Geoff Dixon
Geoff Dixon began making commercials in the 70s — the decade he launched legendary ad company Silverscreen Productions, whose clients included Cadbury, Toyota, Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines. Ranging across New Zealand and beyond, his work includes iconic images of South Island back roads, Barry Crump crashing utes through the bush, and Michael Hurst singing a war cry for the Kiwi bloke.
Murray Grindlay
Since first winning fame as lead singer of 60s blues band The Underdogs, Murray Grindlay has gone on to apply his musical talents as a composer for feature films (Sleeping Dogs, Once Were Warriors), veteran jingle-writer (including the classic Crunchie train robbery commercial), and producer (hit single 'Sailing Away', Goldenhorse's Out of the Moon).
Tom Bradley
Tom Bradley is the proverbial man of many skills. Best known for his 25 year stint as a television newsreader (including on Feltex award-winner News at Ten), Bradley has also done time as a pirate radio DJ, media coach and singer. His writing work includes dozens of scripts for animated series Buzz and Poppy, and more than 20 books for children and young adults.
Philip Sherry
Philip Sherry, MNZM, remains one of New Zealand’s longest serving newsreaders — including flagship bulletins for the NZBC, TV One, South Pacific Television, TV3 and Radio NZ. Sherry began television newsreading in 1963. After work in Canada and London he returned home, co-anchoring innovative twin city bulletin News at 10 with Tom Bradley. He joined TV3 for its launch in 1989, then did time in politics.
Tony Williams
Tony Williams' contribution to the development of NZ film and television has been huge: his camerawork for John O'Shea's 60s feature-films, the nine ground-breaking documentaries he directed for Pacific Films, and his feature Solo, which helped launch the 70s new wave. After moving to Australia in 1980, Williams continued to wield a lively influence on our culture by directing many legendary commercials.
John Day
John Day rolled film on a wide range of screen projects before establishing company Matte-Box Films in 1980. He went on to mix a busy trans-Tasman commercials career with directing gigs on a number of non-fiction titles (The Power of Music, The Hunt for the Pink and White Terraces), plus ghost movie The Returning. Day passed away on 7 January 2015.
Luke Nola
Luke Nola is the creator of madcap children’s show Let’s Get Inventin’, which over seven seasons spawned awards, dozens of inventions — and 11 successful patents. The show screened in more than 30 countries. Nola began as a graphic designer, and the world of advertising soon led him to television; he has also directed children’s shows Life on Ben and The Goober Brothers, in which he played one of the Goobers.
Jennie Goodwin
Broadcaster Jennie Goodwin made history in June 1975, when she became the first woman in the Commonwealth to take on the national prime time news bulletin. The TV2 newsreader dispelled the belief that women lacked the authority to present network news. Goodwin left television in 1982, although she has made occasional return appearances.
Ray Ruawhare
Ray Ruawhare has worked on effects and animation for everything from NZ On Air's Eric the Goldfish to movie Predicament. In 2004 he produced From Len Lye to Gollum, a comprehensive documentary on the history of animation in New Zealand. Ruawhare was one of the founders of animation and effects conference AnimfxNZ.
Dane Giraud
Former guitarist Dane Giraud began his screen career by starring in and helping write 2001 movie The Waiting Place. Since then there hasn’t been much waiting around. Aside from directing feature drama Luella Miller, he has been a key player in a run of television shows and documentaries (Bring Your Boots, Oz, Both Worlds). Giraud is also creator of mockumentary series Find Me a Māori Bride.