Racy cars, police chases blowing up Minis - it's all in a day's work for actor Dean O'Gorman.

At the helm of the new Pork Pie film, O'Gorman and the Blondini gang have been travelling all over the South Island shooting anything and everything from a car chase down a little country road to high-tech train jumps.

You'd be forgiven for thinking there must have been some sort of crash course - quite literally - O'Gorman was sent on for a bit of the hooning that goes on in the film but alas, no. That's been left up to the experts.

"It's scary sometimes... but they know what they're doing," O'Gorman said.

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That's just as well considering there's a few scenes here and there which exceed the 100kmh speed limit.

As for those experts, well... they drive the car from the roof.

A 'pod' has been attached to the side of the car for the cameraman to get close-up shots of O'Gorman and the gang in the car while it's being driven by the stunt man on top of the car, who is out of shot.

The film's leading man, O'Gorman plays John, a character he describes as a completely normal person.

"He's a normal person. He makes mistakes, like we all do, and decides he needs to try to remedy them."

A completely normal person who drives a mini from one end of New Zealand to the other while trying to avoid the police.

Being on set most days, O'Gorman said the experience was emotional at times, but cracking a bit of Kiwi humour into his character had helped to keep things light.

"It's a satisfying way to do comedy, it's not relying on gags," he said.

While he was focused on the film and what needed to be done to finish that, he was looking forward to relaxing at his home in Wainui once filming had wrapped, and he was also off to LA later in the year.

"I'll do some relaxing and tend to my herbs."