Filming started in an unnamed Cambridge bar on August 30 , for the Cambridge-based film The Tavern. Photo – Michael Jeans.
Filming has started for the Cambridge based film The Tavern.
Director Matt Hicks was delighted with the day-one shoot at a Cambridge bar on Saturday, August 30.
He said it couldn’t have gone better.
“Everyone was perfect,” he said. “We learnt so much, and shooting since then has been even better.
“We’re all up-and-comers, aspirational, young and hungry to do well, so everybody’s on the same page.”
Filming was due to continue in the Hautapu industrial area, and possibly at a football ground in Cambridge.
He said planning and rehearsing for the film over the past six months had been bedlam, but seeing it all come together certainly made up for it.
“There has been many a sleepless night and plenty of stress, it’s like handling a million little things, trying to keep a lot of balls in the air at the same time. It can be a hard thing. But when you have your shoot days and things go right, the actors jell, they hit their lines right, it all makes it really worthwhile.”
At the first film shoot, The Tavern actor Phil Palmer gets a touch-up from crew member Sarah Price. Photo – Michael Jeans.
Filming is continuing this week and throughout the coming weeks and weekends on-and-off, with actors from Auckland, Hamilton and Cambridge involved. About 90 percent of filming is taking place in Cambridge, with just a few shoots in Hamilton and Te Aroha.
On September 27 the crew will be filming a scene where plenty of extras are required – and Matt hopes to get as many Cambridge people in there as possible to film a climactic scene.
“As many as we can get would be great, the more the better.”
Anyone can be an extra in the movie, men or women. “Anyone over 18 who can be in a pub for a day, just a good spread from the community.”
Matt is also looking to recruit one or two iconic Cambridge faces for a few one-liners in the movie.
He said people interested in signing up as an extra can join the Facebook group: The Tavern-Feature Film.
Photo – Michael Jeans.
