Rachel Antony

Armed with a journalism degree from Auckland University of Technology, Rachel Antony began her screen career as a publicist for TVNZ regional channel Horizon Pacific. On a UK OE she continued in publicity, this time in comedy at the BBC. On her return home she moved into research roles on a run of shows for Greenstone, Cream, Top Shelf and TVNZ. The roles involved uncovering stories and talent for documentaries on everything from human giants to alcoholics, to Coromandel medics. 

Her journalism training – producing pithy copy at pace – was put to further use as a writer on breakfast show Good Morning, and during a stint as a travel writer. In 2001 she moved into screen production roles, taking the helm as producer for the first two seasons of Cream TV’s popular Coastwatch. The reality series followed fisheries officers protecting New Zealand waters. Further producer roles followed on mainstay NZ reality shows Neighbours at War and Motorway Patrol — both made by Greenstone TV. 

The success of another Greenstone reality show, Serious Crash Unit, saw the format being exported, and in 2007 Antony set up the company's Sydney office to produce an Australian version of the concept: C.I.U. (Crash Investigation Unit) for Channel 7. A four year tour in Australian TV followed; she won production credits on 7’s Conviction Kitchen, and on primetime shows such as FremantleMedia’s So You Think You Can Dance Australia and The X Factor.

In 2011 Antony graduated with a diploma in Screen Business from Australia's National Film Television and Radio School; and received Screen NSW funding to produce short film Great Western. The short — chronicling an encounter between an Iraqi-born taxi driver and an Australian immigration officer — screened at the Vancouver Film Festival, and won awards at festivals in Sydney, London and Los Angeles.   

In 2011 she returned to Aotearoa, where she was project leader on a digital spinoff from Geoff Blackwell’s runaway publishing success Milk. The Milk series celebrated humanity through photographs; Antony worked on an online self-publishing venture where customers could create their own Milk photo books. By 2014 Antony was back at Greenstone as a development executive; she became Director of Development and Production in 2015. In early 2017, she took over the reins of the company from Richard Driver. 

At that point Antony oversaw a slate that encompassed long-running reality TV successes Border Patrol, Dog Squad, Motorway Patrol (and its Aussie cousin Highway Patrol), plus The Big Ward, Renters, archive history series Decades in Colour, and teen sci-fi drama The Cul de Sac. In early 2017 Greenstone launched pioneering digital production Under the Bridge, a collaboration with The NZ Herald, following a year in the life of students at Papakura High School.

Sources include
Rachel Antony
'Rachel Antony' Greenstone TV website. Accessed 16 March 2017
Unknown writer, 'Rachel Antony appointed Greenstone TV CEO', Screenz website. Loaded 8 March 2017. Accessed 16 March 2017