The Dragon's Scale

In this animated short from Auckland's Media Design School, a father and son travel through a magical landscape to find a powerful, wish granting dragon who can fix the boy's stammer. But nature conspires against the father, and the dragon's answer to the boy's request adds a nice twist to the tale. Media Design School lecturer James Cunningham wrote the script, and was granted his own wish from local iwi to film The Dragon's Scale in the dramatic landscapes of Tarawera National Park. The film premiered at the Auckland leg of the 2016 NZ International Film Festival. 

In making The Dragon's Scale I was keen to try and put some of New Zealand's beautiful landscape on the screen.

– Writer and director James Cunningham on one of the motivations behind making The Dragon's Scale

Key Cast & Crew

Oliver Hilbert

Cinematographer, Producer

Drew Cunningham

As: Boy

James Cunningham

Director, Writer, Producer

Xander Kennedy

Art Department

Nicole Wong

Costume Designer, Art Department

Daryl Habraken

As: Father