Remembering Mark Gillings

On the 12 November of this year, my dear friend and film industry stalwart Mark Daniel Gillings, known to most of us as “The Goat” chose to end his courageous battle with the indiscriminate disease we know as cancer, and headed forthwith to his beloved mountains.

Mark had spent some years working as a ski patroller/medic in both New Zealand and overseas before returning to New Zealand in the early 90’s and landing in Auckland. Through friends and connections, he managed to acquire work in the film industry. Work, of course was plentiful in that period and it was also handy that Mark was a qualified electrician, so it wasn’t surprising that he would fall into the lighting department.

We met at an industry party sometime in the early 90’s and as a couple of young guys full of bravado and with plenty to say, we became firm friends and together off we set on our journey to prove ourselves in the industry.

They were good years. Jobs lined up, working hard, making good money for the times and of course plenty of good natured partying in between.

We worked for all the gaffers of the day, Don Jowsey (whom Mark told me he did his very first job with, wiring up lightbulbs) Danny Williams, Dave Brown, Richard Evans, Ian Beale, Kevin Reilly and others. It was a great learning period for us both and we were able to take all the experience and knowledge we’d learnt from these leading gaffers with us when we both stepped up, and with respected cinematographer Ian Paul giving us both a chance, we began our own careers as Gaffers in the Mid 90s.

Mark took to the lighting business with his usual gusto and soon became a leading gaffer himself. He had a good eye for lighting, an eye for beauty, as well as brilliant technical skills to back it up. He went to the U.S to industry trade shows, made many friends and contacts there and opened up some great supply contacts for many of us here. He invested in equipment and was the first to bring newly released 4k Pars to New Zealand, which we thought were game changing at the time, as well as the Xenons which were a first for the Film Lighting industry here also.

Mark was fastidious in both work and life and had an eye for detail, for organisation and good decision making so it was no surprise that bigger and better things were calling.

The eye for detail and beauty and the good decision making were evident early, when in the mid 90’s he met and didn’t hesitate to marry the amazing Phillipa Jane Gillings, or to many of us “Mrs Goat” in the summer of 1997. Many of you will know Pip, whom has worked through the ranks in production from an early age, and is now a leading NZ production manager. Together they made a powerful force, both in life and in the film industry.

After a successful period in lighting in Auckland, Mark and Pip moved to Queenstown to be close to his beloved mountains. Mark had an affinity with the mountains and it was this environment that he wanted to share with Pip, and to bring up their young daughter Andie.

Andie would later become a leading NZ youth ski racer, and I hereby offer a full slab (24 cans) and/or a top Central Otago Pinot Noir, to anybody that can beat her from the top of Coronet peak to the bottom. I can assure you it is both frightening and beautiful to behold.

The calling came, after moving to Queenstown, to become a Location Scout and later, a 1st Assistant Director.

The role of 1st Assistant Director suited Mark to a tee. He had impeccable organisational skills and an ability to think and adapt on the fly with his in-depth knowledge of the inner workings of the industry from his time on the “factory floor” as I call it. This knowledge also gave him a unique perspective, in terms of seeing the working day through the eyes of the technicians as well as the producers. He respected everyone’s contribution to the process, and he tried always to allow people the time to do their job to their required standards as well as trying to keep the bosses happy at the spreadsheet end.

Under his sometimes-gruff exterior, booming voice and larger than life presence, Mark was a soft, caring and gentle giant. He was first and foremost a protector. He had a genuine respect and concern for not only his family, friends, colleagues and workmates but his fellow man/woman, and humanity in general.

Mark also had a unique sense of humour, and his ability to dish out a good mocking made him an expert at this particular pastime. No one was exempt, and he didn’t care if you were royalty or pauper. It was always done with great gusto and was always intended to amuse and bring out laughter in people. Humour and laughter were Marks currency. He invested heavily in this and was to reap the rewards tenfold.

Mark had been a member of the Technicians Guild since 1999, and has been a staunch supporter of the Blue Book and crew safety and conditions ever since. He was to become an executive member of the Queenstown Branch of the Guild and recently was involved with a strict re-edit of the latest Blue book, and offered some great suggestions of points that needed updating.

Mark and Pip would go on to start their own Queenstown based production company, MAP Productions. MAP has serviced many offshore and local commercials as well as adventure based production projects here.

Their work on the month long New Zealand leg of the Go-Pro hero3 release video is one of their projects, and an amazing piece of cinematographic art. It is on YouTube and I recommend you take the time to watch this 4-minute piece. It took them on an adventure from the Bay of Islands to the Central Plateau and to the rivers and mountains of the South. Mark told me it was one of the most satisfying jobs of his career, combining his love of adventure and testing his planning and logistic skills, moving a team of young adventure sports athletes, Go-Pro techs, and despite its small size, a huge number of camera cases and accessories around New Zealand. He confided in me that the most challenging part of the job was convincing the youthful Go-Pro team that to make the day they would have to be up and ready to leave the hotel before 7am, a concept they had previously struggled with.

Alas, it wasn’t to be that Mark was able to see their work in its final form. As the film was released in New Zealand, Mark was on another journey. His Final Journey. A journey that he undertook with bravery, courage and dignity.

As a tribute to Mark, please take the time to go and enjoy this amazing film, and at the end when everyone leaves, sit for a while... and after some minutes you will see Marks name rolling up on the Big Screen.

A fitting end for a Big Man, with a big personality, a big heart, Who Lived a Big Life.

Mark, Pip and Andie would also like to thank everyone from the bottom of their hearts, for the support, help, goodwill and heart felt messages they received from the industry group and from the many individuals within it. Mark was incredibly humbled by this.

It was also Marks wish, that his ashes be scattered over The Remarkables Mountains in Queenstown. We will hold a Goat Memorial Ski weekend next year at The Remarkables, to celebrate The Goats life, share our stories and have a few laughs (and drinks) and all are welcome to attend. I will post an invitation online when the time comes.

He also instructed me to ensure that Andie Leigh Gillings starts 1 Minute behind everyone at the commemorative downhill ski race. She will probably win anyway but just to be sure I’m revoking my free beer and wine clause for this event.

Go well Goat. we’ll see you in the Mountains.