Massey student’s debut film honours late friend and director

The crime thriller also screens in Auckland and Christchurch before international release, and is the debut feature from late director Mark Willis. Matt, who co-wrote and produced the film, describes it as, “a grimy little crime film set in suburbia during a heatwave.” Blind Panic is a story about connection and control. A blind woman who befriends her neighbour, unaware he is on home detention with a target on his back, soon finds herself entangled in his violent past.

For Matt, Blind Panic began as a creative experiment between two lifelong film fans. He and Mark shared a love of genre movies and wanted to craft a tight, low-budget thriller that could be set on any street, anywhere in the world. The pair launched a crowd-funding campaign that raised $40,000, giving them enough to shoot the film over a hectic 21-day schedule.

What followed, Matt says, was, “the hardest thing I’ve ever undertaken.” Between financial pressure, reshoots and post-production costs, it was a crash course in persistence. But the real challenge came after filming wrapped, when tragedy struck.

Mark died in 2023, before the film was released. He had been able to sign off on the final cut, a fact Matt says brings comfort amid the loss.

“Every scene is stamped with his personality; his humour and energy, it’s all there. The premiere will be a tribute to him and everything we built together.”

The film features a strong cast, including Erroll Shand (Our Flag Means Death, Sweet Tooth), Jodie Hillock (Far North, The Gulf) and Simon Phillips (The Witcher). Supported by Wellington’s post-production community, it is now set for international distribution, with appearances at the American Film Market in Los Angeles, the Berlin International Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival next year.

Alongside the film, Matt has been completing a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Communication Management, with a minor in Expressive Arts. After years in filmmaking, he says study offered a much-needed reset.

“Making Blind Panic was tough, and it made me want to use my communication skills in different ways. The Massey degree has given me a new lens on creativity, especially through papers like Interpersonal Communication, Creative Processes and Scriptwriting. They’ve all influenced how I approach storytelling and collaboration.”

He adds that the flexibility of studying from Australia has made it possible to balance work, study and creative projects, something he values about Massey’s approach.

Now, with the film heading to big screens around the world, Matt is already developing new projects: a horror feature, a comedy and a blog of one-sentence film reviews drawn from his lifelong passion for cinema. He hopes Blind Panic will resonate with viewers not just as a tense suburban thriller, but as a reminder of what’s possible when passion meets perseverance.

“Independent filmmaking is hard work. But if you’ve got the story and the drive, you can make it happen.”

Blind Panic premieres at the Terror-Fi Film Festival in Wellington on 31 October, before screenings in Auckland and Christchurch.

Tickets to Blind Panic are available at terrorfifest.com