JohnHagen
- Director
- Sound
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
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.”