About

Known credits:
32
Birthday:
1912-03-20
Place of birth:
Wanganui, New Zealand
Website:
N/A

Michael Forlong

Overview

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.

Known for

Acting
2011 After Ever After: Or Numbers on a Napkin Actor Guy N/A
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1969 Look at Life: Saturday Special Actor Self N/A
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Directing
1980 High Rise Donkey Directing Director N/A
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1975 Hijack! Directing Director N/A
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1972 Raising the Roof Directing Director N/A
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1972 Rangi's Catch Directing Director N/A
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1972 Escape and Capture Directing Director N/A
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1972 Jet Boat Directing Director N/A
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1972 The Mysterious Campers Directing Director N/A
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1972 Terror in the Caves Directing Director N/A
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1972 Caught at Sea Directing Director N/A
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1972 Escaped Convicts Directing Director N/A
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1972 Packed in the Boot Directing Director N/A
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1968 Lionheart Directing Director 59
Average
1964 Plantage Tamarinde Directing Director N/A
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1961 The Green Helmet Directing Director N/A
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1956 Safari Directing Second Unit Director 58
Average
1954 Suicide Mission Directing Director 59
Average
1951 Aroha: A Story of the Māori People Directing Director N/A
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1950 Journey for Three Directing Director N/A
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Wake Up to Wool Directing Director N/A
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Writing
1972 Rangi's Catch Writing Writer N/A
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1968 Lionheart Writing Writer 59
Average
1954 Suicide Mission Writing Writer 59
Average
1951 Aroha: A Story of the Māori People Writing Writer N/A
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1950 Journey for Three Writing Writer N/A
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1941 One Hundred Crowded Years: The Centennial Film Writing Writer 59
Average

Production
1972 Rangi's Catch Production Producer N/A
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1968 Lionheart Production Producer 59
Average
1958 Dunkirk Production Associate Producer 59
Average

Editing
1951 Aroha: A Story of the Māori People Editing Editor N/A
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1950 Journey for Three Editing Editor N/A
N/A