Christian Rivers
Christian Rivers began his screen career drawing images of zombie carnage for Peter Jackson classic Braindead. Since then his career has been closely intertwined with Jackson's. After designing creatures on The Lord of the Rings, Rivers won an Oscar for his visual effects contributions to the 2005 remake of King Kong. These days he concentrates on directing: after assisting on The Hobbit, he helmed moody short film Feeder (2015). At one point tied to a possible Dambusters remake, Rivers makes his movie debut with post-apocalyptic epic Mortal Engines, based on the award-winning book by Brit Philip Reeve.
John Feeney
Between getting his start in filmmaking with the National Film Unit, and returning to New Zealand to retire, John Feeney made his name as a director at the National Film Board of Canada; he also spent 40 years filming and photographing in Egypt. Some of his NFU films were considered to be outstanding documentaries, and two of his Canadian films were nominated for Academy Awards.
Tash Christie
Producer Tash Christie's screen credits span from motorway patrols to outsider art. Now working at company Greenstone TV, Christie has produced documentaries The Women of Pike River and Qantas award-winner A Good Way to Die? (alongside her partner Dan Salmon). She has also worked on a run of primetime documentary and reality shows, from Neighbours at War to The Big Ward.
Barbara Darragh
Barbara Darragh's screen costumes have been worn by ghosts, prostitutes, Māori warriors and Tainuia Kid Billy T James. An award-winner for The Dead Lands, River Queen and The End of the Golden Weather, Darragh's CV includes TV shows Under the Mountain and Greenstone, plus more than a dozen other features. She also runs Auckland costume hire company Across the Board.
Gaylene Barnes
Filmmaker and artist Gaylene Barnes has used her grab bag of skills on film sets, in editing suites, and as a painter and multi-media artist. Nominated for awards as both a production designer and an editor, Barnes has also directed everything from Hunger for the Wild to documentaries and animated shorts.
George Andrews
Producer George Andrews has been making documentaries about New Zealand for more than 40 years, including legendary documentary series Landmarks. In 2002 he was made an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to television.
Kathleen Gallagher
Kathleen Gallagher began writing plays after discovering how few women playwrights there were. Politicised by the kindness of (often poor) strangers met on travels overseas, she has gone on to write 15+ plays, poetry, and a novel. Gallagher has also directed a number of documentaries reflecting her interest in the environment, spirituality, and the peace movement. In 2009 she began her trilogy of Whisperer environmental films. In 2017 Gallagher and colleague Gaylene Barnes completed their Canterbury rivers film Seven Rivers Walking - Haere Mārire. It was invited to debut at the 2017 Christchurch Film Festival.
Richard Fletcher
Producer and Co-President of SPADA (the Screen Production and Development Association), Richard Fletcher has worked on Vincent Ward's River Queen, and helped arrange foreign finance for movies The Strength of Water and Under the Mountain. Fletcher is Managing Director of production company Libertine Pictures.
Derek Wright
Dropping in on the Americans at the South Pole for afternoon tea, having driven there by tractor, was one of the most unusual events of Derek Wright's career as a National Film Unit cameraman. In his 40 years with the NFU he filled many other roles, from laboratory assistant to producer: but it is for his filming in the Antarctic that he is particularly remembered.
Dan Hennah
Art department veteran Dan Hennah worked on a range of screen projects before becoming an art director and set decorator on The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Five times Oscar nominated, he won an Academy Award for his work on The Return of the King. Since then Hennah has graduated to production designing on a number of features, including taking on the job for Peter Jackson's three-parter of The Hobbit.