But for his first time directing a full-length comedy theatrical film, produced by his own White Balance Pictures company, White is keeping it close to home. He says he has written a script with CHB in mind, and though now residing in Wellington, is back staying at the family farm on Paget Rd in Takapau as he scouts for locations.
"Because so much of my life has been here I knew that it was such a rich tapestry of locations, characters and stories that I could tap into.
"Even though the [location of the film] is not specifically called CHB, the people, feel - the world - is very much there. The [local demolition derby team] Takapau Terrors will get a pretty good spot in this world, I think, so watch out for that," he says.
Not only director, writer and producer, White also stars in the lead role in his as-yet untitled feature, which he describes as a mix between a black comedy and doco-style drama about a man's reintegration back into society.
Though lower budget, White says the film has already been greenlit by the NZ Film Commission and will be co-produced by South Pacific Pictures - makers of Westside and Shortland Street - and distributed by Madman Entertainment (Hunt for the Wilderpeople).
White says the film will also star some "quite well-known actors" though he is keeping their names, and further plot details under wraps for now.
He might have started out as an actor after catching the acting bug at CHB College, but White admits directing himself in his debut feature was not his first preference.
The movie is an extrapolation of short film he wrote, directed and starred in, after a lengthy period studying at London's National Film and Television School.
"I hadn't made a film in 10 months. I desperately wanted to make something. I started to think about ideas that I could shot, direct, edit and be in all by myself," said White about the short film, which was screened at 40 short film festivals around the globe.
White said the project was selected for Venice Biennale - Cinema, a script development programme which accepts only 12 films from around the world.
"You travel to Venice where you spend 10 days intensely developing your film. I was then in the middle of directing a TV show, so took a month off from that and wrote the draft into pretty much the film I am shooting at the end of the year," he said.
Along with the search for locations in CHB, White expected to put out a casting call for the feature film soon. He hoped talented CHB locals would put their hands up for speaking and extras roles, which will be shot over five weeks towards the end of the year, by a film crew of about 15.
"I can only hope that the good people of Central Hawke's Bay will come to the party and help my wonderful, dedicated crew create something amazing," said White, who admitted to feeling the pressure after assuring his financiers it was possible to make a film in CHB.
"I have said that we can get it [the film] done here, and I am sure I will be proven right."
White said he was still looking for locations - including a chimney standing by itself in a paddock, where a house possibly once stood but has since burned down or been destroyed.
Anyone who knows where to find such a chimney, or is hoping to crack a career in acting, can contact the production team at hawkesbayfilm@gmail.com
