Heartland - Omarama
Heartland host Gary McCormick visits South Island town Omarama, which is "about as remote as you can get in New Zealand, as it sits in the centre of the South Island at its widest point." McCormick talks to sheep farmers battling pest rabbits and the invasive weed Heiracium Hawkweed, checks out a fishing competition, and attends the Omarama Rodeo. At the rodeo he meets the Church family of rodeo riding brothers, listens to a spot of yodelling, and takes in the children's sheep riding display.
20/20 - The Real McCaw
For this 4 May 2006 20/20 profile, reporter Hadyn Jones heads to rugby great Richie McCaw’s hometown of Kurow, on the cusp of his appointment as All Black captain. Jones quizzes the 25-year-old on his fighter pilot grandfather, girls, and his “second great love” — gliding. Childhood photos and interviews with his family frame spectacular shots of McCaw “rock-polishing”, in a glider above Omarama. Jones asks: “Is it daunting when you think we haven’t won a World Cup in 20 years?” By 2015 McCaw would be the only skipper to have twice held aloft the Webb Ellis Cup.
Swami Hansa
Swami Hansa (sometimes credited as Anand Hansa or Malcolm Nish) was operating a camera in 1962, the day TV began broadcasting in Dunedin. Hansa has been shooting ever since, his work ranging across natural history, human interest and the arts. His CV includes many episodes of the long-running Heartland, plus such noted docos as Birth, Kiwi - A Natural History and Horizon doco The Man Who Moved Mountains, made for the BBC.
Gary McCormick
Known for his many live tours as a poet, debater and speaker, Kiwi legend Gary McCormick has made a host of appearances on New Zealand television. His work on the talk show McCormick and long-running series Heartland helped make him television's most popular presenter in a 1999 newspaper poll.
Bruce Morrison
Bruce Morrison's extensive career as director, producer and sometime scriptwriter has crossed the gamut: from innovative arts programming and pioneer music videos, to the long-running Heartland series — plus feature films variously involving fast cars, riotous teens and a glamour-struck Donogh Rees.
William Grieve
William Grieve is a producer with more than two decades experience in documentaries, factual series, commercials and feature films. Grieve has worked extensively with filmmaker Bruce Morrison and entertainer Gary McCormick.
Ken Sparks
Ken Sparks has a BA in Music and Drama. His introduction to editing was as an assistant on Vincent Ward classic In Spring One Plants Alone. Since then he has edited drama, dance films, many documentaries, music videos and commercials. Sparks has won three NZ TV awards, including for James K Baxter doco The Road to Jerusalem and as co-editor of acclaimed quake chronicle When a City Falls. He also directed on hit series Heartland.