Loading Docs Directors Q&A
Loading Docs season 10 launches on DocPlay on November 4.
We caught up with the directors of the latest batch of films for a chat.
Here the Wild Things Are | Director Kelly Gilbride
Tell us the name of your Loading Doc
Here the Wild Things Are Give us the elevator pitch in 10 words or less
A global race to discover the wild hidden in our cities Tell us the moment you realised this project was going to be special to you
Honestly, each time the film added a new crew member who understood the kaupapa and brought their own flavour and ideas. And, of course, after conversations with the scientists involved! From the outset, Madison (Producer) spearheaded this project with a genuine belief in the story and her faith in the film really kept me going through the challenges of finding funding. When we met Isaac (Director of Photography), we just knew the visual storytelling was going to be stunning and Callum (Composer) approached the music with such care and attentiveness. From his earliest drafts, I knew the music was going to play a powerful part in the film. The most special moment was the end of the first day of editing with Heidi. Up until then, I didn't really know how it was all going to come together and I was a bit daunted going into the edit. But it became clear very quickly that we had found a fantastic storyteller with a great sense of humour. It was so freeing and empowering to experiment in the edit and I knew we were going to make the exact film we wanted to (and we did!)
Tell us the most difficult filmmaking moment and how you overcame it?
The most important lesson I learnt from this process was to get to know the people you want to work with before bringing them onboard. Have a Zoom meeting with them, get a coffee, and get to know them outside conversations around the film. Make sure they're someone you can trust and that they're creatively aligned and open to your vision. Know what is important to you in collaboration and seek that out. Not everyone is going to be a good fit for you or the film and that's ok. I learnt I really need people that are honest, funny and are driven by their own desire and standards to make good, authentic work.
Tell us what's next for you
Continuing to merge art and science in fun and innovative ways - not necessarily just through film but also theatre and puppetry! I have a few filming contracts along this vein coming up and would love to do a feature documentary. Tell us which of the other Loading Docs you admire, and why.
I love them all. All the teams did a workshopping weekend right after getting funded and to see how the films developed from inception to delivery was so awesome. I was very proud of everyone at our premiere back in September.
Hifi Ulu | Director Chantelle Burgoyne:
Tell us the name of your Loading Doc
Hifi Ulu
Give us the elevator pitch in 10 words or less
When your culture rests on your shoulders Tell us the moment you realised this project [ your film] was going to be special to you.
From the moment I conceived the idea for Hifi Ulu I knew it would be special to me as it is such a personal film involving my family with my nephew Luka at the centre of it. The film follows Luka and his family in the lead up to his hifi ulu, the traditional Niuean hair cutting ceremony that is a rite of passage for young Niuean men. When the family and especially Luka granted me permission to film them during this journey I knew it would be a taonga (treasure) for our family and would hopefully resonate in the wider Pasifika community and beyond as well.
Tell us the most difficult filmmaking moment and how you overcame it?
I found that the day of the hifi ulu ceremony was the most difficult for me. I felt like I was both ‘within and without’ in my role as the director trying to capture the day as best as I could whilst also feeling torn about not being able to fully enjoy the day and celebrate as an Aunty. I tried to be present as much as I could and in moments when I needed to be part of the ceremony (my Mum and I were called early on to cut a piece of hair) I was able to trust my producer Hayley and our crew to capture what was needed. I learned that it’s okay to ask for help and I can’t always do everything myself.
Tell us what's next for you?
I have a few feature film ideas and a series idea that I’m working on. At the moment, I’m focussed on developing a feature film called The Pressbox which is based on my relationship with my dad who played for New Zealand in the Kiwi’s Rugby League team in the 70s. He battled with a gambling addiction that ended up consuming his whole life until he tragically passed away very suddenly when I was a teenager.
Tell us which of the other Loading Docs you admire, and why?
There are so many great Loading Docs that have been made throughout the years. I especially admire the other films and filmmakers who are part of season ten alongside Hifi Ulu as I got to see the journey they all went through, the different challenges they faced and overcame to make their films. A film from a few years ago which I love is Night Ride, directed by my friend Todd Karehana. It’s a personal film in which he tries to understand the motivations behind his mother going out into the night to feed stray cats that live near their old home. The film is beautifully captured and is a mix of quirkiness and heartfelt vulnerability which has made me laugh and cry anytime I’ve watched it. I also really love Fast Eddie, directed by Keeley Meechan, which follows her and her father as they go on one last adventure together cycling the Lake Dunstan trail after he was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy. I admire the bravery and vulnerability it took to be willing to film such a deeply personal and difficult time for their family and it is a bittersweet watch as it has a beautiful uplifting air to it despite the tragic circumstances of Eddie’s terminal diagnosis.
Tū Tonu – Still Standing | Director Brady Polkinghorne:
Tell us the name of your Loading Doc
Tū Tonu – Still Standing
Give us the elevator pitch in 10 words or less
When the cost of standing up is risking what you love
Tell us the moment you realised this project [ your film] was going to be special to you.
The first time filming Zane speaking at an environmental protest in downtown Auckland to a crowd of thousands, we understood that this would go on to inspire anyone who watched the film. Seeing his passion and humility enliven people to stand up for what’s important was infectious and that was the fuel that drove our project.
Tell us the most difficult filmmaking moment and how you overcame it?
Our original intention was to follow Zane’s pursuit of his dream to become World Tree Climbing Champion however the filming window didn’t fit that narrative timeline. It meant we needed to pivot, a few times, to find a story that was still true to his first love of tree climbing, balanced with his activism and reclamation of his whakapapa. Perhaps the biggest difficulty was fitting all of this into a 10min documentary, for which we’re grateful for our incredible editor, Adam Scholz!
Tell us what's next for you?
Lots of sleep! We’re currently in various rounds of funding applications to produce a feature-length version of the documentary, aiming to tell the original story of Zane’s desire to win the World Tree Climbing Championships, here in Aotearoa for the first time, in 2025. We’ve got all fingers and toes crossed that we receive some funding to fully realise this exciting story.
Tell us which of the other Loading Docs you admire, and why?
We were blown away by the entire collection and how such a diverse range of topics could work so well together. We thought the ‘Mauri Moana’ film highlighted an incredibly important kaupapa that’s not getting anywhere near enough attention. ‘Hifi Ulu’ was gorgeous in its presentation of a moving story whilst ‘Here the Wild Things Are’ was probably our favourite, presenting a fun and engaging insight into small but meaningful ways to celebrate te taiao.
Out There | Director Alexis Smith:
Tell us the name of your Loading Doc
Out There
Give us the elevator pitch in 10 words or less
A search for extraterrestrials
Tell us the moment you realised this project [ your film] was going to be special to you.
When I was a little girl, I looked up to the stars and questioned who I really was and how I ended up on this place called Earth. When I was a teenager, I made a promise to myself that I would search for truth and share my findings with the world through documentary. When I was an adult, I spent 10 years mastering the craft of documentary, sharing other people's stories. Now, I turn the camera on myself and fulfil the promise I made as a teenager, in the hopes of answering the questions I asked as a young girl. And that's the film I bring to you today, called Out There.
Tell us the most difficult filmmaking moment and how you overcame it?
There were lots of challenges attempting to film the most elusive creature on Earth - extraterrestrials! It required months of preparation from the team following the CE-5 protocols, which involved sitting in meditation in an attempt to consciously connect with beings from another planet and invite them to be filmed. Yes, it sounds like a sci-fi movie, but it's a documentary! We spent 4 nights under the stars in one of the biggest dark sky reserves in the world and attempted to film the unpredictable anomalous light activity. It turned out the timelapse cameras were the most helpful, as we could set up multiple cameras and have them facing different directions, leaving them running all night. We filmed some very unusual activity - watch the documentary to decide for yourself if what we filmed is extraterrestrial!
Tell us what's next for you? After sharing this short film with as many people as possible to get the discussion going, my goal is to turn this short film into a series or a feature length documentary to explore the topic in greater depths. There is so much to explore here and this is just the beginning! Please like and share our film - the more we can display there is an active and interested audience, the more likely we are to get it funded as a bigger project, where I want to get an answer once and for all - are extraterrestrials really visiting us here on Earth?
Tell us which of the other Loading Docs you admire, and why? I admire all of the Loading Docs short films - they each bring their own unique voice and that variety is nourishing as a director. Being an indie filmmaker is a tough feat and what everybody has managed to pull off on tight budgets and juggling it with their busy lives is truly astounding. I personally love the arthouse style of Hifi Ulu and the adorable young boy they follow, Luka; the twist at the end of The Man Outside; the stunning footage of the natural world in Maori Moana; the awe-inspiring story of the activist in Tū Tonu - Still Standing; and the kooky, light-hearted approach to helping our environment in Here the Wild Things Are.
The Man Outside | Director Liv McClymont:
Tell us the name of your Loading Doc
The Man Outside
Give us the elevator pitch in 10 words or less
When the law can't protect you, who will?
Tell us the moment you realised this project [ your film] was going to be special to you.
I knew the Man Outside would be special when we started our crowdfunding campaign. As soon as we announced that we were making The Man Outside, to highlight the fact there are no laws against stalking in Aotearoa, we had an incredible response, hitting our funding goal in one day and quickly doubling it. Countless people reached out sharing their horror at the lack of laws or sharing their stalking experiences. One friend shared that a friend of hers had been murdered by her stalker. I realised stalking is much more pervasive than I ever could have imagined, and it reaffirmed my belief that we were making a very special film that could help a lot of people.
Tell us the most difficult filmmaking moment and how you overcame it?
Initially we planned to interview the real May on camera about her experience, but realised that sharing her identity could potentially put her at risk of both further harm from her stalker, and legal repercussions. I was really upset - she wanted to have this moment to take her power back and speak openly about her experience, and now we couldn’t give her that. I felt like he was silencing her again. I realised that this was a prime example of how difficult it is for victims of stalking to speak up about their experiences, and that we needed to highlight that in the film - that it was not safe for her to share her identity because of the lack of laws to support her. I wanted her to still have her voice heard, which is where actors performing verbatim interviews came in. Meg, the wonderful actor who played May, learned May’s mannerisms, vocal tone and expressions so that she could authentically perform May’s interview “verbatim”. The reveal at the end of the film that she is an actor always hits home for me. I learned that reflecting on the challenges in telling stories, can inform and ultimately improve them.
Tell us what's next for you?
Jess (Producer of The Man Outside) and I are currently writing, and later this year directing and producing a series called The Sender - an absurd teen whodunnit… Sex Education meets Gossip Girl, but distinctly kiwi. It’s something completely different for us (which we’re both so excited and ready for!!) and has been informed by making our doco I Stand For Consent last year, where I spoke to plenty of amazing rangatahi about the issues that specifically affect them. Gen Z/A are fascinating, hilariously honest and we hope to make something fun and relevant that engages them on their level.
Tell us which of the other Loading Docs you admire, and why?
Oh gosh, hard to pick as all of the films are outstanding! I think Hifi Ulu really hit me hard emotionally - it was so beautiful to see a Father/Son relationship like that, a beautiful representation of positive masculinity as well as Niuean culture. The Director, Chantelle, has such a gorgeous, honest and kind-hearted approach to filmmaking, and I think you can really see that in this film.
Director Mauri Moana was also approached for a Q&A but didn't complete the form by deadline.
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