Whare Māori - The Wharenui (Episode Two)
This episode of the Māori Television series looks at the place of the wharenui in Māori architecture. Rau Hoskins explores the origins and meaning of the structure, and looks at some iconic examples: a replica pataka being built in Hamilton Gardens; te hau ki turanga (the oldest surviving example of a wharenui) controversially taken by colonial forces, now displayed at museum Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington; and Ngākau Māhaki at Auckland's Unitec — designed by master carver Lyonel Grant and replete with dashboard lights from 70s Holdens.
Whare Taonga - First Episode
This award-winning TV series explored whare significant to a community, using the buildings themselves as a vessel for storytelling. Interviews delve into each whare’s design and build, and its cultural and historical significance. This first episode visits Whakatane to enter Ngāti Awa’s globetrotting meeting house, Mātaatua. After 130 years the building was returned home and restored, following a Treaty of Waitangi settlement. It reopened in 2011. The te reo series was made by the company behind architecture show Whare Māori. To translate, press the 'CC' logo at the bottom of the screen.
Whare Māori - Kainga/The Village (First Episode)
This first episode of the award-winning Māori Television series looks at the influence of the idea of 'the village' on Māori architecture. Architect Rau Hoskins is guide; he ranges from traditional designs, such as Rotorua's Whakarewarewa thermal village, to Rua Kenana's extraordinary circular meeting house — with its club and diamonds decor — built on an Urewera mountainside. Hoskins ends up at Wellington's 26 metre high Tapu Te Ranga Marae, made from recycled car packing cases. The episode won Best Information Programme at the 2011 Aotearoa Film and TV Awards.
Whare Taonga
Each episode of this award-winning te reo series looks a building or structure of special significance to its community. Architect Rau Hoskins interviews locals to find out about architecture, construction, and social and cultural history, and delve into each building's mauri and wairua. Waitangi's Treaty House, the whare at Parihaka Pā, the globetrotting Mātaatua meeting house, and a wharenui buried by the 1996 Tarawera eruption all featured. Four seasons were made by Scottie Productions; the first was named Best Māori Language Programme at the 2012 NZ TV Awards.
Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby - Period Three: Human Relationships
Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby was a sharp-witted comedy about an appallingly politically incorrect relief teacher. In this episode, the irreverent Mr Gormsby (artfully played by David McPhail) is the unlikely candidate to teach a Human Relationships class. Later, a used condom is discovered in the wharenui and Gormsby's powers of deduction lead him to the culprit. The "darkly funny" comedy (Sydney Morning Herald) was partly based on a former teacher of director Danny Mulheron and was nominated for Best Script and Best Comedy at the 2006 NZ Screen Awards.
Merata Mita
A passionate advocate for Māori creative control, director Merata Mita (1942 — 2010) chronicled landmark moments of protest and division in Aotearoa. Her work included Patu!, a documentary on the 1981 Springbok tour, and Mauri (1988), only the second feature to have a Māori woman as director. She features in documentaries Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen and Merata Mita - Making Waves.
Orlando Stewart
Orlando Stewart has appeared in various mockumentary series (including Wayne Anderson) as a reporter, talent manager, and 'marketing director', handing out pizza flyers in Pakuranga. As he says, “it’s kind of fun blurring the lines between yourself and a character”. Stewart wrote and starred in oddball series Rural Drift, and acted in short film The Dump, which he also produced. Later he directed documentary Sonics from Scratch with Simon Ogston, which screened at the 2015 New Zealand Film Festival. The film explores the life and work of experimental artist Philip Dadson.
Rewa Harre
Rewa Harre's work as camera operator and cinematographer encompasses documentary, shorts, commercials, and dramas for the big and small screen. Harre has worked extensively with directors Sima Urale (shooting acclaimed short O Tamaiti, and winning a Qantas Award in 2009 for her debut feature Apron Strings) and Athina Tsoulis (for whom he made his own feature debut, 1998's ensemble romp I'll Make You Happy).
Michael Bennett
Starring one cow and two elderly guitarists, Michael Bennett's first short film Cow was invited to screen at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Since then he has written and/or directed a wide range of projects, from children's television (Kaitangata Twitch) to award-winning shows about Māori architecture (Whare Māori). His feature film work includes ensemble feature Matariki, and the script for Cliff Curtis comedy Jubilee.
Nicola Castle
Nicola Castle began her career as an editor, achieving recognition at the 2011 NZ Television awards for cutting award-winners The Green Chain and Whare Taonga. In 2015 she directed short film Madness Made Me for online series Loading Docs, about a woman's time in a mental hospital. Castle splits her time between Auckland and Melbourne, and holds a Masters in Screen Production from Auckland University.