Ian Mune and Roger Donaldson on Winners & Losers...
Long before they became veritable Kiwi screen legends, Ian Mune and Roger Donaldson hatched a clever plan: pool their talents, turn some classic short stories into a series, and maybe even get paid for their efforts. The result was landmark 1976 anthology series Winners & Losers, which helped open the door for New Zealand stories on screen.
Mark Mitchinson: A career playing dangerous men…
Award-winning actor Mark Mitchinson has made a name for himself bringing complex and dangerous characters to life on screen. He has played a psychiatrist who murdered his wife in Bloodlines; a gunman in Siege; and a dodgy shrink in Nothing Trivial. Mitchinson also produces and stars in the made for the web drama/comedy High Road.
Bruce Morrison: Heartland, poetry and liquor bottles…
Bruce Morrison's career as a producer, director and writer has brought some memorable New Zealand stories to the screen. He has been involved in a number of arts shows such as Kaleidoscope and Profiles, as well as poetry documentaries The Roaring 40's Tour and The Road to Jerusalem. Morrison directed the feature films Constance, Shaker Run and Queen City Rocker, and was a long-time director on Gary McCormick's iconic Heartland documentary series.
ScreenTalk Short: Mark Mitchinson
Award-winning actor Mark Mitchinson has played his share of shady characters.
Hugh Macdonald: Expos, epics and animated amphibians...
Hugh Macdonald’s long filmmaking career encompasses historical epics, Oscar-nominated shorts, and lots of time on the road. Macdonald is probably best-known for three-screen spectacular This is New Zealand, which got crowds queueing at World Expo in Japan, before playing for months back home. A two-decade long stint at the National Film Unit also saw him directing two episodes of historical epic The Governor, and producing the first of many animated shorts.
Jackie van Beek: On the importance of chaos in filmmaking...
Jackie van Beek is an actor, director and writer who first honed her storytelling skills in theatre. She has acted in a variety of television and film roles, and directed several award-winning short films. In 2017 van Beek directed her first feature film The Inland Road, then co-wrote, co-directed and co-starred in hit comedy The Breaker Upperers, with Madeleine Sami.
Steven O'Meagher: The 20 year dream that was Harry…
As the founder of production company Desert Road, Steven O'Meagher has produced a long list of documentaries, films and television shows. His documentaries include The Understudy, Million Dollar Tumour, and Reluctant Hero. O'Meagher executive produced TV drama This is Not My Life, and made the police series Harry, featuring Oscar Kightley in the lead role.
Stephen J Campbell: Classic kids TV, comedy, sci-fi fantasy and more...
Stephen J Campbell is a long-time television writer, director and producer who began in TV aimed at younger viewers, including classic series 3:45 LIVE!, and Ice TV. Campbell has also worked on comedy shows including That Comedy Show and Funny Business. In more recent times, he has specialised in creating kidult shows with a sci-fi/fantasy bent, including hits Secret Agent Men and The Amazing Extraordinary Friends. Campbell also worked on Nigel Latta’s Politically Incorrect Guide to Teenagers and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Grown Ups.
Alison Maclean: A gothic crush…
Canadian-born to New Zealand parents, writer and director Alison Maclean helmed one of the most successful NZ Film Commission-funded short films of all time, Kitchen Sink, which debuted at Cannes and won eight international awards. A graduate of Elam School of Fine Arts, she has directed feature films Crush (which she also wrote) and Jesus’ Son. A director of commercials and television series including Sex and the City and Gossip Girl, Maclean divides her time between New York, Canada and New Zealand, and she is developing several feature films.
Kelly Johnson: Saying goodbye to pork pie...
Kelly Johnson is best remembered for his lead role in the iconic Kiwi film Goodbye Pork Pie. He followed that success with roles in the films Carry Me Back, Bad Blood, Battletruck and Utu. In more recent times, Johnson has worked as a lawyer, but he still does occasional guest acting roles, including in Shortland Street and Maddigan’s Quest.