A Story to Be Told

Award-winning director and actor Brent Macpherson has made over 30 DVD resources, documentaries, and short films, mostly related to issues among the Deaf Community of which he is a part. He owns the video-production company Stretch Productions and spoke to Dara McNaught about his work, including recent trips to the Solomon Islands.

Being a Deaf director, it makes sense to me to produce resources for Deaf and hearing-impaired communities around New Zealand. Being Deaf allows me to develop a rapport with Deaf people – appearing in resources, short films, and documentaries that will put them at ease. It leads to a more natural presentation/acting and flow of information and script. My knowledge is of both film production and general Deaf-related issues and dovetails nicely for all projects. Recently I have also taken my work abroad, and last year I visited the Solomon Islands twice to meet some of the Deaf community at the San Isidro Care Centre, a 45-minute drive from Honiara on Guadalcanal Island. The two trips were part of Stretch Productions’ pre-production research to pitch a story for a proposed documentary about Deaf people living in a developing country. I visited Malaita Island for one week on the second trip, staying at two local villages, Takwa and Fiu. It was an amazing experience – getting a taste of the Solomon Islands culture and way of life. I also had the opportunity to do a three-hour walk in a dense jungle with a group of past and present Deaf students, collecting leaves for cooking. It was a unique experience to observe these people combining both Solomon Islands culture and Deaf culture as part of their life.

I met students from the care centre, and I gained an understanding about their way of life from a cultural and linguistic perspective. I was so impressed, and I now have a strong desire to produce a documentary to highlight their specific needs, particularly their educational needs due to the severe lack of resources. Although teachers are paid by the Government there, most funding comes from charities, which was disheartening to see. Funds cover costs for infrastructure and additional resources such as more interpreters and educational materials. My documentary will aim to raise the profile of the centre globally with the objective of encouraging support from the Government there and also from developed countries. I want to see the current students fulfil their potential.

**Getting to where I am today? **I have always been interested in acting, right back to when I was a child, so it was no great surprise to anyone when I started acting professionally in the 1990s. My first key role was alongside Michael Hurst in A Spectacle of One (directed by Michael Mizraki from Inside Out) at the Watershed Theatre. It got a great review from the New Zealand Herald’s Bernadette Ray:

‘The casting of Brent Macpherson and Day Peni-Ikiua, genuine members of the Deaf community of Auckland’s Deaf Community making their debuts, proved last night to be a stroke of genius.’

The short film I’m so Lonesome I Could Cry was directed by Michael Hurst and was selected for competition in Cannes 1994. I was the main character portraying Hank Williams starring alongside Jennifer Ward Lealand. It was written by Stuart Hoar and Michael Hurst. Leon Narbey was on camera.

I have also been on several television shows including Shortland Street and Plainclothes as well as a television commercial. I left the acting scene to pursue a psychology degree from Massey University. I believed this qualification would help me formulate and gain a deep understanding of different characters that I might have to portray for filming projects. Then the last five years I have been a film director.

I produced the short film The Compost in 2009, which was awarded best director, cinematography, and short film at the Deaf Aotearoa Film Festival. It was also selected for the Wolverhampton Film Festival in the United Kingdom in May 2010. I am currently an associate producer working in conjunction with Film Shock Productions and Morcan Motion Pictures for a mainstream feature film Silent Fear directed by Amanda Philips. It’s an exciting opportunity for Deaf actors and extras to star in a feature film. The project is in pre-production.

**Competing in the hearing world. **The biggest problem for Deaf and hearing-impaired people in seeking employment is the myth that there will be communication issues.

Many feel it would be too time-consuming to communicate effectively to a Deaf/hearing-impaired person if projects need to be completed within an extremely tight timeframe. Within the film industry, good communication skills are essential regardless of what your role would be, and therefore resistance to employing Deaf/hearing-impaired people is apparent.

On a personal note, when it comes to field sound and audio post, I need to have profound trust for those who are responsible for audio aspects. They are my ears!

To date, and based on client feedback, all have been excellent with reference to the audio tracks! It’s vital for me as a Deaf director to develop a meaningful working relationship with field sound operators and audio post editors. As for music, they will describe the music for certain footage to provide me with an idea prior to wrapping up post-production.

There is absolutely no problem having a Deaf/hearing-impaired staff member being part of the team as long as communication strategies are clear between hearing and Deaf/hearing-impaired people. For example, I run my company as well as directing, using an interpreter, and I have never experienced any communication barriers.

As the owner of Stretch Productions and to remain competitive in the best interests of prospective clients, it’s paramount to regularly upgrade production equipment and the post-production editing suite. Technology for film production rapidly changes, and it can be problematic having to relearn new equipment and software, but it is all part of the parcel within the film industry. Whether staff members are Deaf/hearing impaired or hearing, it is essential to provide them training to be on par with Stretch Productions’ competitors.