Back to results Interview - John Harris Now we are 10 Well, first of all, congratulations on Greenstone's 10th birthday. How do you feel - proud but knackered perhaps? I'm immensely proud of Greenstone's achievements. We've made around 80 documentaries, and hundreds of hours of factual series, and kept our storytelling standards high. Sometimes I feel very tired - but the buzz of being part of a team creating new programmes, and keeping Greenstone Pictures robust, revives me! (Plus I need to keep working to pay the bills.) What led you to work in the screen production industry? I've always had a lively imagination, and as a schoolboy I earned pocket money by writing short stories for the children's pages of newspapers. I loved movies, and books (and comics!), and acted in school plays. But back then there was no film or TV industry so I became a print journalist (Auckland Star, various community newspapers), then joined the NZBC as a news reporter. I was part of the team that set up and produced Top Half with John Hawkesby and Judy Bailey in 1980 (along with Norm Sievewright, Philip Alpers, Raf Irving, Chas Toogood, Mike Brockie, Dylan Taite, Liz Lysaght, Keith Bracey, and Hunter Wells). And then you worked for a period at Communicado ...? Yes, I remember leaving a staff 'protest' meeting at TVNZ one day where everyone was despondent and negative about the industry, and I ran into Neil Roberts who had just been to see Des Monaghan about a new show. Neil asked, "When are you going to come and work for me?" and I said "Next week!" So I produced the first three series of That's Fairly Interesting for Communicado. Among other things, Neil Roberts taught me the power of direct and simple storytelling, and Robin Scholes the value of strategising. They gave me the opportunity to produce and direct new shows. The highlight was launching the rescue-and-survival series Heroes, which allowed me to rediscover my passion for drama: we did loads of stylised re-enactments. What was your original intention when setting up Greenstone Pictures? I was approaching my 50th birthday, and I knew it was time to follow my dreams. I left Communicado fully intending to write a movie. But you got a bit sidetracked...? Yes, my plan was to get a couple of programmes commissioned, to earn enough money to write the movie in my spare time. But it didn't work out like that. I feverishly wrote some proposals - assembling them on the dining room table - and suddenly I was busy making docos. (The first were Godzone Sheep, Just What the Doctor Ordered and Kirsa - A Mother's Story.) It's enormously exciting winning your first commissions. I still remember sitting in my car outside a photocopying shop - where I'd just run off a few proposals - and receiving a call from Geoff Steven at TV3, telling me they'd commissioned my first series, Against the Odds... Consequently I didn't write a word of that movie! What were the early days of Greenstone like? Maths was my worst subject at school, so I was ultra cautious when setting up Greenstone. My stage one business plan involved working out of a cupboard. I prepared a budget for everything, right down to the rubbish bin, and I was forever poring over budgets. I had a simple rule: there must be more money coming in than going out (d'oh!). I'm proud of the fact that I've only once had to obtain an overdraft to keep Greenstone afloat. But there have been some extremely lean times. I recall storming out of my office late one night - having just had several projects rejected by TVNZ - and bitterly resolving that I would have to swap my car for a bicycle the next day. I admit I felt really sorry for myself, thinking about the comfortable salaries the network executives were on, in contrast to us struggling independents! But next day I thought "Damn them!" and I kept my car and struggled on. How did you grow the company? I'd like to say there was a grand plan, but in fact Greenstone grew like topsy. There were times when I could have opted to 'stay small’, but I resolved to grow the company. Within months I realised I didn’t have time to direct shows myself, so I hired directors. Then we got so busy I had to give up hands-on producing, so I hired Tony Manson, which was one of the best things I’ve done. One of the never-ending challenges running a small business is to manage is the fluctuating levels of work. Television is a stop-start industry, and you can’t confidently predict anything. It’s sad having to tell people there’s no more work, and often we try to ‘carry’ the best people through the lean times, but doing this can easily get you into financial trouble. What’s your current staffing level? We have 10 regular contract producers, plus general manager Bryan Hall, financial controller Glenda Paterson and a small admin team, and between 10 and 30 contract production managers, researchers, production assistants and others – depending on the number of projects on our books. What’s the Greenstone ‘philosophy’? The aim is to have fun, make programmes you’re proud of, and make a profit. Our policy in business dealings is “firm but fair”. Creatively, we aim to tell stories in an interesting, accessible way. And we have a commitment to ensuring that everyone who takes part in a Greenstone show – whether director, PA, or interview subject – is fairly dealt with, and enjoys the process. We succeed most of the time, and I believe Greenstone is an enjoyable place to work. We don’t pitch for projects that the team at Greenstone wouldn’t want to work on. What have been the most important programmes in Greenstone’s evolution? The Zoo for TVOne and Motorway Patrol for TV2, because they have become NZ classics and still rate strongly. Private Lives of Little People, because it was the first of our popular docos that look sensitively at people who are marginalised and misunderstood. To Hell and Back – Tanjas’ Story, because it was such a well-made doco and a powerful story that Channel Five in the UK screened it. Epitaph, because it became an iconic NZ series and established Greenstone’s reputation in history and re-enactment. And Secret Agent Men, because it announces Greenstone’s arrival in the world of drama. What are the five programmes you’re most proud of? This is tough, because every completed project is something of a miracle! But I would name Back from the Dead – The Saga of the Rose Noelle, because it was an epic tale that we told powerfully through interview and re-enactment (and won an award); Cave Creek – The full story of a national tragedy, because it tackled a tragic story in a hard-hitting but compassionate manner (and won an award); Epitaph, because it revealed dozens of stories from New Zealand history that otherwise would never be told (and won an award); SCU – Serious Crash Unit, because it deals with fatal crash investigations in a gripping but sensitive way (and deserves to win an award!); and, of course, The Greenstone Pictures story, an epic melodrama of passion, creativity, friendship and survival! What have been the best moments over the past decade? It may sound corny, but the biggest buzz is seeing one of our programmes do well, and sharing the excitement and relief of the team who made it. It’s great seeing someone do well. I like seeing the Greenstone logo flash onto the screen. I was overjoyed to receive awards for Rose Noelle and Epitaph. My wife and family have uncomplainingly lived through years of late nights, crazy ideas and being roped in as extras and prop-builders. And I have enjoyed long-standing work relationships with loyal Greenstoners, like EP Tony Manson and financial controller Glenda Paterson, our producers, and presenters like Paul Gittins. The highs are when you win a commission, when a programme rates well, when you win an award, when a participant phones to say they enjoyed the programme, when you go to an overseas market and realise that Greenstone’s programmes are as good as most of the others; and when Glenda tells me Greenstone will survive another month. The worst moments? I could talk about programmes that didn’t rate, or (once) when a series was “pulled” early, or when a programme fell short of expectations, or the many times when I thought “This is it – we’re going to go broke”. But the worst moments, really, have been when something terrible has happened in the life of one of the Greenstone team. You spend a lot of time worrying and caring about the people who work with you. Personally, my worst moment was during one doco a few years ago when I hit the wall. As well as running other projects I was producing this doco, and then had to step in and direct it too. It was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. Suddenly I had a complete meltdown. I went to bed for a week. Thankfully Tony Manson rescued me by taking over the project – and I still recall the huge feeling of relief as he disappeared down the driveway carrying a cardboard box full of my notes and nightmares. (Thank you Tony!) What’s your approach to development? Greenstone has a major commitment to development – it’s the lifeblood of the company. We have a development executive, Irene Gardiner (former TVNZ Commissioner), ideas man Nick Ward and freelance researchers. I spend at least half of my time on development, and Greenstone producers contribute ideas too. Development is critical. Early in Greenstone’s history I devised most of the ideas, but we’ve always been keen to receive other people’s ideas too. For instance, Paul Gittins originated Epitaph. Within the constraints of our budgets we make sure those people benefit from the success of the shows. We have a large number of projects at various stages of development. At present there are a dozen series ideas at an advanced stage, and half a dozen docos – as well as dozens of other ideas sitting in the queue to be developed and pitched. We try to discipline ourselves to restrict the number of projects being actively developed, because you can easily dilute your efforts. We regularly cull our projects, and often select just six projects to spend a week on. Can you talk about your experience of attending international television markets? I began about five years ago, and the past couple of years I have gone twice a year to both MIPTV and MIPCOM. The first year was bewildering, the second confusing and disappointing, the third a thrill (because it resulted in a significant sale to a UK broadcaster), and the fourth year I began to feel I knew how it worked. But it’s still hit-and-miss, because you’re never sure whether your big break will come through contact with a broadcaster, or a distributor, or a producer in another country. And tastes change, markets and prices change, key contacts change… It’s important to try to form relationships rather than pushing to securwe a quick sale. Plan your trip well, make appointments beforehand, treat every new contact as a potential sale, have focused objectives and specific projects to tout, and listen carefully and observe. But also remember it’s only television, so don’t be too anxious! What are the benefits of attending these markets? We have built an international profile, we have a good feeling for international trends and opportunities, and we have made some significant sales. We can also support the marketing and publicity work undertaken by our distribution agents. And we have built up a useful network of contacts who may commission a format or series. That’s a key objective – to get overseas commissions, to avoid being totally reliant on the New Zealand market. Any money earned overseas helps Greenstone remain robust, as well as providing a return for New Zealand On Air and the broadcasters. At least a couple of Greenstone projects have led to spin-off products – how important have these ancillary revenue streams been to Greenstone? There have been two books based on Epitaph, one on Shipwreck, and one on The Zoo – plus home videos and DVDs of those same shows. DVD is booming: eventually one of our shows will earn significant money when it is released as a DVD in an overseas market. But New Zealand is a tiny market, so the returns are not great, and we treat merchandising as a worthwhile but modest adjunct to our core business. Attending international markets and ancillary products both presuppose retaining equity in your programmes – how important is this to independent production companies? Retaining equity in our programmes is vital if independent companies are to remain viable. New Zealand On Air has wisely allowed companies to retain more of the returns they make through sales – which is an incentive for us to sell aggressively. It puts money back into NZOA’s coffers for programme funding, and it means independents can invest in the development of ideas and people. Last year Greenstone made Secret Agent Men, the company’s first foray into TV drama. How did that come about? TV3 Commissioner Ken Burns was looking for ideas for five-minute programmettes to be played on Sticky TV in the afternoons. Greenstone producer/director/writer Stephen Campbell came up with the Secret Agent Men concept. He developed it with feedback from Ken. Later Stephen got his old mates from Ice TV involved – Matt McPhail and Jon Bridges – and they are still writing for the show. Secret Agent Men will find a bigger audience when it is released in its half hour form later this year… Producer Rachel Jean has worked hard to make every dollar count. The crew is as small as you could reasonably expect, we strive to keep locations and special effects within budget, and we use the new small Panasonic DV cameras. Having a relatively small crew means we can move faster. Also, the actors and crew are hugely supportive of Stephen’s zany vision for SAM, and they work hard to make it run smoothly. SAM has been an important breakthrough for Greenstone, not only because it’s our entrée into drama, but because we are proving we can make successful drama on the budgets available in New Zealand. I don’t want to spend my life scratching around for deficit funding. And now there’s a second series of SAM? New Zealand On Air is very supportive of the show. It has funded the entire second series in principle, but is spreading the costs over two financial years. We are now in pre-production, most of the scripts are written, and we begin filming in June. What’s the response to SAM been like internationally? SAM was launched at MIPTV in April 2004, and has created a lot of interest. Several countries have committed to buying it already. SAM stands out because of its humour, and there’s a worldwide shortage of live action drama for young audiences, particularly comedy. Interestingly, the fact that there’s a male hero has pleased some buyers because these days kids’ drama often has a female lead. You mentioned earlier that SAM signals the start of Greenstone’s move into drama production. What kind of drama are you interested in? I want to make commercial drama that appeals to a wide audience, and touches them emotionally. Several genres interest me – thriller, horror, romantic comedy, wacky comedy, drama, fantasy. I’m looking for clever, entertaining writing, and concepts that can be produced on New Zealand budgets. I’ve been quietly approaching good writers to see what ideas they’ve got. You also mentioned earlier you want to avoid “scratching around for deficit funding” – how do you intend to do that? I’m too old and impatient to spend years putting together a complex funding deal that involves deficit funding and personal guarantees. The priority for me is the idea, and the script. I’ll happily use DV rather than film if it gets the story told. And I believe New Zealand needs to make lots of drama, rather than one or two movies and drama series a year. Our writers, directors and actors need regular work to hone their skills. It’s the only way we’ll get better at drama, build a sustainable industry, and ensure there are more New Zealand stories told. How can you avoid the compromises necessary to make this approach work without compromising the programmes? You have to make compromises no matter how big your budget is. The only way to keep standards high is eternal vigilance by producer and production team – and an acceptance by everyone that the budget is the actual budget and you must tailor your plans to stay inside it. What do you see as the main challenges presented by the NZ market? The main challenge – apart from coming up with fresh ideas – is to remain financially viable. For Greenstone this means being bold but financially sensible, forever watching our overheads, arguing for a better deal from funders, hiring and retaining the best people, and not losing our sense of fun. We have to accept that New Zealand is a tiny market, so if you want to grow you have to look overseas – to sell your shows and formats, and win international commissions. On a creative level, there’s a real danger of our standards slipping as the industry scrambles to produce more programmes for MTS and a charter-driven TVNZ. So we need to invest in training and mentoring, and demand higher standards of ourselves. Any suggested solutions to these challenges? TVNZ is now more open to taking risks off-peak, and I hope this continues. I think we all need to raise our standards to make smarter programmes, and independents need to work hard to resist budgets and company overheads being forced down. As far as drama goes if I ruled the world, I would insist that broadcasters, New Zealand On Air and the Film Commission get together and set bold targets for a lively home grown film industry. Then they would knuckle down and make it happen. They would commit to spending a lot more on drama every year, and fund movies fully. They would make some mistakes but not lose their resolve. Is there anything else you’d like to add? Yes – thanks to all those who have worked on Greenstone programmes over the past decade. It’s been a ball … and there is still no other business I would rather be in! The next decade will be just as exciting. John Harris, thank you very much for your time and best wishes for the next 10. © Copyright Onfilm magazine May 2004 All material appearing is copyright and cannot be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher. Please contact the copyright officer: Ph 0-9-845 5114, Email copyright@mediaweb.co.nz.	Username Password Keep me logged in on this computer Forgotten your password? Enter your email address and we will email your password to you:

Interview - John Harris
Now we are 10

Well, first of all, congratulations on Greenstone's 10th birthday. How do you feel - proud but knackered perhaps?
I'm immensely proud of Greenstone's achievements. We've made around 80 documentaries, and hundreds of hours of factual series, and kept our storytelling standards high. Sometimes I feel very tired - but the buzz of being part of a team creating new programmes, and keeping Greenstone Pictures robust, revives me! (Plus I need to keep working to pay the bills.)

What led you to work in the screen production industry?
I've always had a lively imagination, and as a schoolboy I earned pocket money by writing short stories for the children's pages of newspapers. I loved movies, and books (and comics!), and acted in school plays. But back then there was no film or TV industry so I became a print journalist (Auckland Star, various community newspapers), then joined the NZBC as a news reporter.
I was part of the team that set up and produced Top Half with John Hawkesby and Judy Bailey in 1980 (along with Norm Sievewright, Philip Alpers, Raf Irving, Chas Toogood, Mike Brockie, Dylan Taite, Liz Lysaght, Keith Bracey, and Hunter Wells).

And then you worked for a period at Communicado ...?
Yes, I remember leaving a staff 'protest' meeting at TVNZ one day where everyone was despondent and negative about the industry, and I ran into Neil Roberts who had just been to see Des Monaghan about a new show. Neil asked, "When are you going to come and work for me?" and I said "Next week!" So I produced the first three series of That's Fairly Interesting for Communicado.
Among other things, Neil Roberts taught me the power of direct and simple storytelling, and Robin Scholes the value of strategising. They gave me the opportunity to produce and direct new shows. The highlight was launching the rescue-and-survival series Heroes, which allowed me to rediscover my passion for drama: we did loads of stylised re-enactments.

What was your original intention when setting up Greenstone Pictures?
I was approaching my 50th birthday, and I knew it was time to follow my dreams. I left Communicado fully intending to write a movie.

But you got a bit sidetracked...?
Yes, my plan was to get a couple of programmes commissioned, to earn enough money to write the movie in my spare time. But it didn't work out like that. I feverishly wrote some proposals - assembling them on the dining room table - and suddenly I was busy making docos. (The first were Godzone Sheep, Just What the Doctor Ordered and Kirsa - A Mother's Story.)
It's enormously exciting winning your first commissions. I still remember sitting in my car outside a photocopying shop - where I'd just run off a few proposals - and receiving a call from Geoff Steven at TV3, telling me they'd commissioned my first series, Against the Odds... Consequently I didn't write a word of that movie!

What were the early days of Greenstone like?
Maths was my worst subject at school, so I was ultra cautious when setting up Greenstone. My stage one business plan involved working out of a cupboard. I prepared a budget for everything, right down to the rubbish bin, and I was forever poring over budgets.
I had a simple rule: there must be more money coming in than going out (d'oh!). I'm proud of the fact that I've only once had to obtain an overdraft to keep Greenstone afloat. But there have been some extremely lean times. I recall storming out of my office late one night - having just had several projects rejected by TVNZ - and bitterly resolving that I would have to swap my car for a bicycle the next day. I admit I felt really sorry for myself, thinking about the comfortable salaries the network executives were on, in contrast to us struggling independents! But next day I thought "Damn them!" and I kept my car and struggled on.

How did you grow the company?
I'd like to say there was a grand plan, but in fact Greenstone grew like topsy. There were times when I could have opted to 'stay small’, but I resolved to grow the company. Within months I realised I didn’t have time to direct shows myself, so I hired directors. Then we got so busy I had to give up hands-on producing, so I hired Tony Manson, which was one of the best things I’ve done. One of the never-ending challenges running a small business is to manage is the fluctuating levels of work. Television is a stop-start industry, and you can’t confidently predict anything. It’s sad having to tell people there’s no more work, and often we try to ‘carry’ the best people through the lean times, but doing this can easily get you into financial trouble.

What’s your current staffing level?
We have 10 regular contract producers, plus general manager Bryan Hall, financial controller Glenda Paterson and a small admin team, and between 10 and 30 contract production managers, researchers, production assistants and others – depending on the number of projects on our books.

What’s the Greenstone ‘philosophy’?
The aim is to have fun, make programmes you’re proud of, and make a profit. Our policy in business dealings is “firm but fair”. Creatively, we aim to tell stories in an interesting, accessible way. And we have a commitment to ensuring that everyone who takes part in a Greenstone show – whether director, PA, or interview subject – is fairly dealt with, and enjoys the process. We succeed most of the time, and I believe Greenstone is an enjoyable place to work. We don’t pitch for projects that the team at Greenstone wouldn’t want to work on.

What have been the most important programmes in Greenstone’s evolution?
The Zoo for TVOne and Motorway Patrol for TV2, because they have become NZ classics and still rate strongly. Private Lives of Little People, because it was the first of our popular docos that look sensitively at people who are marginalised and misunderstood. To Hell and Back – Tanjas’ Story, because it was such a well-made doco and a powerful story that Channel Five in the UK screened it. Epitaph, because it became an iconic NZ series and established Greenstone’s reputation in history and re-enactment. And Secret Agent Men, because it announces Greenstone’s arrival in the world of drama.

What are the five programmes you’re most proud of?
This is tough, because every completed project is something of a miracle! But I would name Back from the Dead – The Saga of the Rose Noelle, because it was an epic tale that we told powerfully through interview and re-enactment (and won an award); Cave Creek – The full story of a national tragedy, because it tackled a tragic story in a hard-hitting but compassionate manner (and won an award); Epitaph, because it revealed dozens of stories from New Zealand history that otherwise would never be told (and won an award); SCU – Serious Crash Unit, because it deals with fatal crash investigations in a gripping but sensitive way (and deserves to win an award!); and, of course, The Greenstone Pictures story, an epic melodrama of passion, creativity, friendship and survival!

What have been the best moments over the past decade?
It may sound corny, but the biggest buzz is seeing one of our programmes do well, and sharing the excitement and relief of the team who made it. It’s great seeing someone do well.
I like seeing the Greenstone logo flash onto the screen. I was overjoyed to receive awards for Rose Noelle and Epitaph. My wife and family have uncomplainingly lived through years of late nights, crazy ideas and being roped in as extras and prop-builders. And I have enjoyed long-standing work relationships with loyal Greenstoners, like EP Tony Manson and financial controller Glenda Paterson, our producers, and presenters like Paul Gittins.
The highs are when you win a commission, when a programme rates well, when you win an award, when a participant phones to say they enjoyed the programme, when you go to an overseas market and realise that Greenstone’s programmes are as good as most of the others; and when Glenda tells me Greenstone will survive another month.

The worst moments?
I could talk about programmes that didn’t rate, or (once) when a series was “pulled” early, or when a programme fell short of expectations, or the many times when I thought “This is it – we’re going to go broke”.
But the worst moments, really, have been when something terrible has happened in the life of one of the Greenstone team. You spend a lot of time worrying and caring about the people who work with you.
Personally, my worst moment was during one doco a few years ago when I hit the wall. As well as running other projects I was producing this doco, and then had to step in and direct it too. It was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. Suddenly I had a complete meltdown. I went to bed for a week. Thankfully Tony Manson rescued me by taking over the project – and I still recall the huge feeling of relief as he disappeared down the driveway carrying a cardboard box full of my notes and nightmares. (Thank you Tony!)

What’s your approach to development?
Greenstone has a major commitment to development – it’s the lifeblood of the company. We have a development executive, Irene Gardiner (former TVNZ Commissioner), ideas man Nick Ward and freelance researchers. I spend at least half of my time on development, and Greenstone producers contribute ideas too. Development is critical. Early in Greenstone’s history I devised most of the ideas, but we’ve always been keen to receive other people’s ideas too. For instance, Paul Gittins originated Epitaph. Within the constraints of our budgets we make sure those people benefit from the success of the shows.
We have a large number of projects at various stages of development. At present there are a dozen series ideas at an advanced stage, and half a dozen docos – as well as dozens of other ideas sitting in the queue to be developed and pitched. We try to discipline ourselves to restrict the number of projects being actively developed, because you can easily dilute your efforts. We regularly cull our projects, and often select just six projects to spend a week on.

Can you talk about your experience of attending international television markets?
I began about five years ago, and the past couple of years I have gone twice a year to both MIPTV and MIPCOM.
The first year was bewildering, the second confusing and disappointing, the third a thrill (because it resulted in a significant sale to a UK broadcaster), and the fourth year I began to feel I knew how it worked. But it’s still hit-and-miss, because you’re never sure whether your big break will come through contact with a broadcaster, or a distributor, or a producer in another country. And tastes change, markets and prices change, key contacts change…
It’s important to try to form relationships rather than pushing to securwe a quick sale. Plan your trip well, make appointments beforehand, treat every new contact as a potential sale, have focused objectives and specific projects to tout, and listen carefully and observe. But also remember it’s only television, so don’t be too anxious!

What are the benefits of attending these markets?
We have built an international profile, we have a good feeling for international trends and opportunities, and we have made some significant sales. We can also support the marketing and publicity work undertaken by our distribution agents. And we have built up a useful network of contacts who may commission a format or series. That’s a key objective – to get overseas commissions, to avoid being totally reliant on the New Zealand market. Any money earned overseas helps Greenstone remain robust, as well as providing a return for New Zealand On Air and the broadcasters.
At least a couple of Greenstone projects have led to spin-off products – how important have these ancillary revenue streams been to Greenstone?
There have been two books based on Epitaph, one on Shipwreck, and one on The Zoo – plus home videos and DVDs of those same shows. DVD is booming: eventually one of our shows will earn significant money when it is released as a DVD in an overseas market. But New Zealand is a tiny market, so the returns are not great, and we treat merchandising as a worthwhile but modest adjunct to our core business.

Attending international markets and ancillary products both presuppose retaining equity in your programmes – how important is this to independent production companies?
Retaining equity in our programmes is vital if independent companies are to remain viable. New Zealand On Air has wisely allowed companies to retain more of the returns they make through sales – which is an incentive for us to sell aggressively. It puts money back into NZOA’s coffers for programme funding, and it means independents can invest in the development of ideas and people.

Last year Greenstone made Secret Agent Men, the company’s first foray into TV drama. How did that come about?
TV3 Commissioner Ken Burns was looking for ideas for five-minute programmettes to be played on Sticky TV in the afternoons. Greenstone producer/director/writer Stephen Campbell came up with the Secret Agent Men concept. He developed it with feedback from Ken. Later Stephen got his old mates from Ice TV involved – Matt McPhail and Jon Bridges – and they are still writing for the show. Secret Agent Men will find a bigger audience when it is released in its half hour form later this year…
Producer Rachel Jean has worked hard to make every dollar count. The crew is as small as you could reasonably expect, we strive to keep locations and special effects within budget, and we use the new small Panasonic DV cameras. Having a relatively small crew means we can move faster. Also, the actors and crew are hugely supportive of Stephen’s zany vision for SAM, and they work hard to make it run smoothly. SAM has been an important breakthrough for Greenstone, not only because it’s our entrée into drama, but because we are proving we can make successful drama on the budgets available in New Zealand. I don’t want to spend my life scratching around for deficit funding.

And now there’s a second series of SAM?
New Zealand On Air is very supportive of the show. It has funded the entire second series in principle, but is spreading the costs over two financial years. We are now in pre-production, most of the scripts are written, and we begin filming in June.

What’s the response to SAM been like internationally?
SAM was launched at MIPTV in April 2004, and has created a lot of interest. Several countries have committed to buying it already. SAM stands out because of its humour, and there’s a worldwide shortage of live action drama for young audiences, particularly comedy. Interestingly, the fact that there’s a male hero has pleased some buyers because these days kids’ drama often has a female lead.

You mentioned earlier that SAM signals the start of Greenstone’s move into drama production. What kind of drama are you interested in?
I want to make commercial drama that appeals to a wide audience, and touches them emotionally. Several genres interest me – thriller, horror, romantic comedy, wacky comedy, drama, fantasy. I’m looking for clever, entertaining writing, and concepts that can be produced on New Zealand budgets. I’ve been quietly approaching good writers to see what ideas they’ve got.

You also mentioned earlier you want to avoid “scratching around for deficit funding” – how do you intend to do that?
I’m too old and impatient to spend years putting together a complex funding deal that involves deficit funding and personal guarantees. The priority for me is the idea, and the script. I’ll happily use DV rather than film if it gets the story told. And I believe New Zealand needs to make lots of drama, rather than one or two movies and drama series a year. Our writers, directors and actors need regular work to hone their skills. It’s the only way we’ll get better at drama, build a sustainable industry, and ensure there are more New Zealand stories told.

How can you avoid the compromises necessary to make this approach work without compromising the programmes?
You have to make compromises no matter how big your budget is. The only way to keep standards high is eternal vigilance by producer and production team – and an acceptance by everyone that the budget is the actual budget and you must tailor your plans to stay inside it.

What do you see as the main challenges presented by the NZ market?
The main challenge – apart from coming up with fresh ideas – is to remain financially viable. For Greenstone this means being bold but financially sensible, forever watching our overheads, arguing for a better deal from funders, hiring and retaining the best people, and not losing our sense of fun. We have to accept that New Zealand is a tiny market, so if you want to grow you have to look overseas – to sell your shows and formats, and win international commissions.
On a creative level, there’s a real danger of our standards slipping as the industry scrambles to produce more programmes for MTS and a charter-driven TVNZ. So we need to invest in training and mentoring, and demand higher standards of ourselves.

Any suggested solutions to these challenges?
TVNZ is now more open to taking risks off-peak, and I hope this continues. I think we all need to raise our standards to make smarter programmes, and independents need to work hard to resist budgets and company overheads being forced down.
As far as drama goes if I ruled the world, I would insist that broadcasters, New Zealand On Air and the Film Commission get together and set bold targets for a lively home grown film industry. Then they would knuckle down and make it happen. They would commit to spending a lot more on drama every year, and fund movies fully. They would make some mistakes but not lose their resolve.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Yes – thanks to all those who have worked on Greenstone programmes over the past decade. It’s been a ball … and there is still no other business I would rather be in! The next decade will be just as exciting.

John Harris, thank you very much for your time and best wishes for the next 10.

© Copyright Onfilm magazine May 2004

All material appearing is copyright and cannot be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher.

Please contact the copyright officer: Ph 0-9-845 5114, Email copyright@mediaweb.co.nz.

Search text

Results per page

Order by

Publications to search

Fields to search

Date range

Interview - John Harris
Now we are 10

Search text

Results per page

Order by

Publications to search

Fields to search

Date range

Interview - John Harris Now we are 10

Interview - John Harris
Now we are 10