Breaking into the TV and film industry is the stuff dreams are made of for 15-year-old Korban Knock.
He plays the lead role of Jake in the eight-part TV series, Secrets at Red Rocks.
Adapted from the award-winning novel of the same name by Kiwi author Rachael King, the series follows Jake who’s been sent to his dad’s for the holidays.
He stumbles across a sealskin while out exploring along the coast and feels compelled to take it home, triggering a chain of events that takes him on an adventure of the mystical and mythical kind.
For Korban (Te Atiawa, Taranaki), the reality of filmmaking was an exciting experience and a surprise too.
“It was definitely not what I thought it would be. There are some things that are totally different from what you’d expect, but it was really cool.”
Director David Stubb said they held a nationwide search for the right person to fill the role of 12-year-old Jake. He said Korban had the acting talent, natural sense of humour, and stamina to keep up with the challenges of the role.
“It was really a demanding job, eight weeks, almost every day. Long hours and swimming in cold water, and lots of lines to learn – so he was smart, he was kind of confident, he had a cheeky sense of humour and a really nice guy, you know, a really nice kid.”
Korban said it was a pretty easy gig most of the time, but the stunt scenes – “which is pretty much the water scenes and stuff” – were “hectic”.
“But it wasn’t too bad, it’s just the coldness got to me.”
His favourite scenes to shoot?
“Everything was good, but I most liked the scenes where I ate stuff because I love food, and also the food was really good.”
Proud whānau
Mum Hinenui Wano-Bryant, who accompanied Korban to set every day, said it was a proud moment watching her son shoot his first scene.
“He mea tino miharo i te wā tuatahi ka tū ia ki mua i te kāmera – ka taka ngā roimata. He mea tino miharo ki ahau.
(It was incredible, seeing him stand in front of the camera for the first time – I cried. I was overwhelmed.)
When asked if she knew her son was interested in acting professionally, she said it came as no shock after he saw one of the whānau on screen.
“Ko tōna matua kēkē a Karlos Drinkwater…he kaikiriata, nō reira i kite ia [i a ia] e mahi ana i ērā mahi ki runga ki a Shortland Street, era atu mea, ko tera te tino pirangi o Korban, te whai tera huarahi.”
(His uncle is Karlos Drinkwater…he’s an actor, so when [Korban] saw him on Shortland Street and that, [he decided] that’s what he wanted to do, to follow that path.)
Over the course of a demanding shooting schedule, she said Korban flourished in front of her eyes.
“I kite au i tōna pūkenga ki te mahi, ki te ū ki ngā mahi, ki te whakarongo ki ngā tohutohu o te director, me kī, so he mea tino miharo te kite i tōku tama e eke ana ki ērā taumata.”
(I saw how skilled he was at working, how he committed to the job, he listened to the directions from the director, so to speak, so it’s amazing to see my son reach that level [of growth].)
Home-town debut: ‘If I can, you can’
In an event hosted by iwi Te Atiawa, up to 200 people – whānau, friends, and locals – gathered on the lawn outside of Ōwae Marae, Waitara, last week to picnic and watch his debut on a huge screen.
“I’m feeling pretty nervous,” said Korban ahead of the viewing, “and really excited at the same time.”
Wano-Bryant said their iwi were great at encouraging and engaging its members, especially tamariki and whānau.
“Me mihi ki tō mātou iwi, ki a Taranaki iwi, ki a Te Atiawa, nō rātou i tutuki i tēnei kaupapa kia haere mai ngā whānau, kia haere mai ngā tamaiti ki te kite.
(I would like to acknowledge our iwi, Taranaki and Te Atiawa, they put this event on for whānau to bring their kids along to watch.)
“He mea ātaahua ki te kite tangata Māori e mahi ana i ēnei mahi, nō reira, yeah, tino waimarie tātou katoa.”
(It’s beautiful to see Māori in this industry, so, yeah, we are all very fortunate.)
As the afternoon’s proceedings started, Korban made a brief speech to those who had gathered.
“To all the tamariki here, chase your dreams. If I can, you can. Our iwi, marae, and whānau are here to support us, and tonight is proof of that.”
* Secrets at Red Rocks is on Sky Open and Neon.
