Michael Forlong

Directing·Mar 20, 1912·Wanganui, New Zealand

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Michael Forlong (1912–2000) was a New Zealand writer, producer and director. He worked for the New Zealand National Film Unit before moving to England. After managing to introduce drama and dance into his post WWII films for the National Film Unit, filmmaker Michael Forlong spent the remainder of his career directing features in Europe. In 1972 he returned to New Zealand to shoot children's tale Rangi's Catch, discovering actor Temuera Morrison in the process. Born in Whanganui on 20 March 1912, Forlong was brought up largely by his mother. Forlong was an announcer on Wellington radio station 2ZB when he was drafted to write the script for an ambitious Government film, marking New Zealand’s 1940 centennial. Originally running at roughly 53 minutes, One Hundred Crowded Years mixed Waitangi re-enactments with modern day doco footage. Ultimately the filmwould win its biggest audiences from school groups. Forlong also worked on at least three other films for the NZ Government, before serving in WWII. In 1944 Forlong joined recently created Government filmmaking body the National Film Unit, where he began writing and editing for NFU newsreel Weekly Review. Forlong would go on to direct (plus usually write and edit) an impressive tally of 25 plus films at the Unit. With few exceptions, filmmaking commissioned for the NZ Government had long been based mainly around newsreels and promotional films. Though Forlong worked on his fair share of Weekly Review newsreels, a number of his more noteworthy films incorporated dramatic elements.

Film	Credit
After Ever After: Or Numbers on a Napkin2011 · Guy	Guy
HHigh Rise Donkey1980 · Director	Director
HHijack!1975 · Director	Director
RRaising the Roof1972 · Director	Director
RRangi's Catch1972 · Writer, Producer, Director	Writer, Producer, Director
JJet Boat1972 · Director	Director
TTerror in the Caves1972 · Director	Director
PPacked in the Boot1972 · Director	Director
CCaught at Sea1972 · Director	Director
EEscape and Capture1972 · Director	Director
EEscaped Convicts1972 · Director	Director
TThe Mysterious Campers1972 · Director	Director
Look at Life: Saturday Special1969 · Self	Self
Lionheart1968 · Writer, Producer, Director	Writer, Producer, Director
WWake Up to Wool1967 · Director	Director
Plantage Tamarinde1964 · Director	Director
SStork Talk1962 · Director	Director
Over the Odds1961 · Director	Director
The Green Helmet1961 · Director	Director
Suicide Mission1954 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
AAroha: A Story of the Māori People1951 · Writer, Director	Writer, Director
Journey for Three1950 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
Weekly Review No. 169 - New Zealand Soldiers and Polish Children1944 · Writer	Writer
One Hundred Crowded Years: The Centennial Film1940 · Writer	Writer