INTERVIEW. JOHN O’SHEA.

Rights Information
Year
1993
Reference
A0353
Media type
Audio
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Rights Information
Year
1993
Reference
A0353
Media type
Audio
Item unavailable online
Duration
0:45:00
Production company
Radio New Zealand
Credits
Interviewer: Jonathan Dennis

John O’Shea discusses his first encounters with cinema; Old Ironsides is mentioned.

Recalls the NZ films he saw as a young man, mentions BaaBaa Black Sheep an article in a periodical called Tommorrow, and the Weekly Review series. Mentions Hitchcock films, music and Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler.

Recalls the beginning of Film Society in 1938-39 mentions names of founders, the documentaries at the time and war correspondence films. Recalls first meeting with Roger Mirams during WWII. Discusses the capacity for documentary in New Zealand and the tradition of the sponsored documentary.

O’Shea mentions the 1934 election and Labour coming into power and the documentaries made at the time. Stanhope Andrews mentioned, discusses the Baa Baa Black Sheep article written by Andrews which critiqued the NZ film industry. Discusses Andrews vision, mentions John Grierson coming to NZ and subsequently convincing the government to set up The National Film Unit (NFU).

Discusses the Weekly Review series and the public response to it. Discusses the post-war Weekly Review and how it was used. Mentions Michael Joseph Savage and the opening of the first state housing. Discusses Grierson’s background as ‘the father of the documentary’, mentions Arthur Elton’s ‘Housing Problems’, and talks in general about the documentary world and the Labour Government.

Discusses ‘propogandist’ documentary, mentions Cecil Holmes, Alan Faulkner, Roger Mirams, Margaret Thompson, Frank Chilton. Describes the scandalous ‘Satchel snatching scenario’, mentions The Coaster. Discusses Geoffrey Scott, the manager of the Film Unit, mentions James K. Baxter, and ‘happy films’. Discusses the sale and demise of The National Film Unit, the move to television and Ray Boord, the first minister of Broadcasting in 1959.

Discusses the development of independent documentary after the National Film Unit dispersed - mentions Pacific Films, Robert Steele, Rudall Hayward, Alan Faulkner and Roger Mirams who made trade sponsored documentaries. Discusses the features and commercials made at the time.

Jonathan brings up the issue of contemporary documentaries and the majority of Maori documentary makers. O’Shea discusses Merata Mita’s film Patu!, and one of his films Food for Thought. Mentions 1970 s features Sleeping Dogs, Wild Man, Solo and Test Pictures. Talks about the establishment of the Film Commission in 1979 and Alan Highet who was then Minister of Culture. Recites a quote about New Zealanders having their own heroes. Discusses the Tangata Whenua series and Maoridom in general. Goes on to discuss the type of films that should be made here that cannot be made elsewhere. Mentions the films Alex and AWOL, innocence in films and the work of Peter Jackson.

Jonathan asks John his opinion on whether New Zealand filmmakers have to be aware of making money in Britain and the US when producing a film.

Recorded 29/04/1993.