Canada Production Team
Loretta Todd
Director, Producer, Writer, Creator, Showrunner, Scriptwriter. Loretta Todd (Métis Cree Canadian) is a director, producer, activist, storyteller, and writer.
She belongs to what has been classified as the second wave of aboriginal Canadian film directors, and has been internationally recognised for her non-fiction work, which strives to express the lived experiences of First Nations peoples and communities through their own voices.
L. S. Todd is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning filmmaker known for powerful, visual storytelling. Her films have screened at the Sundance Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, ImagineNative, and the Museum of Modern Art and she has successfully produced children’s programming including Tansi! Nehiyawetan and Coyote Science.
In demand as a writer and lecturer, Ms. Todd has spoken at the United Nations, MOMA, and at Global Perspectives and Cultural Hybridity (Venice Biennale) and won honors such as the Rockefeller Fellowship to New York University.
Branching into digital media, she created MyCree, a language teaching App that was chosen as one of the top World Indigenous Language Apps as well as interactive websites, digital media for museum exhibits and online games.
Patti Poskitt
Executive Producer, Producer, Line Producer, Patti Poskitt has extensive experience in all aspects of production. A graduate of Capilano College’s rigorous Media Program, she has worked her way through the ranks in production coordination, management and all producer titles. Stints in daytime television and commissioned productions have provided Patti with strong connections to countless production resources. She has numerous credits in all genres of programming, including award winning one off documentaries, children’s series, music specials and independent feature films.
With over 30 years of production experience, Patti brings to independent producers/directors and broadcasters the security of complete financing and management for their projects. Her company, Second Son Productions Inc., oversees all aspects of development, production, post and delivery of the final project.
Patti focuses on the financial supervision of production as well as the selection and management of crew. Patti manages production scheduling, business affairs and bank financing. Other services include budget management, production cost reporting, and film tax credit and funding applications and production audit preparation.
Rhidian Gatrill
Animator, Illustrator, Designer, A graduate of the Emily Carr University of Art and Design animation program of 1999. Rhidian has a broad range of skills and artistic styles that he has brought to TV series, commercials, web ads, interactive exhibits, mobile games, packaging and printed graphics.
Rhidian lives on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia with his wife and son. Rhidian has been working as an independent animator, illustrator and designer for over 15 years.
Shaelyn Johnston
Writer, An award-winning Ojibwe and Irish-Canadian writer from Vancouver, BC. In 2016 she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, where she focused predominantly in screenwriting and non-fiction.
In 2015, her short story, Anishinaabemowin placed first in the senior category for Historica Canada’s Indigenous Arts & Stories contest, and she was a recipient of the Governor General’s History Award. She is currently preparing to return back to school for her Masters, and as always, is saving up for her next adventure.
Workshop Media
Editor
Aotearoa New Zealand Production Team
Potaua Biasiny-Tule
Strategist/Entrepreneur Ngāti Pikiao, Tūhoe, Te Whānau-Apanui. Potaua has expertise in developing innovative digital communication strategies for Māori.
Founder of TangataWhenua.com. Founder of Digital Natives Academy (DNA) non-profit helping to illumate digital pathways, with a focus on animation, coding, game dev and eSports.
Co-founder: Digital Basecamp, Rotorua’s largest co-working space for digital tech creatives.
Co-founder: 4 Company B is a group of Rotorua-based animators, content creators, platform builders, game developers, teachers and IT leaders. This group is dedicated to retelling stories from the times of old, to futuristic new imagings of Māori characters and experiences.
Potaua is a member of Te Arawa Partnership Board, which sits on the Rotorua Lakes Council, is a Marae Trustee at Ngāti Te Takinga Mourea, Rotoiti and sits on the Ministerial Advisory Board for Digital Inclusion and Digital Economy.
Nikolasa Biasiny-Tule
New Zealand Producer, (Dutch, Puerto Rican) has extensive experience working in digital spaces. She is founding Director of TangataWhenua.com. In 2008, she helped project manage the completion of Google Māori, which saw Google’s main search site translated completely into te reo Maori. She went on to co-develop the world’s first Māori News app after receiving funding from Te Mangai Paho’s first ever Digital Innovation Fund.
Nikolasa is co-founder of Digital Basecamp, Rotorua’s largest coworking space for digital content creators and co-founder of Digital Natives Academy Charitable Trust, NZ’s first eSports and Game Development Academy.
Nikolasa’s strength is in developing responsive, reflective and representative content that involves and inspires whānau.
David Oxenbridge
Co-Producer, NZ Production Manager, David Oxenbridge is currently the CEO of WorkShed Productions in Wellington which sources and manages international film locations.
David has diversified experienced in almost all screen industries from radio to TV to social media and in film production – on-set from clapper board loader to playing the 2nd row from the back, 4th from the right bearded Rohan extra in Lord of the Rings. In addition, he has worked for the Korea Film Commission and coordinated the domestic/international speakers for the Association of Film Commissioners International Annual Cineposium held in Jecheon, South Korea.
This wide background in all aspects of film spurs his passion creating productions and bringing conversations to Korea and the world around New Media, Transmedia and cross platform storytelling. David is freshly back from South Korea living a more nomadic life and works between Rotorua, Wellington and Seoul.
Turene Huiarau Jones
New Zealand Writer, Turene has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Theatre with a minor in Criminology as well as a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Drama with First Class Honours. Her debut play I Ain’t Mad At Cha was shortlisted for Playmarket NZ’s Playwright’s b4 25 2016 playwriting competition 2016 and won Playmarket’s Brown Ink 2016 competition.
The development production of I Ain’t Mad At Cha also won Best Show by Breakthrough or Emerging Artists at the 2017 Auckland Theatre Awards. She has interned at South Pacific Pictures, storylining for an upcoming NZ television show. Turene was also the recipient of Creative New Zealand’s Nga Manu Pirere Award for 2017, which recognises the achievements made in the early stages of an artist’s career.
Fierce Girls is her screenwriting debut, and she hopes she will continue to be able to tell stories about strong women of all ages.
Cinzia Maioha Jonathan
Film, Photographer, Cinzia brings her ability to create breathtaking visuals which create authentic and meaningful connections with her subjects. She’s worked on range of large-scale productions, including Boy by Taika Waititi, Tim Worrall’s, Tits on a Bull and a number of Television series both in Aotearoa and Indonesia.
Renee Amokura White
Songwriter, Musician, Renee White (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue) is deeply creative and a proud single mama to four daughters and a grandmother to a beautiful granddaughter. For Renee, music is life and she is now studying fulltime while playing in two bands.
Chanz Mikaere
Digital Content Creator , Chanz (Te Arawa, Ngai Te Rangi and Ngati Hine) is an artist, poet, academic and general creative disruptor. She is a well known social media warrior/queen of hashtags and advocate for indigenous Women’s rights. A practicing artist for 20 years with a Master of Maori Visual Arts degree, Chanz’s tagline is #CreativeIndigenousEmancipation.
Chanz is the creator of the #TeArawaSuperheroes, #PsalmsoftheRevolution and #TeEkengaoTeTangata. Using spoken word, and illustration, she combines whakapapa narrative with pop culture iconography to make political and deliberately controversial artworks that hold the mirror up to the coloniser and her people. She is currently creating and developing content for “Indigital Tourism” as part of her PhD studies in creative practice.
Kumara Patch Animation Studio
Illustrators, Animators, ColouristsCelia Pirini (Tūhoe) and Sasha Rotherham (Ngāti Whakaue) manage Kumara Patch New Zealand’s first wāhine Māori run animation studio.
Kumera Patch, is a creative tech startup and their team have been responsible for key animated/illustrated work in the Fierce Girls series.
Whaea Productions
Researcher, Story Consultant, Editor, Tia Taurere-Clearsky (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Kuri) of Whaea Productions lives on the Coast Salish Territory of Turtle Island (North America/Canada).
She believes in working towards Tino Rangatiratanga, Self Determination for all peoples, through Creative Resistance and Creative Communications. Her most recent work includes Coyote’s Crazy Smart Science (CBS) and Standing Rock (Māori TV).
4 Company B
Projection Mapping, Sharing digital Māori stories with the world was the inspiration behind the creation of 4 Company B. 4 Company B is a group of Rotorua-based animators, content creators, projection mappers, platform builders, game developers, teachers and IT leaders. This group is dedicated to retelling stories from the times of old, to futuristic new imaginings of Māori characters and experiences.
4 Company B specialise in digital storytelling, digital tourism, game development, digital Māori education resources and delivering Māori 2 Māori programmes within te reo Māori settings.
CREATOR/PRODUCER/DIRECTOR
Loretta S Todd
NZ PRODUCER
Nikolasa Biasiny-Tule
WRITERS
Theresa Warbus
Shaelynn Johnson
Loretta Todd
Turene Huiarau Jones
Development
Woody Morrison
Cheyanna Kootenhayoo
Ronnie Dean Harris
Tim Worral
DANCERS
Jenine Yuksel (KISIK)
Aisha O’Sullivan
Selena Smith
Jazmyn Mallet
Latisha Wadhams
Dacia First Rider
DIRECTOR – DANCE
Theresa Warbus
CHOREOGRAPHER
Madeline McCallum
ANIMATION and ILLUSTRATION
Rhid Gatrill
Stephen Gladue
LIVE ACTION
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Robyn Weaselbear
Marion Brown
PRODUCTION OFFICE
Julia Rayanne Anderson
Michael Wright
CASTING
Shasha McArthur
CAMERA
Michael McKinlay
James Charles Gill
Hannah C
SOUND
Oscar Vargus
Tyler Lucas
Dana Bontempo
Noah Meyer
Bryce Ollson
CATERING
Emalene Manuel
MAKE UP
Gloria Stonechild
LOCATIONS
Firehall Theatre
Britannia Youth Centre
Malcolm and Rebakah’s Airbnb
POST PRODUCTION
EDITORS
Tia Taurere-Clearsky
Cheyanna Kootenayoo
FINISHING EDITOR/ MOTION GRAPHICS
Mike McKinlay
Workshop Media
OPENING CREDITS
Yangos H Consulting
MUSIC SUPERVISION
Cheyanna Kootenayoo
MUSIC CREDITS
Keita Emery
Colleen Skerrett
Renee White
Arihana White
Emily Kouka-White
Raiha White
STILLS PHOTOGRAPHERS
Tama Taurere
Tia Taurere-Clearsky
SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM
Chanz Mikaere
Potaua Biasiny-Tule
David Oxenbridge
LEAD STRATEGIST
Lynne Bennett
CONTENT
David Oxenbridge
Chanz Mikaere
Potaua Biasiny-Tule
Rangiamohia Dansey-White
Savanna Todd
Senaqwila Wyss
Emalene Manuel
Chrissy Red
LINE PRODUCER
Patti Poskitt
ACCOUNTANT
Darlene Lofgren
LEGAL
Denis Walz Law Corporation
INSURANCE
Front Row Entertainment
PUBLICIST
Helen Yagi
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Caplette Tobie
BACKGROUND
Delaney Slade
First Rider Dacia
Frank-Piche Nathaniel
Fraser Michaela
Gray Luke
Louis Lashyla
Narcisse Jaden
Olson Myles
O’Sullivan Aisha
Smith Selena
Villeneuve Christian
Wadhams Latisha
BACKGROUND PERFORMER
Mallett Jazmyn
ACTOR
Morgan-Hall Kiva
Taurere-Julian Alex Te Kaea
Yuksel Jenine
CRAFT SERVICE
Manuel Arlene
V/O
Smith Selena
Kootenhayoo Taran
