THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS...
WEEKEND RITUAL PLAYING GUITAR (AND BADLY SINGING) ON THE GRASS IN THE MORNING IF THE SUN IS SHINING.
JOB I FEEL VERY LUCKY TO LOVE MY JOB – BEING A FILMMAKER. I HAVEN’T HAD A “REAL JOB” SINCE BEING A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER!
Filmmaker Florian Habicht has brought us wonderful movies and documentaries such as Kaikohe Demolition, Land of the Long White Cloud, Love Story and his deep dive into British band Pulp. This year he is the guest selector for NZ International Film Festival’s best short film competition, and his selections will screen during the festival. TV show
Curb Your Enthusiasm .Imet Larry David while they were lming at Central Park for the New York City season, and he was totally rude to me. Larry Charles the director was super friendly and we instantly clicked – maybe cause we were wearing the same coloured Chuck Taylors. I introduced myself as a failed lmmaker from New ealand, and he introduced himself as a failed
lmmaker from rooklyn. I had to laugh knowing that he directed Borat!
Movie
Federico Fellini’s 8½, with the jazzy circus-like soundtrack from Nino Rota. It’s about a filmmaker having a midlife crisis, struggling to make his next film, and escaping into his fantasies and memories. The film inspired me to make my NYC romance Love Story, to act in my own film, and to make “not having a script” part of the film’s story. Nino Rota’s music is my soundtrack to life. His music inspired my first short films after my father gave me a Fellini soundtrack on vinyl.
Destination
The tlanta otel in angkok. It’s the oldest hotel in the city, established in 1952, art deco, and has a swimming pool (with turtles) that has featured in a few James
ond lms. very day, between noon and 1pm, the restaurant plays jazz music composed by the late King of Thailand. Time has literally stood still in this wonderful hotel – I highly recommend it!
Piece of art
Fountain from Marcel Duchamp. It is a readymade sculpture made in 1917, consisting of a signed porcelain urinal. (An ordinary piece of plumbing). And oh, I have a few Peter Stichbury paintings from art school on the walls that I admire every single day.
song
Recently I’ve been playing Remix ED (2021) from Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker while I write in the morning. The rst track Save the Whale seductively begins with: “Take your foot o the gas, cos it’s all downhill from here. You are a manifestation of the universe, your form is unimportant, but please, come over here.” With pandemic life, and people I’m close to getting older, it has all felt a bit down hill recently!
Item of clothing
Right now I’m wearing merino leggings and a merino thermal top – to keep warm. When you don’t have much meat on your bones, that’s priceless. I also bought a merino balaclava, but nd it a bit claustrophobic.
Person
Despite the hard times we (and the world) are in right now, I’m so grateful to Jacinda Ardern for everything she has done for the people of Aotearoa during the pandemic.
Book
How to Write a Movie in 21 Days – The Inner Movie
Method. I began reading this book seven years ago, and have almost finished my new drama script!