Recorder plays major role in mockumentary
Growing up learning to play the recorder at primary school is a rite of passage.
But in a new mockumentary feature film it is make or break for two recorder players as they try to win an overseas scholarship to get them out of small-town New Zealand.
Two Idiots and a Tin Whistle,
directed by Taranaki man Eli Hill and Wellingtonian Jason Ellis, follows Giovani and Freddie, as well as musicians Belle, Cledius, and Alex as they compete for the scholarship.
‘‘It’s like America’s Got Talent
but a terrible version,’’ Hill said.
The acts are put through a boot camp, a performance at the local pub, and a final performance judged by Twitch sensation BlameTheRobot, Kiwi comedy icon Karen O’Leary, and Hill himself.
Hill grew up in Taranaki, where he attended various rural primary schools before going on
to Waitara High School.
He moved to the Wairarapa to work as a journalist at the Wairarapa Times Age before resigning in November to work on creative projects.
He met Ellis at the Wellington regional 48hr Film Festival nearly two years ago, and they hit it off straight away.
‘‘Within a couple of months we were like, ‘Right, let’s have a go at writing a feature.’’’
The idea for the film came to
him as he was driving from the Wairarapa to Wellington.
‘‘My mum had given me a CD with supposedly the greatest recorder player in the world on it and it grew from there,’’ he said.
The film was shot at Porirua College in Wellington and used local cast and crew.
‘‘It’s probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but yet one of the best things I’ve done.’’
Hill has made a couple of short
films and produces videos for his YouTube channel, which has 20,000 subscribers, but hopes this feature film was the start of something new.
‘‘But I think I’m going to get another journalism job in the meantime,’’ he laughed.
A live sequel to the film will be shown as part of the Wellington Fringe Festival in March.
Although Hill got his big film break in Wellington, he says the region he grew up in still holds a
lot of talent.
‘‘Growing up in Taranaki, there is a cool little film scene here,’’ he said.
‘‘There’s a little undercurrent of creative talent in Taranaki and Wellington’s meant to be the film capital but I reckon we could give them a run for their money.’’
The film is released online on February 5. It is also already available for preorder at vimeo. com/ondemand/twoidiotsanda tinwhistle