DAD director Lee Tamahori shooting commercials in New Zealand

15-Dec-2008 • Bond News

James Bond director Lee Tamahori is back directing dangerous scenes involving motor vehicles - he's landed a job shooting a new anti drink-driving television commercial for the New Zealand Transport Agency, reports Stuff.

It's understood the Hollywood director, who has been living in New Zealand between his properties on Auckland's Jervois Rd and Gisborne's Tolaga Bay for the last two years, started shooting the commercial in recent weeks.

Tamahori who directed the twentieth James Bond movie Die Another Day in 2002, and has worked with Hollywood heavyweights such as Pierce Brosnan, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Samuel L Jackson and Nicolas Cage swapped Hollywood for Godzone after being arrested in January 2006 during a Los Angeles police prostitution sting.

The 58-year-old propositioned an undercover police officer with a oral sex-for-cash deal while dressed in a black wig, full make-up and an off-the-shoulder dress on Santa Monica Boulevard.

He was first charged with soliciting to engage in an act of prostitution and loitering with intent to commit prostitution, but the charges were later dropped in exchange for a no-contest plea to a charge of criminal trespass.

Sunday News failed to reach Tamahori for comment but business partner and co-owner of his Auckland production company Flying Fish Films, Brian Kassler, said Tamahori was "incredibly busy in the middle of the shoot".

"I just think he will say no (comment). He gets so much stick ... he hates the media," Kassler said.

NZTA spokesperson Andy Knackstedt confirmed Tamahori was directing the ad but was reluctant to provide further details because its screening date would not be "before the middle of next year."

Knackstedt would not comment on content other than saying: "The advert in question is a drink-driving advertisement - its message is don't drink and drive."

The NZTA, formerly Land Transport New Zealand, did not "specifically ask for Lee", he said. "He pitched for the job (along with a number of other directors)."

Knackstedt said Tamahori's Hollywood credentialshad not landed him the job.

"His proposal best met the brief for the ad and consequently he got the job.

"Other `Hollywood' (or at least big name) directors have worked on previous LTSA/Land Transport NZ road safety ads including Niki Caro (who directed Whale Rider) and Christine Jeffs (Sylvia and Rain)."

Knackstedt was unable to tell Sunday News how much Tamahori's advertisement would cost to produce but said the NZTA's budget for the 2009 anti-drink-driving campaign across all media was $3.3m.

Tamahori rose to international acclaim after directing Once Were Warriors in 1994.

He went on to direct period drama Mulholland Falls in 1996, The Edge in 1997, Along came A Spider in 2001, XXX: State of the Union in 2005 and Next in 2007. Tamahori also directed an episode of The Sopranos.