A very welcome addition to this year’s New Zealand International Film Festival is the New Zealand’s Best Short Film Competition. Six short films, selected by acclaimed Kiwi director Roger Donaldson, festival director Bill Gosden and festival programmer Michael McDonnell, are competing for three major prizes: the $5,000 Madman Entertainment Jury Prize, the $3,000 Friends of the Civic Award, and the Audience Award (conducted in Auckland and Wellington) – worth 25% of the box office during the fest. It’s a great competition which ensures the best upcoming Kiwi talent is showcased at New Zealand’s premiere film event.
One of the films selected is Michelle Savill‘s Ellen is Leaving. This talented Wellington director has already received considerable acclaim for her previous two shorts, Betty Banned Sweets and Elaine Rides Again. Alongside her film credits, Savill spent time in New York working in the script development department of Killer Films – a company at the forefront of independent American cinema. Admit One interviewed Michelle ahead of the New Zealand’s Best Short Film Competition, which opened in Auckland today…
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What inspired you to become a film maker, and what continues to inspire you as a filmmaker?
I never planned to make films, I just sort of fell into it. After high school I didn’t have a clue as to what I wanted to study so I just enrolled in a bunch of things at University. I changed schools and degrees about three times over the next two years and randomly took an Intro to Moving Image paper. I enjoyed the class so switched to a Moving Image degree. But I still wasn’t sure and was debating about changing again, but I missed the deadline so I had to stick with Moving Image. But by the end of the year I knew it was what I wanted to study. During my time there I made a short film Betty Banned Sweets and it did really well on the international festival circuit. With that film I was able to get funding to make my next short Elaine Rides Again which then led to this film Ellen is Leaving.
What continues to inspire me as a filmmaker is a story that won’t leave me alone. I get many ideas but most of them fade away and are forgotten. Every now and then an idea will stick and slowly develop and if it’s still in my head after a few months I’ll know it’s the right thing to make.
How would you describe your film-making style and what particular things do you look to bring to each of your films?
I find it difficult to describe my style because it’s just what seems to happen when I make a film. Of course I am influenced by many other filmmakers and there is a certain amount of sifting of things I don’t like and channeling what I do like into my work. I’m also hesitant to describe my style because I feel like I am still developing it. But there are obvious themes that run through all of them: travel, family dysfunction, lack of communication, disappointment, and regret. My films use bright colors, are intricate and have a home-made feel.
In terms of what I look for to bring to the film, it really stems from the story and the characters. My creative team and I do a lot of research to make sure we create believable and unique worlds on screen. We interview people who look or dress like the characters, we take photos of houses and bedrooms, we drive for hours to find locations that feel right. So for Ellen is Leaving we photographed Wellington flats and bedrooms – especially guys’ bedrooms because when we meet Ellen she has already packed, meaning that the bedroom would be dominated by things a guy would have. But every decision is based on ‘would the character own this?’, ‘would the character wear this?’
Tell us more about your new short film, Ellen is Leaving, and why you chose this story?
It’s a film about the process of saying goodbye. It looks at all the little things one has to do before going overseas. Anyone who has left or been left behind as a result of travel will be able to relate to this film. I am interested in New Zealand’s fascination with the OE and how many of us have had relationships end due to travel. The choices that are open to us, in this time, in this place, at this age, is a type of relationship cancer of the young adult generation and that is the bitter-sweet territory I wanted to explore.
Martha (the writer) and I were hanging out one day and decided that we should apply to the NZFC Fresh Short Scheme. Martha would write and I would direct. She was also intrigued by relationships that end due to one partner going on an OE. We both have friends who have gone through this – I’ve gone through this – so Martha pitched the idea of a replacement girlfriend and I loved it immediately.
How was the shoot? Any funny experiences you’d like to share with us?
The shoot was great. We shot in the flat I was living in with Heather and Tessa (the set designers). So in the months leading up to the shoot our house slowly transformed into what you see on screen. It was a bit chaotic though because after a while I wasn’t sure what was a set piece and what was reality.
We also got news that the landlady had died and we were to be evicted in 90 days. This gave us a deadline we had to have filming finished by. But also we knew the house was going to be completely renovated so we could be less precious about having a crew trample through it for a week.
How was it going from being a writer-director (on your first two shorts) to directing someone else’s material?
It was hard because Martha had put so much work into writing a great script, I felt a huge responsibility to make something we could both be proud of. I didn’t want to disrespect her vision but at the same time I have to make it my own otherwise there can be no filmmaking. We actually had a “script handing-over” ceremony (an idea we got from producer Gaylene Preston) where Martha physically handed me the script then we said a few words and drank champagne. It was a lot of fun and a good symbolic way to acknowledge the writer/director relationship.
All your films feature interesting and distinctive characters. For other upcoming directors: what do you feel are the key things a director needs to do in order to draw a great performance from talented amateur or semi-professional actors?
The first thing I’d recommend is to write a film that requires little to no dialogue. Poorly delivered lines is the best way to spot a bad actor.
Another thing is to try and find someone in real life that is similar to the character in the story. See if you can film the person, edit the footage together and show your actor. Of course be honest to everyone involved so that no-one is offended.
How do you feel a competition like the one at the NZIFF benefits filmmakers like yourself, and what else do you think could (or should) be created to support New Zealand filmmakers in the early stages of their careers?
Well it’s “up’d the ante” for sure. Making a competition, well, adds competitiveness to the show. I think it means the short films that get into the festival will be taken a bit more seriously and with the addition of an Audience Choice Award there is an opportunity for the audience to participate and have their say in what they like. Secondly it is a chance to win money – which is great as most short film-makers are really poor!
As for the second part of that question, to be honest I don’t really have any ideas right now. I think New Zealand is already far ahead of many countries in their support of filmmakers in the early stages of their careers. We have funding schemes available for low and large budget shorts through the NZFC, there are numerous organizations that provide support besides the NZFC – such as Script to Screen, Creative NZ, WIFT, NZ on Screen – they all have teams of people willing to help film makers when they can. I’ve just spent a few months in NYC, a country with no government funding bodies or resources, everyone’s just kind of struggling on their own. It really is amazing what we have here already.
You’ve had success with all three of your short films. So what’s next? Big plans?
To be honest, I’m still trying to figure out what’s next!
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…Thanks heaps Michelle for the interview and best of luck for the competition!
The first session of New Zealand’s Best Short in Auckland today was a sell-out! But there’s plenty more opportunities to catch these brilliant short films at the festival, including: Auckland on July 30, Wellington on August 1 and 2, and Christchurch on August 17 and 20. For the more info head over to the New Zealand International Film Festival website, and then buy your tickets from Ticketek.
To finish, here’s a wee clip from Ellen is Leaving:
