Location Survey: Lake Harris

Me and the Cameraman (Geoff Simpson) at Lake Harris.

Location Survey: South Island lakes

Cameraman (Geoff Simpson).

Mini crew at Lake Harris

Helicopter access only on the heights of the Southern Alps.

Audition shot of Hamish McFarlane (Griffin)

Hamish was chosen from over a 100,000 New Zealand children seen in passing at thier schools. Of Scottish decent he proved to have a natural affinity for the Cumbrian accent.

Filming

Filming a small clinker-built boat with a horse in it while crossing the harbour.

Me and Hamish (Griffin)

Directing

Studio crew

We filmed in an old warehouse through the winter in Auckland, (New Zealand). Most of the Cumbrian winter mountain scenes were filmed outdoors in South Auckland, a stone’s throw away from the airport. When planes would fly over the old quarry, we would have to quiet the cattle and dogs; they would trample through the artificial snow of this, our village location.

At the AFI Awards

John Maynard (producer) and Hamish McFarlane (Griffin) after winning awards for best film, director, etc. It was only through John Maynards sheer determination that this film got made. He overcame the difficulties of raising money in New Zealand by moving to Australia. Apart from coming back to film, he never returned to live in New Zealand.

Werner Herzog and I at the Hof Film Festival

I was surprised when Werner said “Gott that must have been a hard film to make”!!