Hometown Hollywood

Passions burn; babies are born and stars sparkle as a West Auckland volunteer fire brigade struggles to realize its dream of making a movie.

A fly-on-the-wall fire pole documentary about the filming of Isaiah’s Fire, a romantic comedy/drama set in 1950’s Auckland – written, directed and acted by a the Waiatarua Volunteer Fire Brigade and their friends and families.

Strangely enough – the movie is about the setting up of a volunteer fire brigade by a bumbling Welshman and a mad Russian.

It’s based on a play written by one of the brigade members, Tony Holt (Tony sadly passed away before this documentary went to air), which was initially performed as a fund-raiser for the brigade.  But the play was so popular with the locals that Tony and his decided that they had to turn it into film.

Everyone said the Waiatarua Brigade couldn’t do it – especially as they had no money and no filmmaking experience.  But Kevin Healy (director), Tony Holt (writer) and Lyndsay Whittle (producer) were determined to see their dream through to the end.

The Brigade gets there in the end – using loads of can-do kiwi cheek, begging and borrowing as many props as they can, and calling in big names like Waitakere mayor Bob Harvey for cameo roles.

Hometown Hollywood is a funny, tender, irreverent look at what you can achieve if you really try – and if you don’t get caught with your pants down as the fire siren goes.

Promotional Trailer

Production Details