Rod Morris
Rod Morris has more than three decades experience as a wildlife photographer and filmmaker. After working on the quest to save the Chatham Island black robin, he joined TVNZ's Natural History Unit (now independent company NHNZ) in 1980. His name is found on more than 30 books, and his photography has helped spur generations of Kiwis to share his passion for the natural world.
Robert Brown
Veteran wildlife cameraman Robert Brown has filmed everything from polar bears to pukeko in places from the Arctic to the Antarctic. He shot the rare bird stories that led to the formation of state television's Natural History Unit (later NHNZ), and contributed to classic BBC David Attenborough series, such as Life on Earth and The Living Planet. In 1981 he won a Feltex Award for his work on Wild South.
Terry Gray
Terry Gray composed and arranged music for dramas, variety shows, dance legend Gene Kelly and the Commonwealth Games. Along the way, his work included everything from the iconic 'We are the Boys' Chesdale commercial to a gold-selling CD.
Michael Stedman
Veteran producer Michael Stedman, ONZM, was commander of Dunedin's Natural History Unit and head of programme production for TVNZ — at the same time. In 1997 he helped arrange the deal that saw the unit sold to Fox Television and renamed NHNZ, while still keeping its main base in New Zealand. Stedman became managing director of one of the world's largest producers of wildlife and factual programming.
Janet McIntyre
Brisbane-raised Janet McIntyre moved to New Zealand in 1989, and filed reports for 3 News before moving on to 60 Minutes and 20/20. Since switching to TVNZ she has been a long-time mainstay of current affairs show Sunday. She has filed stories from Kandahar to Gloriavale, and tackled interviewees ranging from Fijian dictators to Madonna. She was named TV Journalist of the Year at the 2005 Qantas TV Awards.
Peta Carey
Award-winning documentary maker Peta Carey has framed subjects from a Kiwi buddha to Fiordland waterfalls, Pacific atolls to paragliders. She cut her teeth as a presenter on kids show Spot On, then began directing current affairs. Genetic research examination Lifting of the Makutu won her a 2006 NZ Screen Award. Carey runs Watershed Films, and has written feature stories for North & South and The Listener.
Peter Hayden
Peter Hayden’s long storytelling career spans fact, fiction, feather and fur. Hayden has worked extensively behind the scenes on a run of nature documentaries, made for company NHNZ. His acting career includes roles in classic goldmining drama Illustrious Energy and Maurice Gee series The Fire-Raiser. In 2017 Hayden was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to film and television.
Stephen Downes
Stephen Downes had never shot a film before meeting director Robert Sarkies in an Otago University cafe; he wound up framing a trio of Sarkies’ short films, plus his breakout feature Scarfies. With a zoology degree under his belt, Downes has also forged a prolific career as an international wildlife filmmaker, from capturing kaka parrots in his lens to "chasing wild ass" in India. He is co-founder of 5 to 9 productions.
Tony Trotter
Reporter turned producer Tony Trotter was a key figure in the long history of rural show Country Calendar, pulling the programme out of the studio and towards a wider audience. Spotting the talent of Country Calendar reporter John Gordon, Trotter got him to front the quirky A Dog's Show. Later Trotter won two Feltex awards producing for TVNZ’s fledgling Natural History Unit. He passed away on 9 March 2016.
Mike Lemmon
Mike Lemmon was born in England and joined the BBC as a trainee cameraman in 1966. He was a camera operator on Brideshead Revisited - a series that took two years to shoot. He moved to New Zealand in 1981 and joined the Natural History Unit (now NHNZ). He went freelance in 1990 and his work has been seen on the BBC, National Geographic and the Discovery Channels. In 2009 he won an Emmy for his work on the Wild China series.