Bill Kerton
Bill Kerton has directing and writing credits on shows from Havoc and Newsboy to Jim Hickey’s A Flying Visit, but it’s his voice that will be most recognisable to punters. Duncan Greive of The Spinoff called him a "narrating genius" for his observational documentary voice-overs. Kerton's distinctive drawl and humour have graced everything from bogans to Neighbours at War, the show he also directed for four seasons.
Kevin Riley
Kevin Riley worked his way up from gaffer to cameraman to cinematographer, after beginning his working career as an electrician. Along the way he set up Auckland equipment company Cinestuff, founded the New Zealand Cinematographer's Society, and has provided a wide range of images from muscle-clad heroes (Hercules) to the highly competitive world of pub quizzes (Nothing Trivial).
Barbara Ewing
New Zealand-born actor Barbara Ewing attracted early notice in 60s British horror films, and became a UK household name as buxom Agnes Fairchild on TV comedy Brass. Ewing was raised in NZ, before leaving to train at RADA in London. In 1979 she won a Feltex Award as the lead in NZ returning expat drama Rachel. Ewing has written plays and several acclaimed novels, including Victorian theatre-set bestseller The Mesmerist.
Roger Donaldson
Roger Donaldson is notable for spearheading the New Zealand film renaissance with Sleeping Dogs (1977). He has been busy directing in Hollywood for much of the period since. Donaldson's first Kiwi story since acclaimed drama Smash Palace (1981) was Burt Munro biopic The World’s Fastest Indian (2005) — the most successful New Zealand film on home soil until the arrival of Taika Waititi's Boy in 2010.
Dorthe Scheffmann
Dorthe Scheffmann’s varied behind the scenes roles have helped ensure that many classic Kiwi movies managed to finish their shoots, without falling apart in the process. In 1996 she competed at the Cannes Film Festival with The Beach, the first short film she directed. Her first feature was released in 2018: ensemble drama Vermilion starring actor Jennifer Ward-Lealand.
Robin Laing
Robin Laing began her long career as a producer with 1985's Mr Wrong, the first of many projects she has worked on with director Gaylene Preston. In 1993 Laing was awarded a Member of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the New Zealand film industry.
Tim Prebble
Tim Prebble is an alchemist of sound, adept at combining audio from many sources to evoke mood and emotion. His work has enhanced everything from feature films to television drama series, shorts, and documentaries. The common thread in his output is a deep sensitivity to theme and story.
John Blick
After starting his filmmaking career at the National Film Unit, cinematographer John Blick has shot many iconic Kiwi commercials, done extended time in Asia and the United States — and worked alongside everyone from Brian Brake and Peter Jackson (The Frighteners), to Skippy the Bush Kangaroo.
Rachel Antony
After training in journalism Rachel Antony worked in publicity, and researched shows for company Greenstone TV. She has since accrued producer credits across a run of documentaries and mainstays of Kiwi reality television. In a four year Australian stint from 2007, she set up Greenstone’s Sydney office and produced for primetime Australian TV shows. In 2017 Antony became Chief Executive of Greenstone.
Ant Timpson
Ant Timpson’s longtime love affair with movies — especially the wild and 'incredibly strange' end of the spectrum — has seen him launch long-running film festivals and New Zealand's biggest filmmaking contest, 48 Hours. He has been part of the producing team on a run of features, from Housebound to The ABCs of Death. In 2019 Timpson directed thriller Come to Daddy, starring Elijah Wood.