48Hours Filmmaker Spotlight: Callum Devlin
Posted 9th April 2026
The 48Hours team recently attended a preview screening of THE WEED EATERS, the award-winning new comedy-horror feature from director Callum Devlin and the 48Hours veterans at Sports Team.
Watching these four millennial slackers turn a New Year’s getaway into a nightmare of "accidental cannibalism," Fran Carney and I found ourselves laughing, cringing, and reacting loudly to every gory twist and turn.
Fresh off a Best Feature win at SXSW Sydney and kicking off it's "Big Forking Tour" across Aotearoa, the film is a testament to the DIY spirit.
Dive into our interview with Callum as he shares his hard-won lessons on filmmaking, his pathway through the 48Hours competition, and how those "scars" of the past led to his debut feature.
What was the best thing about taking part in 48Hours?
48Hours is the best thing to do to grow confidence as a film crew. We were a group of friends who knew we wanted to work together but hadn’t had an opportunity. Stress testing your way of working, or find potential secret powers you didn’t know you had. You also get to see how your film plays with an audience, which is the best way to learn. I’ve worn the scars of many many failed attempts at this competition, and those are lessons you never forget.
In what way did your team gain recognition in 48Hours - What kind of impact did that have emotionally, professionally, and creatively?
The first film The Weed Eaters crew made got all the way to the National Finals and screened at the Civic in Auckland, which was absolutely mind blowing. We got so much great feedback for that short (Blood Pact) that really galvanised the team and kept us motivated to keep making stuff together. It also introduced us to the filmmaking community, so when we came back around to fundraise for our micro-budget feature, we had supporters in the industry who were keen to see what we could do given the opportunity. Premiering The Weed Eaters at The Civic for the NZIFF nearly three years later was a surreal full circle moment that I’ll never forget.
Can you share any favourite memories, behind-the-scenes moments, or valuable lessons learned during the competition?
Never underestimate the value of a good script, it will save you precious hours during the shoot, and most crucially in the edit. Before we had screenwriter Finnius Teppett as part of the team, Annabel and I winged a semi-improvised short called The Invisible Gun that had a first cut of 15 minutes. I couldn’t get it down to time, and so at the last minute submitted the first five minutes and ended the film on a hail mary surprise cliffhanger. Mortifying stuff. The script for Blood Pact was extremely solid, but at 6 pages it meant we couldn’t afford any air between the dialogue to get it down to five minutes. Lesson learnt. For Beware the Kraken we wrote a very tight 3 page script, which included a full 60 second awkward pause that is one of my proudest achievements as a director/editor.
What do you like about the DIY filmmaking approach to filmmaking?
It’s the only way I know how to do it. We talk about the filmmaking team as a band, giving ourselves full permission to learn our instruments as we go. We’re very process driven, which means iterating on our way of working and creating a bespoke workflow that plays to our strengths and feels sustainable and ideally enjoyable. Another one of our rules is if something was extremely hard, we’ve got to at least try it twice, and put the hard won lessons into practice. DIY means not waiting for permission, getting on with it and learning on the job, and most importantly making the kinds of films you want to make.
Could you describe your team's unique style of comedy and how it has developed over the years?
It’s the absurdity of reality. It’s taking big ideas and grounding them in the mundane. It’s a very Taika Waititi, Flight of the Conchords approach, which we were all raised on. Children pretending to be adults, like two kids in a trenchcoat, which is a very kind of millennial identity. Perpetual adolescence. It’s also about rhythm. We’re all musicians, and there’s a musicality to comedy that’s really important. You can be cracking up on set, but take the time in the edit to make sure it’s playing. If it doesn’t work, cut it.
Do you have any tips, tricks, or advice for aspiring animators and filmmakers who are thinking of registering a team this year?
If you’re feeling scared about entering the competition, it could be a sign you really want to do it. I keep coming back to failure, but it’s what it’s all about. This competition is deliberately impossible, and extremely hard work. But that’s what filmmaking is all about. I have a theory that filmmakers are all addicted to problem solving. 48Hours is purpose built to constantly throw problems at you, which is extremely fun and addictive. I reckon absolutely give it a go.
If you can, get together early to pool your resources, basically everything you can get for free. Locations, gear, and any actors you can have on hand for an early call Saturday morning is essential. Also you should make sure to have a conversation about expectations, and what you want to get out of the weekend. Ask everyone why they are here. Share your fears! Figure out how you are going to feed everyone and keep morale up. Don’t forget the manaaki!
Callum Devlin - Director The Weed Eaters
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Watch the official trailer for 'The Weed Eaters', the newest entrant into NZ's horror comedy canon.
Starring Alice May Connolly, Samuel Austin, Annabel Kean, Finnius Teppett, David Correos, Rhiannon McCall, Jordan Mooney, Ella Gilbert, Delaney Davidson and Paul Kean.
Don't Think About It... Just Eat It. Only in Cinemas April 30th. Touring NZ Cinemas In April, visit Flicks.co.nz for tickets!