A FILM BY WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY

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1 PRESENTS A FILM BY STARRING DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY PRODUCED BY AND WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY SOUND PRODUCTION BY STELLER FILMS. LTD. 2016

2 SYNOPSIS WHAT LIES UNDER THE EARTH? Follow the journey of one man deep into the wilderness of New Zealand. Meditate upon nature, and upon the nature of men. Deep into your own dark heart, where few have dared to go; Under The Earth. The backdrop of the Wairarapa, in the North Island of New Zealand, provides a poignant stage for the protagonist as he journeys from his lonely hut in the forest to a mysterious cave where he must face up to his own conscience. One part character study of a lonely hunter, and one part a portrait of New Zealand s Wilderness, we feel the throbbing heart of one of the most spectacular landscapes on Earth. This is New Zealand at its wildest, and it s most darkly haunting.

The backdrop of the Wairarapa, in the North Island of New Zealand, provides a poignant stage for the protagonist as he journeys from his lonely hut in the forest to a

3 DIRECTORS STATEMENT I live with multiple personalities, dark and light. And as a Film Maker I am fascinated by isolated, cultural niches. When I daydream, these personalities act out in these environments. The human psych is a highly explorative place for a character to unveil. Eliminating distractions from these characters, opens space in the mind for exploration; to confront the dark sides and transform them into light through an internal struggle. In this we find humanity. From them a story which draws us to it s unknown and particular beauty. Steven and I philosophically approached the project from a theatrical realist method based on truth, conveyed both externally and internally through the actor. Steven chose to virtually starve himself for the duration of the shoot, and spend his nights separated from the crew- sleeping in only a bivouac under the stars. By this method, when in the Haurangi Mountains, Steven was only his character- a lonely hunter, haunted by his own conscious, communicating only with the character of the bush. He carried wood on his bare back, up mountain ridges during the afternoon heat, cut through flesh of wild animals, and wore only one outfit with his knife belt strapped to his waist. He was able to achieve this mental agony of isolation, while physically isolating himself from the outside world. As a crew we were pulled into his struggle, as Steven became the Hunter; while he went Under The Earth, into the simplicity and rugged nature, we were witness to it s quiet, and inner struggles.

Eliminating distractions from these characters, opens space in the mind for exploration; to confront the dark sides and transform them into light through an internal struggle.

4 CAST AND CREW Filmed entirely on location in the North Island of New Zealand. Inspired by the wild earth and the isolation of the Haurangi Mountains and Ruakokopatuna Forest, Under the Earth was filmed with the crew fully immersed in the environment. Every day new challenges arose from wild bulls stalking, to wet, slippery location crawls, and steep rugged, dark treks; through to extreme weather, and limited water and power. It was only the endless determination of a passionate crew which saw this project through to its completion. DIRECTOR, WRITER, PRODUCER, CINEMATOGRAPHER, EDITOR: Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with Honors from Victoria University,Wellington. Micah Steller is a New Zealand born film director currently working out of Wellington. Inspired by the cinema of Tarkovsky, Bergman, and Casavettes, Steller sees cinema as an endlessly expressive art form filled with possibilities that he seeks to explore to their full potential. Fascinated by themes such as transformation and the movement of time, Steller analyses complex characters and gets under their skin in ways that pushes the boundaries of cinema as an art form. His first feature film has certainly achieved these intentions. Long, still scenes of a forest that seems at any moment about to consume us, Steller has started his career with a New Zealand film like no other. He is currently engaged in pre-production for his next feature film Cade, a character study about a self-destructive stand up comic to be filmed in Wellington PRODUCER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design from Drexel University, Philadelphia. Interned in Art Therapy, Studied Psychology at the City University of New York, and Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at The International Center of Photography, New York City. Fátimih s work ranges from Documentary Photography, Graphic Design, Film Production, and Motion Graphics. Through Visual Communication, Fátimih challenges to distract the misnomers and reveal the intricate beauty within a culture. Her work breathes an insatiable love of imagery- both moving and still. Combines Photography, Design, and Project Management skills into a vision inspired by the nature of culture and it s home. Attention to detail with an inclination towards beauty and grace drive her projects into fruition. KIMBERLEY SINGLE SOUND PRODUCTION: Bachelor of Design Innovation- Specializing in Media Design and Minoring in German from Victoria University, Wellington. This being Kim s first major Film Project, she hopes to continue her career, building upon her multi-talented creativity with a focus on how audio and visual play together to tell a story or evoke a feeling. She works as a Sound Specialist, Designer, Photographer,Cinematographer, Digital Marketer, and Animator. STEVEN CIPRIAN ACTOR: Steven has been working as an actor since his return to New Zealand in 2004, after living and acting in theater overseas for many years. In 2012 he graduated from The Actor s Program, a full-time one year course run by some of New Zealand s leading theatre and film practitioners. Most recent among his television appearances, Steven played Jim Gibson on Shortland Street in Steven has also had major parts in the Auckland Legacy Project, an annual artistic showcase of LBGT stories. Steven feels very blessed to have worked with Steller films on Under the Earth, as this type of artistic endeavor was a labor of love for everyone involved. This type of work is precisely what inspires him, and he considers this project to have been the absolute highlight of his acting career.

Every day new challenges arose from wild bulls stalking, to wet, slippery location crawls, and steep rugged, dark treks; through to extreme weather, and limited water and power.

5 BEHIND THE SCENES FILMED ON LOCATION THE WAIARAPA, NEW ZEALAND DECEMBER-JANUARY 2016

6 CREDITS WRITER/DIRECTOR PRODUCER DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR MUSIC GRAPHIC DESIGN STELLER FILMS, LTD CAST HUNTER STEVEN CIPRIAN CREW SOUND PRODUCTION/GRIP KIMBERLEY SINGLE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR/ ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY COSTUME DESIGN MARLY DOYLE POST PRODUCTION AUDIO POST MUNKI STUDIOS, MIXED BY MIKE SPECIAL THANKS GEOFF AND SUE WILKENSON & FAMILY RUAKOKOPATUNA FOREST AND HAURANGI MTS COMMUNITY

ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY COSTUME DESIGN MARLY DOYLE POST PRODUCTION AUDIO POST MUNKI STUDIOS, MIXED BY

7 CONTACT INFORMATION DIRECTOR STELLERFILMS.COM PRODUCER STELLERFILMS.COM

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Media and Photography The director calling lights, camera, action. The actors and actresses collecting all the gongs. The influential radio presenter playing the latest hits. They would all be nothing