Cameron Duncan's passion for filmmaking began in his childhood, where he would often spend his weekends shooting elaborate war scenes with his friends, using household chemicals to create explosions. As he entered his teenage years, his skills continued to mature, and he created a public awareness commercial about traffic safety that received high acclaim.
However, his life took a tragic turn when he was diagnosed with cancer at a young age. He underwent intense chemotherapy treatment, which initially seemed to be effective. During his hospital stay, Duncan realized that his experiences would make for a compelling story on film, and he began working on a project that would eventually become Dfk6498 (2004),a haunting examination of the experience of undergoing cancer treatment.
Duncan made the film largely for his softball teammates, so that they would appreciate the freedom and good fortune they had in not having to go through what he did. Around this time, he came to the attention of Peter Jackson, who was producing an organ donation commercial. Jackson and his wife, Fran Walsh, were impressed by Duncan's earlier work and saw potential in him as a director.
Before Duncan could film the commercial, his cancer returned, and this time the doctors had little confidence in their ability to cure it. Knowing his time was limited, Duncan quickly shot the commercial and then moved on to a more personal project, Strike Zone (2003),a short film that served as a stand-in for his own life story.
In the final months of his life, Duncan made Strike Zone, a film that featured war scenes and an elaborate softball match. During filming, he was faced with significant health challenges, including a tumor on his lung that burst and popped a hole in his lung. Despite these obstacles, Duncan continued to work on his film, treating his health issues as just another filmmaking challenge.
Cameron Duncan passed away at the age of 16, shortly after completing Strike Zone. His funeral was held exactly as he had dictated in the film, and his story has continued to inspire people to this day. Peter Jackson included Duncan's two commercials, Dfk6498 and Strike Zone, as well as a documentary about his story, on the extended edition DVD of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).
