Peter Wells: Desperate Remedies and making queer films...

Peter Wells, who died in February 2019, was an accomplished writer/director who explored gay and historical themes in his work. Among his screen credits are groundbreaking TV dramas Jewel’s Darl and A Death in the Family. Wells also created stylish feature Desperate Remedies with co-director Stewart Main. In later years he collaborated with Annie Goldson for documentary Georgie Girl.

In this 2014 ScreenTalk interview, Wells talked about:

• The idea for My First Suit coming from his co-director Stewart Main
• Knowing that his TV drama Jewel’s Darl would enrage people
• How actress Georgina Beyer was  perfect for the role of Jewel
• Filming a scene in front of a real protest against homosexual law reform
• Having big problems with TV executives over the drama
• Why AIDS drama A Death in the Family won so many viewers
• Turning a desire to save at-risk architecture into The Mighty Civic
• How budget constraints helped give movie Desperate Remedies its distinctive style
• Having to convince the NZ Film Commission about casting choices
• Telling the story of Georgina Beyer in Georgie Girl
• Realising that queer filmmaking does have a future 

This video was first uploaded on 12 May 2014, and is available under this Creative Commons licence. This licence is limited to use of ScreenTalk interview footage only and does not apply to any video content and photographs from films, television, music videos, web series and commercials used in the interview.

Interview, Camera and Editing – Andrew Whiteside