Tim Bartlett is a rarity - an actor who has been an actor his whole life. He has appeared in plays in most theatres around New Zealand since beginning his career in 1974 with Auckland's Theatre Corporate.
In recent times Tim has been heavily involved in theatre in Wellington as an ugly sister in Roger Hall's pantomime "Cinderella" at Circa Theatre and his busy 2005 included a prolonged stint at Christchurch's Court Theatre where he appeared in "Peninsula", "Lady Windermere’s Fan" and "Alone It Stands".
Tim has appeared in countless TV shows - including a stint as a presenter on “Playschool" and as Bernie Leach in "Shortland Street". His career also includes numerous radio plays and television commercials. On the big screen he has appeared as a teacher in "An Angel at My Table" and as Hamfast the hobbit on "Lord of the Rings".
Tim recently completed working on Duncan Sarkies critically acclaimed movie about the Aramaona tragedy “Out of the Blue”.
Sally was born and raised in Wellington, New Zealand, the youngest of three daughters. "My family - pets and closest friends included - are the most important in my life. I've been blessed". She began acting professionally at age 15, with parts in the television series' "The Tribe", "Atlantis High", "Revelations" and The Strip.
In 2002 Sally began "Murder in Greenwich", a film shot in Auckland for America's U.S.A Network. She then landed the role as Tori, Blue Power Ranger, on the television series "Power Rangers Ninja Storm" - the 2002/03 incarnation of the American franchise (Disney and Village Roadshow Productions).
Following production wrap, Sally relocated to Los Angeles where she lived for a couple of years, during which she spent 6 months in Vancouver, Canada. In 2005, in Wellington, she shot a commercial campaign for NZ Post and roles for "The Killian Curse" and "Seven Periods With Mr. Gormsby". 2006 she completed Disney movie "Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior" and her role in "The Last Great Snail Chase."
Since, she has filmed parts in Gibson Group's "My Story" and is at the time of writing of this bio is working on a production in Auckland, New Zealand. "I am hugely fortunate to have been able to have a career I just love and have one of the only jobs I've ever wanted. I can only work as hard as possible and cross my fingers that it will continue want me."
Abby, born and bred in the windy city of Wellington, was thrust into the spotlight when she was ‘discovered’ whilst working in a café in Christchurch by a staff member from Toi Whakaari – New Zealand’s national drama school.
She graduated with a Bachelor of Performing Arts in 2004, having spent time in her final year of study working and performing at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Abby made her professional theatre debut in September 2006, appearing in the world premier of renowned New Zealand playwright Ken Duncan’s newest work “Picture Perfect” at Wellington's’ Circa theatre. Her performance earned her a nomination for most promising female newcomer at the prestigious 2006 Chapman Tripp theatre awards.
2006 also saw her cast in the acclaimed short film “Dead Letters” which has screened at numerous international festivals, as well as taking a lead role in “The Last Great Snail Chase”. Abby has graced New Zealand television screens with a guest appearance on the teen drama “Karaoke High” and has just finished working on “My Story”. Abby is honoured to be a part of the of this important, groundbreaking production.
Having always had an interest in drama Jocelyn Christian decided to pursue acting seriously in 2001, when she moved to Wellington to study. After graduating she had her first major role in the local sci-fi flick "Event 16", as Paige McLean, the disgruntled girlfriend of an accidental inventor.
Since then she has appeared in several short films, including "Side View" and "Speck Circuit", as well as guest roles on the TV drama, "Revelations" and the second series of "Sensing Murder".
She has worked on music videos for kiwi Artists ‘The Video Kid’, ‘Pearl Band’ and ‘Module’. Most recently, she starred in "Shadow over the Sun", as a pioneer in early New Zealand, discovering the hardships, and hopes of a new country.
In "The Last Great Snail Chase" Jocelyn plays Alice James, stuck in that time of life where you decide to do or not to do, and when you learn that growing up has its benefits!
Rakaia Rose cut her teeth in acting as a 7-year-old playing a mouse and ever since those days of scuttling around she has been in at least a play a year, whilst acting in several short films and being an extra in various TV shows. As the youngest cast member of ‘The Last Great Snail Chase’ she bought an energy and joy to the set that was hard to replicate.
“We were not sure how someone so young would work with all these people in their 20’s” says White, “but I’ve never been keen on casting older actors to play teenagers, so we when we saw Rakaia’s maturity and ability we just had get her on board,”.
Her role places her as a temptress, whose mother is dying, and who is sent to live with her uncle and aunt who she hates. “The temptress part was easy to get, but having a mother dying and hating your aunty, and having your friend as a shadow, was where I really had to stretch my ability” Says Rakaia.
Since “The Last Great Snail Chase” Rakaia has dyed her hair back to its normal colour, made a couple of independent shorts with her friends and is back at school.
Brad began his professional life as a radio copywriter in small town New Zealand, however a lucky break in a local production of Romeo and Juliet saw him get involved in theatre. From there it was a short step to Toi Whakaari: NZ's Drama School and a huge number of diverse plays and short film projects.
“We loved Brad's performance from the moment we saw his first audition. We had thought Greg's character would have been one of the more challenging roles to cast, but Brad just nailed it from the get go, and didn't disappoint throughout filming” says David White.
“This was my first feature film as an actor, and to be given such a great opportunity in such a diverse film straight out of drama school was wonderful, and I do hope that it will not be my last” Brad says.
However, it will be his last for at least a few months as he has just taken a job as a cast member in the travelling theatre company ‘The Ugly Shakespeare Company’.
Timb Wilton has many interests, from body piercing (his day job) to acting. In fact, Tim pierced Abby Marment’s nose for her part as Zoe in ‘The Last Great Snail Chase’, before he had even started shooting in his debut feature film role.
Timb feel in love with screen acting when we was cast as a guest part in the cult TV series ‘The Tribe’, and from there went to drama school where he completed a diploma through the Wellington Performing Arts Centre. Shortly after graduation Timb become a core member of ‘In The Flesh’, an alternative performance group.
“Timb's very unique look was what we where looking for. He has numerous piercings, tattoos and is a very good character actor. He tried ever so hard to finish the tattoos on his back before principal photography put such a short time and so much to tattoo didn't quite get it done, but, I think it really works with the character of Julian,” says David.
Timb has recently moved to Melbourne where he continues to chase and indulge both his passions.
David White was born 24 years ago in the depths of the New Zealand countryside. He escaped there as quickly as he could and went to drama school.
Since that time, David has worked as a bakery assistant, a builder's labourer, a dairy farm worker, a debt collector and as an actor on stage, in film and on television. At the same time he started a clothing and accessory business as well as a theatre company.
Of late he has produced an award winning music video, theatre shows, a TV pilot and now his first feature film.
Born in Cambridge, Great Britain, Ed moved to Wellington, New Zealand in 2000. When he fell in love with the country so to stay easily he decided to study and why not film school....again, (he had already gone to one in England). So he studied at the New Zealand Film and Television School and later gained a Master of Fine Arts in scriptwriting at Victoria University in Wellington.
Since then he has not stopped working, making a number of short films and creating comics on the side. In 2004 he set up Pocket String Pictures and in 2005 gained a grant from Creative New Zealand to make the personal documentary "Drawing on walls" on the Wellington graffiti scene. This documentary was shown around the country at various festivals and conferences.
'The Last Great Snail Chase' is his debut feature film as director and writer. It fully independently financed and produced.
Originally taken on as the key grip it quickly became apparent that Annie could in fact do everything, so after a few personal changes she took up the First AD role within days of being on set.
Annie's acerbic wit hides the fact that she knows her craft inside out and upside down. She has been involved in film all her adult life. “Filmmaking is addictive...24 years later, I'm still looking for the next fix. It gets into your blood and like a mechanic with the bomb car I never go to the movies. I'm only happy working on them” To her credit, she won't name anything else she has worked on. “The only project worth talking about is the next one - whatever it may be.”
The troika of Damian, David and Ed all met while working on film school projects years ago. Damian has been the cinematographer of choice for David and Ed on all their recent projects because he is one of those rare people who seem to have been born with a camera in his hand.
In between shooting short films and music videos, Damian worked in the miniatures unit for the both 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and 'King Kong'. On these projects he worked closely with Alex Funke, ASC. “I feel that working so closely with such a master of his craft, and being able to learn and glean so much from Alex, has given me the skills and drive to pursue my own projects” Damian says.
“Cinematography is such a large part of film making and to find someone that you can trust and use over and over again and not be disappointed with is a huge step in any directors career. Without his passion and tireless work this project would have been very hard for me,” says Edward Lynden-Bell.
Every film needs a guardian angel - that person who always gets things done. Michael CJ was that man for “The Last Great Snail Chase”. Having never worked on a film before, he had no idea what was going to hit him, but scouting locations, cajoling recalcitrant actors and keeping everybody on the move came naturally to him.
“Michael kept us all sane” says producer David White. “Without his immense workload and sense of the absurd, I would have found it very hard to get it finished.” Having spent the last few years as a Character inquires officer for Metropolitan Police in London, Michael came back to give David a hand as they had grown up in the country together, He had never planned on being in film, “but in the end, I loved every minute of it”.
So I wonder if he will go back to the desk job or if he will continue on into the world of film. Mike could do anything from working in a stuffy office to help making one of the most ambitious independent films.
