Brad McGann
Brad McGann's debut feature In My Father's Den won awards in Germany, China, England, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand; The Australian reviewer called it "one of the best films I have ever seen". McGann had earlier won acclaim for his moody fourth short Possum (1997). McGann passed away from cancer in May 2007. He was only 43.
Tessa Tylee
Tessa Tylee has over two decades of television credits, including six seasons of community hero garden renovation show Mucking In. She begun on the coffee run on factual series Heroes and worked her way up to helm documenaries on rally driver Possum Bourne and actor Kevin Smith. These days Tylee runs her own production outfit, Alice in Television, from Hawke's Bay.
James Griffin
Writer James Griffin has had a hand in an eye-opening proportion of the successful TV comedies and dramas made in New Zealand since 1985. His credits stretch from Gloss and The Almighty Johnsons, to award-winner 800 Words and big screen comedy Sione's Wedding. Working alongside writer Rachel Lang, he also helped create Westie family drama Outrageous Fortune and its prequel series Westside.
Leon Narbey
Leon Narbey is one of New Zealand’s most prolific and lauded cinematographers. His talents have contributed to roughly 20 features, including Whale Rider, Desperate Remedies, The Price of Milk and No.2. Narbey's work as a director includes movies The Footstep Man and Illustrious Energy, an acclaimed drama about Chinese goldminers.
Chris Plummer
Christopher Plummer went from playing punk music to cutting film, first at TVNZ editing documentaries, and then on a slate of award-winning films. They include the shorts Sure to Rise (Niki Caro), and Possum (Brad McGann); and feature films Channelling Baby, In My Father's Den, Black Sheep, No.2, Vincent Ward doco Rain of the Children, and Taika Waititi's breakout hit Boy.
Trevor Haysom
Producer Trevor Haysom has worked on projects ranging from ballroom dancing to bro'Town; a four decade screen career has seen Haysom notably produce for emerging filmmakers, including Gregor Nicholas (Rushes, Hey Paris) and the late Brad McGann (In My Father's Den, Possum). Haysom formed company T.H.E Film in 1991, and took away the inaugural SPADA Independent Producer of the Year Award in 2004.
Peter Salmon
Director Peter Salmon first won attention with a run of short films: 1998 chase romp Playing Possum, sci-fi tale Letters about the Weather, and coming of age story Fog (which was invited to Critics' Week at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival). His extensive CV of work for television includes directing episodes of Being Eve, Outrageous Fortune and This is Not My Life. He has also worked on a a run of high profile Australian shows, among them Rake, Offspring and Wanted.
Kirsty Cameron
Kirsty Cameron started in short film and art installation, before costume designing the first of around 20 feature films — including the acclaimed Whale Rider, Slow West, and No. 2. Her list of awards also includes The Orator and TV movie Jean, about aviator Jean Batten. Cameron's third short as writer/ director, teen fable The Lethal Innocents, was invited to festivals in Sweden, Germany and the USA.
Duane Evans Junior
Duane Evans Junior has been performing since he was a toddler, starting with adverts and modelling. His list of credits spans a diverse slate, from playing a young Billy T James (Billy), to a young Romeo (a JGeeks music video), and a recurring role on Shortland Street (as son of Vinnie Kruse). He has played lead roles in short films Possum, Ebony Society, and did an award-winning turn in I’m Going to Mum’s. In 2017 it was announced he would join the cast of James Cameron's Avatar sequels, as Roxto, a member of the oceanic Metkayina clan. Fluent in te reo, Evans Junior is sometimes credited as Duane Wichman-Evans Junior.
Stephen Papps
Stephen Papps won a NZ Film Award for one of his earliest screen appearances, after playing Firpo, the child-like dreamer who befriends the hero, in the movie of Bruce Mason classic The End of the Golden Weather. In 2008 he was nominated again for Russian Snark — starring as a frustrated Russian filmmaker trying to relaunch his career in NZ. Papps’ short film appearances include awardwinners Possum and Lemming Aid.