D-Day heroes chase Emmy

By STUART DYE

First it was Peter Jackson and his crew, then Keisha Castle-Hughes.

Now a new team from New Zealand's movie industry is on its way to Hollywood.

The work of four Waitakere City film-makers on Ike: Countdown to D-Day has been recognised by being nominated for an Emmy award.

Ralph Davies, Nick Bassett, Andy McLaren and Jill Cormack have been nominated in the category of Best Art Direction/Design in the awards, for the best shows on US television.

The film, starring Tom Selleck as Dwight D. Eisenhower, was in the top five movies for TV release in America this year.

It was shot entirely in and around Auckland. Battle scenes involving the death of 2000 American soldiers were recreated at Piha Beach.

In just three months the team created the set for an American Army in 1940s wartime Britain.

The action-drama chronicled the 90 days leading to Eisenhower's execution of the renowned military operation on June 6, 1944.

Mr Davis says the film gained its edge because "New Zealand crews are just bloody good at what we do".

"We give big production value to small productions. New Zealand is not just a cheap place to make films. We do top-quality work and have dedicated crews," he said.

The design team built complicated sets such as a replica American Army camp in Hillsborough. They also created a special Army trailer to match the one used by Eisenhower.

Ike: Countdown to D-Day is the smallest production in its category and is competing with movies which have budgets of more than $70 million.

The team of Mr Davies (production designer), Mr Bassett and Mr McLaren (art directors) and Ms Cormack (set decorator) had expected to watch the ceremony on television because they couldn't afford to travel.

But IMF Westland, owners of the Westgate complex, came to the rescue. Managing director Mark Gunton said his firm decided to help because the nomination was a "phenomenal achievement" for Waitakere City's film-making industry.

The Emmy awards ceremony is on September 19.