A Letter From New Zealand

From Kit Rolling

Dear Bob

As is my custom, I begin with an apology for the long silence. At least I write to someone who has an appreciation of the hectic nature of the industry in which we both work, so I'm sure you will understand.

This has been the busiest year I've had for a long time, and one in which I have invested in new equipment. I bought a hard disk editing system hence my request for the tapes of the AMPS seminar. Thanks for sending them. I find them really informative and reassuring in that problems we encounter here are the same as anywhere else.

In answer to your question as to what is going on in the industry here. At the beginning of the year, I worked on a film called 'Absent Without Leave', directed by John Laing, and based on a true story of a young soldier's adventures in NZ during the war when he goes AWOL. A nice film which is shortly to screen on UK television; also in cinemas. No sex or violence, so it didn't get great reviews here but it is an enjoyable film.

Then there was a unique feature called 'Desperate Remedies'. Unique in that it is one of the most original films yet to be made here. Low budget, all shot in a warehouse in Auckland, but it doesn't look cheap. I'm quite pleased with the sound track on it which has a high music content. It's 83 minutes I think, set vaguely in NZ in the 1860s. Worth a look for interest's sake.

Next was a TV series called 'Bread & Roses' (4x1 hour) which is the autobiography of Sonja Davies, Labour and feminist activist, now retiring as an MP. It's set in the 40-50s

I have just started on a feature called 'Taking Liberties' directed by John Reid, starring Rod Steiger and two other Americans. It's a thriller - love story, and one of the best to come out of NZ to date.

Currently shooting is 'Once Were Warriors', directed by Lee Tamahori; 'Heavenly Creatures', directed by Peter Jackson; and a 35mm TV series shooting in Auckland early this year which is four feature length epics called 'Hercules'. I think the latter is entirely overseas money. No one seems quite sure whether post production is going to be here or in the US.

DAT seems here to stay. Two feature recordists have now bought the Fostex PD2, the time code machine which is $NZ 13,000 (£5,000) here and even some producers are specifying DAT. I can hear you starting to snort at that but the reason is simply video post production. They use time code slates which flash a 3 or 4 freeze frame code read out for the picture, which puts a tone on the DAT at the same code point. The film negative is transferred straight to tape and edited either on off-line gear or the new Avid digital editing system.

The NFU (now Television) has an Australian hard disk editing system, built by Roger Savage, which has an auto-compile facility for sync dialogue. The location rushes, if transferred to 35 mag, have the DAT time code on recorded on track 3. When the fine cut is reached, the cut dialogue sync track is transferred to the hard disk with the time code also recorded. The machine then asks for the original DAT tapes to be put in and it automatically compiles all the sync with overlaps etc. onto two tracks. The dialogue editor then can cut and trim without having to physically assemble any tracks. Dump-off is to multitrack for mixing so there is no generation loss whatsoever.

This editing system is called Editracker. It's fairly new and not all the bugs have been overcome yet. I have only spent one day on it, but didn't like it, It uses a plasma touch screen which I think is more a gimmick than practical, but I guess time will tell.

I bought Pro Tools, the Digidesign update of Sound Designer which runs with a Mac. To me it is a much better and more versatile system than the above and I am currently using it for the first time on 'Taking Liberties'. The cutting and building of effects is amazing, by comparison with 35 mag, and while I don't rule out the possibility of going to mag for some things, I am converted.

The whole system cost me $NZ 32,000 (£12.300) which included the Mac, 1.3 GBytes of memory, colour monitor etc., but I have to keep up with the times -or just fade away - a long dissolve to retirement perhaps, and I'm not quite ready for that yet.

I set up the system at home and am now able to do complete soundtracks, as ProTools has automated mixing, digital EQ and runs with time code, locked to video. I've really enjoyed sauntering downstairs to begin work instead of wasting time travelling.

I have just started the atmos tracks for 'Taking Liberties'. Recorded just over a minute of atmos into the Mac and it took just six seconds to loop it, seamless into 5 minutes. I'm definitely converted!

I am looking forward to hearing a demo of Dolby digital cinema sound. We now have the possibility of going digital all the way, with the possible exception of the analogue mixing desk. Have you heard Dolby Digital yet?

The NZ economy seems to be picking up a little although a lot of people are not yet convinced and put it down to election year. There is a growth in the cinema industry here. The current trend is for the multiplex complex and many have been built recently. You may remember the James Smith store on the corner of Cuba and Manners streets in Wellington, which was an institution for over 100 years. That store has now closed (poor management after listing on the stock exchange) and Everard Cinemas are building a five cinema multiplex there. That will make the third such facility in Wellington all in the 200-300 seat size.

I can't think of any more gossip that might interest you and work calls me back

Kind Regards

Kit Rollings

Wellington, New Zealand