Dunedin: Autumn 2024

Quite a feat to make a 100 publications! Me Ma’s told me so. And she should know being a serial cataloguer here at the Uni library.

Let’s not be flippant about it.

If only one could take a peek at every publication, I’d welcome the chance to read the ebbs and flows of Dunedin screen history within the pages. Who made the cut, what highlights were on Issue 27 Winter of 2007? Who came to town during the publication of Issue 10, Spring 2002??

It’s hit me heading hard down the hyper focus tunnel of history in dim des parts I tells ye.

I did me some digging.

First account of shooting in our region turns out was cinematic history being New Zealand’s first live sound recorded feature, Down on the Farm. Shot in 1935 around Otago and Southland and with most cast ex Dunedin. A story of two rival farmers who resolve their differences when their children fall in looooo... sorry I fell asleep.. Sounds like an award winner though surely.. The ODT published an article raving of the photography & production but mostly raved about the lead actress, Daphne Murdoch. “A very engaging star. She has the happy knack of photographing well at all times". Good for you Daphne.

Unfortunately it didn’t make any money overseas and feedback there was a little less joyous. “The dialogue is a joke, the acting amateurish and the photography poor. After this our colonial cousins will be well advised to restrict their exports to mutton”... tell us what you really think..!

Cinematically all was fairly quiet until the momentous event of the first arrival of Television broadcasting in 1960 across New Zealand. A mere two and a half years later on July 31 1962, DNTV2 television station was set up Dunedin. There was some serious work flow in this era. Particularly when Hal Weston, an Editor turned Station Manager who generated more production output than Wellington’s Avalon’s studios.

Hal was a strategic chap, looking for programmes to produce in Dunedin that weren't seen to be competing with other centres. He left the drama hoohar to the North Island while producing high volumes of game shows and eventually moving toward the trend of children's content.

Another era of great flow for TV were the 80’s and 90’s but perhaps just a little too rock & roll it seems. As much as 30% of New Zealand’s television productions were being shot here, but often going rogue as far as the council where concerned, so no wave flagging from them regardless of its success. Unfortunately with the arrival of TV3, TVNZ had to scale back considerably plonking themselves only out of Auckland. No doubt a total kick in the face for other parts of the country, not just Dunedin. However this did leave a great advantage to both NHNZ & Taylormade Productions who maximised the former fruits of TVNZ’s exodus for crewing and infrastructure.

Some of my favourites, belly to the lounge floor looking up at the telly, were shows like Playschool, Spot On, Alison Holst’s cooking shows, University Challenge, Miss New Zealand’s, Telethons, A Dog’s show (bloody loved that show...). Who can forget Sunday’s Praise Be when there was nothing else available to watch... all out of Dunedin.

The cinematic flows came through the 90’s and early 2000’s from some of our most prolific content creators in the country. Jane Campion, shooting parts of An Angel at My Table and Glenn Standring shooting his horror feature Perfect Creature. Additionally Rob Sarkies claiming filmic territory for both Scarfies and Out of the Blue.

Though the last time we had a Dunedin feature funded made by Dunedin cast and crew was back in 2012 for, I Survived A Zombie Holocaust. In 2020 news articles and council conversations spoke on a $17M film studio build for the city but I can only assume Covid put a kibosh to that investment potential (dammit). I write this during another ebb for our city.

No filming to report for now I’m afraid. Watch this space though.

We are hungry.

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