Jono Smith
Jono Smith was 14 when he won the starring role as teenager Ned Poindexter in 50s-era coming of age classic The Scarecrow. After leaving school, Smith joined TVNZ and became a camera assistant. Since relocating to England in 1993 he has shot a raft of television projects, short films, and four features. In 2010 he co-produced acclaimed movie Sus.
Glenis Giles
Glenis Giles has a wealth of experience as a producer and production manager. Her portfolio includes documentaries, film and television drama, children’s TV, commercials and music videos.
Cyril Morton
Cyril Morton's career began in the 1920s, during New Zealand's first sustained burst of filmmaking. Morton helped create Government filmmaking body the National Film Unit. The former cameraman was later second-in-command at the Unit for 13 years, until retiring in 1963. Morton passed away in 1986.
John McBeth
John McBeth's commentating career began after injuries put paid to his senior rugby playing days. He became Radio New Zealand's lead rugby commentator in 1985 and took that position at TVNZ in 1992. With his trademark sense of humour never far away, he has covered Olympic and Commonwealth Games and America's Cup yachting along with many other sports.
John Psathas
Born in NZ to Greek immigrants, John Psathas knew at 12 that music would be his life. Since then, he has composed for drum, sax, orchestra, and the Athens Olympic Games' opening. Psathas was profiled in award-winning doco View from Olympus. In arts show The Gravy he can be seen working with band Little Bushman. To date he has scored the soundtracks for two features: western Good for Nothing and period drama White Lies.
Peter Metcalf
Peter Metcalf has four decades of experience in making it all look seamless. After 20 years in state television, he became TV3’s first Head Video Editor in Wellington. His credits include classics like Country Calendar and Kaleidoscope, plus Great War Stories, 35 short documentaries for TV3 commemorating the First World War. He also helped launch successful post-production suite Blue Bicycle Flicks.
David Downes
Composer David Downes defines the word multi-media. Often supplying images to play alongside his music, he has also written for orchestra, percussionists Strike and dance legend Michael Parmenter (Jerusalem). In 2000 Downes was a key collaborator on 50 minute long film A Small Life, which uses music to explore childhood and death. In 2004 he directed animated short Generation, which played in many international festivals.
Mike Hopkins
Sound designer Mike Hopkins worked on more than 20 feature films. Along the way he won wide respect for his craft and the humble dedication he applied to it. He won awards for his work on Kiwi classics Illustrious Energy, Crush and Heavenly Creatures, and Oscars for his sound editing on King Kong and the second Lord of the Rings movie. Hopkins died in a rafting accident on 30 December 2012.