John Key steps up for star turn in video project
Prime Minister John Key has played a cameo part as a pilot in a Taranaki dance video set to the tune of Poi E.
Stepup Taranaki publicist Cathy Carpenter revealed the country’s top politician had a soft spot for the hit song, which is performed by the Patea Maori Club
For his role in the video, Key donned a pilot’s hat and uniform for a scene filmed inside a plane, one of numerous clips which will be edited into a final product set for release at the end of October.
Carpenter said the two days of filming in Auckland had been ‘‘brilliant’’.
The dance video project was launched in May 2015 and is designed to promote Taranaki to the rest of New Zealand and the world. Many of the scenes included have been shot at key tourist destinations around the province.
Along with Key, broadcaster Paul Henry also joined the crew, with other media personalities Patrick Gower, Toni Street, JayJay Harvey and her husband Dominic. Gower, Street and JayJay Harvey all hail from Taranaki.
Carpenter said is was a real ‘‘coup’’ to get agreement from them to be involved.
‘‘They shone really,’’ she said.
While the plane never actually left the ground, Carpenter said the big names involved in the project, especially Key, would help the video go ‘‘next level’’ once it was released on-line.
The hope had always been for the video to go ‘‘viral’’ when it was finished but Carpenter believed the extra star power would now take its projected popularity into the next stratosphere.
‘‘We will go worldwide with this now,’’ she said.
Money raised from the project has already been tagged to two of the region’s charities - the Young People’s Trust in New Plymouth and the South Taranaki Hospice.
Carpenter hoped there would be a big community turn-out at the next filming session, which will be held at New Plymouth’s coastal walkway on September 11. Those interested in taking part should meet by the Wind Wand at 11am.
‘‘This is just a project that is feel-good. We’d love Taranaki to get involved,’’ she said.