Tag Archives: boddybag

No Budget, No Rules, No Excuses: How Haven Got Made Anyway

If you’ve ever wanted to make a feature film but didn’t have the funds, cast, time, crew or previous feature filmmaking experience… This is your sign to do it anyway.

BoddyBag presents Haven – a gory, dark comedy, whodunnit feature film.

The idea was planned out in a three-hour car journey.
Written within three weeks.
100 pages shot within 10 days.
The whole project is expected to be completed within 12 months from conception.

“We didn’t have a handbrake,” Julia Boddy, actor and filmmaker explained. “In order to create art, with full control, you have to find a way to make it yourself.”

So yeah. These guys just did it. They made it work despite the odds, and it looks like they absolutely smashed it out of the park.

Haven follows Megan, who escapes to a remote lodge on Mount Ruapehu for a week of solitude and relaxation. Not far from there, a religious commune called Haven descends into total chaos following a deadly incident. The survivors flee for their lives and take refuge at the very same lodge.

When a murder rocks the isolated retreat, tensions rise and trust quickly unravels. Trapped with a group of strangers, Megan finds herself caught in a deadly game where anyone could be the killer – unless she figures it out before the next killing.

I am a total sucker for an Agatha Christie mind-twisting murder mystery, so I’m already sold tbh. But what really sets this movie apart is their gung-ho, guerrilla style way of filmmaking.

And, from what I’ve seen of Haven so far, I’d say quality wasn’t compromised on either.

“You just gotta go with the flow, and when you find something has gone wrong when you’re back in post, you say ‘damn’, kick yourself for half a second, and then you find a way to fix it,” Julia said.

“Instead, embrace the mistakes, learn from them, and turn them into something out of the box.”

In other words, mistakes weren’t avoided; they were embraced and evolved into a more creative version.

What I loved about this process of filmmaking was that they worked totally within their means. They had a lodge at their disposal, so the storyline was based around a lodge.

While a cheesy action movie was preferred, limited funds meant a genre change was required. Keeping costs down, they also needed a multi- tasking cast and crew.

“We knew we would all be lodging and living together for a couple of weeks, so being nimble, curious and accepting was a massive factor. We even sent that out to casting agents,” Julia said.

This passion project had everyone 100% on board, with most people wearing more than one hat on set. Actors were also sound operators, and the chef Matthew Pesce even stepped in as an actor.

“This was every actor and crew member’s first feature film. It was the first ‘yes’ they’d been given so we were all so grateful of one another.”

The crew list also included John Mulvey – AKA Nick Frost’s stunt double – who planned out the stunts. Julia highlighted Arno Retief as being central to the crew. He was camera operator, sound operator, gimbal operator, gaffer, grip, armourer, bullet stunt co-ordinator, and all-round good guy.

“He’s always wanted to make a movie, so we said ‘here’s your chance!’”

New Zealand actor and acting coach Miranda Harcourt tuned in from Europe too, sending well wishes and sharing advice.

With Haven set to be completed by December 2026, Julia is now putting on her producer’s hat to pitch it to distributors.

I have no doubt we’ll see this film on our screens by next year.

Their attitude of not letting anything stand in their way makes Haven feel like more than just a film. It’s an ode to not only following your dreams, but actually getting sh*t done.

Unapologetic, and not asking for permission. This is Kiwi creative ingenuity at its peak.

Love it.

Follow their progress on Instagram @boddybagmovingpictures, and stay tuned to watch Haven!

Everyone deserves a shout out on this project:

Cast:
Julia Boddy – Megan
Emma Campbell – Caitlin Samantha MacGillivray – Victoria Sylvie Pease – Francesca
Zara Gilbert- Rose
Gracie Cullen – Charlotte
David Capstick- Christopher Chris Turnbull – D.S. Bully

Crew:
Julia Boddy – Producer
James Boddy – Writer/Director/Camera/Editor
Chris Brokensha – Camera/Technical Director
Rowan Asmundson – Camera/Technical Director
Arno Retief – Camera/Sound/Whole Lot Of Other Stuff Matthew Pesce – Chef
John Mulvey – Stunt Co-ordinator
Paul Vary – Camp Dad
Miranda Harcourt – Acting coach
Martin Boddy – Graphics

Want to see your project featured? Message @nzfilmfreak on Facebook, or email jodie@beachmarketing.co.nz

Boddybag: The Creative Kiwi Duo Bringing Joy Back to Film Sets

“Make stuff that is fun, make stuff that can impact someone in a good way, make stuff that is ridiculous, be curious in others and everyday things outside of what you know.”
– Julia Boddy // Actor

Julia and James Boddy are New Zealand’s hidden filmmaking gems who have recently returned to our shores from Ireland.

Former Hamilton police officer, Julia Boddy is now an emerging actor with formal training at Bow Street Academy (home to the acting coach whose clients include the likes of Orlando Bloom, Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp).

James Boddy hailed from Palmerston North, and graduated from the New Zealand Broadcasting School. His twenty five year long career was launched after writing a screenplay that won a national competition, and went on to work on the likes of our infamous L&P adverts, First Responders, and Location, Location, Location NZ.

“Dad owned a comic shop which is a pretty sweet way of immersing yourself into the narrative world,” James said. “Though my teenage brain wasn’t comprehending it at the time, a diet of comic books is one of the best teachers when it comes to writing for the screen.”

He is re-emerging into the film and television industry again after taking a step back to raise his daughter, Catherine Boddy who won New Zealand’s Young Designer of the Year in 2016. She has since settled in London as a fashion designer, so James has dived back into the film and television industry.

James and Julia have teamed up and operate under the name of Boddybag. Their freelancing outfit covers every basis of filmmaking, from writing to directing to acting.

The duo have been writing and developing new projects over the last two years. One of them is with Emmy winning and 2025 BAFTA nominated producer Liz DiFiore.

“We’ve been in this business for ages,” James said. “We know which way to point a lens, what lights not to stand under, what fade-in means, and where that clicking noise in the mag is from.”

They are currently filming a television series throughout New Zealand, but are available to work anywhere in the world.

“We have already been asked to return to Ireland in the New Year to work on a film in February and March. We are open to anything!” Julia said.

With a wealth of experience behind them, Boddybag are making fresh opportunities for themselves as creatives in their forties.

This new chapter in their lives has come with an upbeat and collaborative approach to filmmaking. Ensuring cast and crew are having a good time is essential to Boddybag’s signature environment on set.

“People always work at their best when they are able to have a laugh, have a voice and are actually valued as humans,” Julia said. “It’s so nice to have feedback that our projects are always a good time… People keep coming back, and want to collaborate together on their projects.”

Boddybag currently has availability in January 2026 for another project before they return to Ireland, so if you’re looking for a director, writer, actor or a hand on set, get in touch to see how the team can help via their website: boddybag.com

Otherwise, chuck them a follow on Insta to keep in the loop with their amazing work in New Zealand and beyond.

Are you an artist or a creative who wants their project seen? Get in touch with Jodie at Beach Marketing for a promotional article.