Internationally renowned and multiple award-winning movie Whale Rider, starring Keisha Castle-Hughes as Pai (pictured) and based on Witi Ihimaera's book, was filmed in Whāngārā. A feasibility study is being done into setting up a regional film office with the aim of creating feature-length films in Tairāwhiti.
The next Whale Rider or Dark Horse could be in the movie-making pipeline if efforts to establish a Tairāwhiti regional film office here are successful.
Tairāwhiti-based producer and director Tee Wells, of Tairāwhiti Film Office, has started working on a regional film office (RFO) feasibility study after securing funding from Trust Tairāwhiti.
Internationally acclaimed movies such as Whale Rider, The Dark Horse and The Bounty have been shot in Tairāwhiti.
With that history and the number of creatives who live here, Wells is confident a permanent RFO would work well here.
Tairāwhiti has had an interim RFO since 2021, but Wells says transitioning to full membership of the Regional Film Offices of New Zealand (RFONZ) would unlock more opportunities.
RFONZ is the peak body for the country’s RFOs, each of which helps with locations, permits, crew information, production facilitation and other industry support in its respective region. As part of the process, hui were held with regional leaders and members of the community interested in the arts or film-making.
Wells, who has been getting support from Screen Auckland manager Matt Horrocks and screen industry consultant Michael Brook, said film had an important role in regional economic growth as the industry tapped into a wide range of sectors, local services and resources — the most important being the people.
Trudy Lewis (Ngāti Porou), who has a history working in television and with rangatahi, and Lily Stender (Te Aitanga a Hauiti), from Tolaga Bay Innovation Hub, were passionate about the potential for new careers to be established for rangatahi.
Representatives of Trust Tairāwhiti and Gisborne Chamber of Commerce gave insights into industry diversification while Laykin Crown-Williams, who works with rangatahi at Te Ora Hou, shared how the gaming industry has gained momentum in the region.
The storytelling aspect of gaming could easily be applied to film, he said.
A public hui was attended by rangatahi with interests in film and media, professionals who work in the media industry and other creatives wanting to learn more about an RFO and what it could do.
“What would you like to see happen for our region to do with screen?” was a prompt for attendees to answer.
Gisborne’s Jordan Walker, who has experience in the arts sector, said they wanted to see more local purakau (stories) shared with the world, purakau steeped in whakapapa unique to Tairāwhiti and encompassing different forms of performance and arts.
Walker said the hui was great as they were able to learn more about the history of the RFONZ.
Seeing a group of eclectic and well-experienced group of practitioners within the arts industry based in Gisborne was exciting.
“I am excited for what could come out of it. Ideas are already brewing and the group who met has started connecting,” Walker said.
It had the potential to connect creatives and open up access ways to funding ... “which we know is necessary in the region, especially for the creative sector”.
Josh O’Neil, a locally based production designer, was realistic about the limitations of doing a large-scale film here.
He wanted more job and training opportunities in film so the region would eventually be able to source all services for a large-scale film.
“This is a key component of the film office, to facilitate and support, which is what we are setting up to do,” Wells said.
Dianne Taylor, who co-created and co-wrote the award-winning television drama After The Party, gave insights into adapting a screenplay.
Taylor said she originally set After The Party in Dunedin, but they ended up shooting it in Wellington, where the location itself became a main character.
Sharing her experiences inspired others at the hui.
“Overall, the talented creatives who filled the room had it brimming with amazing ideas, a sense of clarity and hope for the future of our screen industry in Tairāwhiti,” Wells said.
Wells is hoping to meet with more local organisations that could see themselves working with the film office and supporting growth in the film sector.
An annual film festival and major film attractions locally made would be cool, Wells says.
A project team is working on a business case. Conversations go on with iwi, tourism and local government.
- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
