Aaron Watson
How long have you been in screen production and how did you get started?
I have been in the industry off and on for 20 years. After studying drama at the University of Otago in the early 1990s, I joined the then-thriving children’s TV industry in Dunedin. I started out as an actor and writer on series including Oi, The Trivia Company, and The Tiki Tiki Forest Gang. At the time, we had small crews and very little interference from the networks. It was enormous fun, and everybody helped each other out—a great way to learn the ropes and gain an appreciation for the different departments in a production. Looking back, it now seems incredible that I had three years of solid work in Dunedin before heading away for my OE (which ended up lasting 15 years).
What genre does your work tend to come from?
Drama. Since returning to live full-time in NZ in 2012, I have worked on around a dozen short films, producing six with my good friend and collaborator, writer/director Jackie van Beek. I was associate producer of The Last Saint, which was recently released in NZ. I also line produce, production manage, and occasionally AD on TVCs, music videos, and museum installations. It’s a very exciting time at the moment—Jackie and I have just been green-lit for our first feature together, The Inland Road.
How easy is it to make a living in this industry? How often do you work outside the screen production industry?
I think it’s very tough as a freelancer focused on NZ stories, and I certainly didn’t get into the industry to try and get rich. To pay the bills, I also work in tourism. I did fifteen seasons guiding coach tours in Europe, Scandinavia, and Russia and now escort small groups around NZ. It’s a job I absolutely adore, and I’m lucky to work for a company that is very flexible around my film commitments.
How does your department work as part of the ‘whole’ that other crew probably don’t realise?
This is certainly not a greatly profound statement, but I firmly believe that a film shoot shouldn’t and doesn’t have to be torture for the crew. We all work very hard, and I always try to create a fun and positive atmosphere on set. It may sound a bit cheesy, but I think that making a great film and having a great time making it are not mutually exclusive objectives.
How have your rates changed/improved over the years?
For me, they’ve gone up, as after not taking fees on my short films, I now actually have a rate.
What sort of changes have you noticed? Have you noticed any trends?
The biggest change I have noticed is that the increased affordability and accessibility of equipment have led to an explosion of content. Nowadays, anyone with a laptop and a 5D can make a film. I do worry that a lot of film courses focus a great deal on the technical aspects of filmmaking at the expense of story.
What strengths do you think the NZ industry has? What could contribute to a more sustainable industry?
We have the best crew, locations, and post-production facilities in the world. Unfortunately, our ridiculously high cost of living makes NZ an expensive place to shoot, especially for low-budget local productions. I’d like to see better tax incentives for private investors in NZ film so we don’t have to rely on grants from the New Zealand Film Commission.
