TORCHLIGHT FILMS
sustainable local filmmaking telling stories that matter
about us
ANDREA BOSSHARD & SHANE LOADER have worked together as a filmmaking partnership since 1985, counterbalancing their differing strengths in writing, directing, editing and producing to make a wide range of short and medium length dramas and documentaries. In 1988, they were invited by documentary filmmakers Alister Barry and Russell Campbell to join Vanguard Films. And in 2008, they established Torchlight Films under the umbrella of the Community Media Trust.
They have, over the years, developed a model of filmmaking that takes advantage of the (affordable) new digital technologies to create a low-budget but professional film practice that is prolific, vigorous, independent and above all, relevant to our society — stories that are contemporary, multi-cultural, cross-generational and which address the issues which affect us all. They have been particularly inspired by the films of British directors Ken Loach (I, Daniel Blake; Sorry, We missed You ; Cathy Come Home) and Mike Leigh (Life Is Sweet; Secrets and Lies; All or Nothing) as well as the new Scandinavian cinema which was re-shaped and reinvigorated particularly by the Danish Dogme ’95 group (The Celebration; Brothers; Together).
"WE HAVE BEEN working together as a co-writing/ co-directing team for many years. We both came from very different backgrounds in terms of our cinema experiences. Andrea's parents, culturally understimulated in a small town in the early 70's, set up a film society at which, more often than not, the Bosshard family (children in pyjamas) were the only audience. Thus Andrea was exposed to some of the important films of world cinema at a young age — Nanook of the North, Battleship Potemkin, Salt of the Earth ("We want the formula!") - and sometimes as a treat, she even saw them backwards! Shane, meanwhile, was catching the train with a mass of unsupervised Upper Hutt kids to go to matinee sessions at the Regent in Naenae, as much for the thrill of being part of an anarchic audience rolling jaffas down the aisle as it was for seeing Herbie Rides Again.
What brings us together in our filmmaking pursuits, is our interest in telling character-based stories, stories sourced from our communities where big themes play out in modest circumstances, stories that explore the human condition and have the power to move and touch us. Without extensive crews, large lighting set-ups, copious amounts of equipment etc. - all the trappings that are taken as the norm within the Hollywood model - story and performance are for us, our greatest resource and asset. This is where we have chosen to put our energy as filmmakers - into sharpening our abilities to tell a story through characters who bear the stamp of authenticity and truthfulness."
andrea
Andrea was given a Super8 camera and a roll of film by her 6th form drama teacher, Denise Walsh, and told “Go and make a film. That’ll keep you busy.” And it has. Since studying film at Victoria University in the 80's and attending Swinburne Film School in Melbourne in 1992, Andrea has made many short films over the years including the award-winning Walking Past Midnight (Cinevex Script award 1992 and Silver Award in Cinematography from the Australian Cinematographers Society 1993) and The Intruder (Best Cinematography – Ann Arbour 2001) as well as the critically acclaimed documentary Backroom Troubles. She has worked as both tutor and lecturer in the Film Department at Victoria University and from 2002 to 2016 taught screen performance at the Wellington Performing Arts Centre / Whitireia Polytechnic. In collaboration with Shane, her feature credits include Kobi (documentary), The Great Maiden's Blush, Hook, Line & Sinker and Taking the Waewae Express. In 2018, she returned to her Otago roots, and is now living in Middlemarch where she continues to research and write a new dramatic screenplay centred on a homeless family in Dunedin.
shane
In 1981, a friend took Shane to a Wellington Film Society screening at the old National Museum. It was love story in German with no subtitles. That was the beginning of his journey as a filmmaker. Over the past 30 years, Shane has specialised as an editor. His editing credits include the critically acclaimed landmark documentary features Someone Else’s Country and In a Land Plenty, Sedition and Waves, as well as the award-winning short film The Intruder and feature drama Taking the Waewae Express. His controversial 30 minute drama The Terrorist was selected for competition at Clermont-Ferrand in 1994. He was editor and producer of the acclaimed Backroom Troubles which even today continues to be screened at international medical conferences and Ethics departments of medical schools. From 1999–2009, he taught screen acting at the annual New Zealand National Youth Drama School, building its reputation as being the course for aspiring young screen actors. His feature credits include (in collaboration with Andrea), Kobi (documentary), The Great Maiden's Blush, Hook, Line & Sinker and Taking the Waewae Express. After moving to Middlemarch with Andrea, he continues to work as freelance editor, as well as co-writing with Andrea, their latest feature film project Another Day in Paradise.