Arlo Macmillan (left) and Kaleb Morris shooting a scene from The Tripods in 2018. Photo / Sonya Holm
Arlo Macmillan (left) and Kaleb Morris shooting a scene from The Tripods in 2018. Photo / Sonya Holm
It’s funny what can happen at the library.
Watching a DVD borrowed from the library led Arlo Macmillan on a six-year journey, the fruits of which he is showing for free on Friday night.
Macmillan used to watch old episodes of Doctor Who, also borrowed from the library. One day, his mother remembered the BBC TV series The Tripods fromthe 1980s, based on the young adult novels written by John Christopher.
Macmillan describes The Tripods as a sci-fi dystopian series following teenagers trying to survive in an apocalyptic world.
The story of gigantic three-legged walking machines enslaving humanity stuck with Macmillan, and he thought it would be cool to make a fan film.
Kaleb Morris (left) and Arlo Macmillan take a break from filmmaking with a walk in 2022. Photo / Sonya Holm
Alongside Macmillan throughout his filmmaking journey has been Kaleb Morris, also 19. They have been friends since they met at Russell Street School when they were about nine.
Morris can attest to his friend’s vivid dreams and the way he documents them. One time, Macmillan sent him a 15-minute dream explanation video.
A lot of people have “shower thoughts” for films - Macmillan just has dreams, Morris says.
Ninety per cent of the time, the crew was Macmillian “filming on a budget”, as Morris puts it. If Macmillian was in the shot, Morris would take the camera and record.
Macmillian says people should go to the premiere as it is a celebration of what a group of teenagers have managed to achieve in their spare time out of a love for the original series. It has been an “apocalyptic effort”.
Macmillian has ideas for his next project, and his goal is to keep making films to entertain people and make them think and feel. Seeing the emotional effects of something he has created is helpful as a filmmaker.
He also enjoys the process of filmmaking, having a good time on set and being with friends.
“It’s been really cool/crazy to see everyone grow over the series, acting and age-wise.”
At the beginning, Morris would smile during the serious scenes - it was difficult to get him to not smile.
Gun v Gun was his first acting gig, which lead to him taking drama at Freyberg High School. He played Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast, and next year will be an assistant director for Freyberg’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
Morris, who works at Gilmours as a pick-packer, would like to get into theatre and be in more of Macmillian’s projects. But he is not missing those 5am starts to make the most of deserted streets. He didn’t feel so smiley then.
The premiere will also feature a Q&A session with most of the cast.
