Rod Johns was a generous member of the film and TV industry, donating much time and effort over the years. Rod's vibrant, active life saw his involvement across a wide range of creative areas and daring pursuits. Rod was an actor, writer, boxer, runner, lover of motorbike racing and sky diving, amongst many other things. The list of even just Rod's most recent activities is a testament to a life crammed with experiences: Rod was second assistant camera on recent David Blyth film Ghost Bride (2013), he played a memorable starring role in recent Steven Samuel Johnson short film The Window (2014) and was associate producer on Fred Pott's Clear Eyes Rise of the Zombies (in production). Rod's credit on steam punk heist short Stella 459 reads Associate Producer. However, as he paid tribute to Rod, Director Jonathon Rayner-Burt told a bigger story: 'Rod was everywhere and everything on [Stella 459]. Producer, set engineer and carpenter, grip, gaffer, AD, Evil Guard #1, stunty, fight choreographer, the works. He'd be up in the ceiling rigging lights or working a drill or shouting and generally getting on with getting things done. I know from other industry friends and colleagues that he always gave his all on set and in everything he was involved in, and that, like this project, his contribution was a major part of the final success.' - IMDb Mini Biography By: Fritha Stalker
Billy is already experiencing the ugly side of people's fear and prejudice. He resolves, for the sake of his family, to leave his home town and go somewhere where he is unknown; where he can re-invent himself. Billy decides to take a job on a large farm far away; the most prestigious in its district. He hopes it will be a fresh start. In a twist of irony and as fate would have it, he immediately encounters the very thing he has tried to leave behind; he meets Tom the farmers son. Tom is beautiful and fearless, with the arrogance of privilege and youth. The tension is further under-pinned by the social repression and isolation of rural New Zealand in 1960. A tinder-box of deceit and malice emerges as Billy discovers that he is not the only one fighting his desires and hiding his demons.