John McDonald grew up in the Waikato — where his father was a primary school principal — then attended Auckland’s Lynfield College, before studying film at Ilam, Canterbury University’s School of Fine Arts. His contemporaries included filmmakers Vincent Ward, Tim White and Stephanie Beth.

When a Christchurch producer saw an article about McDonald’s scale model of the local public library, he was invited to contribute segments to TVNZ's Access TV series. He also got industry experience as an assistant editor on Barry Barclay’s The Neglected Miracle, Roger Donaldson’s feature Smash Palace, and as a production assistant on classic music vid Poi E, which saw him heading to Patea in director Paul Carvel’s big black Chevy Impala.

Work for Wellington’s Marmalade Video saw him directing tourism films. In 1983 he gained his first TV directing credit, filming Brian Edwards in a studio interview show. "I was saved frequently by a vision switcher named Adrienne Walker, who seemed to be able to knit and switch at the same time."

By the late 80s McDonald was directing on TVNZ in-house shows in Christchurch, and being mentored by veteran producer Hal Weston. His credits include science show Fast Forward, and Sign of the Times (following a tour of Aotearoa by Herbs and The Eagles’ Joe Walsh). He also wrote Land of Our Own, a co-production with the BBC made for the 150th commemoration of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

In 1990 he shifted to newly launched subscription channel Sky TV, to be senior sports producer; he was behind the wide-ranging Opening Shot, the first live local programme for Sky’s sports channel. McDonald would go on to make his name at the helm of live events. In 1994 he departed the NZ industry for a screen OE at MTV Asia.

As a senior studio director and Head of Live Production, he trained Singaporean production teams in making shows with multiple cameras. Screened internationally, MTV Unplugged and Live and Loud featured acts like Metallica, Green Day, and Alanis Morrissette. Says McDonald: "Their management didn't suffer fools!". The often young crews had to learn fast. In 1997 he shifted back to sports, training Malaysian crew for subscription channel Astro Supersport.

McDonald returned to New Zealand in 1999 as Senior Producer for production company Screentime, where his credits ranged from lifestyle show 5:30 with Jude to Smokefree Rockquest.

From 2000 McDonald was a senior sports producer at TV3. Alongside weekly coverage of rugby union and league, he oversaw high pressure live broadcasts like boxer David Tua's World Heavyweight title challenge. It attracted 1.4 million viewers – "the whole country was watching".

Producing the coverage of the 2001 Fight for Life charity boxing contest was one of his "hardest producing experiences". The format was unproven in New Zealand, and the outcome of the main event – ex-All Blacks captain Buck Shelford fighting ex-Kiwis hardman Mark Graham – was uncertain. It went on to be TV3's highest-rating show that year, and earned McDonald an NZ TV Award for Best Sports Programme in 2002.

In 2003 McDonald was appointed TV3's Head of Sport. He produced aptly-sponsored live shows McDonald’s Circus X and McDonald’s Cirque Rocks, and was Qantas TV Award-nominated for coverage of the Montana World of Wearable Art Awards. He also executive-produced crossover programming like sports magazine show Sportzah, and has had a decade plus association with live coverage of Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park.

McDonald nominates the coverage he produced of the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France as another challenging project, especially after the All Blacks were knocked out in the quarter finals. His team worked from an office on a Paris rooftop for two months. "Mediaworks management and many of our partners and families arrived in Paris the day after the All Blacks’ loss. What should have been a party was more like a wake."

The World Cup coverage won the 2008 Qantas TV Award for Best Sports Broadcast. In 2010 he shared a Qantas gong in the same category for coverage of Hamilton’s ITM 400 V8 Supercars event. McDonald argues that "nothing beats the exhilaration of live TV when you're prepared and confident in your team."

Back in 2007, light entertainment was brought under McDonald’s wing at TV3, alongside sport. In 2008 he was an executive producer at the launch of front-running comedy panel show 7 Days. The show's success paved the way for a resurgence of homegrown comedy on television.

In 2011 McDonald was appointed Head of In-house Production at TV3. His executive producing credits include New Zealand’s Next Top Model, reality shows The Ridges and Slice of Paradise; comedy hits Funny Girls and Jono and Ben, stand-up comedy series After Hours and AotearoHa, and game show Family Feud. In 2017 McDonald told NZ On Screen: "I currently work with a ton of great comedians and we laugh a lot, which is good for the soul."

His resume of live events has expanded to executive producing the Vodafone NZ Music Awards, Qantas NZ Film and TV Awards shows, multiple Comedy Galas, Cadbury Dream Factory, The X Factor and Dancing with the Stars. McDonald scored a swag of nominations at the 2017 NZ TV Awards.

Reflecting on a career directing live entertainment, McDonald muses: "I've been incredibly fortunate – I've always had work and always had supportive people around me. I regard making television as a privilege and a chance to provide a platform for clever people to excel, both in front of and behind the camera. Good television in New Zealand still creates a sense of community and shared experience, which I love."

Profile published on 30 November 2017

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