Documentary+
We also produce documentaries, experimental works, artist’s profiles and music videos…
Works in progress
- Strike the Fuse: A collaborative creative development project, combining the talents of Strike – New Zealand’s leading percussion ensemble – and the dynamic acrobatic and aerial antics of Fuse Circus.
- Bedwyr Williams: 24 Hours in Wellington. Documentation project for Enjoy Gallery / The One Day Sculpture Trust.
- WWTFZ? aka Sure to Rise: The Zombie–Horror of New Zealand.
Older works
- The Hu Hu – Less Caffeine (music video) (2008)
- Newtown Festival Fair Day (short documentary/promo) (2007)
- Sky Guy’s Day of Horrors (2005)
- Fumpston Works (2004)
- The Wonderful World of Ray Ritchie (2003)
- The Voice of Foxton (experimental film, based on the poem by Alex Staines) (2000)
- Alpha Plan – When the Morning Kills Your Heart (music video) (1999)
- Small Change (short) (1999)
Fumpston Works
Fumpston Works explores the concepts and processes behind the images of Rodney Fumpston, one of New Zealand’s leading printmakers.
Fumpston is well-known for his use of vibrant colour and technical virtuosity.
“I am trying to make something look absolutely effortless and spontaneous – but I‘ve had to labour.”–Rodney Fumpston
His work touches on issues of cultural identity and often explore the relationship between the artist as a Fijian-born New Zealander, and modes of representation that are central to Western image-making traditions.
Filmed at Fumpston’s Auckland studio and commissioned by Sarjeant Gallery for the travelling exhibition Fumpston Prints: 1973-2003, the 9-minute documentary includes the printing of See, a study from the Memento series.
Teachers’ Notes
The Fumpston Works Teacher’s Notes have been compiled by printmaker Rodney Fumpston. The notes include:
- A scene-by-scene description of the concepts behind key print series, and the printmaking techniques demonstrated in the film.
- A glossary of printmaking terms, making reference to Fumpston’s prints.
Fumpston Works Teacher’s NotesFumpston Works can be purchased from Parson’s (Auckland only) or direct from Suspect Productions.
Nick Holmes’ Sky Guy: Sky Guy’s Day of Horrors
Suspect Productions is proud to announce the release of Sky Guy‘s Day of Horrors, a 12 minute stop-motion short from filmmaker Nick Holmes.
“We first saw Day of Horrors as part of a review for the Bowerman School of Design”, explains creative director Andy Kirkwood. “Holmes has created truly memorable characters, there’s a great sense of the ‘real’ New Zealand in the film which made it an ideal choice for the 2005 Suspect Commission.”
The story
He’s not a mercenary – but he won’t say ‘no’ to the money.
When fire threatens a local farm franchise, a mysterious cowled figure swings into action. Aboard his trusty flying egg, Sky Guy braves the elements, saves the day and finds an unlikely sidekick.
After collecting his reward, our hero is on his way home when he hears screams and spies a body being dragged into the mānuka. Forced to investigate, it’s soon clear that Sky Guy’s day of horrors has only just begun…
Equal parts Bambi and Apocalypse Now, Sky Guy heralds the return of the Kiwi ‘good keen man’ (albeit riding a flying egg, with goat in tow and sawn-off shotgun in place of the conventional .22).
The figure
To complement the DVD release, Suspect has worked with Holmes to create a collectable figure. Limited to an edition of 50, Sky Guy was hand-sculpted, molded, cast, painted and packaged in Wellington.
The figure is presented in a collector’s pack that includes:
- Sky Guy figure
- Sky Guy’s Day of Horrors
- Behind-the-scenes commentary with director Nick Holmes, sound designer Brett Johansen and composer Ryan Smith
- The Making of Sky Guy (figure) featurette (9 min.)
- Collectable card
“This is possibly the first indigenous-New-Zealand-hero-collectable-figure,” explains producer Justine Flanagan. “Sky Guy (like Holmes), is a man of action and few words.”
Sky Guy DVD $20
Sky Guy Collector’s Pack $80
(includes Sky Guy DVD)
The Sky Guy DVD and Sky Guy Collector’s Pack are available (while stocks last), only from Suspect Productions.