People-watching with Michelle Savill

What set you off on the road to becoming a filmmaker?

I never planned on getting into film. One thing just led to another. I dropped out of university, took a few classes at a polytechnic and one of those was a film class, which I enjoyed. I kept studying film and made a few of my own. One of them did well internationally, which led to the New Zealand Film Commission encouraging me to apply for funding to make another short. Which I did, and that led to work in the industry.

I was immediately taken with her. She was so understated and nuanced in her performance, she felt like a person, not someone acting a character. 

In the award-winning Ellen Is Leaving (Best Narrative Short at the 2013 SXSW), you drew such naturalistic performances from the actors, especially Tai Berdinner Blades. Tell us about the casting?

Tai is a phenomenal actor and has become one of my good friends. We held a lot of auditions. She actually came in for the role of Joan, the other young woman in the film, but we felt like she was more of an Ellen. I was immediately taken with her. She was so understated and nuanced in her performance, she felt like a person, not someone acting a character.

The Lost Soldiers, Michelle Saville, Good Oil

How has the experience of filming Millie Lies Low compared to working on short films? What have you found to be the greatest challenges? 

It’s not too dissimilar to making a short, just everything is a bit bigger! But there’s always the same problems of scheduling, availability, equipment, crewing. I think that happens no matter the size of the production. 

The New Zealand Film Commission paid for me to go to a festival in France with Ellen Is Leaving. I completely missed my flight, arriving the day after. I was mortified, I’d never done anything like that before. 

The challenges for us were in making it on such a tiny budget. We did what we could to take down costs. We shot in the house I was living in, and friends pitched in to help: being extras and runners and making food. I’m indebted to my producer Desray Armstrong who made it all happen.  

Good Energy Home Loan, Michelle Saville, Good Oil

What was the inspiration for Millie Lies Low, and how did the story develop?

The New Zealand Film Commission paid for me to go to a festival in France with Ellen Is Leaving. I completely missed my flight, arriving the day after. I was mortified, I’d never done anything like that before. They said I had to buy a whole new ticket but I didn’t have the money. 

I just want to keep making good work and working with good people.

My first thoughts were that I’d have to hide for three weeks and pretend I’d been in France. I had an awful night. Then, the next morning I tried the airline again and got a different person, who took pity on me and got me on another flight. After sharing that story with friends, others opened up to me about similar crazy things they’d done to save face.