Ringstar Productions and Two Mile Bay Sailing Club present short film series Saga Distopian

Action shot from the Saga Distopian series, with John Russell playing the assassin and Peter Smith as Sardonicus. Photo / Michael O'Connor

Taupō actors and moviemakers have been at it again.

Ringstar Productions have put together a series of short films, all made locally, at a special viewing at the Two Mile Bay Sailing Centre.

The actors, director, cinematographer and editor all have a Taupō connection and most are locals. Director Jennifer Russell says everyone who turns up has to act, with some people playing several parts.

"It's that sort of thing, everyone helps out.

"At one stage we had to find someone to play a landlord. The [former] proprietor of the Wairakei Village Tavern, Brent Walker, put his hand up."

Each film is 15-20 minutes long and there will be a break in between for ordering food and beverages.

The films are set in a dystopian future and are about a singing storyteller who wanders from village to village, but strange things are beginning to happen. Jennifer says for people viewing the film it could be set anywhere.

"It's filmed in Taupō, at places like the rest area on the way to Wairakei, the Redwood Forest, a market garden on Broadlands Rd, Lilliput Farm and at the pub Mulligan's."

A younger Cosmo is played by Chris Dawson, and Jennifer says the film shows the same set of events two or three times from other people's viewpoints.

The principal cast is: Hugh de Lautour, Peter Moore, Chris Dawson, Connie Takarangi, Julian Bishop, Peter Robinson, Brent Walker, Stephan Pointon, Julie Pointon, Lenore Bridgeman Toms, Gary Toms, Peter Smith, and John Russell.

The four short movies were filmed, edited and produced by Michael O'Connor, written, directed and produced by Jennifer Russell, and assisted by John Russell.

Filming started in 2019, before lockdown, and Jennifer says literally months went by between filming scenes.

Michael recalls how they would finish filming and aim to meet up again in two weeks' time, then the country would go into lockdown and months would go by.

"We had to reshoot so many scenes. In the intervening period, trees would have lost their leaves, the cast had new haircuts, one actor lost weight," Michael says.

The Details

Short film evening, Saga Distopian

Where: Two Mile Bay Sailing Club

When: Tuesday, August 9, starting at 7.30pm

Tickets: $14 available online at www.trybooking.com/nz/events/landing/7377

Supporting: A proportion of ticket sales goes to Lake Taupō Cans For Kids

Info: Contact Jennifer Russell 022 601 4918