Reality rules in campaign film shoot

ACTING OUT: Kieran McAnulty and his wife Suzanne (left), Mikel Taylor, production, Andrew Gult, second assistant, and director Mike Heydon filming at The Farriers Bar & Eatery. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

Lights, camera, action as quirky focus fixes on Masterton

A Wairarapa film-maker has teamed up with the Masterton District Council to direct and produce a 30-second, and two-minute promotional video of the town for the My Masterton campaign.

Mike Heydon of Jet Productions said the video would showcase all aspects of Masterton, "the property, lifestyle, schools, good coffee, good food, that sort of thing".

"It's not your everyday video you would expect from a provincial town," he said.

"It's sort of a bit different and quirky, kind of like Masterton itself.

"The quirks are subtle but one of the special things we have done is that we are using actual real people from Masterton. It's not paid talent. It's all authentic and credible. It gives the ad the power of charm. It's not a perfectly polished diamond, but it's pretty real. It's a nice concept."

One of the authentic couples in the promotional video are Kieran and Suzanne McAnulty, who were approached by the council to take part.

"Obviously we're more than happy to do our bit to promote the region," Mr McAnulty, a former Labour Party candidate, said.

"It's quite a compelling story really. And I think the success of the My Masterton campaign has shown so far is testament to that.

"When you compare what property prices are going up there [in Auckland], you can sell your house and come down here and buy so much more and actually have a proper life. Work to live rather than live to work, as they say.

"But it's also the community here; Masterton especially, but also the wider Wairarapa offers so much more than what you would get in a larger centre."

Mrs McAnulty, who moved to Masterton from Ireland, said the My Masterton campaign was capturing all of the aspects of the town that made it feel like home to her.

"It's family and friends, and it's a community around the town," she said. "I moved here to Masterton like four years ago and I just feel like part of the community now.

"You just walk down the street and you know lots of people.

"And in that way it feels like home really, which is great."

The first draft of the promotional video is set to be completed early this coming week.

Masterton District Council spokesman Sam Rossiter-Stead said the promotional video would be on TV from next month onwards in Auckland initially.

Council was looking at expanding the campaign to Wellington and would be using online media platforms as well as television, he said.