Skip to main content

JohnHagen

  • Director
  • Sound
John_Hagen_Thumbnail.KEY.jpg

The great outdoors and the arts are what most inspires sound recordist turned documentary director John Hagen. He learnt the ropes at Avalon television studios, before venturing out on his own as a director. Alongside arts shows like Frontseat and New Artland, Hagen has celebrated Kiwi architecture in The New Zealand Home and recreated hazardous pioneer journeys in popular series First Crossings.

Screenography

Griff's Great Kiwi Road Trip
2019 Director Series
2018 Field Director Television
2018 Field Director Television
2018 Field Director Television
2018 Field Director Television

Biography

John Hagen was an army kid. Born in Stratford, he ended up in Trentham, Upper Hutt after his Dutch dad transferred into the New Zealand Army. Music was an early love: Hagen played trumpet in the National Youth Orchestra, but he got his real kicks moonlighting in a soul band. He joined the Air Force, but soon realised bowing to authority wasn’t for him.

Awards

2011 Aotearoa Film and Television Awards
Nominated for Investigation of the Year: A Rotten Shame

2007 Qantas Television Awards
Nominated for Best Director - Non-Drama: for Here To Stay, German episode

“Once again it was another ‘I can’t believe you are going to pay me’ moment. The places we got to experience were unbelievable. It was a privilege to make a show like that.”

John Hagen on 2016 TV series First Crossings