Thedownlowconcept
thedownlowconcept is a production company and creative collective based in Auckland, New Zealand, specializing in producing comedy for film, radio and television. It was formed in 2002 by Jarrod Holt, Ryan Hutchings and Nigel McCulloch, and have since frequently collaborated with actor and comedian Josh Thomson. They are notable for their quirky, irreverent, and sometimes controversial comedic style. Notable productions 7 Days In 2009 thedownlowconcept created a popular and award winning comedy game show 7 Days, based on their news-based radio panel show, Off The Wire. By creating consistent paid television work for a number of comedians the show has helped grow the New Zealand comedy scene by showcasing local comic talent to the public, and helping the country outgrow its notorious "cultural cringe". 48 Hours Film Festival thedownlowconcept were the first group to win the New Zealand 48HOURS Film Festival twice, with short films Brown Peril (2007) and Only Son (2010). All films of the festival are to be conceived, written, shot, edited and delivered in 48 hours, with an unknown random genre, a character, a line of dialogue, and a prop, which is revealed at the start of the festival. Only Son later went on to win Best Screenplay and Best Short Film at the New Zealand Film and Television Awards 2010. It is the only 48 Hour film to ever have featured in the New Zealand Film Awards, let alone win it outright, beating films with government funding from the New Zealand Film Commission. Only Son was later picked up for distribution by the NZFC and was invited to Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas amongst studio premieres. Hounds In 2012 thedownlowconcept produced their first scripted comedy series, Hounds. It won Best Comedy at the 2012 New Zealand Film and Television Awards, beating 7 Days, making it three years in a row that the company has been nominated in the category, winning it in the previous year for 7 Days. Despite the network not renewing the series, it remains one of the most critically acclaimed comedies ever produced in New Zealand. Controversy "Headlights" music video In 2009 New Zealand's national broadcaster TVNZ banned a music video made by thedownlowconcept for the possibility of breaching the Broadcasting Standards Authority code on the exploitation of children. The video was made for the song Headlights by 11 piece afro soul funk band "The Hot Grits". The video depicted preschoolers binge drinking milk as if it was alcohol and taking lollies and candy as if they were drugs. Lead vocalist Barnie Duncan said the idea for the video came from the production company, with the intention to "demonstrate the child-like greed with which adults conduct themselves whilst on the road to excess". Despite the removal of the video from circulation from both of TVNZ's networks, the clip was picked up by music television channels C4 and Juice TV, and went on to win the "Best Music Video" award, The Golden Jandal, at the New Zealand 2008 Handle the Jandal music video awards.