Colin Tapley
Dunedin-born actor Colin Tapley found character parts gave his movie career longevity. Tapley argued that the average time for a leading man in 1930s Hollywood was seven years. He played supporting roles in pre-World War II Hollywood films, and after the war extended his career into the late 60s with performances in British movies and TV. His best remembered film is 1955 classic The Dam Busters.
Rob Sarkies
Rob Sarkies made his first film at age 10. His feature debut was 1999 hit Scarfies, followed by Out of the Blue, an acclaimed dramatisation of the Aramoana murders. Sarkies followed it with TV's This is Not My Life and black comedy Two Little Boys, based on a novel by his brother Duncan. Since then he has directed Moa-nominated TV movie Consent, and multi award-winning Jean Batten biopic Jean.
Nathaniel Lees
Kiwi-born Samoan Nathaniel Lees began acting on stage in 1975, and on screen in 1984. Since then he has become a leading force in the development of Pacific Island theatre in Aotearoa, and brought his distinctive baritone voice to everything from The Billy T James Show to The Matrix.
Joe Musaphia
Self-discipline has never been a problem for Joe Musaphia — he's written over 140 radio plays and dozens of full-length stage plays since 1960. His screen credits include pioneering Kiwi sketch show In View of the Circumstances, New Zealand's first musical Don't Let it Get You, sitcom Between the Lines and hosting childrens’ show Joe’s World. Musaphia has also worked as a columnist, cartoonist and actor.
Thomas Sainsbury
Thomas Sainsbury is a chameleon with an eclectic CV. He is an accomplished playwright, he co-wrote TV series Super City with Madeleine Sami and has collaborated with others on web series Stake Out, Bachelor Pad and The Video Store. As the ‘Snapchat Dude’, he is best known for using wigs and face manipulation to parody people, such as Simon Bridges and Paula Bennett. Image: photo by Andi Crown
Scott Granville
After completing a Masters of Arts in Literature and Creative Writing at Waikato University, Scott Granville set up production company Chasing Time with his filmmaking partner Ben Woollen in 2008. Together they have created feature film Pictures of You, about a promising young rugby player whose dreams lie elsewhere, and a plethora of short films including the award-winning Serve and Protect, a comedy about a small-town police officer. Granville and Woollen have since moved their productions into the world of education, making short series specifically for learners and teachers of the English language.
Mike Minogue
Mike Minogue has played a lot of policemen. Although his screen debut in 2009 movie Separation City saw him cast as a fireman, he's played cops in TV movies How To Murder Your Wife, Doubt: The Scott Watson Case, and Rage — which saw him getting nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2012 NZ TV Awards. After a small role as a gormless police officer in hit vampire comedy What We Do In The Shadows, Minogue got to reprise the role when he co-starred in spin-off series Wellington Paranormal. He is also the creator of The Watercooler, an anthology web series reenacting real life stories sent in by viewers.
Jenny-May Clarkson (née Coffin)
Jenny-May Clarkson did her first sports commentary in 2001, the same year she became vice-captain of the Silver Ferns netball team. Clarkson has gone on to work in various roles for TVNZ as a sports commentator, reporter and presenter. She also spent a decade as a presenter on Māori Television sports show Code, and did a stint as a newsreader on news channel TVNZ 7. In 2003 she competed on Celebrity Treasure Island. Clarkson mentors young athletes through organisation High Performance Sport NZ. She has also worked as a police officer and been an assistant coach for netball's Northern Mystics.
Rachel Jean
After producing her first short film for Niki Caro, Rachel Jean worked alongside veteran producer Owen Hughes on a host of documentaries, plus the occasional drama. Later Jean went solo, producing TV series Secret Agent Men, and The Market. After time as TV3’s Head of Drama and Comedy, she became Head of Development at South Pacific Pictures.
Graeme Tetley
Graeme Tetley began his long scriptwriting career with Vigil, one of the most acclaimed New Zealand films of the 1980s. He went on to co-create police show Shark in the Park, collaborate extensively with director Gaylene Preston (Ruby and Rata, Bread and Roses), and co-write Out of the Blue, the story of the Aramoana massacre. Tetley passed away on 13 March 2011.