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Hero image for The Making of Footrot Flats - The Dog's Tale

The Making of Footrot Flats - The Dog's Tale

Television (Full Length) – 1986

This documentary explores the path of Footrot Flats from comic strip to New Zealand's first animated movie. While Pat Cox, the film's original producer, stays off-screen, Footrot creator Murray Ball discusses leading a large team as they bring his universe to life. Ball and others talk about the challenges of finding an actor to voice Dog, the character Ball admits is closest to him. Amidst the film clips and making of footage, Dave Dobbyn talks music, and Mike Hopkins (who later won Oscar glory on Lord of the Rings) lends his feet to the sound effects. Find out more about the making of the film in this backgrounder.

...the film has been divided in two: it's a Trans-Tasman thing. Although all the actors and all the music and all the direction and that sort of thing comes from New Zealand, the animation itself was done in Australia.
– Footrot Flats director Murray Ball

Key Cast & Crew

Generic Profile image for Lesley Stevens

Lesley Stevens

Director, Producer

Generic Profile image for Murray Ball

Murray Ball

Subject

Generic Profile image for Dave Dobbyn

Dave Dobbyn

Subject, Composer

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Tom Scott

Subject

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John Clarke

Subject

Generic Profile image for Martin Didsbury

Martin Didsbury

Producer

See all 19 credits

Produced by

Magpie Productions

Source

Magpie Productions

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