Julian Grimmond, Chair
Producer and director Julian Grimmond joined the Board of Trustees in October 2006 and was elected Chair in October 2008. Based in Queenstown in the South Island, Julian is an Emmy ® Award winning producer who brings extensive global production experience.
Julian's business interests include Mountain Film Unit Ltd, an internationally-focused production company and Global Film Solutions Ltd, screen industry risk management specialists. Julian has produced with, engaged specialist consultants in and provided risk management services for partners in the USA, United Kingdom, Europe, North and South Africa, Central and South Asia, South America and the Middle East, and he understands international production and New Zealand's competitive advantage.
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Julie Elstone
Julie Elstone joined the Board of Trustees in October 2006 bringing extensive experience working as a supervising and executive producer of television commercials, most recently with Silverscreen.
Having started her career in stills photography, Julie moved into television as a facilities manager in 1981 and from there into film and television production as a production manager before concentrating on television commercials with Silverscreen Productions. Her TVC career has involved production and marketing work in Australia, South-East Asia and throughout New Zealand with a wide range of national and international clients. Based in Wellington, Julie is now a consultant producer. She is also a member of the Screen Production and Development Association (SPADA) and WIFT.
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KJ Jennings
Kevin (KJ) runs the Film Queenstown Film Office and is the Executive Manager of Film Otago Southland, a regional collaboration covering the southern half of the South Island of New Zealand. As the Regional Film Office Representative on the Film New Zealand’s Board of Trustees, he fosters an open line of communication between the network of regional film offices and Film New Zealand.
KJ is an active member of AFCI (Association of Film Commissioners International) and has been a speaker at their annual Cineposium conference.
He brings a wide variety of film industry experience to the position, previously working in both the production and art departments on TV Commercials and Feature Film. This gives him a valuable perspective on the detailed workings of the industry from the ground up.
Originally from Northern California, he has called Queenstown home for 20 years. Initially working on the start-up of AJ Hackett Bungy in 1988; since then he has opened and operated a restaurant, established an exclusive guiding business, and currently organizes an annual Charity Mountain Bike Race.
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Garry Little
Garry Little is the Managing Director and founder of Digital Post Limited, New Zealand’s first digital film and television post production facility. He started his career on leaving school in 1969, as a technical cadet with the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation in Auckland, working in radio and television engineering. During the 1970s, this background in electronics engineering led him to work in sound, film, and television editing around the world, including TVI (London), and ABC Television (Sydney).
On his return to New Zealand in 1977, Garry worked briefly as a video editor with South Pacific Television (TV2) before taking up a position in 1978 as Senior Editor and Operations Manager with Vid-Com Limited, New Zealand's first video post-production facility. As Senior Editor at Vid-Com, Garry worked on numerous International Award winning TVCs, and in 1986 won a Gold Camera Award in the U.S. Industrial Film Festival.
In 1990, Garry established Digital Post, a company which has grown to become a leading, successful company in the Australasian region.
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Jos Ruffell
Heading up business development at New Zealand’s largest game production studio, Sidhe, Jos specializes in international business development in the video game and new media industries. Current responsibilities include new client development, working with studio management teams to set and execute strategic direction, market development and contract negotiation along with coordinating studio marketing and PR. During his time at Sidhe, Jos has played a key role in securing projects from international media groups such as MTV and Warner Brothers and helped drive studio growth to over 100 employees. Having come from a start-up background at an independent games studio and with over six years of experience in the games industry, Jos is committed to growing and expanding the digital media industries within New Zealand.
Jos is also Chairman of the New Zealand Games, Animation and Visual Effects Trust, who hold AnimfxNZ, an annual digital convergence event covering Games, Animation and Film Visual Effects based in Wellington.
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Dr Allan Freeth
Prior to his role as CEO of TelstraClear, Dr Freeth held senior executive positions at Trust Bank and was Chief Executive and Managing Director of Wrightson. He gained his Philosophy Doctorate in Population Genetics through the Australian National University in Canberra. He also has a Bachelor of Science (Hons) from Canterbury University, and an MBA with Distinction. He has held directorships with Genesis Research and Development, GNS: Geological and Nuclear Sciences and the NZ Treasury Advisory Board, as well as Save the Children New Zealand and Save the Children International Board. He has chaired the Queen Margaret College Board of Governors in Wellington, and been a Trustee of the Massey Agricultural Research Fund. He is currently a Trustee of Crimestoppers New Zealand and is a regular speaker on governance for the not-for-profit sector. In 2010, he was appointed a Member of the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum on Next Generation.
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Miranda Harcourt
Miranda Harcourt, one of New Zealand’s most celebrated screen actors, and has played an integral role in developing New Zealand acting talent. As well as performing and directing numerous award winning productions for stage and screen, she was Head of Acting at Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School for seven years, and currently works both locally and internationally as an acting coach for screen on films including Jane Campion’s Bright Star; and Sir Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones and in New Zealand on Gaylene Preston’s Home By Christmas. She also coached young actors AnnaSophia Robb and Josh Hutcherson on Bridge to Terabithia, both of whom have gone on to build successful careers in Hollywood. In 2010 she again worked with AnnaSophia Robb as her on-set coach in Hawaii on the Sony Pictures production Soul Surfer, (which went to number two at the US box office). She also has her own film and theatre production company MAP Films with husband Stuart McKenzie.
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Catherine Madigan
Catherine Madigan has been involved in numerous feature films, television series, television commercials and documentaries both in New Zealand and overseas. Most recently she was Production Manager on Andrew Adamson’s latest feature Mister Pip (starring Hugh Laurie) filmed in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. She previously worked as a Line Producer on the documentary Brother Number One filmed in Cambodia and New Zealand.
Catherine production-managed the Hollywood feature film Vertical Limit shot in Queenstown, followed by a US feature in Thailand starring Angelina Jolie. She has also produced a behind-the-scenes DVD in Las Vegas with Celine Dion and has directed her own documentary in Sri Lanka about New Zealand aid reaching fishing communities post-tsunami. Catherine has produced several Tourism NZ commercials in recent years as well as the Tourism NZ International Short Film Competition. She is currently on the NZ Film Commission LBSG panel, the DOCNZ Advisory Board and is a member of WIFT.
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