LE CUPCAKE - Short Film Dec 2011

There's more than one way to taste life

5 MIN    1950's Period Drama/Comedy
SYNOPSIS
Gemma thought all was pretty good and under control at the ‘High Tea Room’, that was until she discovered a large stunned cockroach in a freshly baked cupcake. So, one minute the cocky cupcake was there, and the next it was gone, but where was the infected cupcake?  It could be on anyone’s plate; but what made it worse was a stuffy food critique from the Food and Beverage Board was arriving any minute to scrutinize their menu. Gemma couldn't stand it anymore, she was positive she’d throw up.
In the kitchen, Hettie, her boss, drank from a used wet tea cup once again. Then as she reached for the lone left over cupcake, a wispy thin tentacle raised up just above her eye line…  Funny how a bad day can turn around so sweetly with a crunchy end!!

Writer, Director                   LINDA DARBY & TROY BLACKWELL
Director of Photography      FINN McGOWAN

Gemma                               KIRIANNE KARDIMIA
Miss Hettie Kiljoy                KERRY FORSE
Reginald                              JOSH DUNN
Kendra                                CHLOE FORSE    
Charles Huxley                    SEAN O'CONNOR            

1ST Camera and Lighting     FINN McGOWAN
2ND Camera                       JEMIMA JAMES
1st AD                                 WALTER LAWRY
2nd AD                                KARTIKA  DITIRI
Sound                                  CALLUM LISTER
Makeup/Wardrobe              SHANTELL NAIR
Producer, Prod. Design        LINDA DARBY

Location:  'Star of the Sea' convent in Howick, New Zealand.
Filmed  10th December, 2011.

'Le Cupcake' was funded by Creative Communities NZ,  Brightspark Creative Media and The Lab.

Puppetry 2012

Over the past three years, I've done mainly children's party shows and School presentations. My screen work involves doing the pitch for TVC 2008 - Telecom 'clever toys' campaign, and Sarah Brown's Music Video 'Hands' 2007. I have done other TV work including advising Disney designers of the 'Legend of the Seeker' S1E6 on puppet design.
    I am available for work this year. I am currently doing Screen Production Hons at Auckland University; of which I am specialising in Creative Producing.

2011 - Screen Production

2011 - Dec., Short 'Le Cupcake'
Creative NZ Funding
/Brightspark Pictures/ The Lab/Trinket Box
Writer/Director - Troy Blackman
DOP - Finn McGowan
Writer/Producer/ Director - Linda Darby'Chocolate Fish Films'.
Development project for showreel.
4 minutes, dramacom    
status - in edit

2011 Oct., - Short 'Collision'
Brightspark Pictures/ The Lab
Writers - Linda Darby/ Troy Blackman
Director - Troy Blackman
DOP - Finn McGowan
Producer - Linda Darby for
'Chocolate Fish Films'.
Development project
4 minutes, action/drama    
status - in edit


2011 Aug., - Short 'Headlights'
Brightspark Pictures/ The Lab
Writers - Linda Darby/Finn McGowan
Producer - Linda Darby for
'Chocolate Fish Films'.
Director - Rahul Parbou
DOP - Finn McGowan
Development project
3 minutes, action/drama    
status - complete
________________ o0o__________________

2011 - V48 July., - 'On the jetty
beneath the willow tree

Production Manager -'Fix it in Post'
Writers - Amelia McVinnie, Greg
Director - Ashley Cornall,
Producers - Ashley Cornall, Sam Medary.
7 minutes, Genre; Mystery 

                        

2010 - Screen Production

2010 - 6 x short eps 'Continuum'

Producer -  two of six 3 minute episodes were
produced as part of film production class from
undergraduate film and media studies at University
of Auckland. I managed a subteam including a Director,
line producer, 1st AD, and writer; making up 'Doubletake Productions'.
The finished product previewed at UoA, and youtube.
18 minutes, Sci/Fi drama.

2009 - Short;  'Jellylegs'
Producer/Director - independant film project. Adapted 'Jellylegs' for screen from Elizabeth Pulford's preteen novel of the same name with the rights to do so from Scholastic New Zealand.
Funded ($3,000) from Creative New Zealand; creative communities for postproduction and promotion. Screened to various Manukau Primary and Intermediate schools in Manukau area.
20 minutes, adventure preteen drama.   Funded CCNZ

2007 - Short; 'The Princess and the Castle'
Producer/Director Adapted from the children's book 'The Princess and the Castle' with rights from Random House London. An independant film project part funded ($1000 ) by Creative New Zealand; creative communities for postproduction and promotion. Score by Marcus Fritsch HOD music Rangitoto College. Screened to various Primary schools in Manukau area.
17 minutes, children's adventure/drama.  Funded CCNZ

2006 - Short; 'Starcatcher'
Producer/Director Adapted from children's stroy 'Lucy the star catcher' The Book Company,Australia.
An independant film project sponsored by Edgewater Productions, with Score by Marcus Fritsch HOD music Rangitoto College. Screened to various Kindergarten and Primary schools in Manukau area. 2006 Tropfest entrant.
7 minutes, children's adventure/drama  Sponsored Edgewater Prod.

2005 - TVC; TV ONE - Holiday season
Producer/Director Christmas seasonal promo '05 to '06 holiday competition (1 or 5 finalists) for TV One and Two peak time filler. Theme 'Doing things together keeps our family strong'.
30 seconds.

'Hands' music video - 2005

     While working at 'Computer World' as graphic designer and editor in 2005 I received on of my first paying jobs as a puppeteer for the screen. I got the job as puppeteer through Flying Start Pictures for the music video 'Hands' by the local singer, songwriter Sarah Brown. The Making of the music video took 3 days at the St. James Theatre in Queen Street. At that time I was requested to demonstrate to Sarah how to manipulate the Austrian bought rod puppet of 'Sarah'. How ever I did not get to shoot the puppet and miniature props which I constructed till the following week. This was done at the 'Sweetshop' Agency in Eden Terrace in Auckland. The puppet that was used was clothed to match Sarah in the video in clothing and hair design.

      The puppet of Sarah was of porcelain material standing about 28 cm high. The metal control rods were of European design, one from her head for turning with an opposing control bar to operate the arms and legs with a back rod. It was a good learning experience and the tone of the video suited using these traditional methods of puppetry.

'Clever Toys' - 2007

In 2007 as a puppeteer and designer I pitched the 8 new Telecom ads called the 'Clever Toy' ads to Saatchi and Saatchi for Flying Start Pictures. I was filmed doing the Ad pitches at several locations around central Auckland, and Ponsonby locations. I reconstructed soft toys for Flying Pictures to look like the finished puppets for the 'real ads' which can be seen in the following ads shown on the TV during the 2006 and 2007 television season. I was the sole puppeteer for the pitches.

'Continuum' - 6 Episodes 2010

     Film Production class 311 at University of Auckland; Film Television and Media studies created this 6 episodic drama as the main class assignment. I was one of three producers (working on Ep 1,4) working collaboratively with a team of 15. The following videos are the result of that effort. I will add more info later.