That’s not a public service announcement from the government, but rather the premise for a new web series from New Zealand On Air developed by Charlie Faulks.
Faulks grew up in Gisborne on a lifestyle block property. Like many kids he says he drew a lot, but unlike most kids he never stopped.
“The passion just kept snowballing until now it’s just such an obsession. In 2022 I came to Wellington to study screen art at Massey. In the middle of uni I started making the show ‘Bloke of the Apocalypse’ about a farmer and his son in the zombie apocalypse.”
After making prototypes independently, Faulks received an opportunity to pitch the show to NZ On Air. The show was picked up as part of a new initiative from New Zealand On Air to reach new audiences from younger generations who would not necessarily be watching through traditional outlets.
Despite the outlandish and fantastical premise, Faulks said the main inspiration for the show came from very real circumstances and people.
The character of ‘Bloke’ was heavily inspired by Faulks’ own father, ‘that classic Kiwi bloke demeanour, very cavalier and quite stubborn, this guy who doesn’t want to admit what is happening and is instead fixated on the upkeep of this farm.
“Oliver- the son- is based on my experience, just in the form of my ten-year old brother. And so Dad and Ollie my brother get themselves on screen.”
“From the get-go I had this unique premise to work from. Knowing characters like this made it easy to write because I knew what they would say in any specific situation. It’s a unique point of view, something quite fresh.”
Meanwhile, plotlines like having to grudgingly go out and chip prickles around the property boundary will no doubt feel familiar to many Kiwis both young and old.
Despite this, Faulks says the show will appeal to more than just farmers and Kiwis.
The zombie virus plot draws obvious comparisons to the COVID pandemic and the Kiwi humour- dry, deadpan and understated- has previously proven very popular with international audiences in such works as Flight of the Conchords and Footrot Flats.
Visually, the show drew inspiration from Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon shows of the 2010’s with their intentionally strange and unsettling art styles.
Faulks said that YouTube is an exciting place for animation and creativity in general, with a lot of accessibility for both audiences and creatives.
“Animation is such a unique artform, you can go anywhere with it. We wouldn’t have had the budget to do most of the stuff we do in Bloke in real life and so it’s lets you be unbridled with your story telling.”
With New Zealand’s domestic animation industry growing, Faulks is optimistic to see what the future will bring for new generations of talented individuals working together.
“I started making this show independently with my mate Jack Marlin. He was the voice of Bloke from the very beginning and injected a life into him that I wouldn’t have been able to capture.
“The wonderful animator Jackson Davis came on board and we got these wonderful producers Ben Powdrell and Francesca Carney who made the show more legitimized and rounded out our element. Our executive producer Kate Goodwin just understands animation and was a real asset to have on board.”
While Faulks is comfortable in Wellington, he says that it is always nice to go back to Gisborne and see the family again for a quieter time.
“[The show is] a love letter to those people and it’s a joy to have them as the main character of a series like this.”
