to act while under water in Toy Love
Using what she learned on Toy Love for under water scenes in Bliss
Her character in The Insiders Guide To Love
Appearing in the Whittaker’s chocolate TV commercials
Playing Katherine Mansfield for the first time in An Indiscreet Journey and how her character differed from the Katherine Mansfield in Bliss
Juggling a new baby and her role in The Cult
The fight to land her leading role in Bliss
The unique skills involved in working on Shortland Street

This video is available on YouTube to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence.

Around Town with Tom Finlayson

Screen Talker — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 03:17:32 +0000

Tom Finlayson is a producer, director and writer who has an impressive track record in New Zealand television. He began his TV career as a reporter on Town and Around, but quickly moved on to news producing, and eventually TV drama production. Finlayson produced the highly acclaimed kidult show Under the Mountain and the successful police drama Mortimer’s Patch, as well as the films Other Halves and The Grasscutter.

In this ScreenTalk interview, Finlayson talks about:

His excitement and naivety upon becoming a reporter on Town and Around
The cynicism behind the wholesome family show Stars on Sunday
How producing the TV series Under the Mountain was one of his best experiences
Using mirrors to create in camera effects for the show
The real reason for shooting Mortimer’s Patch in the countryside
The courage of director John Laing in picking street kids to act in Other Halves
The challenge of casting The Grasscutter in Belfast with director Ian Mune

This video is available on YouTube to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence

Will Hall on goodies, baddies and dodgy agents

Screen Talker — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 01:41:22 +0000

Will Hall fell into a screen career by accident after hanging out with filmmakers at Lincoln University – an unlikely scenario given his study towards a commerce degree. Since then, Hall has forged a career both in front of and behind the camera. Hall’s introduction to trans-Tasman film work had some teething problems, but on returning to NZ the “boy from Christchurch” landed a key role in The Insiders Guide to Happiness. Roles in Eagle vs Shark, Shortland Street and tele-feature Bloodlines followed, as well as Underbelly – Land of the Long Green Cloud and 30-something TV series Nothing Trivial. Hall also co-produced and acted in his own feature film Netherwood, described as NZ’s first modern day western thriller.

In this ScreenTalk interview, Hall talks about:

His earliest experiences with filmmaking at university
Being cast in Australian feature Fat Pizza
Troubles with his first Australian agent
How he landed his role in The Insiders Guide to Happiness
Breaking expensive props on Eagle vs Shark
His role as a pot smoking, skateboarding doctor on Shortland Street
Producing and acting in feature film Netherwood, NZ’s first modern day western thriller
How he approached his role as Detective Roberts in Bloodlines
Insights into his portrayal of Greg Ollard in Underbelly – Land of the Long Green Cloud
Violent public reaction to his character in Nothing Trivial

This video is available on YouTube to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence.