As post production, reshoots and discussions with distributors continue, thoughts have been turning towards the premiere of the complete trilogy.

I am delighted to announce that we plan to have a gala charity premiere later in the year, the proceeds of which will go to support a project I am working on to develop family medicine in Cambodia.

The news of our success in the Prestige Awards was a major boost during the last shoot of Rere's Children in Gisborne.

Likewise, presentation of the award has been most encouraging at a critical time in post production on the trilogy.

It's tremendously satisfying to have done so well, with an essentially self funded independent film, especially when in competition with the world's top film makers and  fully resourced Hollywood productions.

We look forward to continuing our high profile as the competed trilogy will soon be hitting the international film festival circuit.  

Read our updated Press Release.


The growing collection of awards for Amiri & Aroha.

Perfecting burns in post - using Digital Anarchy's Beauty Box/Ugly Box plug-ins for Final Cut.

One of the main reasons why post production on Amiri's Child is taking so long is the painstaking digital enhancement of Amiri's burns makeup.

I have been using some brilliant software from Digital Anarchy. Whilst famed for their award winning Beauty Box skin retouching technology, it is the companion Ugly Box which is proving invaluable for Amiri's Child.

Whereas Beauty Box smooths wrinkles and blemishes, instead of smoothing the skin texture, Ugly Box enhances it to bring out all the variations, wrinkles and blemishes. This is ideal for adding edge to Amiri's grossly burnt skin and for dramatically ageing Kōkā on her fateful return to Rere.

Young Arapeta (Mark Whittet) and Miriama (Sophee Hills) work out their troubled relationship in the spectacular setting of the Elephant rocks. This touching scene is a highlight of the January 2013 shoot.

With some beautiful scenes between Arapeta and Miriama at the Elephant Rocks and some pick up shots up and down the Waitaki Valley, filming for the January 2013 shoot wrapped.

The difference in Mark and Sophee’s performances during this session has been amazing. Both young actors brought a wealth of experience from the previous shoots and a new depth and maturity to their characters. I am so pleased that we expanded and re-shot these scenes. They will make Amiri’s Child a much more powerful film.

Yet this excitement is tempered by some concerns. There are problem areas that are proving difficult to resolve. I remain uneasy about the youth gang scene in Amiri’s Child. Despite the re-write and some promising new footage, the scene just doesn’t have the gritty realism to carry the audience through Miriama’s change of heart. I fear further retakes will be necessary. Will the Amiri & Aroha trilogy ever be completely in the can?

Yet more tough decisions lie ahead in post production!

The perfect refuge for Amiri & Aroha, complete with its own waterfall - thanks to Bronwyn Kay!

Bronwyn Kay is our major supporter from the IndieGoGo campaign last year and we are most grateful to Bronwyn for her generous support of our project.

As regular followers of this blog will know, in addition to her financial contribution to the film, Bronwyn also took on a starring role in a key sequence in Rere’s Children.

Amiri is on the run from both his enemies and the authorities and he must find a remote hideaway where he can live with Aroha in secret. He entrusts his lawyer Lamonge to find him a luxurious mansion, far away from the prying eyes of his adversaries. Lamonge turns to Bronwyn Kay to find the ideal sanctuary for Amiri. Bronwyn delivers a property to die for, only accessible by a precarious swing bridge, and complete with its own swing bridge, to remind Amiri & Aroha of their first meeting at the Rere falls.

As Amiri’s Child is nearing completion in post production, I have been turning my attention to Rere’s Children and I have been working on Bronwyn’s scene. It is a very tense encounter between Lamonge and Bronwyn, with Lamonge inadvertently saying to much during the meeting and Bronwyn realises that his client is indeed the notorious Amiri.

Bronwyn was a true star and played the part to perfection. You can read about the shooting here.

I have put together this preview of Bronwyn’s scene. Enjoy!

We remain externally grateful to Bronwyn. Your contribution has made a huge difference to our project!

There is agony and ecstasy in the creation of any artistic endeavour. In film making, joy and despair come together in post production.

My current work completing Amiri’s Child has certainly brought some highs, as the rough cut takes shape and promises to be a compelling piece of cinema. But there are some problem areas where the material is just not working.

In particular, the scenes between the young Arapeta and Miriama are not sufficiently developed. Whilst the scenes have been through a number of revisions already, more work is required if these sequences are to achieve their full impact.

So over the next few days, I will concentrate on re-writing the scenes, with the benefit of hindsight from the previous shoots and an overview of the entire project. I hope to set up a shooting session for later in January for these scenes.

Working on a complex compositing shot using Apple’s Motion software.

I am falling behind with post production work on the Amiri & Aroha trilogy. I was hoping to have Amiri’s Child complete by the end of this year, but release will now be well into the New Year.

The reason for the delay is the painstaking work on special effects. I have previously commented in this blog on the endless list of Digital Compositors on the titles in the commercial cinema and how this contrasts with the Indy film maker, who does all the work themselves. Amiri’s Child in particular is heavy on effects shots. As well as images in Kōkā’s crystal ball, there is a complex opening sequence, an overture in which the crystal ball travels back to Rere and Kōkā foresees the birth of Amiri’s child.

I have spent the last fortnight working on Kōkā’s return to Rere, a dramatic scene towards the end of Amiri’s Child. Kokā must take the crystal ball back to Rere and smash it on the rocks to break a curse, and as she travels back to Rere in her caravan, she asks her beloved crystal ball to show her the future one last time. Creating these effects (using Apple’s Motion programme) has been laborious, which single shots taking several days to achieve the level of perfection essential to make the audience believe in the illusion.


Creating a travelling matte around the actress’s fingers so that they appear in front of the lightening, which has been superimposed on the shot to create the illusion that the lightening is inside the crystal ball.

The completed effect, with the fire in the crystal ball on Kōkā’s final journey.

Digital compositing may be an exacting task, but the results are rewarding when they work!

Importing the footage from the October shoot into Final Cut Pro X for cataloguing. Each shoot has generated several terabytes of material!

Each of our extended shoots on the Amiri & Aroha trilogy has produced a mass of material to be viewed, catalogued and assessed prior to getting down to editing proper.

With the huge amount of work in the October shoot, this has been the biggest import of footage in the trilogy. As the material is downloaded and backed up to multiple off-site locations, I am constantly looking to see if it matches up to expectations and will cut together.

Will that long shot match that close up? Is that shot believable? Is the actor plausible in the role?

These are the questions that race through the film makers head as the new martial is ingested!

Payback time for Uncle Ben: David Whittet directs Shane Luke (Arapeta), Willie Grace Senior (Uncle Ben) and Kohi Marama Rogers (Aunt Hinemoa) in a tense scene where Arapeta confronts demons from his past, which wraps principal photography on Rere’s Children.

The October shoot has been by far the most challenging of the trilogy. I always knew it would be tough to complete such a massive amount of visual story-telling in a two week period, but didm’t realise just how much I was asking of myself and stress levels were high at times during this fortnight!

It felt fitting to wrap principal photography with the Aunt Hinemoa scenes, as it is this encounter that clears Arapeta’s mind and shapes his outlook on the future. Shane Luke and Willie Grace worked beautifully together at the role reversal from earlier in the trilogy and Kohi Marama Rogers took over the role of the older Aunt Hinemoa, bringing depth to the person who has been Arapeta’s rock throughout his life.

A wrap at last? There are still some pick up shots to be done and there will inevitably be some retakes. But at the end of today’s shoot, I felt a sense of achievement. Once more we had accomplished the impossible and created a powerful piece of contemporary cinema with virtually zero resources. And that is an achievement.

Bruised, yes. But still smiling!


A look of relief from director David Whittet as the shooting is at last completed with all major scenes in the can.

Tautaru is arrested at gang headquarters as his henchmen look on in total disbelief. The New Zealand Police threw everything into the scene and showed actor Walter Walsh (the WIz) no mercy as Tautaru was unceremoniously handcuffed and dragged away!

Tonight was another mammoth shoot at Smash Palace, an atmospheric bar in Gisborne which was the perfect location for gang headquarters. Unfortunately, we only had Smash Palace for one night and it was a huge ask to get through the mountain of scenes at gang headquarters in one night!

The evening started with the New Zealand Police joining us on set to film Tautaru’s arrest. The two officers who performed the arrest were brilliant and totally entered into the spirit of the film. We are so grateful the the New Zealand Police for participating in the film and bringing such gritty realism to these all important scenes.

Otherwise, it was a long hard night of filming, ploughing through seemingly endless pages of script to complete the shoot. But as always, we pulled it off and got all the material in the can. But the night took its toll and I have to admit to wondering - if only for a fleeting moment - why I make films!

Watch a first look video of Tautaru’s arrest and hear actor Walter Walsh (the Wiz) talk about the experience!

Director David Whittet confers with Assistant director Mark during the shooting of a tense scene where Lamonge (Warren Philp) claims his reward for money laundering, a gangland slut (played by Juvana Rangi).

This morning we filmed an extraordinary sequence at an amazing location. It was one of those shots where everything just worked, the camera angles all felt right and stalwarts of the Amiri & Aroha trilogy, Warren Philp, Ayden Malone and Edward Tipene delivered powerful performances. We were joined by a new addition to the cast, Juvana Rangi, who played the gangland slut who turns out to be Lamonge’s reward. Juvana played the role with a definite edge which added to the gritty realism of the scene.


We had a wonderfully atmospheric location for this morning’s filming. The mattresses in front of the graffiti covered walls are home to several vagrants every night.

Edward Tipene and Ayden Malone play the gangsters who deliver Lamonge his reward.

Today we released our press release following the success of Amiri & Aroha at the Prestige Film Awards.

This prestigious award has come at an opportune moment and proved a great stimulus as we near completion of principal photography for the Amiri & Aroha trilogy.

Read our press release here.

A troubled Hunapo (Shayne Biddle) returns to the place where he betrayed Aroha.

It was a great pleasure to work with Shayne Biddle again today, once more reprising the role of Hunapo. Tonight we filmed Hunapo’s redemption, the key scenes where a guilt ridden Hunapo is forced to confront his demons and do the right thing, redeeming an otherwise wasted life. Shayne was on top form for these emotionally demanding scenes.

The cast and crew for today’s shoot which we affectionately called “Mrs Brown’s Boys”.

The turning point in Rere’s Children comes when the youth of the gang refuse to tolerate the reign of terror of the old guard. This comes to a head when the youngsters witness the harsh treatment of older people who cannot pay their protection money. These brave young men decide to take action and plot to overthrow the gang leader, Tautaru.

These scenes were difficult to film and our cast delivered a moving and forceful performance. There is huge unrecognised talent in Gisborne!

Very special thanks to Lisa Beach who coordinated today’s shoot and involved her friends and whānau on both sides of the camera.

We shot some breathtaking shots today of the crazed Amiri being incarcerated in the asylum for the criminally insane. Michael Hollis was in top form and onlookers on set were terrified by his maniacal performance!

Every director has their own personal trade mark which is stamped on each of their films. Alfred Hitchcock started the tradition with a personal cameo role in every film.

With Amiri & Aroha, I have developed my own personal stamp by playing the doctor in each part of the trilogy. It is a fitting touch for an Indy film maker whose day job is a medical practitioner.

In a moment of megalomania, whilst struggling for a title for the third film, I considered calling it Amiri’s Doctor and starring in it as an ace plastic surgeon who repairs Amiri’s face!

Instead, I reduced my role back to playing the psychiatrist who is brought in to determine Amiri’s fitness to stand trial for the explosion of the power station.


Director David Whittet prepares for his cameo role as the psychiatrist assessing Amiri at the asylum for the criminally insane.

Another full-on shoot today with the Jensen Industries boardroom scenes. As well as Koriata’s triumphant victory speech to his board which comes early in Rere’s Children, we re-shot the boardroom scenes for Amiri’s Child. With the casting of Lisa Beach as Koriata’s muse Alice, I was eager to have Lisa in Amiri’s Child. In the footage we shot back in August, I didn’t feel Koriata came across as sufficiently aggressive in the boardroom. Mark took on the role of dialogue coach and worked with John on getting some real anger into his performance.

At the end of the day’s shoot, there was no doubt whatever that Koriata ruled the boardroom!


Assistant Director Mark Whittet rehearses a boardroom scene with John Stainton as Koriata.

Lisa Beach as Alice and John Stainton as Koriata. Alice has secretly held a candle for Koriata over the years, and today we started developing this relationship which will have a surprising impact on the resolution of the story.

Each film in the Amiri & Aroha trilogy has featured the rite of passage of a principal character. In Rere’s Children, we share Koriata’s journey from a puppet of the gang to a brave leader who stands up to corruption and bullying and forces the gang into a new and more just direction.

This transformation comes at immense personal cost to Koriata. The old guard of the gang are determined to beat him into submission and today we shot dramatic scenes where Koriata is abducted and threatened with dire consequences if he does not toe the gang line.

The sequence needed to be harsh for Koriata’s redemption to have meaning. Our stellar cast brought professionalism to a challenging shoot and a dark, brutal reality to the scenes.



These Productions Stills demonstrate how the atmospheric location adds to the darkness of the scene. We shot day for night and in the completed film will be at night as Koriata walks home through the deserted car wrecker’s yard.

Lisa Beech acting as Dialogue Coach on set today, helping to facilitate a tough shoot.

Perhaps this scene, more than any other, defines Koriata’s rite of passage, as he learns the cost of dissent from the gang and doing the right thing. The sequence marks a key turning point in Rere’s Children and it felt good to have such an important - and difficult - scene in the can today.

The final showdown as Amiri accuses his former lawyer of secretly coveting Aroha.

The volatile relationship between Amiri and Lamonge has been an ongoing highlight of the continuing story of Amiri & Aroha.

Amiri entrusted his lawyer Lamonge to manage his son Arapeta’s endowment, not realising that Lamonge had a shady past, which conflicted with Amiri’s instructions. Add to the mix Amiri’s increasing paranoia and manic behaviour as his enemies hunt him down, and we are in for a delightfully explosive climax!


Lamonge goes to the dogs!

Amiri lives in fear that his enemies will catch up with him and guards his mansion with some aggressive dogs, as Lamonge discovers to his peril in this scene. Lamonge has been summoned to Amiri’s mansion, but only the guard dogs are there to greet him! Note the appropriate personalised plate on Amiri’s car!

In this key scene, a confident Miriama (Ebony Tuhaka) delivers her first press conference as Chief Executive of South Pacific Power.

Today was our last day shooting with Ebony before her flight out of Gisborne this afternoon. Ebony delivered an outstanding performance as the supremely confident Miriama at her first press conference after taking over Arapeta’s job as Chief Executive of South Pacific Power.

We wrapped with a short but important scene where Miriama and her flatmate Annie are chatting and the advert for Arapeta’s old job catches Miriama’s eye in the newspaper.

A huge thank you, Ebony, for your outstanding contribution to the film and we wish you every happiness in your new life in Australia!


Miriama and her flatmate Annie (played by Lisa Le Compte) see the advert for the job at South Pacific Power in a scene shot minutes before Ebony’s departure.

Film making is a compromise and it is often impossible to shoot a scene exactly as I visualised it when writing the script. This evening at Rere was one of those wonderful occasions when the scene exceeded my expectations.

I have been picturing this scene in my mind’s eye for so long, it was magic to see it materialise tonight and to capture such awesome footage.


Ebony Tuhaka and Shane Luke as Miriama and Arapeta in a beautiful scene at the Rere falls.

Bruce Burn plays Hayden Searle, the overseas executive brought is to rescue South Pacific Power following Amiri’s sabotage. The character is named after our generous IndieGoGo supporter.

Hayden Searle supported our IndieGoGo campaign and chose as his reward to have one of the characters named after him.

We have named a pivotal character in the script after Hayden. Bruce Burn plays a successful company director brought in to rebuild South Pacific Power after Arapeta is blamed for his father’s actions and is unceremoniously sacked. Searle is a strong character who’s saved a number of companies from collapse and he’s not about to take any nonsense at South Pacific Power. But Bruce brought a dry sense of humour to the part and we developed

Our sincere thanks to Hayden Searle for his contribution to our film. We hope you will enjoy seeing yourself portrayed on screen!

Watch our greeting to Hayden from the set of Rere’s Children.

Miriama (Ebony Tuhaka) faces the board of South Pacific Power as she is interviewed for Arapeta’s old job. Questions are bound to be asked about her involvement in the explosion at the Aoraki Power Station.

With the deadline ever closer, we continued today with Miriama’s scenes, following her rise to the top of the corporate world.

One of the advantages of a tight schedule is that it definitely concentrates the mind! Shooting Miriama’s relationship with Koriata in one day yesterday, and her rise to power in one session today, certainly added dramatic intensity to the scenes.

A hand held tracking shot reflects the turbulent nature of Miriama and Koriata’s relationship.

Amiri & Aroha has always been described as a Māori take on Romeo & Juliet. But perhaps it is the story of Miriama and Koriata in Rere’s Children which most accurately mirrors the famous star-crossed lovers.

Today we shot the entire story of Miriama and Koriata’s ill fated relationship, from first meeting to their final parting. Koriata is a puppet of the gang, in search of his own destiny, Miriama is upwardly mobile and destined for the top. They face enormous barriers which threaten to keep them apart.

My choice of locations for today’s scenes reflects the transient nature of their relationship. They have nowhere to go, meeting in the botanical gardens, a gangland cafe and finally at some wasteland, all very public places where gangland spies can watch Koriata’s every move.

Despite all the obstacles, Miriama and Koriata share some precious moments together, reflected in the beautiful performances of both Ebony Tuhaka and John Stainton in today’s filming.


David Whittet directs John Stainton and Ebony Tuhaka in a heart-wrenching scene in Rere’s Children.

Ebony Tuhaka and John Stainton with assistant director Mark Whittet

David Whittet directs John Stainton as Koriata and Ebony Tuhaka as Miriama in Gisborne’s Botanical Gardens.

With just three days to shoot Miriama’s remaining scenes before actress Ebony Tuhaka leaves for Australia, the pressure was on for the final shoot of the trilogy. Starting with a tense encounter between Koriata and Miriama in a park, I was delighted to see the obvious on screen chemistry between John Stainton (who plays Koriata) and Ebony. This will make the next couple of days much easier!

Despite the pressure of our looming deadline and the intensity of today’s scenes, the shoot was a joy! Great performances and good fun in between takes. The very best of Indy film making!


David Whittet, Ebony Tuhaka and John Stainton

Kristel Day working on the schedule for Rere’s Children.

Sometimes I ask the impossible of my team! Kristel Day is used to working miracles. Shooting films of the complexity of the Amiri & Aroha trilogy can be a scheduling nightmare at the best of times, but with the added complication of working around actors availabilities and limited shooting times, completing the trilogy is an amazing achievement in itself.

Kristel is currently working as a magician’s assistant in Hamilton and has thus had limited time to spend on the film. We have all worked hard to pull off this shoot with what can only be described as a miracle schedule!


David Whittet on a recce to find a menacing gangland alleyway for an encounter between Amiri & Lamonge

David Whittet with Joelene Hohapata doing a read through at today’s auditions for Rere’s Children

Once again, there was an abundance of talent at our auditions for the remaining parts in Rere’s Children trilogy. Today’s auditions were the fourth that we have held over the past three years for the Amiri & Aroha trilogy. It is so exciting - and immensely rewarding - to discover such raw talent and to bring it to the world. Everyone we auditioned today will have a significant part in Rere’s Children.

And the auditions were fun! With some really entertaining role-plays, it was an enjoyable experience for everyone.

Tonight I have the exciting task of matching the parts to the talent we have discovered and further refining the script to take full advantage of our new actors’ potential.


Krystel Pokai and her cousin Geena Pokai read through a scene from Rere’s Children.

David Whittet and Casting Director Walter Walsh (right) work through a scene with Bruce Burn, who we cast as the overseas executive brought in to oversea the resurgence of South Pacific Power following Arapeta’s dismissal.

We launched a campaign in the Gisborne Herald today for the final casting call of the Amiri & Aroha trilogy. To reinforce the press adverts, which will run over the next couple of days, I gave a live radio interview this morning on Turanga FM. Radio interviews have been a strategic part of each of our casting calls and we are eternally grateful to Turanga FM for their support. Turanga FM’s coverage of Amiri & Aroha has been vital in promoting the film locally and stimulating interest in our project.

We are confident that our auditions on Sunday, on the eve of the final shoot of the trilogy, will discover yet more amazing local talent. Keep reading this blog to see the stars of tomorrow!

With the final shoot of the Amiri & Aroha trilogy fast approaching, I am working hard to perfect the script for Rere’s Children and to storyboard the key sequences. Alongside this, I am working with my production team in Gisborne on last minute preparations and finalisation of the shooting schedule.

Preproduction is always an exciting past of the film making process. Ideas that I have lived with for so long are at last coming to fruition and taking shape. I am confident that Rere’s Children is the best script that I have written and promises to be an outstanding film.

Yet excitement and confidence are always counter balanced by a sense of anxiety prior to the shoot. There are so many variables, so many things that could go wrong. Will we pull it off successfully? Will the footage live up to my expectations? Film making can often be a compromise between the director’s vision and what is achievable. The preproduction period is filled with anticipation and apprehension in equal measure!

We have discovered amazing local talent at our auditions for the Amiri & Aroha trilogy. This is positively your last opportunity to be part of this global cinematic phenomenon!
Stay tuned for details of the auditions for the October shoot which will be held in Gisborne at the beginning of October. Look out for our advertising campaign in the Gisborne Herald next week!


As preparations for the final shoot of the Amiri & Aroha trilogy near completion, we will shortly be announcing our final casting call. So you have one last chance to join this cinematic adventure!

We have some significant roles still up for grabs. We are looking for a Māori lady aged 40 to 50 years to play the ageing Aunt Hinemoa, a lead character in Amiri’s Child. We need a Māori man aged around 50 years to play Maahanga, the father of Hunapo, a central character in the trilogy. Another meaty role is a business executive, brought in to rescue a company destroyed by the volatile Amiri. These are fantastic parts for budding actors who want to make their name and reach a worldwide audience!

There are also several roles for extras, from gang members to board members and well-wishers at a ceremony at the Rere falls which will close the trilogy.

The trilogy has already won major awards in both Hollywood and in Britain. This is your last chance to join this success story!

We have had a tremendous response to our previous casting calls and have nurtured some amazing new talent which is destined for the world stage. But perhaps the most moving response was from a lady who played a wedding guest in the original Amiri & Aroha film. She told me that being in a film was on her bucket list of things to do before she died. Her participation in the film fulfilled a lifelong ambition.

So if you’ve always dreamed of being in a film, here’s your chance!


David Whittet and Kristel Day auditioning potential talent for Rere’s Children during the July 2012 shoot.

Lamonge (Warren Philp) brings the young Arapeta (Mark Whittet) news of his change in fortune.

We first meet Andrew Lamonge midway through Amiri’s Child, as the lawyer who brings Arapeta news of his endowment. What’s not apparent at this time is that behind the smooth talking professional hides a troubled soul with a secret that will shatter lives in the dénouement of the trilogy.

Like his alter ego, Warren Philp (who plays Lamonge) has also been leading a double life! As well as acting and developing Lamonge’s character on screen, Warren has tirelessly campaigned to raise funds for our film, promoting the IndieGoGo campaign and meeting corporate sponsors. Warren has been successful in attracting major sponsors to the project.

Warren introduced Bronwyn Kay to Amiri & Aroha, which has proved so successful, both financially and artistically. Bronwyn’s scene plays a key role in the story.

We truly appreciate your efforts on our behalf, Warren. Keep up the good work!

A gang henchman (Ayden Malone) reminds Koriata (John Stainton) where his loyalties lie…

Reshooting all the material featuring Koriata from Amiri’s Child with our new actor, John Stainton was a bold decision. Our faith has been richly rewarded with compelling performances and a different take on Koriata’s personality, make him a deeper and more complex character.

One of the huge advantages of a reshoot is the ability to create new scenes that add dramatic impact at critical points in the film.

Amiri’s Child is midway through post production and I have been working on the pacing and structure of the mid section of the film. Today we shot a dark scene where a gang henchman makes it clear to Koriata that he is a puppet of the gang. Ayden Malone contributed yet another cameo performance to the Amiri & Aroha trilogy, a menacing performance which sent a shiver down the spine of everyone on set!

The scene is important as it emphasises Koriata’s dilemma, he is not a free man who can choose his own path. A theme which we explore further in Rere’s Children.

David Whittet with Warren Philp as Lamonge and Michael Hollis as Amiri

The conflict between the manic Amiri and his equally volatile lawyer Lamonge are potent drivers of the storyline in Rere’s Children.

Amiri blames Lamonge for allowing his son Arapeta to marry Miriama, the daughter of his enemy Kōkā. Little does he realise Lamonge has an ulterior motive.

The tense scene, which we filmed in an atmospheric alleyway in Gisborne today, turns the tables on Amiri. With his enemies closing in on him, Amiri realises that he needs Lamonge’s help. This doesn’t sit well with Amiri. We see a new side to the relationship as Amiri has to control his rage to persuade Lamonge to help him find a safe haven.

Farewell to Aroha: Kristel Day reprises the role of Aroha one last time as we shoot Aroha’s final scene.

There is always a tinge of sadness when an actor shoots their final scene in a production. For Kristel Day, playing Aroha has been a marathon over the last couple of years as the trilogy has unfolded and extended.

We have shared Aroha’s tumultuous journey and shared her pain and passion. We first met Aroha as an unhappy child, the daughter of a ruthless gang leader, her life dominated by an arranged marriage to her cousin Hunapo. We have lived through Aroha’s right of passage, shared her aspirations for a new life away from the gang with Amiri, felt her sorrow as she is imprisoned by the gang, cruelly separated form her son Arapeta.

So what is Aroha’s ultimate fate? Is she forever doomed to be a star crossed lover?

You will have to wait and see Rere’s Children to find out!


Whilst Kristel Day completed her role as Aroha today, she continues as a producer for the trilogy.

Finishing touches that can make all the difference: a new animated title graphic for the release prints of Amiri & Aroha

With the imminent cinema release of Amiri & Aroha, I have taken a break from production of Amiri’s Child and Rere’s Children to perfect the release prints of Amiri & Aroha.

With sound and picture enhanced with the very latest post production finishing software, Amiri & Aroha looks better than ever. And I have amen taken the opportunity to tweak the film, incorporating the latest feedback from film festivals. Small refinements can make a huge impact. I am particularly pleased with enhancements to the sequence building up to the fire, adding to the dramatic tension.

The eve of a cinema release is always a very nervous time for the film maker. Amiri & Aroha has been an integral part of my life in recent years and I look forward to sharing the film with the world.

Our IndieGoGo funding campaign finishes this evening and we’ve achieved our funding goal!

Thank you so much to all our wonderful supporters, we are eternally grateful for your faith in our project!

We have some fantastic rewards for you! We are all excited about our industry first credits. Our ground breaking technology will enable the first virtual assistant director in cinema history! We are really looking forward to hosting one of our supporters on a Lord of the Rings themed holiday in New Zealand’s spectacular South Island.

I am personally delighted that an aspiring film maker has taken up our Indie Film Maker’s Package. We look forward to sharing our passion and kickstarting your career!

Your faith in us will be rewarded! We are determined to deliver a stunning film. The Amiri & Aroha trilogy will be a compelling piece of contemporary cinema that we can all be proud of!

David Whittet directs Shayne Biddle as Hunapo and John Stainton as Koriata in the final session of the July shoot.

This morning was pure magic. Both Shayne and John were in top form, bringing depth and compassion to their roles. Shayne showed us a new side to Hunapo and John played Koriata to perfection.

What a brilliant scene to wrap the July shoot! We have shot some amazing footage in the last fortnight.

The October shoot will certainly be intense and there’s a huge amount of preparatory work to be done. But this afternoon I could relax. On the strength of the work we have done in this shoot, Rere’s Children promises to be an outstanding film and a stunning conclusion to the trilogy!

Shayne Biddle reprises his role as Hunapo with our new Koriata, John Stainton.

Tonight’s shoot is very exciting, a tense scene between Hunapo and Koriata and our first shoot with John Stainton.

Shayne provided us with an excellent location for Hunapo’s pad, beautifully atmospheric and everything looked promising for a great shoot.

However, Shayne’s make up took a considerable amount of time, subtly aging him so that he looked old enough to be John’s father. After a few rehearsals, which showed tremendous promise, everyone was tired and we decided to wrap for the night and reshoot in the morning.

This evening had given me a glimpse of what a powerful scene this could be. I worked late into the night fine tuning the script.

Introducing the new members of the Amiri & Aroha team to the art of film making.

Warren Philp (who plays Amiri’s lawyer Lamonge) and I had an exciting evening working with the new actors who have joined our team following Tuesday’s auditions.

After a brief orientation session, we got straight down to work, shooting a night scene, set in gangland, where Lamonge receives money for laundering from the gang in the back of a car. It was a technically difficult scene to shoot, with cables running everywhere in the dark to get that seedy gangland look from the lighting.

Then it was straight in at the deep end, shooting the difficult and intense scenes where Lamonge demands rewards from the gangland women…

Lisa Beach, Alex McMenamin and Edward Tipene slipped into their roles beautifully and as ever, Warren Philp played Lamonge to perfection.

I look forward to working with this team again in October!


Alex McMenamin, Lisa Beach, Warren Philp and Edward Tipene act out a money laundering scene in front of the green screen at tonight’s shoot.

John Stainton takes over the role of Koriata

The search for a new leading actor to play Koriata has been a priority since Chris Mills left for Australia.

Whilst we were sad to lose Chris, who brought a definite panache to Koriata’s character, as with Kōkā and Matakite last year, a casting change provides an opportunity to fine tune the character.

I wrote in yesterday’s post that preview audiences for Amiri’s Child have been universal in their praise of the dramatic intensity between Arapeta and Tamati. They were less impressed with the scenes between Arapeta and Koriata. As arch rivals (David & Goliath) all their lives, their first face-to-face meeting as adults (ironically at a mediator’s office), needs to be an almighty clash of the titans. At the time, I was very pleased with the hostile confrontation between Arapeta and Koriata that we shot last October. Indeed this scene is included in the IndieGoGo campaign video. However, after talking to preview audiences, I realize that I did not build up the adult Koriata sufficiently for the sequence to have maximum impact.

So I made the decision that we would reshoot all Koriata’s scenes with a new actor, for both Amiri’s Child and Rere’s Children. This has the obvious advantage of continuity between the two films (I have had discussions with satellite television channels who are interested in broadcasting the trilogy as a mini series on consecutive nights, so having the same actor for Koriata throughout would be essential) and the opportunity to strengthen Amiri’s Child, developing the antagonism between Arapeta and Koriata, culminating in an explosive meeting.

I was disappointed not to find a new actor for Koriata at last night’s auditions. Half way this morning’s shoot (the electric scene between Arapeta and Tamati), our Casting Director Walter Walsh (living up to his nickname of The Wiz), gave me call to say he had found an actor keen to play Koriata. I met with John Stainton this afternoon and I knew straight away that we had found our Koriata. John is perfect for the part and will bring depth to Koriata.

I am hoping to shoot a scene between John and Shayne Biddle as Koriata’s father Hunapo in my last couple of days in Gisborne for this shooting session. This is a key scene in Rere’s Children where the aging lothario Hunapo implores hiss estranged son not to make the same mistakes that have ruined his life. This will be a great introduction to Koriata for John!

David Whittet directs Shane Luke as Arapeta and Brent Forge as Tamati in this dramatic scene for Rere’s Children.

Preview audiences for the work in progress rough cut of Amiri’s Child are universal in their praise of the electric atmosphere in the scenes between Arapera (played by Shane Luke) and Tamati (Brent Forge). Arapeta and Tamati have been friends and business colleagues for years. They thought they knew everything about each other until Tamati discovers a bitter secret which is forcing Arapeta on a path of self destruction.

Shane and Brent played the parts to perfection in Amiri’s Child, creating chemistry between the two characters which galvanized the screen whenever they were both present. Determined to capture this in Rere’s Children, I wrote a scene where Tamati visits his friend after Miriama has left and Arapeta has lost his job following the revelations about his father Amiri. Arapeta is now living in a modest flat, which we recreated this morning in our motel room.

The atmosphere was every bit as charged as Shane and Brent played out the scene this morning. As a director, it is a delight to work with two actors on the top of their form, bringing such intensity and meaning to the scene.

Today’s scene reaches a heart-rending conclusion which is a defining moment in the final film and will be a definite highlight of Rere’s Children.

Fantastic news! Our IndieGoGo campaign has reached $2,000 and we are two-thirds of the way towards our goal with 21 days left!

Thank you so much to all our supporters. We truly appreciate your faith in our project and I believe we are making a truly compelling piece of cinema.

Please keep up the good work and spread the word in the last three weeks of our campaign. Help us reach our goal and beyond! Every dollar helps us to create the film we visualize! Like us on Facebook! Tweet us! Tell all your family and friends about us! Even if you are unable to pledge, you can still help us by getting the message out to everyone you can! Thank you all a million times!

Lisa Beach, whom we cast as Amrira, plays a scene through with Kristel Day at today’s auditions.

Following our successful auditions for Amiri’s Child last year, tonight we auditioned for the remaining parts in Rere’s Children. We still have a number of significant parts to cast for Rere’s Children, particularly the younger generation of gangsters who plot to overthrow Tautarau and end his tyrannical rule (the prodigal generation, which was our working title).

Other significant parts include a new character, Amiria a gangland girl and the mother of Miriama.

Our greatest challenge is to find a new Koriata. Chris Mills has moved back to Australia and therefore we have to recast. Koriata is a lead part in Rere’s Children so finding the right actor is our current priority.

The joy of auditioning is discovering new talent and providing these actors the opportunity to teach a worldwide audience. Whilst we didn’t find our Koriata this evening, we made some amazing discoveries who will greatly enhance our film!

Warren Philp (playing Lamonge), Bronwyn Kay, David Whittet and Assistant Director Mark Whittet

Today we filmed the scene specially written for our principal IndieGoGo supporter, Bronwyn Kay. The scene plays a pivotal role in the plot development. Amiri is on the run and has instructed his lawyer Lamonge to find a remote mansion where he can live with Aroha in secret, away from the prying eyes of his enemies. Lamonge has arranged to meet Bronwyn Kay to look for a suitably isolated property.

Bronwyn proved a natural in front of the camera. Unfazed by the bright lights, Bronwyn gave a beautiful performance, expertly handling a tense moment where she discovers the true identity of Lamonge’s client. Bronwyn has a definite screen presence worthy of a seasoned actor.

We really enjoyed working with you, Bronwyn, and we are eternally grateful to you for your contribution to the film, both on and off camera!



Bronwyn Kay with the nervous lawyer Andrew Lamonge (played by Warren Philp) in a tense scene shot today.

We braved inclement weather today to shoot Amiri and Aroha struggling across the swing bridge at Marie Lepper's place. In a short break from the rain, we managed to get some footage of the fugitive Amiri hustling a terrified Aroha, together with a large suitcase, across the precarious bridge. The huge suitcase on the narrow swing bridge seemed to symbolise Aroha’s plight perfectly.

Regrettably we had to abandon shooting after these shots. The heavy rain had made the river swell and the ford to Marie’s house was impassible.


The most rewarding aspect of today’s work came after we had abandoned shooting. We went in to Morere Hot Springs for coffee and the owner took one look at Amiri and recoiled in horror saying: “how did you get those awful burns!”

The kitchen is central to life in a gangland whānau. It is here that decisions are made, deals made and broken. All life is seen in the gangland kitchen.

For Tautaru, the kitchen is his boardroom. Determined the gang will take charge of the power industry, Tautaru summons his board of henchmen to make a statement to assert the authority of the gang.

In today's filming Walter Walsh (the Wiz) again reprises the role of Tautaru, the menacing gang leader and father of Aroha. Wiz was once more in fine form, with Tautaru becoming increasingly sinister as he senses the passing of an era in the gang.

Much of the power of Amiri & Aroha comes from the sharp contrast between the expansive shots at Rere falls, juxtaposed with the claustrophobia of the gangland homes. Tautaru's kitchen is one of our most atmospheric sets.


Seasoned actor Walter Walsh (the Wiz), who was Peter Jackson’s runner as well as a Gondorian soldier on Lord of the Rings, gives Tautaru an even more sinister twist in Rere’s Children.

Shooting a dramatic scene where Tautaru (Walter Walsh reprising his role) sends his minions to force Koriata to toe the gang line.

Bike culture in gangland has been central to the Amiri & Aroha trilogy. Gang leaders arriving from far and wide on their Harley-Davidsons was a key feature of the tattooing ceremony on the marae in the original Amiri & Aroha film.

Basil Huhu, who plays Tautaru’s henchman Kane in Rere’s Children, brought his Harley Davidson to the set this afternoon. We shot some powerful scenes where Tautaru rules his gang with an iron fist, through fear and intimidation. Tautaru issues his orders mounted on his bike, visually emphasizing his authority and superiority.


These short scenes add immensely to the authenticity of the film, bringing a gritty realism to the gangland sequences.

Gifted local musician Alyssha Maynard performs her original composition Broken Promises for the Amiri & Aroha music video.

I am delighted that the awesome Alyssha Maynard has joined the Amiri & Aroha team, performing her original song Broken Promises for the soundtrack of Rere’s Children and for a music video to promote the Amiri & Aroha trilogy. Alyssha’s evocative song perfectly matches the tone and mood of Rere’s Children and adds an extra dimension to the film.

We are very grateful that Alyssha was able to dedicate the time to our production in her busy schedule. Watch out for Alyssha, she is star of the future!


Filming Alyssha Maynard’s performance for the music video in our makeshift green screen studio at the Teal Motor Lodge.

Amiri and Aroha are truly star crossed lovers. Despite everything that has happened to them they ultimately cannot live without each other. Today we filmed their final reconciliation at Rere falls.

This is the first time I have photographed the falls in winter and a beautiful stark evening light added a unique visual texture.

Ebony Tuhaka, David Whittet and Shane Luke on location at the Gypsy Rose caravan.

Like Kōkā’s crystal ball, the Gypsy Rose caravan has become a central character in the film, exerting an influence far beyond its role in the story, even determining fate of the protagonists. The caravan has featured in each shoot during the extended filming of the Amiri & Aroha trilogy.

As we drove out to Morere this morning, Ebony commented that I hard given her and Shane all the emotionally demanding scenes in these first two days of shooting! Certainly today’s climactic scenes at the caravan were intense and powerful, these scenes forming the penultimate sequence of the trilogy.

Shane and Ebony were again on top form, even eclipsing yesterday’s exceptional performances. It is testament to Shane and Ebony’s consummate skills that they could pull off such an achievement working out of sequence and in the cramped conditions of the caravan.

I can’t wait to edit this gripping scene and see these performances come to life!



Shane and Ebony do a run through of the scene in the barn next to the caravan at Marie Lepper’s farm.

Life sometimes really does seem to imitate art. Or is it just that Amiri & Aroha has taken on a life of its own and threatening to become master of our destiny?

In the dramatic conclusion to the trilogy, Arapeta goes back to Kōkā’s caravan one last time, hoping to find answers to the turmoil his life has become. Years have passed, so the caravan needs to look run down and following Kōkā’s death, abandoned at a remote location.

Whilst trying to work out how to achieve this look, I spoke to Marie Lepper, the owner of the Gypsy Rose caravan. Marie told me how the caravan was deteriorating in the harsh conditions out at Morere Hot Springs and how since our last shoot, she has moved the caravan to her home, retire in a sheltered corner of her property. Perfect for our final caravan scene!



The journey to Marie Lepper’s home to shoot the final caravan scenes proved equally momentous. The property is only accessible via a deep ford (and with the heavy rain in the Gisborne region of late, getting through was touch and go!) and a precarious swing bridge. We shot some atmospheric shots of Arapeta reflecting on his life as he walks across the swing bridge on his way to the caravan. Whilst the shots were very effective, whilst filming it occurred to me that this would be the perfect location for Amiri’s hideaway whilst on the run from the authorities and his enemies. Such an isolated and inaccessible property would be the perfect fortress for Amiri! And I could see a wonderful shot with Amiri hustling a terrified Aroha across the swing bridge...

Yes, truly life does imitate art!



Our precarious journey to the Gypsy Rose caravan for today’s shoot proved far reaching, inspiring a dramatic sequence of Amiri’s flight from his enemies.

David Whittet directs Ebony Tuhaka as Miriama and Shane Luke as Arapeta in a tense scene at Gisborne’s Botanical Gardens.

The first day of a new shoot is always exciting and nerve wracking in equal measure. It is also great to catch up with old friends; the Amiri & Aroha cast and crew have become an extended whānau.

Today and tomorrow I am working with Shane Luke as Arapeta and Ebony Tuhaka as Miriama, tidying up some voice overs and lip sync work from Amiri’s Child, and filming some tense and highly emotional scenes for both Amiri’s Child and Rere’s Children.

Shane and Ebony were both in fantastic form for the two park bench scenes which we shot in the botanical gardens at Gisborne today. Our first scene was a reworking of the scene in Amiri’s Child where Arapeta meets Miriama in the park after his explosive meeting with Koriata at the mediator’s office. The second scene was a particularly demanding scene as Arapeta and Miriama’s relationship is destroyed by the return of Amiri.

There was tremendous chemistry between Shane and Ebony in both these emotionally charged scenes. I believe the Amiri & Aroha trilogy will prove a big break for these two very talented actors. Discovering new and raw talent is one of the great joys on Indie film making and Shane and Ebony are definitely stars of the future.

Bronwyn Kay

I am delighted to announce that Bronwyn Kay has joined our team, generously sponsoring us through our IndieGoGo campaign’s Executive Package.

All of us on the Amiri & Aroha team are eternally grateful to you, Bronwyn. We truly appreciate your faith in our project.

Bronwyn will feature in the final film of the trilogy Rere’s Children. I have written a special scene for Bronwyn. Amiri is on the run as both his enemies and the authorities catch up with him. He instructs his lawyer Andrew Lamonge, played by Warren Philp, to find him a remote mansion where he can assume a new identity and live in secret.

Lamonge visits Bronwyn at her office to find a property for Amiri. In a tense and dramatic scene, Bronwyn guesses the identity of Lamonge’s client…

Welcome to the team, Bronwyn. I sincerely look forward to working with you!

Choosing the title for the final part of the Amiri & Aroha trilogy has proved something of a marathon, with as many twists and turns as there are in the story!

My first draft went under the working title Love and the East Wind, a translation of Amiri & Aroha (in Māori Aroha is love and Amiri east wind).

Love and the East Wind was popular with potential sponsors and I visualized a beautiful animated title sequence with the words Amiri & Aroha changing into their English translation. But as I developed the story, the title seemed less relevant and didn’t really fit with the other titles in the trilogy.

My next choice was Koriata’s Way. Central to the final film is Koriata’s rise following Arapeta’s fall at the end of Amiri’s Child. Koriata must decide if he is to remain a puppet of the gang or seek his own destiny and face the consequences.

Yet the final chapter must bring together all the elements of Amiri & Aroha and the final film is much more than just Koriata’s journey. My next working title, The Prodigal Generation, reflects the central message of the trilogy, that the young generation of the gang challenge the prejudice and corruption of the old guard and promise a new beginning with just leadership.

Whilst The Prodigal Generation encapsulates the moral of the story, it doesn’t roll of the tongue and again is not a good match for the titles of the first two films.

After much soul searching, I have finally decided on Rere’s Children. Rere has been so much more than our principal location; the falls are steeped in Māori legend, the lifeblood of our story. Amiri’s Child and Rere’s Children have a certain connecting rhythm. And it is the children of Rere who ultimately bring about the change which is at the core of our story.