PRODUCER, WRITER, ACTOR AND COLOURIST

Vanessa studied Art History and English Literature at tertiary level. She has a Diploma of Education, specialising in art.

She won Most Promising Young Artist at The Fisher Art Gallery Awards during her final year of study.

Vanessa worked as a fashion model for extra cash during her years of study. After graduating, she modelled full time in Hong Kong before moving to the UK. Here she taught high school art and managed friends' bands in her spare time.

She secured management with David Walker (George Michael’s manager) and recorded with Pip Williams (Moody Blues producer) for a band both she and Alastair were in at the time. A highlight was making a music video driving through Oxford Street.

Vanessa wrote and produced the short film The Last Stop, and feature films Broken Hallelujah and West of Eden. She is currently working on an eight-part series.

Vanessa played Iris in the award-winning In My Father’s Den, and has acted in a number of roles for TV and film.

"I love both acting and writing. With acting, you get to breathe life into a character. With writing you get to see the characters living in their world; a world that before only ever existed in your mind. Both are a rewarding and thrilling experience."

DIRECTOR, MUSICIAN, COMPOSER, EDITOR, SOUND DESIGN AND FILM SCORING

Alastair Riddell is a singer, songwriter, professional musician and artist. Alastair studied at The University of Auckland, majoring in art history and film. While at university, Alastair developed a special interest in European film, mainly François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni.

Alastair is best known for his musical success with his band Space Waltz and their No.1 hit Out on the Street.

A talented artist, Alastair took inspiration from his art history studies. He used elements of painting and print for the design, texture, and colour of his stage clothing and general style. Self-tailoring flamboyant stage outfits was something unique among New Zealand rock bands at the time.

Alastair has written and performed a large variety of music for himself and other artists. He received a New Zealand Music Award and two gold discs for his own songs and for his collaboration on Poi E.

For several years Alastair managed his own audio engineering studio. He produced and engineered for a range of artists and genres - from Celtic and rock through to Māori Kapa Haka, and commercials for broadcast. In 1998 he took up the challenge in the show Get Your Act Together for 'best production of an artist', winning his heat.

Alastair's music features in films, including In My Father's Den, Hallelujah (a skateboarding documentary), Rotting Hill, Boy, Underbelly, How to Murder Your Wife and Housebound.

Alastair directed the short film The Last Stop which received entry into two American festivals, was nominated for a Moa and purchased by Sky TV Rialto Channel. Broken Hallelujah and West of Eden both enjoyed cinema release. They have international distribution through Fighting Chance Films.

CINEMATOGRAPHER, PORTRAIT AND COMMERICAL PHOTOGRAPHER

Dean is a professional photographer with an interest in the medium spanning 25 years. His professional background also includes graphic design and print media.

"It's about taking those things you enjoy in life and finding ways to express them, however that may unfold."

Dean was cinematographer, stills photographer and graphic artist for short films The Last Stop and Holding the Sun, and feature films Broken Hallelujah and West of Eden.

PRODUCER, DIRECTOR AND CINEMATOGRAPHER

Marc has directed, shot and produced music videos and concert films for over 450 acts. These include Duran Duran, Neil Young, Iggy and the Stooges, The Cramps, Sparks, The Chemical Brothers, Portishead, Neil, Tim and Liam Finn, The Stone Roses, Bailterspace, Mogwai, Love, The Fall, Echo and the Bunnymen, Nick Cave, and Thurston Moore.

As a cinematographer, Marc has worked with directors such as Taika Waititi, Jim Jarmusch, Terry Zwigoff, Stephen Kang, Alison Jackson, Johnathan Caouette and Shane Meadows, as part of Cannes, UKMVA, NME Awards, BIFA and Grammy-winning or -nominated films.

As a producer, Marc pitched and gained a commission for UK rock documentary series Rockfeedback TV for Channel 4 UK. He also won a deal for MTV Europe, across 16 territories.

Marc has produced for British Eurosport, MTV NZ, Nickelodeon, launched Comedy Central in New Zealand, and was Head of Production with ATP festivals, overseeing filming & broadcast at events in the UK, Japan, Iceland and Australia.

As a director, Marc's Dirty Money cinema commercial for Visa was selected for the Saatchi & Saatchi Cannes New Directors Showcase.

Marc won the Premio Visioni Award at the 2010 Ostia Film Festival with his 35mm digital animation Supercollider. His Gettin’ Serious music video was part of the X-Factor Australia series that won a Logie Award in 2013.

Marc met Alastair and Vanessa in 1995 shooting The Way We Were for the TVNZ NZ history series. They've remained close friends, often working together on Alastair's music videos.