Hamlet to hit the silver screen
Milton business owner Chris McDonald said he conceived the idea for post-apocalyptic comedy drama Seeking a Friend for the End — which finished shooting in Toko Mouth earlier this month — in 2019, just before Covid struck.
Although the reason for main character Eve's isolation is not detailed in the 10-minute film, McDonald said the arrival of Covid just as he was polishing the script was a bit of a "Nostradamus moment".
"It was an idea that I'd had for a while, then just as I was completing the script Covid arrived, and I ended up shelving it.
"The chance for some development funding from Short Film Otago came up last year. I applied, and was fortunate to be accepted."
He said the film was originally conceived as a small-scale project with longtime collaborator, director Jason Williamson, but grew as the script developed.
"We applied for a production grant from Short Film Otago, and we were stoked to receive a $15,000 grant earlier this year."
That had allowed a four-day shoot using a crew of about 20, and also enabled the production to secure the talents of Dunedin producer Bex Rowe, and experienced TV and film actor Alice May Connolly.
"Alice was a bit of a coup, as everything in the film hinges on the main performance. She'll be highly recognisable to audiences and has elevated the script to something special."
McDonald said the Toko Mouth community had been "warm and welcoming" to the crew, although transforming it into a human-free landscape had not been without challenges.
"We were lucky to have a crib we could use down there, and the community also let us base ourselves at the hall for the shoot. There was one scene where we could see some campervan lights in the distance, when Eve is supposed to be the last person on Earth. But they were happy to move from the shot."
The film was now in post-production, although New Zealand audiences might not get to see the finished product for a year or more, McDonald said.
"Because of the way the competition and festival circuit works, it might be a while before it arrives in New Zealand. But we'd love to show it at the Toko Mouth Hall so locals can enjoy the results."
He said the experience of seeing his first grant-funded production come to life had been a pleasure, if also a little surreal.
"It's quite a weird experience. You have your own version of the story in your head, but a talented team like this brings so much more to it."
richard.davison@odt.co.nz
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