MAORI TALKIE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 787, 7 October 1929, Page 13

MAORI TALKIE

Scenes on Mangere Mountain A SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT Mangere Mountain, scene of past Maori meetings and festivities, disputes and warfare, v/as the spot selected yesterday for the taking of New Zealand’s first sound and talking picture | Native men and maidens in full cos- \ j tuine stood on ground over which j I their warrior forebears had walked. 1 \ And while a big camera purred softly. ! : u hidden microphone caught and trans- j i ferred to the film Maori songs and [ | conversation, addresse-s and exliort- ! ations. j Adapted and built in Auckland at a cost of £2,000 tlie machine is being used by Mr. E. Drown, producer for New Zealand Radio Films Limited. For the past 6 months it has been under construction at the firm’s laboratories in Francis Street,. Grey Lynn, and it is said to have passed all tests with entire satisfaction. The “talkie" party is under contract to produce two Maori films, and the first one, portion of which was “shot’’ yesterday is to be titled “Romance of Maoriland.” Against a specially-selected backj ground of native trees and shrubs, it | toupe of Mangere Maoris assembled i on the slopes of the mount yesterday and underwent their novel experience. The camera, with its accompanying apparatus, was set fully 25 feet from the players and the microphone at the end of a concealed wire was planted behind a tuft of grass at their feet. This enabled the sound to be caught without the disturbing purr of the camera. The effect produced held an element of the uncanny. Speech, songs, chatter, and even whispers were heard and recorded by the unseen talkie ear yet the group at the camera heard nothing but the faint murmuring of the speakers. One technician, epuipped with earphones was able to follow the dialogue, and make any necessary ad- ■ justmcnts. With eager gusto and a distinctly creditable histrionic sense tlie Maori players entered into the spirit of the performance. Led by J immy Pai they played their parts with vigor. During the filming a string trio played, tableaux were arranged, halvas given, and a dainty little Maori maid danced. * Electric power to operate the machine was led from a neighbouring house and the experiment was up to the fullest expectations of the experts. The sound was recorded on the film itself following the system usually adopted abroad for outdoor work. The producer intends to instal the camera in Queen Street to pick up and record city scenes with their accompanying sound. Assisting him are Mr. E. W. Platt, sound Engineer, Mr. Edwin Coubray, chief photographer, and Mr. Allan Rogers, electrician. The Maori troupe appearing in the film is led by Jimmy Pai and Pare Mita Karaka, who are preparing the local tribes’ welcome to the Maori chiefs who have been invited to attend the opening of the War Memorial Museum on November 28. Their work includes hakas, poi dances, war dances and songs. Jimmy Pai contributing a solo taiaha, or Maori physical drill, and his tiny daughter, Toi Toi, a pretty dance. A total length of! 3,000 ft of f m was made yesterday, including some amusing scenes taken at a “kapa Maori,” or native oven.