Dunedin Man Wins Video Award
Angela Crompton

Film shot by former Dunedin man Nigel Thornicroft, with music by his brother's band Suka, was named overall winner of the Active Music Video Awards in Wellington this week.

Mr Thornicroft has been based in Wellington this year after completing his studies at the New Zealand Broadcasting School in Christchurch. Kipiel, a song by his brother Matthew Thornicroft's band, had seemed ideal for a video he wanted to make for the Radio Active-sponsored awards.

The slow, methodical rhythms in Kipiel were just right for Mr Thornicroft's idea, to have a man rowing a little boat out to sea. When he catches a fish, it bleeds so much the boat fills up and capsizes.

Using a borrowed, antique boat, a frozen mullet and a large quantity of raspberry concentrate mixed with maple syrup, Mr Thornicroft shot the video in the Christchurch harbour, an estuary, a diving pool and a car park.

Usually working now as a cameraman for Saturn, Channel V and doing grip work for the Lord of the Rings' crew, Mr Thornicroft said he entered the awards to compare his idea of a good music video with other works.

"I didn't want to . . . [have] the band playing in it. Watching bands play can be a bit boring after awhile."

He was "stoked" at Monday night's awards to learn the panel of judges had chosen his entry as the best cinematography entry. It was a big surprise when it was named again as the overall winner, a title chosen by audience members. Mr Thornicroft won a digital camera.