Welcome to this exciting episode, I am privileged to talk with Mike Jonathan, a seasoned professional with an incredible career spanning nearly three decades as a cameraman, director of photography, and director in both television and film. Known for his outstanding work on documentaries and short films, Mike has released his debut feature film, Ka Whawhai Tonu - Struggle without End.
Read MoreIf you’ve never heard of the Rural Support Trust I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s a non-profit organization that provides support to farmers and rural communities across New Zealand. Established in 2000, the Trust operates on a regional basis, with 14 trusts covering different areas of the country. The Trust's primary goal is to provide emotional and practical support to farmers and their families during times of stress or crisis.
Read MoreLike the first few seconds when you first meet someone you make a decision about the person whether you are conscious of it or not. The same happens when someone looks at your website. From logos, colours, and layout, to photos and videos, all tell an important part of your branding story.
Read MoreTaurikura is an initiative that I really love. Started by Kawena Jones and Kirsty Barber to help gain a wider spectrum of voices in our political bodies. This is a cause that I can really get behind. This project brief was simple, bright positive portraits to help put faces to names. With some ngahere (forest/bush) background to capture the grassroots feel of the organisation, and some incredible light coming through some single portraits but also some team photos of them together these portraits captured the essence of the project.
Read MoreOnce and a while you get to meet someone that really has a lot more to say than they let come forth. That quietly spoken person that says what needs to be said in not much more. I had the great pleasure to meet and work with Ben Woollen on the set of Adam Harvey’s Minimally Invasive. There I was able to watch him create some pretty stunning visuals for that short, and had the advantage to do it as the behind the scenes camera operator. The great thing about shooting behind the scenes is it gives you the chance to be part of that team but not have the pressures of the production crew. I got to watch Ben create with Adam, which always suits my visual journalistic nature. To see a creative team take ideas from the page to the screen is really fascinating to me.
Read MoreI’d met Adam Harvey a couple of years ago through the Waikato Film Hub, and had the happy opportunity shoot a Behind The Scenes mini doc for his latest film “Minimally Invasive”. It’s a unique horror short that expresses Adams dark, whimsical, and wry sense of humor. Adam brought his experiences as a medical professional to this story, exploring an unsettling tale of the fear and sometimes terror people go through when they go under the knife, with a horror twist.
Read MoreSometimes I get a whole bunch of time to create a set of branding portraits for my clients. We might go to a couple of locations, use the portable studio setup, but sometimes clients are busy and need to get as many options as possible in the shortest amount of time. So key for me is to get have several sets of shirts or tops or jackets so that in one sitting we can get options to use in multiple situations.
Read MoreThe future of marketing is changing, but telling great stories about you and your business still connects with viewers no matter what platform you use or how you do it. New Day Egg needed to connect to their customers and dispel the multitude of misconceptions about what free range chicken farming is all about. Mr Otto McGirr is a passionate kiwi farmer who loves his flock and has created a farm to give them the best of a true free range life. You can feel his passion and care with this story.
Read MoreMoving forward we are all seeking clarity on how we work, and where we work. Most of all we need to be safe. With changes that need to take place clarity on how we work to keep our talent, crew, and clients safe is essential. We’ve developing our guide lines in accordance with Screen Industry New Zealand and Advertising and Illustrative Photographers Association NZ.
Read MoreFor this project, the old colours were well out of date. The browns had lost their luster, and certainly didn’t flatter the building any more. With urgent remedial work required, the owner engaged with Arto Architects to patch up the water damage and give her a bit of a polish. The shapes and structure of the building is unique, and I’d never seen anything like it before.
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