The Making of Footrot Flats - The Dog's Tale

This documentary explores the path of Footrot Flats from comic strip to New Zealand's first animated movie. While Pat Cox, the film's original producer, stays off-screen, Footrot creator Murray Ball discusses leading a large team as they bring his universe to life. Ball and others talk about the challenges of finding an actor to voice Dog, the character Ball admits is closest to him. Amidst the film clips and making of footage, Dave Dobbyn talks music, and Mike Hopkins (who later won Oscar glory on Lord of the Rings) lends his feet to the sound effects. Find out more about the making of the film in this backgrounder.

...the film has been divided in two: it's a Trans-Tasman thing. Although all the actors and all the music and all the direction and that sort of thing comes from New Zealand, the animation itself was done in Australia.

– Footrot Flats director Murray Ball

Key Cast & Crew

Tom Scott

Subject

Murray Ball

Subject

John Clarke

Subject

Lesley Stevens

Director, Producer

Dave Dobbyn

Subject, Composer

Martin Didsbury

Producer