Geoff Dixon
Geoff Dixon began making commercials in the 70s — the decade he launched legendary ad company Silverscreen Productions, whose clients included Cadbury, Toyota, Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines. Ranging across New Zealand and beyond, his work includes iconic images of South Island back roads, Barry Crump crashing utes through the bush, and Michael Hurst singing a war cry for the Kiwi bloke.
Tony Williams
Tony Williams' contribution to the development of NZ film and television has been huge: his camerawork for John O'Shea's 60s feature-films, the nine ground-breaking documentaries he directed for Pacific Films, and his feature Solo, which helped launch the 70s new wave. After moving to Australia in 1980, Williams continued to wield a lively influence on our culture by directing many legendary commercials.
Lloyd Scott
Lloyd Scott began his long radio career as a radio technician in Greymouth in 1963, and took up professional acting in 1977. Along the way Lyttelton-raised Scott performed in 80 plus theatre roles and numerous TV series, including Roger Hall's Neighbourhood Watch; he also hosted junior news show Video Dispatch in the 1980s. On screen, he is probably best remembered as Scotty — hapless sidekick to driver Barry Crump — in a series of beloved Toyota ads, which ran from 1982 to 1996. Scott's 50 years in radio included 13 years lending his soothing voice to the all night slot, on Radio New Zealand National.
Murray Grindlay
Since first winning fame as lead singer of 60s blues band The Underdogs, Murray Grindlay has gone on to apply his musical talents as a composer for feature films (Sleeping Dogs, Once Were Warriors), veteran jingle-writer (including the classic Crunchie train robbery commercial), and producer (hit single 'Sailing Away', Goldenhorse's Out of the Moon).
Ash Turner
Ash Turner is a production designer and art director with over 20 year's experience contributing to award-winning features and television dramas, plus short films, commercials and live events. His work includes design for the films Snakeskin, A Song of Good, and Planet Man, as well as award-winning TV drama Ngā Tohu: Signatures.
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.
Peter Blake
Peter Blake introduced more local content to popular music shows Ready to Roll and Radio with Pictures at a time when covers of overseas songs were the norm. The longtime musician began in television via 1970s music programme; Grunt Machine, and ended up in charge of a stable of shows. He has also composed music for everything from TV One's nightly News theme to drama Shark in the Park.
Stephen Hunter
After acting on award-winning Australian series Love My Way, Stephen Hunter won the part of bumbling dwarf Bombur in Peter Jackson's three-part adaptation of The Hobbit. Morrinsville-raised Hunter moved to Australia in 2004, and has written and voiced radio commercials on both sides of the Tasman. Remembered for a memorable journey by flying fox in a Toyota advert, he also acted in Australian comedy Review with Myles Barlow. and crime series Janet King.
John Toon
John Toon's globetrotting award-winning career as a cinematographer encompasses documentary, shorts, TV drama (The Governor) and feature films — Rain, Mr Pip, Kingpin and Sunshine Cleaning among them. He has also shot and directed many commercials.
Maggie Barry
A lover of gardens from childhood with a diploma in horticulture, Maggie Barry spent four years on the news frontline as co-host of National Radio’s Morning Report from 1986 to 1989. As presenter of TV hit Maggie’s Garden Show she was the face of NZ gardening for 12 years. After time in freelance journalism and radio she was elected MP for North Shore in 2011, and became a cabinet minister in 2014.