Tracking Shots
Cast & Crew
Lee McLeod Hill, 1908-1952
One of New Zealand's most enterprising filmmakers was Lee McLeod Hill, born in Carterton in the Wairarapa.
He learned his trade at the JS Vinsen Studio in Wellington filming sporting events, beauty contests and baby shows. To survive the Depression, Hill worked with Rudall Hayward on his Community Comedy films. Later he made his own comedies in direct competition with Hayward. In 1933 Hill, with Stewart Pitt and sound recordist Jack Welsh, produced New Zealand's first feature talkie Down on the Farm.
At the outbreak of World War II Hill was appointed official war photographer to the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force and traveled to the front line in a YMCA mobile cinema, projecting films for troop entertainment.
Hill was captured and interned at a prison camp in Germany. On his release at the end of the war, he went to England and filmed Allied Prisoners of War returning home. He then made a tour of Britain and Europe as cameraman for the NZEF rugby team.
Back in New Zealand, Hill resumed filming local sporting events and contests. He later formed his own company, Television Films Limited, and bought the Vogue Theatre in Brooklyn, Wellington.
- Down on the Farm (excerpt) (1,000kb)
Please note: These videos are in the QuickTime format. You will need to have the QuickTime player installed in order to view these files.
