Food For Thought
A short film about a freezer, a frying pan, and a little old lady
Synopsis
Merran’s elderly father Angus has died suddenly, and as she helps prepare for the funeral, the contents of her mother’s freezer raise some big questions about the cause of Angus’s death.
Cast
Nathalie Boltt
Merran
Wellington-based actor, Nathalie Boltt is originally from South Africa. She was a household name in that country as a lead on the country's number one daily drama, The Need, and has played roles in film, television and theatre from the UK to Germany, New Zealand and the US, including international blockbuster District 9. She also appeared in US comedy feature film Route 30 Three directed by John Putch, released in 2015.
In New Zealand Nathalie has appeared in a variety of productions, most notably TV Movies Siege and Bloodlines. Recently she has played Dave’s mother on TV2’s comedy drama series Step Dave and is currently filming in Canada for the TV series Riverdale, a modern reboot of the Archie comics. Nathalie has also written and directed her own short films Silk and Vajazzle.
Helen Moulder
Wyn
Helen Moulder was born in Nelson, New Zealand and began her professional career in the UK in 1974, singing in musicals and pantomime and spending a year with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. In 1977 she returned to New Zealand where she has worked ever since, as a singer, actor and comedienne in theatre, television, and film.
Her most recent roles in film and television were in Rest for the Wicked and What Really Happened: Votes for Women.
In March 2014, Helen appeared in her second one woman show Gloria’s Handbag, at Circa Theatre in Wellington, where she played 6 characters, sang several songs and performed magic tricks. She received glowing reviews and is still touring the show around New Zealand in 2016.
Luanne Gordon
Sheila
Toi Whakaari graduate Luanne Gordon won an NZ screen award for a small part in 2001 movie Stickmen. By then she had won the starring role in TV series The Strip, as a woman who rediscovers herself by leaving a sensible law job to run a strip club. Nominated for playing a hardbitten detective in TV's Interrogation, she went on to co-star as a Kiwi call girl in 2010 Irish comedy Sensation, and act in quake drama Hope and Wire. She’s also a regular in the popular Webseries High Road.
Jonathan Brugh
Hamish
On stage Jonathan Brugh's comic armoury has included melon-throwing, mutant clowns and hanging in the air in a superhero costume – plus time as half of Billy T awardwinning duo Sugar and Spice (with Jason Hoyte). Brugh played a current affairs host in TV's The Jaquie Brown Diaries, before winning further laughs as the vampire who likes erotic dancing in What We Do in the Shadows. Brugh also works as a professional photographer.
Paul Yates
Roy
Paul Yates has been an actor/writer/producer in Wellington for over 20 years. As an actor, he most recently appeared as crown prosecutor Jim Larsen in TV One’s How To Murder Your Wife and as Cyril Ellis, the torch-wielding hero who tried to stop the a national disaster in TV One’s Tangiwai: A Love Story. Paul has also featured in the core cast of a number of comedy series over the years including Facelift, Skitz and Tellylaughs. His most recent writing credits include TV2’s Girl Vs. Boy, TV3’s Sunny Skies and he is a regular contributor to TV3’s comedy panel show, 7 Days.
Behind the Camera
Food For Thought is a short film written and directed by Pat Robins, based on the short story The Assassin Bug by Sue McCauley. A black comedy centred around a dysfunctional family with a big secret.
Pat Robins
Writer/Director
Pat Robins is a veteran of the New Zealand film industry, a constant force since the 1970’s she started out supporting her former husband, filmmaker Geoff Murphy, often combining roles as production manager, costumier and caterer, juggled with raising their five children.
In the 1980’s she began writing and directing her own projects, with short film Instincts and TV drama’s O’Reilly’s Luck and Matron’s of Honour. More recently she wrote and directed the short film Dying Light which has appeared in film festivals around the world. Food For thought is her latest short film, a black comedy based on the short story The Assassin Bug by Sue McCauley
Robin Murphy
Producer
Robin is Pat’s daughter, and has over 30 years experience in the New Zealand film industry. During this time she’s worked across art department, assistant directing and location managing. Robin’s work ranges from costume on her father’s 1981 kiwi classic Goodbye Pork Pie, to supervising location manager and occasional assistant director on The Lord of the Rings (trilogy) and King Kong.
Since 2000 she’s been developing feature films and short films and to date has completed eight short films, including Pat’s Dying Light and award winning short film Run, which received a special jury prize at Cannes Film Festival in 2007. Her Webseries Pot Luck is currently on line, and her latest short film Sparrow is in post production.
Paul Murphy
Producer
Paul, another of Pat’s children, has also spent many years working in the New Zealand film industry. Starting out as a grip in the 80’s, in the early 2000’s Paul started directing on television shows such as The Tribe and Sensing Murder. In 2008 he produced and directed his debut feature film, the local hit comedy Second Hand Wedding. This was followed in 2011 by the Rom Com Lovebirds starring Rhys Darby and Sally Hawkins.
David Paul
Director of Photography
Award winning cinematographer David Paul has worked across all genres in his 30 years or more in the industry, from Documentaries, TV drama, short and feature length projects. His most recent work includes TV feature drama Catching The Black Widow and documentary feature film McLaren with LA based kiwi director Roger Donaldson.
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Credits
Cast
MERRAN Nathalie Boltt
WYN Helen Moulder
SHEILA Luanne Gordon
HAMISH Jonathan Brugh
ROY Paul Yates
CASSIE Jessica Old
ANGUS John Bach
POLICEMAN Winham Hammond
GIRL Emma Draper
FUNERAL EXTRAS
Anne Gilbert, Fran Gallagher, Kevin Hoy, Sean Fleming, Volker Grunert, Gary French,
Geraldine George, Kathryn Briggs Hobbs, Jane Ballentyne, Mark Pearson, Kerry Robins
Crew
WRITER/DIRECTOR Pat Robins
PRODUCERS Robin Murphy, Paul Murphy
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY David Paul
SUPERVISING EDITOR Annie Collins
EDITOR Natalie Johnston
COMPOSER Jonathan Crayford
ART DIRECTOR Seth Kelly
PRODUCTION MANAGER Melissa Lawrence
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Rebecca Gallagher
1ST ASSISTANT DIRECTORS Laurie Wright
Robin Murphy
2ND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Kayleighsha Wharton
SCRIPT SUPERVISOR Niamh King
UNIT MANAGER Charley Samau
UNIT TRAINEE Caelon Murphy-Twhigg
CASTING Tina Cleary
FOCUS PULLER Mike Knudsen
CAMERA ASSISTANT Nicole Hardy
STEADICAM Tim Butters
BEHIND THE SCENES CAMERA Pikihuia Haenga-Little
DATA WRANGLER Angela Boyd
ON SET ART DIRECTOR Jodie Stack
SET DRESSER Paul Davey
GAFFER Oren Graham
BEST BOY Sophie Lloyd
LIGHTING ASSITANT Michael Engelbrecht
GRIPS Miles Murphy
Paul Murphy
Saxon Ball
Graeme Tuckett
SOUND RECORDIST Ken Saville
BOOM OPERATORS Jo Fraser
Isauro Torres
COSTUME DESIGNER Estelle Stroud
MAKE UP SUPERVISOR Kareen Donalson
MAKE UP ARTIST Kendra Herrick
MAKE UP ASSISTANT Jacquie Mellow
STILLS PHOTOGRAPHER Anna Jamieson
POST PRODUCTION FACILITIES Park Road Post
Underground Sound
SOUND DESIGN Matt Lambourn
Dave Whitehead
SOUND MIXER Phil Burton
COLOURIST Jon Newell
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