In 1998 George immigrated from the United Kingdom to New Zealand with his family and from the age of five dreamed of a career in the film industry. He has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Otago and a Master of Science Communication from the Centre for Science Communication. George’s credits include Three Little Pigs: A Curly Tale (2010), a documentary that covers the controversy around pork production in New Zealand and The Assassin (2011), which he produced for Short Film Otago.

Katie has directed a number of short films and worked in film and television for 30 years.

Gail is a recent recruit to the film and television industry, employed as a Production Accountant for NHNZ Worldwide.With an interest in all things outdoors and a desire to promote the local region and creative talent that abounds in this little part of the world, she has enthusiastically joined the board of Short Film Otago.

Maddy Maxwell is a creative film producer based in Ōamaru, North Otago. She has been working in a range of roles in the industry since 2010 - casting, extras work, locations and production management. She also works in youth film teaching, under the Filmmakers in Schools banner and engages with community film projects across a wide range of genres and topics. She is committed to helping develop our southern film industry, in both the Waitaki District and more broadly in Otago, Southland and beyond.

Judith is a multiple award-winning documentary producer/director/writer with a side-line in drama writing and development. Since joining internationally renowned factual production company NHNZ in 2001, Judith has been a driving force behind a diverse range of high profile, multiple award-winning documentaries for international cable networks like Discovery, Animal Planet and National Geographic as well as streamers like Netflix and Love Nature.

Previous to this, while living in Sydney from 1982-2001, Judith was involved in drama production. She attended the Sydney Acting School in late 80’s and then went on to become a playwright which led to her attending the NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art ) Playwrights Studio in 1990-91. Two plays came out of this process; The Garage Sale produced by Griffin Theatre Company at The Stables theatre Kings Cross 1991 and Dancing Naked Among Roses performed at NIDA in 1992 with Cate Blanchett playing the key role. She also worked as a drama researcher and story liner for legendary Australian drama producer Sue Masters (then at Roadshow, Coote and Carroll – now head of drama at SBS).

Currently Judith produces and writes high budget docos for national and international networks. She is also a founding board member of Short Film Otago (since 2003) – and has read and selected numerous scripts for production since then. She has also executive produced many of the SFO films and mentored new talent in this genre..

Stephen along with Robert Sarkies made short film happen in Dunedin when they formed Nightmare Productions together in the late 1980’s. Over the course of 10 years a large group of diverse talents evolved around Stephen and Robert producing a string of highly successful short films. Those 10 years culminated in the realization of both their dreams – the opportunity to make a feature in Dunedin. That feature was Scarfies which went on to become one of New Zealand’s most successful recent feature films. Stephen has continued to shoot many short dramas for others and to direct and shoot his own projects as well.

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Callum is a working Graphic Designer and Filmmaker based in Wellington, New Zealand.

Sina has played key roles in several of Short Film Otago’s most successful films, writing one, editing one, directing three, and producing two. For ten years she was a writer and post producer for NHNZ, writing and editing projects for numerous major international broadcasters including National Geographic, Animal Planet, and Discovery Channel. She has directed two independent short films that have featured in the NZIFF's Homegrown programme. Sina is passionate about supporting emerging Pasifika and Maori filmmakers and writers to tell their stories.