Peter Burger: on calling the shots...
2011 9m
Peter Meteherangi Tikao Burger (Ngāi Tahu, Rangitane) can thank a childhood lisp for his screen director. Having been sent to speech lessons, he found himself in the wrong class, and discovered the joys of performance in a drama class at an impressionable age. Since then, Burger has directed numerous screen productions, including award-winning true stories Until Proven Innocent and Erebus - Operation Overdue, Fish Skin Suit, and episodes of Outrageous Fortune and One Lane Bridge.
In this ScreenTalk interview, Burger talks about:
- How he started out behind the camera
- The joys and anxieties of directing Wi Kuki Kaa in short film Turangawaewae
- Why editing short film Tama Tū was so satisfying
- Getting bestowed the title of Matai while making feature film The Tattooist
- How he approached his work on Outrageous Fortune
- Interesting insights into how lead actor Cohen Holloway created his character in tele-feature Until Proven Innocent
- His thoughts on making Billy, the tele-feature about the life of Billy T James
Interview Credit
Interview, Camera and Editing – James Coleman
“It was actually a really good one for an editor to do because there's no dialogue. So the whole thing is on glances and very little actual action . . . They're all just sitting down doing glances and throwing little stones and playing little tricks, without saying a word. So it's actually a great piece for an editor to contribute quite strongly on. ”
Peter Burger on why he particularly enjoyed editing Taika Waititi'a short film Tama Tū
