The Double Loop Film Podcast Chris Hillock

I’d met Adam Harvey a couple of years ago through the Waikato Film Hub, and had the happy opportunity shoot a Behind The Scenes mini doc for his latest film “Minimally Invasive”.  It’s a unique horror short that expresses Adams dark, whimsical,  and wry sense of humor.  Adam brought his experiences as a medical professional to this story, exploring an unsettling tale of the fear and sometimes terror people go through when they go under the knife, with a horror twist.

Adam has been honing his skills for some time now and his films include:

Play Dead - 2012You Only Die Forever - 2014Red on the Green - 2015Only Humane - 2016Bloody Late Shift – 2017
With multiple films being accepted in to multiple festivals, Adam’s latest “Minimally Invasive” has also been accepted in to the international festival in Australia Monster Fest 2020.

Adam Harvey (photo: supplied)
More about Adams filmscan be found here

This podcast we talk to Nathan Higgins, who’s storytelling journey started in theater where he found his passion for performance.  He also started roping in his family to home made films, directing and filming short skits.  A regular in many Waikato productions as a producer, assistant director, and a wide range of rolls behind the camera Nathan has built up his experience by getting stuck in.  Now he’s made the leap to directing his first short Drink Up You’re Next.  A hard look at the drinking culture of New Zealand, with a special take on how it affects younger generations as they grow up in these environments.   Premiering at the Misty Flicks Short Film Festival, Nathan has achieved a mammoth task of putting his vision on film and creating something that he can be truly proud of.

I was keen to talk to Nathan about his inspiration, writing process, and his experience of directing his first film.


Filmography (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8879727/)


Drink Up, You're Next - Film 
Minimally Invasive
Skippers Pass 2022
The Last Hustle 2021
Wands 2017
The Tavern

Once and a while you get to meet someone that really has a lot more to say than they let come forth.  That quietly spoken person that says what needs to be said in not much more.  I had the great pleasure to meet and work with Ben Woollen on the set of Adam Harvey’s Minimally Invasive.  There I was able to watch him create some pretty stunning visuals for that short, and had the advantage to do it as the behind the scenes camera operator.   The great thing about shooting behind the scenes is it gives you the chance to be part of that team but not have the pressures of the production crew.  I got to watch Ben create with Adam, which always suits my visual journalistic nature.   To see a creative team take ideas from the page to the screen is really fascinating to me.

On set of Minimally Invasive.  copyright 2020
Ben struck me as extremely professional and in the short conversations I quickly wanted to know more about his work and how he got to where he is today.  Thankfully Ben was happy to come on to this podcast, talk about his film journey thus far and some of his plans for the future.

“I GOT TO PLAY WITH GOPROS WITH PETER JACKSON”

His insights and stories are fantastic and inspiring.  From creating stop motion animations with a side-loading VHS camera, to playing with Gopros with Sir Peter Jackson, on Mortal Engines, Ben's path has taken him from Hamilton to Wellington's film community to San Fran for the Scott Dixon documentary “Born Racer”.

Supplied.
I truly enjoyed talking with Ben and I know you will too.  He has some great insights on the film industry and advice for those whether they are trying to get in to it or they have started their journey.

LINKS

Ben Woollen - https://www.benwoollen.com/

Chasing Time English - https://chasingtimeenglish.com/

GFC Films - https://www.gfcfilms.com/

Louis Armstrong once said “Music is life itself”.
Consider this…   Perhaps you have your own playlists on spotify, or a stash of CDs in the sunvisor of your car, the soundtrack that helps you block out the noise and fuss of the world.  Your soundtrack to your life that helps you feel inspired, energised, creative, or calm and peaceful.  Music can be the curtain you pull across to help create your own space.  Music certainly plays a role in our life from the beat of our mothers heart to learning in school, and beyond.

Music plays a vital part of my creative process as a storyteller, giving emotional connection to my footage, helping drive the rhythm of my edits, and helping the viewer understand the significance of a scene, on a deeper level. 

I was very keen to interview Jeremy about his work as a musician, composer and artist.  I met him, a few years ago, taking his photo for a story about .. his beard.  He’d entered an international beard growing competition.  It was a great shoot, and we’ve stayed in contact ever since.

Born and raised in Hamilton, NZ Jeremy’s mother helped in with piano lessons from the age of 5.

His skills don’t stop there, the drums, the harmonica, the bass, the turntables, synths, melodica, and theremin among others.

He also regularly sings with several bands, and in theatrical stage shows. He has performed throughout NZ, as well as in Fiji, Nouméa, Vanuatu, Singapore and the US.

He has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) – majoring in Music, a master's degree, and a Doctorate.


Jeremy has been awarded a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship,
Creative/Performing Arts Person of the Year for 2005,
Media Personality of the Year 2005
Winner of the Sir Edmund Hillary Medal.
recipient of the Hamilton City Council BeatStreet award for Excellence in Creative and Performing Arts,
The Hamilton City Council Supreme Youth Award in 2008.

Dr. Jeremy Mayall is currently the CEO at Creative Waikato - a Regional Arts Organisation in NZ specializing in capability building for the arts community, and working as an advocate for the arts. He is also a composer/performer/artist and researcher.  There is so much to this man that I can’t list it all here.

I talk with Jeremy about his musical start, his creative journey to his role as CEO of Creative Waikato, enabling others to have their own creative journeys.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Don’t be too surprised to hear that in the heart of the Waikato there is a collection of talented writers, directors, actors, cinematographers, cutting their own path away from the main centers of Auckland and Wellington.  They share their unique voices and stories which speak to a lot of New Zealanders.

I was lucky enough to get to talk with Scott Granville from Chasing Time English.  I was curious to find out more about his journey as a writer, director and producer, how he has taken his creative drive and matched it with business opportunity to make something the gave him a vehicle to create and earn money,  something we all are searching for as working creatives.

Masters of Arts in Literature and Creative Writing graduate from Waikato University, Scott set up production company Chasing Time with his film making partner and cinematographer Ben Woollen in 2008.   Together they have won a series of awards with many of their short films.

2013 Show Me Shorts Film Festival (New Zealand)
People's Choice Award

Serve and Protect

2014 High Desert International Film Festival (United States)

Audience Choice Award

Serve and Protect

2014 Red Dirt Film Festival (USA) – Nominated for Best Comedy

Serve and Protect

2015 World Film Awards (Indonesia)  – Golden Award – Winner

Paths We Walk (short film documentary)

2016 Skyline Independent Film Festival (USA)  – Best Screenplay

Breakery (short film comedy)

2016 Winner Red Dirt Film Festival (USA) – Nominated for Best Comedy

Breakery (short film comedy)

2018 PIEONEER Awards  (UK) – Digital Innovation of the Year - Finalist

Fortune (TV series drama)



Scott and Ben have found a unique gap in the market and  moved their productions into the world of education, making short series specifically for learners and teachers of the English language.

What we hope to do is to push dramatic narrative as a viable way for students to either learn independently, or for teachers to use alongside communicative based classroom activities. Scott Granville on production company Chasing Time English, ELTjam website, 27 November 2017
Now in their 5th season and going from strength to strength Scott talks about  his plans for the future and how his full length feature still remains an important goal for him and Ben.  Find out more about the Chasing Time English team here.

Hopefully my next guest will be his producing partner and cinematographer Ben Wollen,  if I can drag him away from his tight filming schedule!