Black Sheep interview: Jonathan King

atomic How long did you spend writing the script? What did you find took most of your time (dialogue, makeup refinement)?
Jonathan King It took about three years from typing the first page to shooting the first scene. The general shape of the story was there from the start, the time was spent evolving it into the best version of the idea we could – that meant characters we could follow for 90 minutes, the best laughs and the coolest scares. I wanted people to have as fun an experience as they would hope to when they first hear the idea!

atomic As far as Oceania goes, sheep are fairly iconic when it comes to NZ. Do you feel however that the symbolism may be lost on international audiences who may associate our woolen friends with countries such as Scotland (and perhaps diminish the humorous undertones we take for granted in the film)?
Jonathan King I think New Zealand and sheep go together in peoples’ minds all over the world. And even if they do have different associations with sheep, they can apply what they know (and the jokes they make) to this film!

atomic Digital can be tempting for independent filmmakers looking for a cheaper option. When do you feel digital will overtake normal film?
Jonathan King I think the change will come pretty soon. While the savings are only a small percentage of the budget for bigger films, the best new HD technology can allow makers of smaller films to get high-quality images more cheaply.
The one thing we were conscious of with Black Sheep was that we definitely wanted to make a film, not a straight-to-DVD video ... but as the quality of digital options gets better it will be impossible to tell the difference before long.



atomic What would you say you enjoy more – writing or directing? Obviously both have their charms.
Jonathan King Writing is great – when it’s going well! There’s nothing more satisfying than creating something out of nothing. When it’s not going well it’s torture.

The great thing about directing is that you’re always moving, creating and interacting with people – it isn’t comfortable, but it’s exhilarating. Editing is the most relaxed creative time on a movie. You’re working with elements you already have and putting them together in new ways. It’s (usually) a very satisfying time.

atomic In modern film, who do you believe has the most creative control over a project – the director, producer or writer? Why is this so and has this changed over the years?
Jonathan King It can depend a bit on the scale of the project, but probably the director. Certainly – once the film has started shooting – the writer is at the bottom of that list! If the director is trusted to achieve his vision or is accepted as a key part of the ‘package’ then they’ll be the one with the most control. The more money there is at stake, however, the more likely the producer is to be the one with ultimate control – though, even in that situation, the director would be trusted – as long as he was delivering.

It doesn't get much better than the Bruce.

atomic In what ways does the New Zealand Government support filmmakers? How did they help you on Black Sheep?
Jonathan King The New Zealand Film Commission is a government funded organisation that finances films. They were very supportive of Black Sheep from a very early stage. They helped us make contact with international partners and ended up contributing a majority of our budget.

atomic In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently in the film, say a particular scene, the levels of gore, development of characters, etc?
Jonathan King Not really! You always wish you had more time, more money, another go at shooting something or more testing before you shot. But we made the best of all the resources we had and I’m thrilled with the result. Next time I’ll make a movie without animals in it!

atomic Any advice for new filmmakers?
Jonathan King Don’t wait or hope for someone to come and give you a break or a dream gig – it won’t happen. You make it for yourself. Make as much as you can. Write – or get someone to write – a great script: that’s where movies come from.