Matt Kinsman - 2011 - My films and my first year as a professional

2011, I'm getting better at taking photos and everything else ;)
2011

In 2011 I started a new chapter of my life, I wasn’t getting any younger and it was time I decided on a career and followed through, so, as a necessary evil, I left my hometown of Christchurch at the end of February (not because of the earthquake as many might assume, I had already planned it)

 and moved up to the North island of NZ to the city of Auckland to study filmmaking at SAE. Auckland is where Shortland St and other popular NZ television was produced (our version of Hollywood) so I made the right decision. I was putting my dream into action as even indecision is a decision and I had chosen to follow my dream of becoming NZ's most famous Action star worldwide.  It was hard as I was leaving my wife as she was doing her science job which she loved at the time and originally I had planned to return to Christchurch and reunite after the course.

SAE 3D Class project (2011)

One of the first projects in the SAE course was a 3D class project, they were looking for two volunteer actors and I put my hand up after 5 minutes when it appeared no one else was confident enough to, I decided that If I’m here to learn to direct and act I have to start somewhere. I know If I’m scared then I’m doing something right. We shot it over 2 days around Auckland and it was through the scouting and shooting that we bonded as a class after an awkward first couple months. I play one of the rival magicians in the finished video below. We all had our own 5 seconds ending, so this is my version.

King Style, Silent Shadow (2011)

For the 2011 V48hour film festival I flew back to Christchurch to visit my wife and family and friends and also enter the competition. Without having my own place it wasn’t easy, I stayed over at my cousin’s place, borrowed my old computer off my youngest brother and a camera from my course hire in Auckland. I handed in a roughcut which was over time as I couldn’t find a way to get the footage into the computer to use the normal program I used and and had to use windows movie maker instead. 

It was also the first time I had used Star now, a website for casting acting talent, so I learnt how to direct strangers for the first time, as well as some favourite buddies of mine. This version is the version I edited once I got back to Auckland with the original footage adding soundeffects and music. For a short film in 48 hours, It turned out pretty good. My only gripes is lack of equipment at the time and having no time to choreograph and just winging our fight scenes.

Tigerxcobra (2011)

In class we weren’t making many shortfilms at that moment, and I was in Auckland to learn to shoot movies, so I decided to rent the camera and shoot a pilot for a webseries with a classmate, Nazim and his friend. It was different shooting a short film with new people but I knew this was something I would have to get used to and we become great friends in and out of course because of it. It was supposed to be an action comedy, it turned out OK, but I knew next time I would need a better script then some notes on some refill and a couple of drawings ;)

Everyone's a loser when it comes to love (2011)

Our first chance at using the camera in course was for an assessment of making a  short film using at least 3 characters and showing off our storytelling ability. I used Starnow to cast it and met Lee and Safaa whom are both great talent. 

I was originally going to star in it as the boyfriend but my cameraman pulled the plug at the last minute so I took the reins and asked a friend to fill in, it was his first time on camera and the fight turned out alright. In future I learned to suss out my locations better as the fight scene location turned out to be a homeless shelter of sorts. And I had a run in with the police because of our yelling. Oh well, I passed anway, you check out the video below.

Pass it Down the Line (2011)

I wasn’t the only one doing the assignment, my classmate Nazim was struggling to find an actor for his short drama film and when he heard that I was looking at being an actor he offered me the role. I took it knowing it would be a stretch for me to play a non action role. It was a cold couple of nights as we shot it with a couple of friends of his but it was a solid experience for all of us. 

The scene of me running after the train was a one shot deal which paid off. I also learnt there were other ways to shoot films than my point and shoot style and Nazim’s approach was much more planned and professional than mine, I was going to use a tripod more in my own films after we had shot this film.

Mondays (2011)

Another short film I shot using the SAE camera’s outside of school hours with a couple of classmates, Mondays is me attempting to make a short action film featuring guns (my first real attempt). Behind our school is some train tracks so I wanted to utilize this location, and it turned out pretty good. I learned how important angles are when shooting chain punches (this failed and I only found out during editing so no reshoots were possible). I hate after effects. It takes so long to create fake blood and realistic muzzle flashes etc, at the time I was supposed to be editing my proper school short film, (above) but this was more fun. I learnt not to do FX unless absolutely necessary as they were all time consuming.

JKDNZ club film#1 -Max (2011)

One of the most reassuring things I found when I moved to Auckland was that there was a Jeet Kune Do club here that had just started. JKD is Bruce Lee’s method of Fighting. It’s efficient, effortless and smart. After finishing Karate over a year ago I had been teaching myself JKD using books and DVDs, but to learn from someone in person was a dream come true. I became very good friends with Sifu Bruce Chen and Chris, and it was during one of these practices that I suggested we could make a short film. 

This is one of my best short films I felt and I knew in my heart I was headed in the right direction. I learnt that having skilled actors (though first time onscreen, the martial arts was legit) made a big difference. Also as an avid nunchaku lover, it was my first time making a battle too. It was such a fun film, I hope it’s as much fun to watch as it was to make.

JKDNZ club film#2- Jies cigarette pack (2011)

For the Second JKD club short film, again shot just over 4 hours, I engineered a way for my to be in it by having one of our classmates help me shoot it. It was my first time to choreograph a 2 on 2 fight (actually 2 one on one’s really). 

 

 Ready? fight!!

And this one is lighter in tone and actionwise very good, I nailed the chain punch angles and Sifu’s punches pack a wallop thanks to it. Really cool film, one of the highlights of the year for me and I got to work with my favourite people in the world at the time, Sifu, Chris, and Jie.

Remember (2011)

As we were working on scripts and film history I really wanted to shoot a short film as it had been a while and I was afraid to lose any gains I had made in my shooting knowledge. I filmed ‘Remember’ at the local park across from the apartment where I lived.

My wife had moved to Auckland during this time, leaving her job and I was still at school, so while we had money problems, I was still doing what I had set out to do. Irresponsible?  Maybe, but every dream has it’s price. After this film the 3 of us had sushi at a local Japanese restaurant which was nice.

2011 Showreel 

So with 2011 over I decided to put together a showreel to update my 2010 showreel from the year before which was sitting on my starnow profile as I looked for acting work.

Professional Works (2011)

One of the first things I did when I moved to Auckland was to research an acting agency, I know that most acting jobs are given to those in the know or with contacts, so having an agency was crucial if I was to build up contacts in the New Zealand Film industry. I joined Fresh talent as of all the agencies I researched there was no upfront joining fee, instead registration was paid after they had found you jobs then after that a standard agent commission of 20 percent which was reasonable.

my first ever blip on NZ television :)

As an Extra I got to see how Professional Film sets work, actors, crew, etc. It was eye opening and arguably taught me more than my actual SAE course did. Also, now I could say I was a professional Actor having been paid for my work :) (not really, the only lines I had all year was Surprise! and a happy birthday song :P )

My professional work I did in 2011 was extra appearances in Shortland St, Almighty Johnsons and an episode of Go Girls. (I will upload a screenshot when I rent the DVD)

Slowly slowly but surely surely, 2012 is going to be a good year if this year is anything to go by :)