• 
• 
• 

Arriving in New Zealand in 2003, Brazilian expat Roberto Nascimento was interviewed by an immigration officer called Suzy.  Instead of staying bitter, he turned his gruelling experience into creative energy – and a comedy webseries was born.

Renee Liang talks to Roberto about making The Adventures of Suzy Boon.

The series follows its half Maori/ half Chinese protagonist (played by Kura Forrester) as she enters the last week of her trial period at the Immigration Service – and as she is trying to find where she belongs in her own small world.

With characters based loosely on real life people (including Roberto himself) and written by well-known Auckland writers Tom Sainsbury and Louis Mendiola, it features a number of well-known faces on stage and screen.

How did you come up with the idea for this webseries?

The show is based on my first experience in NZ. I arrived in 2003 and as soon as I landed I was "randomly selected" for an interview by the Immigration Department. I was interviewed for what felt like at least four hours, by this woman called Suzy. I never forgot her and I never understood why I was there to start with and why I was let go after all those questions. I used to hate her, but over the years I decided to deal with that by telling my story - through Suzy's eyes. I learnt how to love her and made a story on my mind of what she could be like.

I always had her on my mind and went on to write a monologue for The Monster Monologues back in 2008, with the help of Tom Sainsbury. Kura Forrester played her and made the character even better, so I had to give this character a longer life. My original plan was to do a short film, but Roko (Antonio Babich, co-producer of 'Suzy Boon'), suggested a web series and we went from there.

How did you, Tom and Louis collaborate on the script?

We met a few times, talked about the characters and then I came up with the outline for each episode. They took that and wrote three episodes each. Both are very prolific and talented, so it was a quick process from start to finish. It was fun to see how they interpreted the story and both nailed it.

How much are the story and characters based on your own experiences as a migrant?

Since I moved to NZ, 11 years ago, I had various experiences with the Immigration Department, until I finally became a citizen last year. So yeah, the subject of immigration is close to my heart. And so are outsiders, people who don't fit in into certain moulds. There's definitely a lot of me in Suzy, I think we are very similar. And Leonardo, the character that appears on Episode 5, is definitely a less subtle version of me... a newcomer who arrives in this country with several dreams - but not a real plan or clue.

Writing, acting, producing.... which of the three do you prefer and why?

I enjoy working and keeping busy with exciting projects. Acting is always the first in my heart, but I've learnt that it is important to be able to do more than just one thing. Producing came as a way to create work in quiet times and it is a bonus that I also enjoy that side of things. Directing is also on the table, I've directed a few theatre pieces and that is something I want to keep exploring.

You and Tom have collaborated on a huge range of projects. What are the secrets to maintaining a successful collaboration?

And don’t forget Louis Mendiola, the co-writer - I also collaborated with him several times. I think the secret is mutual respect and a sense of humour. Louis and Tom always bring the best in me, so I think the secret is being honest to each other. And we have good laughs, so that makes it all easier.

The webseries was made on the smell of an oily rag... any tips for would be webseries makers?  What have you learnt in the course of making it?

Haha, true. My advice? Plan your schedule carefully and smartly, have a crew that knows what they're doing, have a wonderful cast.  Uber talented co-producer Roko Antonio Babich - who has a world of experience in film and TV - found the best crew possible. And I am lucky to have many brilliant and talented friends who are also actors.

The main lesson for me in particular is to be patient with post production and don't rush into just releasing it. For us it took 15 months, due to a combination of different factors (money being major). But resilience and trust in the project paid off, I am genuinely proud of this one. Definitely my biggest project to date.

What are you working on next?

I just directed my first short film, called Satisfaction, written by Louis Mendiola (who wrote Eps. 2, 3 & 4 of Suzy Boon), so I'm doing post production on that - it's a super exciting project with a great cast! Then there's the 48h film competition, next I'll co-produce another short film and then a couple of plays later in the year. But I'm always open to new opportunities, I enjoy juggling different projects and working with cool people. That's what keeps me sane :)

The Adventures of Suzy Boon
Written By Thomas Sainsbury & Louis Mendiola.
Directed by Cristobal Araus Lobos (Netherwood, The Waiting Place).
Produced by Roberto Nascimento & Roko Antonio Babich