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Profile image for John Lye

John Lye

Director, Producer

A meticulous, unflappable producer and director, John Lye’s career spanned three decades – most of it spent with TVNZ in Christchurch and Avalon. Lye did time as a cameraman and floor manager. Later he commanded two major productions of the 1980s — That’s Country and McPhail and Gadsby. After leaving TVNZ in 2000, he helped launch Big Brother Australia and live broadcasts of New Zealand Parliament.

He was the only person I fully trusted with transforming a script into a finished sketch… I had complete faith in John’s judgement. If the plants needed light, then let there be light and if John said a sketch wasn’t working, we knew it wasn’t working. David McPhail, on page 170 of his autobiography The Years Before My Death

Thumbnail image for RNZ Interview: That's Country - Suzanne Prentice & John Lye
Interview

RNZ Interview: That's Country - Suzanne Prentice & John Lye

Interview, 2022

Thumbnail image for Frontseat - Series Two, Episode 10

Frontseat - Series Two, Episode 10

2006, Studio Director - Television

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Frontseat - Series One, Episode 14

2004, Studio Director - Television

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Good Morning

1996, Director - Television

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Pathways - Pilot Episode

1994, Producer - Short Film

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Dilemmas

1993 - 1994, Director - Television

Thumbnail image for Dilemmas - 12 November 1993

Dilemmas - 12 November 1993

1993, Director - Television

Thumbnail image for Dilemmas - 3 December 1993

Dilemmas - 3 December 1993

1993, Director - Television

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The Krypton Factor (1991) - Episode Seven

1991, Director - Television

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Visual Symphonies - The Outback

1991, Producer - Television

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This is Your Life - Johnny Checketts

1990, Director, Producer - Television

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Sale of the Century

1989 - 1992, Director - Television

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The Krypton Factor

1988 - 1991, Producer, Director - Television

Thumbnail image for McPhail & Gadsby - Best of Series Five

McPhail & Gadsby - Best of Series Five

1983, Director, Producer - Television

Thumbnail image for That's Country - 20 March 1982

That's Country - 20 March 1982

1982, Producer, Director - Television

Thumbnail image for On the Mat - 17 March 1981

On the Mat - 17 March 1981

1981, Director - Television

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McPhail & Gadsby

1980 - 1987, 1998, Director, Producer - Television

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That's Country

1981 - 1984, Producer - Television

Thumbnail image for McPhail & Gadsby - First Episode

McPhail & Gadsby - First Episode

1980, Director, Producer - Television

Thumbnail image for On the Mat - 29 July 1980

On the Mat - 29 July 1980

1980, Director - Television

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That Look in Your Eyes

1979, Director - Music video

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Be Mine Tonight

1979, Director - Music video

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Telethon

1976, Director, Producer - Television

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On the Mat

1980 - 1983, Director - Television

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Romper Room

1978 - 1979, Producer, Director - Television

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Town and Around

1970, Director (Christchurch) - Television