Alister Barry
Alister Barry has been making intelligent and provocative documentaries for more than three decades. Barry's films reflect his longtime interest in how power is exercised in a democracy, and how the decisions of the powerful impact on ordinary people's lives.
Dan Salmon
Dan Salmon is a multi award-winning director and producer of documentary (Made in Taiwan, Here to Stay) and drama (Licked, The Day Morris Left). His documentaries have screened on TVNZ, ABC, Al Jazeera and EBS in Korea, and at festivals in Tahiti, Canada and the United States.
Marcia Russell
Marcia Russell, OBE, blazed a trail for women working in print and screen journalism. Her TV work ranged from reporting and documentary making, to Beauty and the Beast panelist, and a key role in the creation of TV3. She was behind the award-winning Revolution series (surveying 80s Labour government reforms), and contributed to major series Landmarks and The New Zealand Wars. Russell died on 1 December 2012.
Ian Fraser
Ian Fraser made his name in the late 70s as one of New Zealand’s most respected interviewers, facing off against everyone from Robert Muldoon to the Shah of Iran. In 2002, after time spent in public relations and as head of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, he returned to Television New Zealand — this time as its chief executive.
David Beatson
David Beatson's 50 year career included high profile stints in TV current affairs: reporting, interviewing and producing for shows like Town and Around, Compass, Gallery, and Eyewitness, and chairing election debates. Beatson went on to edit The Listener, and was a press secretary to PM Jim Bolger and spokesperson for Air NZ. He served on the boards of various media organisations, and was chairman of NZ On Air.
Phil Wallington
Veteran Australian-born producer Phil Wallington has 50 plus years of screen credits. A 1989 shift to New Zealand following 23 years at Australia’s ABC news saw him take on a run of executive producer roles on current affairs shows; he helped produce the controversial 1990 Frontline report on Labour Party campaign funding. The Top Shelf producer is also a regular media commentator.
Shane Loader
Shane Loader has credits as editor, cameraman, producer, and writer/director (including Clermont-Ferrand selected short The Terrorist). Since 2008, alongside partner Andrea Bosshard, he has begun making and distributing feature films through filmmaking initiative Torchlight Films. The pair's third feature The Great Maiden's Blush won acclaim when it was released in 2016.
John Carlaw
John Carlaw's directing career spanned four decades. During 23 years in England, he directed for the BBC and Channel 4, and on high profile ITV arts slot The South Bank Show. Shortly before starting over in New Zealand, Carlaw was nominated for a Cable Television award for Edgar Allen Poe adaptation The Tell-Tale Heart, starring stage legend Steven Berkoff. Carlaw's Kiwi work was almost exclusively in documentary, including docos on Michael King and Ian Mune. He won more awards for Edmund Hillary series View from the Top and Revolution, which chronicled the Rogernomics era. Carlaw passed away on 29 May 2017.
Stephen McCurdy
Composer Stephen McCurdy's screen music has crossed the gamut — from jazz, chamber pieces, rock, and pop, to the faux Peggy Lee song which opened each episode of 80s soap Gloss. McCurdy won NZ Film Awards for his scores to Came a Hot Friday and The End of the Golden Weather.
Bill Toepfer
Although he may not be keen to do so, Bill Toepfer can claim a place in global television history as the man behind the Popstars reality TV juggernaut. Toepfer has enjoyed a long and accomplished career in New Zealand television, editing and producing hundreds of hours of documentaries and TV specials.