NZIFF Q&A - Tim Van Dammen

NZIFF Q&A - Tim Van Dammen

My film is....
A time-travel crime-comedy set in Thames called Mega Time Squad.

The moment I'm most proud of is....
When people are genuinely moved by the love story. It’s my long term ambition to make a really powerful love story so in preparation I slipped a romance subplot into Mega Time Squad but it almost steals the show. Seeing grown men smiling and pretending that their dewy eyes are from laughter as the credits roll is truly satisfying.

The reason I carried on with this film when it got tough is.....
No budget. First produced script. A cast of fifty. Two-dozen locations. Every second shot a VFX shot. Comedy. Right from the start it’s tough. Its either that or I didn’t get to make the film. I would do it again tomorrow – and hopefully I will.

The one moment that will resonate with an audience is.......
In a moment of triumph John says “Hey Shelton, I’m going to get up now, and I’m going to take that money, and my girlfriend, and my big-as nuts – and we’re going to go to Paeroa, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” When developing the film I wrote this line before I wrote almost anything else because I knew that this was the line that the film needed to hinge on. It says everything about our main character, his modest goals, his insecurity about standing up for himself, his insecurity about publicly declaring his feelings for his girlfriend, his naivete, and his greed… everything. And it’s a silly line.

The hardest thing I had to cut from this film is........
With 30mins of the film on the hard drive labelled ‘cutting room floor’ the part I miss most is Mick Innes and Jonny Brugh arguing about which channels of their Sky subscription to combine to form the optimal mix.

The thing I want people to take from this film is …..
A sore diaphragm and a tear in the eye.

The reason I love the NZIFF is.......
In an age of streaming platforms it’s important to remind people why going out to the cinema is such a unique and powerful experience. The NZIFF gives us this experience and focuses us back on the power of communal viewing.

What the 50th NZIFF means to me is......
The NZIFF nurtured my interest in movies as a teenager and I still find it exciting today, when my own films have become part of the programme. We’re very lucky to have such a well-run and impeccably programmed film festival in New Zealand. From quiet art-house experiences to the crash and bang of the Incredibly Strange programme, the NZIFF is a cornerstone of the film experience in New Zealand not only for audiences but for aspiring and established filmmakers too. Here’s to another 50 years – at least!