David Stubbs

Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses

2015, Director, Writer, Producer - Television

Belief examines the 2007 death of young Wainuiomata mother Janet Moses during an attempted exorcism. It uses a blend of interviews and reenactments to explore a tragedy which director David Stubbs believes was caused by "fear and love mixing and turning into hysteria". In 2009 five members of Janet’s family were charged in relation to her death. Belief debuted in the 2015 NZ International Film Festival before screening on TV One. Herald critic Peter Calder called it "compelling and heartbreaking". David Stubbs was judged Best Documentary Director at the 2017 Moa Awards. 

Reservoir Hill

2009 - 2010, Creator, Director, Producer - Television

"As dark as Twilight, as twisted as Twin Peaks, and as bitchy as Gossip Girl" is David Stubbs' summary of the series he co-created, produced and directed with Tom Robins for Krafthaus Films. Beautiful but doomed Beth Connolly (played by the coincidentally named Beth Chote) washes up in Kafkaesque suburban Porirua, where folks are understandably freaked out by her dead-on resemblance to missing schoolgirl Tara. The winner of an International Digital Emmy in 2010, the series originally screened in 2009 and has since been sold to Swedish channel SVT.

Reservoir Hill - 1, First Episode

2009, Producer, Director, Creator - Television

Production company Krafthaus won an International Digital Emmy Award for this front-running interactive web series for young people, in which the audience texted in suggestions to drive the plot. Evoking a certain series of blockbuster vampire films, dark-haired beauty Beth Connolly (Beth Chote) arrives in a new town, where people are odd and the sky is permanently overcast. After a very strange reception from her classmates, brainbox Monika (Michelle Ny) shows Beth a picture of missing schoolgirl Tara — whom Beth is a dead ringer for.

Reservoir Hill - 2, Series One, Episode Two

2009, Producer, Director - Television

In the second episode of Krafthaus' award-winning interactive web series, Beth's mum convinces her to give school a two-week trial after a nightmarish first day in which Beth (Beth Chote) discovered she was a dead ringer for missing schoolgirl (and everyone's worst enemy) Tara. But her classmates are every bit as kooky as the day before. After school, she meets friendly girl racer Sammy (Greer Samuel) then hottie Matt (Tim Kano). But just as the town and its folk seem almost normal, Beth is confronted by a sinister gang.

Reservoir Hill - 3, Series One, Episode Three

2009, Producer, Director - Television

Acting on the advice of friends from home (actually audience members texting in), Beth accepts a ride to school from the mysterious Matt in the third episode of this International Emmy Award-winning interactive web series. But someone is watching them. Matt, we discover, knew Beth's missing lookalike Tara and certain shady rumours about Matt's personal life are proved correct. Beth visits Tara's sister Lilli (Tai Berdinner-Blades) in hospital, where she encounters cray-cray Mrs Jay (Carmel McGlone), who drops a horrible burden onto Beth.

Reservoir Hill - 4, Series One, Episode Four

2009, Producer, Director - Television

In the fourth ep of Krafthaus' award-winning web series, Beth Connolly (Beth Chote) wanders into the forest searching for clues about the gang, where she runs into sassy Petra (Abby Damen) and a male friend. Sammy takes Beth to the softly spoken James (Dan Caddy), brother of  missing schoolgirl Tara, who has been following Beth to what is revealed as an obsessive degree. James promises to help her. Spooky Mrs Jay (Carmel McGlone) reappears and this time, it's as if she's a different person. 

Reservoir Hill - 5, Series One, Episode Five

2009, Producer, Director - Television

A text from an audience member advises Beth to go to Petra's party in the fifth ep of this International Emmy Award-winning web series for teens. While Beth tries to stay close to her friend Sammy, she is distracted by Petra, then Monika, then Matt ... each of whom tells her disturbing news relating to the disappearance of Beth's lookalike Tara. Despite their pact not to drink too much, Sammy ends up in a drunken fight with host Petra, who reveals the real reason why Lilli Jay is in hospital. Hurt that Beth left her alone, Sammy leaves the party by herself.

Reservoir Hill - 6, Series One, Episode Six

2009, Producer, Director - Television

The sixth episode of this Emmy Award-winning interactive web series begins with Beth (Beth Chote) returning from the party late and trying to confide in her mother about the spooky goings on around Reservoir Hill. Beth continues to find cul de sacs negotiating life in the eerie suburb: James Jay denies that he assaulted Matt, but Beth tricks him into telling the truth. And James' half-sister Lilli has just returned from hospital, disorientated, and confuses Beth with her missing sister Tara. The episode ends on a disturbing revelation.

Reservoir Hill - 7, Series One, Episode Seven

2009, Producer, Director - Television

Nightmare and reality collide in this seventh episode of David Stubbs and Thomas Robins' interactive web drama Reservoir Hill, which picked up an International Digital Emmy in 2010. Beth (Beth Chote) reveals Lilli's secret to Sammy — only to find Sammy has known it all along. Sammy hints at her beef with Matt, but Beth is still drawn to him. James loses his cool and blurts out another accusation at Matt. It's the girls — Beth, Sammy and Monika — who venture up to the reservoir above suburban Porirua, to confront their worst fears.

Reservoir Hill - 8, Series One, Episode Eight

2009, Producer, Director - Television

In the final episode of this International Emmy Award-winning web series, Beth (Beth Chote) is on the run from the hooded, masked bike gang, and heads into the perennially grey and misty streets of Porirua. Although Matt (Tim Kano) promises to rescue her, Beth finds herself trapped on a dam surrounded by the hoodies — where at last she discovers the secret of the town's bizarre and spooky behaviour towards her. What she does next is even more surprising...

The Killian Curse

2006 - 2008, Writer - Television

Freaky creator Thomas Robins’ second horror anthology for kids makes use of a sophisticated story structure. Years ago Room 21 at Killian High was cursed by its satanic school founder. A new principal dismisses warnings and opens the space, unleashing the curse onto new students. Each episode is split into three parts as three students battle demons. The number 21 plays an important role; the 21 students of Room 21 must overcome an eclectic range of demons or else the evil Killian claims their souls ‘forever’. A second season followed in 2008. 

Baggy Trousers

2000, Director - Music video

This unlikely ode to loose pants from Christchurch hip hop duo Dark Tower reached number 29 in the charts in 2000. “I like my pants baggy, baggy, baggy, baggy, baggy / cuffs a draggin' with the crutch a saggin’.” The southern Pākekā pride on show presented a funk rap alternative to the dominant ‘urban Pasifika’ influence in NZ hip hop, and won a cult following. The video, directed by David Stubbs (Reservoir Hill) riffs off the found footage concept of (then) hit horror film Blair Witch Project; it was nominated for Best Video at 2000 NZ Music Video Awards.