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JohnLaing

  • Director
  • Producer
John-Laing-Key-Profile.jpg

After working for the National Film Unit, the BBC and Canada's National Film Board, Kiwi director John Laing made his feature film debut with hit Arthur Allan Thomas drama Beyond Reasonable Doubt (1980). Since then he has directed another five features, nine telemovies and many television shows. Laing has also produced for both Outrageous Fortune and Mercy Peak.

Screenography

A War Story
2018 Director Television
Dear Murderer - Full Series
2017 Director - Episodes 3 & 4 Television
Westside - First Episode
2015 Producer Television
Abandoned
2015 Director Television
Venus and Mars
2015 Director, Writer Television

Biography

John Laing has worked prolifically in both television and film. He has helmed six features and nine telemovies, two-thirds of them involving crime or murder, and many of them based on true stories. The editor turned director has also worked on dozens of TV shows — including an extended run producing Outrageous Fortune, as well as directing on Go Girls, Step Dave, Jackson's Wharf, Mercy Peak, Cover Story and Street Legal.  

Awards

2017 Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Awards (The Moas)
Best Television Feature: Abandoned
Nominated for the same award: Venus and Mars

2011 Aotearoa Film and Television Awards
Nominated for Best Drama Programme (with Mike Smith and Mike Scott): Outrageous Fortune

“We used to talk about making features, but it had seemed impossible then.”

— John Laing, recalling the state of the film industry in the 1970s

Related images

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Preparing a shot on 1984 film Other Halves: from left, first assistant director John Samuels, gaffer Don Jowsey, director John Laing (with beard) and camera operator Barry Harbert.
Photo by Gil Hanly, provided by Onfilm
Robin-Laing-gallery.jpg
Producer director team Robin and John Laing.
Photographer: Michael Smith. Kindly provided by The Dominion Post
john-laing_-michael-hurst_-don-reynolds-and-waka-atewell-gallery.jpg
From left to right: Director John Laing, production designer Ralph Davies, producer Don Reynolds and cinematographer Waka Attewell celebrate the final day of shooting Dangerous Orphans, after filming a dramatic car over cliff scene at Titahi Bay.
Kindly provided by The Dominion Post.
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Australian actor John Hargreaves as Arthur Allan Thomas in Beyond Reasonable Doubt.
©South Pacific Pictures.
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(Right) prosecution lawyer David Morris (Grant Tilly) in Beyond Reasonable Doubt. Barrister Kevin Ryan (Ian Watkin) is at centre.
Kindly provided by Grant Tilly
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John Hargreaves as Arthur Allan Thomas in Beyond Reasonable Doubt.
©South Pacific Pictures