Justin Eade is a passionate writer turned producer, with a deep love for film and television. After leaving his role at Sky TV in 2009, he returned to Nelson, where he has produced 16 short films, one feature film, and had 18 stage plays performed. His feature film, Northspur is now selling internationally, including in the US, UK, and on Air New Zealand flights.
What do you do?
I’m a writer primarily, but through writing film scripts and stage plays have gotten into producing in the last 10 years as a way of getting stuff ‘made’ and getting it out there. In 2009, I left my job as a presentation director at Sky TV in Auckland, and came back to Nelson to write. Since then, I’ve had 18 plays staged and have produced 16 short films and one feature film.
How did you get into film?
I’ve always loved film and television as a medium for communicating as a writer, as I think most people connect daily with these mediums in some form. Working at Sky TV, where I was sometimes in charge of four movie channels at once helped me ingest many movies and learn the ‘language’ of film, which helps greatly in the writing and editing process understanding how a film is pieced together to greatest effect.
What is something you’re proud of?
I’m proud of the positive responses my stage plays, like Maungatapu and The Wairau Affray, have received locally, as well as short films such as Death Round Every Bend, War Paint, and The British Broadcasting Corporal. I guess what I’m most proud of is shooting the feature film Northspur locally a few years ago. It’s now being distributed worldwide, including in the US, the UK, Germany, Russia, and on Air New Zealand international flights. It will also be featured at the upcoming Top of the South Film Festival in October, both in Nelson and Blenheim.
Biggest challenge?
Never being able to get enough funding and always working with scraps. Despite that, I try to keep moving forward at whatever level I can, learning and improving. I’m hoping that one day I’ll secure decent funding to bring my 26 unproduced feature scripts to life at the level I’ve envisioned them!
What is your advice for someone wanting to get into the industry?
Persevere. And learn from every experience, each one is different and teaches you something.
Who is a person you admire in the industry?
Ricky Gervais. Quite apart from his Golden Globe hosting and stand-up comedy specials, he is an absolutely brilliant writer and performer in so many varied TV shows from The Office, to Extras, to Derek, to After Life, as well as his amazing shows and podcasts with Steve Merchant and Karl Pilkington. Despite not ‘succeeding’ until he was nearly 40, he has really just gone for it since then for 24 years now, and still going strong.
Northspur plays at the Top of the South Film Festival, Nelson, 4-7 October.
