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Project Updates: The King's Stilettos “In memory everything seems to happen to music.” Tennessee Williams.
7 June 2008 Film maker follows Rocky path - Waikato Times - By AARON LEAMAN Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikatotimes/4574906a6579.html Next month Tamahere film maker Fiona Jackson will shoot a trailer for a planned film on Richard O'Brien the creator of cult musical The Rocky Horror Show. Auditions for the 2 1/2 trailer were completed last month, with Auckland actor John Rawls chosen to play O'Brien. The trailer will be distributed throughout New Zealand and overseas in the hope of attracting major funding for the ambitious feature-length film. The trailer alone is estimated to cost about $30,000. "Rather than try and make the film in a hurry and on a small budget we hope the trailer will explain to people our vision and attract financial support," Jackson said. The idea to make a feature film on O'Brien and The Rocky Horror Show came after Jackson directed an interview evening with O'Brien in Hamilton last December. The event was hosted by television presenter Mark Sainsbury a close friend of O'Brien and attracted 250 people. O'Brien entertained the audience with a medley of songs and talked about his 30-plus years in showbiz. "The evening showed me that there was so much interest in Richard and his life story," Jackson said. "Initially I'd planned to write and direct a short musical about Richard, but because his story is so compelling and so interesting, the project has blossomed into something much bigger. I once asked Richard why he hadn't written an autobiography and he replied that he hadn't known where to start." O'Brien says The Rocky Horror Show was inspired by his time spent living in Hamilton during the 1960s. Jackson's film will explore two distinct storylines the story of The Rocky Horror Show and O'Brien's "journey of self-discovery". "His life has had many highs and lows and there are lots of little bits which people aren't aware of," she said. Jackson said O'Brien was also an excellent role-model for people working in the creative arts because he had taken risks to pursue his passions. Jackson became involved in film making when she returned to New Zealand in 2001, having spent five years working in the US as a model and stunt woman. "Sometimes you get to a point in your life where you say `stuff it' and just give things a go. For me making a feature film is my big venture. And Richard was the same in that he put himself out there and risked losing everything to follow his dreams. He's proof that someone from a smallish town can create something which is as good as anything you'll find on Broadway." A statue of O'Brien, as the character Riff Raff, was erected in Hamilton's Victoria St in November 2004. The statue was the idea of Hamilton man Mark Servian and stands at the site of the demolished Embassy Theatre. Servian said O'Brien's life story was worth celebrating. "Anyone who can create a show with such crazy characters and is able boil them down into a format which the world can understand has to be talented," he said. "I think in a way the Riff Raff statue helped Hamilton begin to acknowledge an important part of its own history. The statue is a pilgrimage site for Rocky Horror fans, just as Graceland is for Elvis Presley fans, and it's also a counter-balance to the cow statue at the other end of town. Here you have a statue of O'Brien in fishnet stockings which says to everyone `You're welcome here. This is a place where unusual and talented people come from'." 23 April 2008 We've made a few exciting decisions about the film. As it has expanded well beyond our original idea we've decided to film several scenes in July and create a trailer which we'll distribute in order to raise funds for the expanded idea (and budget) to be made in the new year. Casting will commence in Hamilton in a few weeks. We are looking for dancers, singers and actors of all shapes and sizes from age 18-80. If you are from out of town you are welcome to audition in person or send us a digital audition. See the Auditions page for more information.
1 January 2008 The show was a huge success. Richard was charming and eloquent, Mark Sainsbury was wonderful, the audience had a fabulous evening, and the wine from Vilagrad was phenomenal. We shot some great footage which we'll start editing in February.
17 December 2007 Riff Raff does Time Warp back to beginnings - Waikato Times - By AARON LEAMAN Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikatotimes/4327215a6579.html Hamilton's famous son Richard O'Brien, creator of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, entertained a crowd of about 250 people in Hamilton last night as he talked about his 30-plus years in showbiz. The event was held at the Wel Energy Trust Academy of Performing Arts and hosted by television presenter Mark Sainsbury, a close friend of O'Brien. Organiser Fiona Jackson said London-based O'Brien was still a master storyteller and kept the audience enthralled. "Richard is just amazing; the stories he shared and the way he told them had everyone in hysterics," she said. "He's so elegant and he hasn't lost his Kiwi sense of humour." The evening also saw O'Brien perform a medley of original songs, including musical items from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The evening was filmed and will be packaged for release on television. Ms Jackson, a Wintec Media Arts student, is currently working on a documentary about O'Brien's life. "Richard has to be one of Hamilton's most famous sons," she said. "Even if people haven't heard of him, they all seem to know about The Rocky Horror Picture Show." O'Brien said the off-beat musical and cult movie had been inspired by his time spent living in Hamilton during the 1960s. A statue of Riff Raff was erected in his honour in November 2004.
7 December 2007 Press Release 'An evening with Richard O'Brien' Hamilton - shiver with antici......pation, at spending "An Evening with Richard O'Brien", creator of the cult hit The Rocky Horror Show, and hosted by Qantas TV award winner Mark Sainsbury. Richard would like to take you on a strange and revealing journey of his life, music and memoirs at the Gallagher Concert Chamber on 16 December at 7pm. The event precedes an exciting new musical docudrama due to film next year, about Richard's past, from small, frail boy, bound for a life of farming in New Zealand, to cult hero of the silver screen. Writer/director, Fiona Jackson is keen to seize the opportunity to further Hamilton's status as a city capable of producing creative arts projects of an international standard. Richard O'Brien was previously a resident of Hamilton, where the statue of Riff Raff, central character from The Rocky Horror Show, has been erected on the former site of the Embassy Theatre on Victoria Street. Richard worked as a barber in the adjacent building and was inspired by the theatre's late night double features to write his show. Two years later, The Rocky Horror Show was adapted into a film which has since become one of the most well known and financially successful midnight movies. Exclusive tickets to "An Evening with Richard O'Brien" will be auctioned on Trade Me in the week before the show. 18 November 2007 Richard has offered to give a performance in Hamilton in December to play some of his music, chat about this and that and generally entertain his most ardent Hamilton supporters. Mark Sainsbury has agreed to host the evening, and TVNZ is interested in viewing the edited footage with a view to aquisition. The Perry Foundation and Hamilton City Council have offered to help fund the invitation only event so we are looking forward to spending an enjoyable evening with Mr. O'Brien. 18 July 2007 Principal Crew Nadine Lee (producer) is a WINTEC Media Arts graduate and producer of several short films. Nadine also worked as station administrator at ALT TV in Auckland. Fiona Jackson (writer/director) spent ten years performing in front of the camera in Hollywood before deciding to try her hand at creating movies. A University of Waikato Screen and Media graduate, she has directed several short films and music videos and has co-written a feature length children’s movie. Mark Pritchard (DP) has been working in theatre since he was 14. He studied television production at Unitec and then moved to a position as vision controller and lighting assistant on Shortland Street for 2 years. He is now with TVNZ where he works as senior lighting designer/director. Bevan Crothers (Camera) has been in the film and TV industry for 10 years. He specialises in camera operating, lighting and camera crane work. A graduate of Southseas Film and TV School, Bevan has worked for TVNZ and Shortland Street and is now a freelance lighting/camera operator. Joe Citizen (editor) is a WINTEC Media Arts graduate. His short film ‘Stiff’ showed at the Commonwealth Film Festival in 2002. He has made several other short films and his passions are directing, production design and editing. Marama Kinnen (Set design/1st assistant director) has written and directed several short films and produced many television shows for Big TV. She has taught drama since high school which led into teaching media studies at the University of Waikato. Marama founded Daydreamer Arts which is involved in children's performing arts. Her latest project was co-directing the local feature film Down By The Riverside. Jane Petersen-Foret (hair/makeup) has been a makeup artist/hairdresser specialising in film and TV for 25 years. She spent 6 years with TVNZ before going freelance, and has tutored on occasion and is very interested in supporting and promoting the film industry in the Waikato. Anthea Thompson (wardrobe) has many years experience making costumes for children and adults. She has created the costumes for many dance performances in the Waikato and is enjoying making the move into film and television. 16 July 2007 Performers interested in auditioning for principle roles, dancers, singers and extras should download our casting application. We won't be casting for this project until early 2008 but please indicate if you are interested in other projects being produced by us or our associates. 19 June 2007 Received blessing from Richard O'Brien. |
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