Experiencing Interruptions?

Prologue

James’s day spirals from the moment he walks through the school gates for afternoon pick-up. His youngest, Mikey, is given his final warning for violent behaviour, while Noah's plea for takeout clashes with the reality of another pot-noodle dinner in their cramped motel room. ‘Prologue’ depicts James’s 24-hour struggle: parenting, a conflict at work, a housing crisis and the unexpected return of his sons’ elusive mother. At the end of the day, he just wants to give his kids something to smile about.

  • Ollie Skilton
    Director
  • Ollie Skilton
    Writer
  • Bella Thomsson
    Producer
  • Ollie Skilton
    Producer
  • James Ladanyi
    Key Cast
    "James"
  • Noah Rex
    Key Cast
    "Noah"
  • Celestyn Larochette
    Key Cast
    "Mikey"
  • Elijah Adams
    Director of Photography
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    17 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    April 15, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    8,000 NZD
  • Country of Origin:
    New Zealand
  • Country of Filming:
    New Zealand
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Massey University
Director Biography - Ollie Skilton

Ollie Skilton grew up in Auckland, New Zealand, before moving to Wellington, New Zealand's creative capital, in 2021.

Before entering film school, Ollie was fascinated with finding out everything he could about the world around him - studying economics, politics, philosophy, sociology and education before settling on film. To Ollie, there is no better way to understand the world around us and within us than the language of cinema.

When he's not writing, directing and producing short films, Ollie works at a local cinema and in various roles in New Zealand's local TV and Film industry - immersing himself in the world of filmmaking.

Long-term, Ollie aspires to tell authentic and unique stories across a multitude of mediums. He believes that stories true to our collective human experience can help us understand each other and build bridges at a time when we need genuine connection more than ever.

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Director Statement

In December 2023, 3141 households lived out of motels in emergency housing. Many of these households were families. Young children would start their day and head to school out of small motel rooms, with entire families forced to relocate due to unaffordable housing. When I became aware of this issue in our community, especially when I encountered it when working at a school, I felt compelled to tell the unheard stories of these people going through incredible hardship in our backyard.

With ‘Prologue’, I wanted to create an authentic world, with characters that reflect the reality faced by these people. Using a slice-of-life approach, I felt I would be able to show these characters as they truly are, allowing the audience to digest what is happening on screen and depict the moral contradictions of the story without judgment from behind the camera. This observational style is reflected in the way our camera moves throughout this world, following our characters, not becoming particularly attached until the end, when we truly feel pulled into this family's complicated life.

‘Prologue’ aims to pull us into the lives of its characters and achieve a higher level of empathy by bringing the audience’s watchful eye along for the ride. I hope that ‘Prologue’ can make people more understanding and aware of the hardships that many New Zealanders face, but still illuminate the questions of morality that arise in times of dire need, especially when one’s closest family is at stake.