Marlborough Express - Weekend Express
Somewhere that could be anywhere
The perfect film location is unique, easily accessible and looks ‘‘like it could be anywhere’’, says a Hollywood location scout. And Marlborough has it all.
Long-time location scout Jared Connon has been in Marlborough for two weeks sniffing out and photographing potential filming locations.
His images will be sent to Marlborough’s new film office, contracted to Screen Wellington, and be used to promote the region as a budding film destination.
Connon helped select much of Middle Earth for Sir Peter Jackson’s Tolkien narratives, including the Pelorus Bridge, on State Highway 6, west of Havelock.
The Auckland-born film guru, who now lives in Wellington, voiced his thoughts on the region at the Marlborough District Council last Thursday.
Connon said he was ‘‘really surprised’’ by his recent scout in Marlborough, as the region was ‘‘a lot more diverse than what people gave it credit for’’.
‘‘People are going to come here for your assets. They’re not going to come here for great pine forest, as they can go anywhere to get those,’’ he said.
‘‘They will come here for the Marlborough Sounds, as that’s something that’s nowhere else in the country.
‘‘Marlborough’s got that feel of North America. The forest is amazing, and it’s that short distance from the mountain and flats that’s quite unique as well.’’
Rainbow Ski Area also came as a surprise, as filmmakers could drive straight up to the top, saving on expensive helicopter rides and making it a ‘‘unique’’ asset.
Connon said the establishment of a film office was a ‘‘brave and smart step forward’’ as it would put the region ‘‘right on the front foot’’ of the movie industry, allowing its credentials to be better highlighted.
‘‘A film office allows Marlborough to go straight to filmmakers with what they have on offer, and puts it forward more so than other places in the country,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s really important to have a film office, as it gives [scouts] a point of reference to come to as a filmmaker.’’
Smaller regions often relied on location scouts to get filmmakers to an area, he said.
Connon came to Marlborough while working on The Light Between Oceans, filmed at Cape Campbell in 2014, and said a film office would have given him access to more location-based information.
He later worked as a production manager on Mortal Engines, co-scripted by Peter Jackson, which had a $100 million budget, before moving onto a live-action adaption of the 1998 Disney animation Mulan.
Connon said filming on Mulan had just wrapped in the Mackenzie Basin, between the South Island’s Mackenzie and Waitaki Districts.
The Mackenzie Basin was chosen as it had wild, centuriesold landscape, which looked ‘‘empty, lost and barren’’, he said.
Councillor Cynthia Brooks asked if lower populated areas needed extra support or businesses to draw in filmmakers.
Connon said while it was a ‘‘big challenge’’ to host about 950 people in the Mackenzie Basin, all a region needed was some ‘‘good hotels’’, as the rest could be brought in.
‘‘It was a roaring success down there, not to toot my own horn,’’ he said.
Filming bought not only money to a region, but a sense of pride, Connon said.
‘‘The industry is growing and the markers of that is that Auckland built two new studios, and as soon as they built them, Mulan booked them out, then the new Avatar,’’ he said.
‘‘The Lord of The Rings TV series want them, but can’t get them. They want to be there for five years, and they want to have a whole studio to themselves.’’