For several months Rotorua locals who may have noticed film crews going about their work throughout town now have a date to look forward to seeing the fruits of that labour.
The television series Vegas will launch on TVNZ 2 at 8.30pm on April 19.
In the new thriller-action series,a drug deal gone wrong on a blood-stained night sets off a chain of events for dangerous factions and a local business owner.
The series was filmed in Rotorua and stars an array of talented wāhine and tāne, including some of Rotorua's own top creative talent.
One of those is Cousins' actress Cian Elyse White who plays wāhine toa Toni Poulan, a local business owner who becomes the central suspect in a drug deal gone wrong.
In a twist of fate, a robbery is committed the same night at her tavern, which sets off a chain of events for dangerous factions.
White told the Rotorua Daily Post she was "a bit nervous" to see how the show would be received by audiences after all the work that had gone into creating it.
"We set out to do something really bold and brave in the view that to win big, sometimes you have to risk big," she said.
Rotorua's Cian Elyse White stars in action-thriller series Vegas. Photo / Supplied
"So I'm curious to see if our investment in the story and our belief in it does pay off and does reach people - if the audience and community understand what we are trying to do.
"I'm waiting in anticipation but also with an open mind and knowledge that we had the best intentions with the work."
White is joined on screen by Eds Eramiha, from The Legend of Baron To'a, who plays protagonist Kingi, the newly appointed leader for Te Toki. His desire is to lead his people away from meth into a new life.
Vegas is a story of love and brotherhood, against all odds, inspiring hope, and redemption.
Viewers may also recognise Katie Wolfe, Miriama Smith, Alex Tarrant, Xavier Horan, Rena Owen, Dean O'Gorman and Te Kohe Tuhaka.
