As the date to the movie premiere of James Napier’s directorial debut I’m Not Harry Jenson is fast approaching, another interview has appeared. This time it’s James Napier Robertson turn to talk about movie making.
It is a short interview, but it’s interesting as James talks about how he got into directing. Things are looking good as he is currently in talks with Paramount Pictures about a future project… The interview is from The North Shore Times and can be read here, also below.
For more articles featured on the site about James Napier and Tom Hern’s collaboration on the film I’m Not Harry Jenson click here, the movie previously had the working title of The Devil’s Run. The trailer to INHJ can be seen here.
Obsession inspires a feature film
By LUCY VICKERS 16/07/2009Writer and director James Napier Robertson didn’t let a small budget hold him back when it came to making his debut feature film.
I’m Not Harry Jenson, which he calls a noir murder mystery, premieres at the New Zealand International Film Festival on July 22.
Mr Napier Robertson, who grew up in Devonport, estimates it was made for the paltry sum of $170,000.
He says the movie is a “Hitchcockian thriller”. The cast includes Ian Mune, Ilona Rogers, Gareth Reeves and Renato Bartolomei.
It centres around Stanley, a crime writer who becomes obsessed with and consumed by his subject, serial killer Harry Jenson.
“It ends up taking over him and he takes on the persona of the guy he’s writing about,” says Mr Napier Robertson.
So Stanley goes on a retreat to remove himself from it all and ends up thinking he’s killed someone.
I’m Not Harry Jenson was largely filmed in the Waitakere Ranges. Mr Napier Robertson says from writing the script to editing the film the entire production process took about two years.
Mr Napier Robertson got into directing about six years ago when he was acting in a film at Piha.
“The director walked out because they weren’t happy. I saw it as an opportunity to take over and pretend I knew what I was doing,” he laughs.
Three or so short films, a music video and now a feature film later, he is based in Auckland but spends a lot of his time in Los Angeles.
He says he has three scripts he’s written and has had meetings in the US about one in particular.
One of those meetings was with Paramount Pictures, Mr Napier Robertson says.
Recent Comments