Fly By Ms Magpie: A New Voice from Aotearoa’s Queer Film Community
Set to hit production at the start of October, Fly By Ms Magpie promises to kickstart local young director Stevie’s next chapter in their filmmaking career.
Born and raised in Hawke’s Bay, Stevie moved to Wellington after finishing high school to begin their journey in the film industry. They have taken a range of on-set roles since moving to the big smoke. But now it’s time to step into the director’s chair again and launch their next short with the goal of taking it to major festivals in 2027.
Like a lot of Stevies work, the film is backed by the unique perspective of living between city and rural queer life. From being raised in the bay to creating weird art in Wellington, Stevie draws inspiration from both worlds and what he’s learnt from them.
Stevie’s previous film, Frisky, was inspired by their father, a farmer in the region. The film follows a young man grappling with the isolation and mental load of farm life. His childhood friend arrives back home after years apart, having transitioned and changed their name. They navigate this change while trying to search for a favourite lost sheep in a storm.
As a transgender artist, their work is deeply informed by the rocky path of navigating their existence in the various social landscapes of Aotearoa. Themes of belonging, resilience, grief and chosen family often sit at the core of their stories. But most importantly they’re a bit of fun. Stevie has learnt to not take anything too seriously and enjoy the ride. A tone that is very present in Fly By Ms Magpie.
Fly By Ms Magpie follows a young trans man who trespasses on the property of Dorothy, an eccentric hoarder, in search of what makes her so elegant and different from the other locals. A former drag queen, Dorothy is imagined as being a part of Aotearoa’s 80s and 90s drag scene alongside trailblazers like Chrissy Wikitō, Georgina Beyer and Carmen Rupe. The story is inspired by Stevie’s exploration of Aotearoa’s queer history through organisations like Kawe Mahara (LAGANZ, Archives).
“I’ve become fascinated by the lives of those who came before me. In this way, I resonate with Tui, longing to connect with our history. Yet, like Dorothy, I also feel the urge to escape the melancholic weight of time passing.”
Stevie’s story carries an added layer drawn from his own experiences as a successful drag performer. He hit the drag scene with a bang in 2024 and has been an iconic performer since. Their drag persona, Rocky, is inspired by a love for rockstars, Rocky Horror and childhood road trips screaming Bat Out of Hell and Living on a Prayer in the back of the car with their mum.
“Rocky is a sleazy, chaotic lover boy who really embodies the grunge underground scene in Wellington.”Stevie credits drag with helping them grow and discover more about who they are.
“You really build a backbone. You have to be firm in your identity and entirely confident in who you are. It has allowed me to make connections with multidisciplinary creatives and even gotten me jobs.”
Ramon Te Wake, a renowned takatāpui filmmaker, actor, model and singer-songwriter, will be playing the lead role of Dorothy. Stevie is more than thrilled to build this creative relationship with a trans elder whose experience and knowledge will enrich the film. The intergenerational queer connection explored in the story will be mirrored behind the scenes through their director/actor relationship.
“She is just so loveable, glamorous and flirtatious. I just know she will be an absolute pleasure to watch,” says Stevie.
Bayley Broompeake will be on camera with her award winning and vibrant cinematography. Her first feature film, Mum I’m Alien Pregnant, made it to the Sundance Festival this year and is currently screening in the New Zealand International Film Festival. It is set to be released in cinemas later this year. With Bayley’s expertise and Stevie’s unapologetic creative vision, the film promises to be a feast for the eyes.
Music is central to the film. Stevie will collaborate with musician Dream Chambers on a heart wrenching, whimsical and eerie score that weaves modular synthesizers and club music throughout. The art team is led by emerging production designer Seren Ashmore, who has a knack for creating and sourcing one of a kind objects to add textures to Dorothy’s world. As an integral part of Wellington’s drag community, Seren knows exactly how to create that in-world queer magic.
Daniel Betty, producer and community leader in Hawke’s Bay, is spearheading the film as the on the ground connection leading up to the shoot. Dan first met Stevie during the 2017 Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival Ambassador Program, and they have since built a strong creative relationship. Stevie appreciates Dan’s open minded approach to producing and his ability to find balance in listening to diverse voices whilst understanding what the story needs to connect meaningfully with audiences.
Stevie found growing up as the only trans kid he knew in the bay, all while attending a conservative christian college, isolating. But it was something he learnt to push through in order to achieve his creative goals. Dan’s leadership through the Ambassador Program played a huge role in building Stevie’s confidence. It connected him with other weird creative young people across Hawke’s Bay who became a vital support network during their final years of school.
Now, Stevie cannot wait to share his art through films like Fly By Ms Magpie. The team backing the project are one of a kind, and Stevie has a feeling it will be something that leads to many more opportunities to tell locally unique stories in the future.
Fly By Ms Magpie is a film born from the meeting point of rural Aotearoa and Wellington’s queer underground. A film about history, identity, connection and the strange ways we find ourselves through the people who came before us.