The Onehunga Leaf Blower Massacre

Romily, in therapy because of an ‘incident’ at work doesn’t believe she has ‘anger issues’ but is furious about having her career on hold! Her attempts to write her dream novel are relentlessly disrupted by neighbourhood Leaf Blowing, and despite her struggle to suppress them, her murderous thoughts mysteriously manifest as multiple ‘accidents’ - death for anyone that dares leaf-blow in her proximity!!! Each time however, in the peace and quiet that follows, Romily is invigorated and makes great progress on her novel. The Police, initially dismissing the deaths as accidents, soon start to dig deeper. Eva, Romily’s daughter, pieces it together and confronts her mum - but luckily her baby’s birth momentarily distracts! Romily’s lover Danny endeavours to help her overcome her demons but will he succeed before her rage consumes him, Police forensics close the case, or Eva reveals the truth?

The idea to make a feature came about when our team, AK finalists from 48hrs 2024, realised we had everything we needed on hand to do it. "Ok I'll write one" I exclaimed! So here we are a full cast and crew, script in hand - ready set to make a trailer to take to market - but we have a bunch of fixed cost$ to cough up!! Who knew that 30 x $100 = $3K? In fact it's more than that and we've already pretty much emptied our own pockets so that's why we're looking for a little love and $upport if you're feeling it?

We are a 20 strong (and growing) group of diverse, multi-generational filmmakers and storytellers with all the cast and crew disciplines covered and a bunch of equipment onboard to boot. Some of us have been working together for more than 20 years and some just a year or two but we're all united with a passion to make our first feature film and this is a story we're all really excited about. Check out the team details here - www.spanko66.com/olbm

Key peeps include Beth Kayes (Romily), Dam Native (Danny), Shayla Crombie (Eva), Florence Noble (the Therapist), Kirk Torrance (Publisher) Mark Mitchison (Police Inspector), Miriama Kamo (Reporter), Barnie Duncan (Park Worker), MCD (Writer / Director), Cameron Chittock (Producer), Clayton Carpinter (DOP), Douglas Bagg (Focus), Mary-Lyn Chambers (Script Consultant), Levi ARB and Lucie Lesnard (Production Management) Jeremy Masters (Editor), Julian Wagner (Gaffer), Emma Aubin (Costume), Anna Davies (MUA + Prosthetics), Joost Langeveld (Music Post), Glen Cleaver (Sound Post), Aaron Duncan (Soundie), Mark Smith (Stills Photographer), Chris Leskovsek (Graphics), Katrina Lajunen (Legal)...

We're a very collaborative group with everybody's contribution valued and empowered with agency within their discipline - no micro managing or bossy behaviour will be tolerated. The team has essentially been assembled by Writer / Director Matt Campbell Downes.

We are raising money for all the little unavoidable costs that keep appearing seemingly out of nowhere - from SSDs to permits, to costume costs, to insurance, to equipment hire, wigs, locations, food, petrol, fees for actors (not everybody can afford to work for free) and so it goes on...

But this Boosted campaign is not just about the $ to fund the film but also show of support for the team - to take our filmmaking aspirations to the next level – which for all of us is our first feature. For the actual funders (NZFC and beyond) this is important to see – that we have a ground swell of enthusiasm for the project and a community around us who want to see the vision come to life.

We HATE Leaf Blowers and It seems our feelings about LBs are widely felt! Thus this film - a Horror Rom Com - was ill conceived in burst of inspiration / perspiration - to the sound of unrelenting Leaf Blowers (true story). 

We want to make a film that is slap-stick fun - cos the world has so many problems and we all feel so powerless and need some escapist laughs already? On the other hand we wanna tussle with contemporary issues and deliver something relevant and heart felt. A lot of the problems of this world come down to anger, frustration and the mismanagement of such feelings as toxic expression or violent outbursts - and the constant undermining of the power and compassion that women have to offer our societies. 

I had worked with Beth Kayes and was impressed at her vital creativity and radiant positivity - and I thought; I need to write a part for her ASAP! And that's how the bones of the story came about - from talking with Beth in a series of sessions at the 'Old Folks Ass' over several months – from which I wrote the script (also with input from Danny who loved my elevator pitch at a BBQ and told me his Broom Trauma story!

I think the most important impact of this project is probably career progression for the cast and crew - especially for the younger team members whom number at least half of the squad.  If we can get this film made our film careers are up and running -  and that means credibility and paying jobs - contract work that is. It's about investing in the next generation of Aotearoan filmmakers. Our average age is only 36 and 60 is the new 40s - so we got 25 years of premium Film and TV in us yet! As for AI - Fuhgeddaboudit!