SHORT CUTS LAB

Project: Farrah & Hasan

CO-WRITER

Fazila is a mom of two little boys. She lives in Whanganui-ā-tara Wellington. She works for Deloitte where she was awarded “The person with the most wicked sense of humor”(true story). Currently, Fazila is taking her first shot at writing a script for a short film. She taps into her rich cultural background and unique experiences as a point of difference in how we see life after migration and life after death. Fazila’s perspectives, although shared by some, are often a head turner in everyday conversations.

Project: Farrah & Hasan

CO-WRITER, PRODUCER

From the busy streets of North Chennai to the remote villages in the Himalayas and to sacred wharenui across Rotorua, what captures Peniel are hidden stories that celebrate intersectionality and global indigenous experiences. Her projects include a documentary on the trafficking of Dalit girls, co-founding @wearetamiltoo, authoring bilingual children’s books, and helping organise Kupu Māori writers' festival. Peniel's creative work has a strong social justice focus, which is informed by her leadership experience in the non-profit sector, international development and local government.

Project: Farrah & hasan

DIRECTOR

Prashan is a Sri Lankan Tamil creative and psychologist who has grown up in Te Awakairangi (Lower Hutt). In the past, he has put his hand to theatre direction, orchestration, sound design, writing articles for print media, producing promotional video content for community arts organisations, and delivering therapeutic workshops that centre around narrative techniques and Asian mental health. He is vividly interested in the intersections between culture, art and wellbeing, and how fresh and versatile storytelling can weave these areas together.

Project: Find Me

WRITER, DIRECTOR

As a new director and script writer, I embrace the boundless possibilities of storytelling, refusing to confine myself. I aim to create a coherent worldview in every story. Merging surrealism with realism, uncovering potential in the seemingly impossible. I consider myself not only a director or writer but also a fusion of philosopher, magician, sociologist, and psychologist.

Project: Find Me

PRODUCER

AJ, a dynamic force in visual storytelling, boasts over a decade of diverse expertise. Renowned as both a visual effects artist and producer, AJ seamlessly blends creativity with cutting-edge technology. From crafting mesmerizing CGI landscapes to producing captivating music videos, AJ's work exemplifies innovation and narrative depth. With a keen eye for detail and dedication to pushing creative boundaries, AJ continues to captivate audiences. Beyond the screen, AJ mentors emerging talents and advocates for diversity within the industry. With boundless imagination and unwavering drive, AJ shapes the future of visual storytelling.

Project: FORTUNE

WRITER, DIRECTOR

Ying, a Chinese born in Vietnam, moved to Aotearoa as a migrant refugee at age 7. Growing up in Tāmaki Makaurau, she's now creating the NZonAir-funded comedy drama, "Swear on Your Grave," and the Seed-funded screenplay, "What Did You Call Me?!" Skilled in writing promos, TV shows, and short films, she's also worked as a commercial and factual director. With a passion for exploring perceptions of Chinese migrants in New Zealand and normalising Asian faces on screen, she's eager to return to filmmaking after a break for motherhood.

Project: FORTUNE

PRODUCER

Florence is a Hong Kong born, Wellington based producer. She moved to Wellington from Auckland in 2015 to work at Weta FX and left in 2018 to work as a creative producer in agency land while working on passion projects on the side. She produced her first funded short film Foodie and is on a quest of exploring her cultural identity and what it means to be a 1.5 generation immigrant and is particularly drawn to stories like hers and people focussed stories.

Project: Jesa

WRITER, DIRECTOR

Harry is a filmmaker & photographer based in Tāmaki Makaurau striving to learn more about himself and the world around him, one art project at a time. After graduating with a BA in Screen Production from UoA in 2021, he has crewed on various short films, documentaries, and music videos doing pretty much any and every type of role one can do on a film set… until now where he will be taking a swing at writing and directing (uh-oh).

Project: Jesa

PRODUCER

Belle is a Thai-Chinese creative who came to New Zealand to pursue a degree in Medical Science, but found her passion in media and filmmaking instead. Her dream is to become a producer who can bring out the best in storytellers and bring their brilliant ideas to life! Her past experiences involved working on independent short-films, music videos, film pitching, and forum events. She currently works full-time in the Ad sales department at Sky TV.

Project: Leave it All On the Pitch

PRODUCER

Matilda is a producer and director passionate about diversifying our media landscape. As an Asian New Zealander, she prioritises authentic, unheard narratives. Her multifaceted portfolio includes fiction, documentaries, NZOnAir-funded music videos, and commercial content. Her work has been featured in the Asian Aotearoa Arts Hui and Wellington Museum. A 2020 Master of Fine Arts graduate, she's skilled in production and management, currently at Useful Media and also as National Coordinator for The Vista Foundation 48Hours. Recent projects include "Last Home Renters" and "Little Apocalypse."

Project: Leave it All On the Pitch

WRITER, DIRECTOR

Mark Chayanat Whittet is a multidisciplinary artist based in Tamaki Makaurau. His debut play Some Sort of Boy was nominated for Best Emerging Company at the NZ Fringe Awards. Since, he has directed a season of Henchmen at Basement Theatre, and co-directed animated short film Fred is Cold which premiered nationwide at the Aotearoa Mental Health Film Festival. Mark has directed music videos featured in Rolling Stone Australia and NZ Musician, and has a multitude of commissioned and featured illustrations.

Project: LURE

WRITER, DIRECTOR

Gal Hochman is an innovative powerhouse, seamlessly blending her roles as a director, creative and writer.

Dedicated to pushing creative boundaries, amplifying unheard narratives and empowering marginalised voices, Gal creates content with a distinguished voice that leaves a lasting impact.

Gal has crafted compelling content for labels, production companies, and platforms including RNZ, NZOA, and TVNZ, showcasing her versatility across various genres and formats, marking her as a multifaceted storyteller with a distinctive voice and purpose.

Project: LURE

PRODUCER

Madison holds a Bachelor of Communication Studies and has over a decade of diverse industry experience across roles in production, art department and post-production.

She has worked across different formats on both international productions and NZ local favourites. A 2019 recipient of the Emerging Producer’s workshop (New Zealand Film Commission, SPADA and WIFT NZ), Madison has gone on to produce music videos and short films, and is currently working on Loading Docs short, Here The Wild Things Are.

Project: PHOENIX

DIRECTOR

Ashley Pitman is a Romanian born, Kiwi raised Writer and Director who started in film at high school because the media class offered a free trip to Spookers! Ashley always knew directing was his calling and whether its film, documentary, music videos or commercials, he's ready for the next challenge.

At the forefront his work is visually rich, compelling and laced with comedy. Ashley's made films for BBC Knowledge and Loading Docs, his music video 'Snapped Up' was a finalist at the CINEVERSE film festival. When not directing Ashley can be found long distance running or playing tabletop fantasy games.

Project: PHOENIX

PRODUCER

Meet Charisse Uy, a talented Filipino-Chinese actor and producer who started her journey working in New Zealand and made US productions. She's best known for her roles on TVNZ's Shortland Street, Beyond The Veil's "Albularyo", and NZIFF's Kaīnga. She graduated the University of Auckland in 2019 with a double major in Screen Production and Psychology. Additionally, she's worked on multiple short films as crew, honed her acting skills in LA, and is currently freelancing as a Production Manager at Pop That.

Project: PHOENIX

WRITER

Raul Sharma is a Kiwi-Indian screenwriter with extensive experience that spans across Los Angeles and New Zealand. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting from the New York Film Academy and currently works for SHORTLAND STREET as a Storyliner and Scriptwriter. Known for penning dark, escapist, genre stories, Raul’s screenplays have garnered both local and international acclaim.

Project: Press Pause

WRITER, DIRECTOR

Lisa Zhang (she/her) is an Aotearoa-born Chinese creative based in Tāmaki. While simultaneously studying as a BCOM/BA undergrad, Lisa found it difficult to keep her pursuit of acting from her parents. Coming out and entering the screen scene through acting, she made her screen debut in the 2021 show INKED and has since graduated from The Actors Program in 2022.

This passion has since grown, and Lisa relishes the opportunity to tell stories from behind the camera for the first time

Project: Press Pause

CO-PRODUCER

Pon Torthienchai (he/him) is a Thai-New Zealand writer, director, and producer. He co-created and directed PINCHER (2023), a web pilot developed through PASC's Episode One program, and is set to write and direct TURTLE TENT, an NZFC-funded film, later this year.

Recently, Pon's passion for storytelling has driven him to seek out diverse voices and perspectives, leading him to branch out into producing and championing bold narratives.

Project: Press Pause

CO-PRODUCER

Harrie (he/him) has worked in film and animation for 15+ years, both in NZ & internationally.

His short film, DISAPPEAR, was chosen for a Young Directors Award by a panel including Danny Boyle, and went on to win a Silver Young Directors Award at Cannes Lions.

Having gaffed many projects - including recently a network television drama, he currently works primarily as a cinematographer where his filmmaking background has proven to be a valuable resource in helping directors tell their stories visually.

Project: The Food Baby

WRITER, DIRECTOR

Gwen Lin is a filmmaker and storyteller based in Tāmaki Makaurau with a deep passion to create, collaborate, and foster community. In 2019, Gwen graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in Naarm with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Television. Her credits include local television projects such as Badjelly and Sik Fan Lah mainly in the editing and camera department. She is currently finishing off writing her NZWG Seed funded teen sports-comedy feature (when she has time).

Project: The Food Baby

CO-PRODUCER

Sara Chen (she/her) is a Chinese-Kiwi producer. Ever since her stint as a teen receptionist for the family business, she dreamt of a career surrounded by excel sheets and the smell of manila folders. Having shifted from the advertising world towards narrative works, she has produced multiple projects, including Hweiling Ow’s short film Vivie (2023), co-created and produced webseries pilot Pincher (2023), and is set to produce Pon Torthienchai’s upcoming Turtle Tent.

Project: The Food Baby

CO-PRODUCER

Isabelle (Izzi) Hoskyn (she/her) is a film and theatre practitioner based in Tāmaki Makarau, born and raised in Washington, D.C. Her screen work explores queerness and feminine rage through the lens of magical realism, blurring the line between live-action and animation. She is currently producing THE CREATURE, a queer horror web series set to release in 2024. In theatre, she works as a Lighting Designer and Technician, with her most notable work being Q Theatre’s 2023 Matchbox season of BOOM SHANKAR.