Graduate’s film will uncover Auckland’s forgotten lava caves

University graduate’s film will uncover Auckland’s forgotten lava caves

Auckland-based film-maker Gemma Duncan is directing a new short-form documentary about one of Auckland’s unknown secrets – lava caves. Gemma, who is a recent graduate of the University of Auckland FTVMS Masters Programme (2011), has secured funding from the New Zealand Film Commission and is now in the early stages of developing the film.

However, the caves aren’t the core focus of the documentary. Local speleologist, Peter Crossley has spent 50 years of his life devoted to the documentation of these caves, and this is the character that the film will follow.

“Lava caves aren’t well known, or if people know they exist, they’ve likely never been in one,” Gemma says “I’ve spent the majority of my life in Auckland and only discovered their existence when I read about them in the paper a couple of years ago – I immediately thought that lava caves would be a great film subject.

“While interesting in their own right, lava caves aren’t the only part of the story here. Peter’s insight and knowledge of the caves is what makes them come to life…he has these anecdotal stories that help you to understand what could otherwise be seen as holes in the ground. This is also why the film is called Meet Peter.”

In preparation for the start of filming, Gemma has visited a large cave in Three Kings several times and describes it as a “surreal experience”.

“I’ve been down the cave quite a few times. Actually the darkness is the thing that strikes you. As soon as you turn off your torch there is an absolute absence of light that’s kind of unexpected in suburban Auckland.

“I am not afraid of the dark but I find it could be potentially unnerving.

“In quite a lot of the caves there’s only just room to squeeze in so it’s not a good idea for anyone who’s claustrophobic.”

The cave floors can be a challenge as well, Gemma adds. “Some of them have been levelled out, but others haven’t and it’s like walking on the scoria lava flows you see on Rangitoto.”

“I came back with these pinpoint bruises on my knees and elbows the first time I walked and crawled on such a surface. I wouldn’t want to fall, that’s for sure.”

Gemma, 28, says she started thinking about filming lava caves because of a curiosity about the volcanic history of her neighbourhood of Mt Roskill.

Local producer Alexander Behse has come on board as part of the creative team. Behse is familiar with documentary films, having produced the award-winning TV reality show Radar Across the Pacific, one-off documentaries such as Allan Baldwin: In Frame, and has directed the film Nazi Hunter which screened in festivals and was broadcast as part of Inside NZ. Behse owns boutique production house Monsoon Pictures and is a partner in Zeitgeist Productions.

As the team works through the early stages of pre-production, they intend to set up a website and plug into the social media sphere so that Auckland’s can engage with the filmmakers as Meet Peter progresses.

ENDS

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