Union is a documentary about Jared James, a Māori rugby player teaching English in Japan and overcoming his sense of cultural isolation through friendships made in his local rugby union team.
During a series of workshops to prepare for teaching English in Japan, Jared met Jericho Rock-Archer. The two became close friends, being placed in Japanese cities only a 35 minute train ride apart. It was through Jericho that Union film maker Joshua Rollo discovered Jared’s story.
Joshua decided that Jared’s experience in Japan would make for a powerful documentary on the subject of cultural isolation and diversity, and pitched the idea to New Zealand documentary and film making initiative Loading Docs.
The idea was granted funding and now Joshua has teamed up with fellow Victoria alumnus and composer Steffan Paton, who graduated with a Master of Musical Arts, to begin work. The crew is fundraising with the hope of hiring higher quality camera equipment.
Joshua and Jared talk about their time at Victoria, their unusual connection, and how their experiences at Victoria are influencing this documentary.
What have you been doing since you graduated?
Joshua: I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Studies and a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing, and I didn’t know which way to go—into the arts or business. I ended up combining the two and working in advertising in Auckland. I’m now back in Wellington working at advertising agency Clemenger. Outside of that, I do film projects such as short films, music videos, and am always looking for other film projects, which is how I founded Union.
Jared: I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Victoria in 2014 and applied to the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Programme, which is for graduates wanting to move to Japan and teach English. I thought it would be a great opportunity to gain experience and help me grow as a person.
How have your experiences at Victoria fed into the creation of Union?
Joshua: I learnt a lot studying international films during my BA, and it fuelled the passion to create Union. Studying marketing has given me knowledge on getting funding for Union. In my last year at Victoria I was a Residential Advisor (RA) at Te Puni Village and that developed a lot of my social skills. I’m from Nelson and coming to Victoria and seeing so many different cultures was so valuable. It seems fitting that I’m now making a film about diversity.
Jared: If you look at the word ‘union’ it is defined as ‘bringing two or more things together’—that’s exactly what happened when I was studying at Victoria. It brought education and me together. Coming out of high school I was unsure of what I wanted to be in the future. Going to Victoria I had wonderful experiences that ultimately led to Union.
Did you know anyone working on Union while at Victoria? Do you stay in touch with friends from your student days?
Joshua: I met our composer Steffan at Te Puni Village, which is where we started making short films.
Jared: I have some great friends that I went to Victoria with and we still keep in touch to this day. The late nights studying in the library creates a strong bond.