When Bay of Plenty Film president Anton Steel picks up the phone, he and coordinator Tessa Blackett are in the midst of editing a sword fight shot at Ignition on Tauranga's Grey St.

It's a scene that appears in Just Three Girls, a short film shot by Bay of Plenty Film in the city centre and will be premiered during the final night of the Tauranga Winter Carnival tomorrow.

Shot at 15 different locations in the CBD last weekend, the filming involved a mix of industry professionals working alongside volunteers to produce a film Anton believes will leave people well-impressed.

'The footage, the performances and Tauranga as a backdrop, they all look fantastic. The energy on set was amazing and I think people will be really impressed,” says Anton.

BOP Film's brand ambassador and actor Tanya Horo during the shooting of the opening scene for ‘Just Three Girls'. Photo: Tez Mercer Photography

‘Just Three Girls' was written by local screenwriter Darryl Belbin, shot by director of photographer Chris Kirkham and directed by Anton.

It follows the tale of Angel, Kat and Betty – played by actors Katherine Kennard, Tanya Horo and Melanie Bevan respectively – who take on an evil warlord and 100 hundred assassins for control of a magical ancient relic.

Melanie says Kat is a lawyer and the matriarch of the girls, who's fighting style is 'refined, seamless and pokerfaced”, while Angel is the youngest and a skilled swordswoman but fights with an umbrella because she doesn't like hurting people.

While Betty is a tattoo artist with a real attitude, who at times acts before she thinks 'a real bad ass”.

'It was challenging and I loved it. I hadn't done stunts before, but once I got past the embarrassment of moving my body in a different way, like throwing kicks and punches, it was all on!” says Melanie.

'This has been one of the most fun projects I've ever had the honour to work on.”

Her favourite experience was working with the stunt team, says Melanie. Headed by Mana Davis and Thomas Kiwi, Melanie says: 'It was them that made us look good”.

Even her 13-year-old son Ezekiel got in on the action – literally – who not only got to work with the stunt team and be a featured extra in the film, but is now also training with them to become a stuntman.

BOP Film's Tanya Horo and Anton Steel, with screenwriter Darryl Belbin and director of photographer Chris Kirkham. Photo: Tez Mercer Photography

'He was really fizzing after the weekend and we're already in talks about another project which is amazing,” says Melanie.

BOP Film has given themselves one week to edit the film. Anton says they're editing 'from nine-to-five” every day, which prompts Tessa to interject with a mock cough.

'Well, we then go to our respective homes with our hard drives and edit to all hours. Then you go lie in bed and keep editing in your head for most of the night,” says Anton.

'We're really looking forward to premiering it tomorrow night, there'll be a red carpet down Wharf St and our stunt team will do a performance beforehand. It's going to be great.”

‘Just Three Girls' will be premiered following the free screening of ‘Rio' on Wharf St, which starts 5pm tomorrow night. For more information, visit: www.bopfilm.nz