About
It all started when…
With nearly 20 years of experience on set in the film and television industry, Nick (of Ngai Tūhoe) has amassed a vast and varied skill set, particularly in technical departments. From Rere te Whiu to The New Legend of Monkey, Born to Dance to Ghost in the Shell, Nick has a had a front row seat in witnessing many directing styles which have influenced his own way of approaching filmmaking.
After moving his whānau back to his home town of Whakatāne, Nick’s passion for telling stories based around his Māori heritage was reignited. His ultimate goal is to incorporate his love of the fantasy genre with his culture to deliver a story that appeals to all audiences.
“I have a passion for Aotearoa and her stories, and think we can introduce Tangata Tiriti to the humour, imagination, drama and fantasy that we hold here, as well as reintroduce Tangata Whenua to their stories.”
Nick has written and directed three self-funded short films. Our Secret (2007), his first short film, was distributed by OUAT Media and screened at Washougal Internal FF, Magma FF and Allshorts FF. His most recent short film, Koro (2019), premiered at imagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival 2019. A Morning With Aroha (2020) has been in 25 film festivals worldwide, won Best Film at the International Children’s Festival in India, and received Special Mention in the Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts 2022 which was part of the Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival 2022.
Nick is also honoured to be able to count the late Merita Mita as a mentor.