Miranda Harcourt: From Gloss newbie to acting coach...
Miranda Harcourt got her screen break playing the bitchy Gemma on iconic 80s soap Gloss. Since then the versatile Harcourt has hardly taken a break - directing, teaching, plus acting in prisons, tele-movie Clare, and feature film For Good, among many other roles.
Shirley Horrocks: Arts documentarian...
For more than two decades, Shirley Horrocks has been creating documentaries focussing on key figures from the New Zealand arts scene. Among her works are docos about photographer Marti Friedlander, artist Len Lye and playwright Roger Hall. She has also directed two science related films – Venus: A Quest and Paul Callaghan: Dancing with Atoms.
Cushla Dillon: Accidental acting and award-winning editing…
Cushla Dillon was a newbie editor when she worked on the TV series and film Topless Women Talk about Their Lives. Dillon won an NZ Film editing award for her work on the movie, then went on to cut an impressive list of documentaries, shorts and feature films. Notable documentaries she has worked on include The Price of Peace and The Confessions of Prisoner T. Dillon’s feature credits include Orphans & Kingdoms, The Price of Milk and Snakeskin (which she edited with Marcus D'Arcy).
Jennifer Ludlam: Acting without makeup or shoes…
Award-winning actor Jennifer Ludlam has played a range of strong female characters in TV shows such as Cover Story, Gloss, and Undercover. She spent time in Australia appearing in a number of dramas including Prisoner and Sons and Daughters. Returning to New Zealand, Ludlam starred in Sima Urale’s feature film Apron Strings.
Julian Arahanga: From acting in Once Were Warriors to directing Songs from the Inside...
Actor turned producer/director Julian Arahanga made his screen debut at age 11, starring alongside Annie Whittle in short film The Makutu on Mrs Jones. He shot to fame playing novice gang member Nig Heke in landmark movie Once Were Warriors, then went on to act in a number of films including Broken English. Since setting up his own production company Awa Films, Arahanga has directed and produced TV series Songs from the Inside and acclaimed documentary Turangaarere: The John Pohe Story.
ScreenTalk Short: Julian Arahanga
Julian Arahanga shot to fame playing novice gang member Nig Heke in Once Were Warriors.
Graeme Cowley: Having an eye on the film industry...
Graeme Cowley is a cinematographer with an impressive line-up of features to his credit including Smash Palace, Utu, and Carry Me Back (which he also produced). Cowley also set up pioneering equipment hire company Film Facilities with Nigel Hutchinson, to bolster the range of camera equipment available to independent filmmakers. He was a prime mover behind the restoration of Utu, Utu Redux.