Team

Having led Connected Media Trust and served as the Executive Producer for Day One Shorts (formerly Someday Stories) since 2018, Chris brings a wealth of experience to the table.

With a background in acting, camera operation, editing, producing, and directing, Chris loves the challenge of delivering compelling and challenging stories for a local and global audience. He served as Series Producer on the first series of Day One Shorts and co-Executive Producer on subsequent series. His passion lies in finding and nurturing the next generation of creative talent.

Whakapapa and whānau background: Pākehā, descended from Scottish, Irish and English immigrants to Aotearoa in the late 1800s. Chris has strong ties both to Ōtautahi Christchurch and Te Kōpuru in the Kaipara region.

Principles in Play: Authenticity / Kindness / Creativity / Trustworthiness / Adventure

Anna is a strong leader driven to achieve meaningful collaboration. She has worked in film and television for a decade, both in New York City, and Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland – joining Day One in 2020.

Anna has written and directed several short films, including New Zealand Film Commission-funded Pain, screened as part of the 2020 New Zealand International Film Festival’s New Zealand’s Best programme. The film went on to be selected at over 30 international festivals including Busan, AspenShorts and Stockholm.

Recent highlights include being awarded a New Zealand Writers Guild Seed Grant to develop the feature Put a Baby in Me about queer motherhood and winning the People’s Choice Award for her romcom short Just Kidding I Actually Love You(2023’) at Show Me Shorts Film Festival, 2023.

Whakapapa and whānau background: Sturdy celtic peasant stock. Originally from Ireland, Anna’s whānau arrived in Aotearoa in 1839, absconding from a whaling ship.

Principles in Play: Creativity / Humour / Kindness / Contribution

A former acting graduate of Te Kura o Aotearoa Toi Whakaari and an alumna of Auckland University MA Screenwriting/Directing, Rina has worked across various domains of film, TV, and theatre.

A short-fiction writer, poet, and occasional actor, Rina spent several years as a project manager for Mixit, empowering refugee youth through creativity. Currently, she serves as the Day One Shorts Series Producer, supporting potent storytelling and digital content to amplify, provoke, and evolve filmmakers and audiences alike.

Whakapapa and whānau background: “Nō Gujarat, India ahau.” Rina is cut of the same intricate fabric as New Zealand comedians; Tarun Mohanbhai, Sanjay Patel, social influencer Anita Chibha and children’s author/illustrator Vasanti Unka, all of whom are of the Gujarati-New Zealand diaspora. She is a proud second (possibly third! tbc) generation Indian-New Zealander.

Principles in Play: Hilarity / Meaningful Work / Respect / Risk / Kai

As a contemporary visual artist and project coordinator, Juliana explores the intersection of arts and community engagement. She is a member of Sur-collective and Re:use collective, and a resident artist at Corban Estate Arts Centre. Juliana moved to Aotearoa seven years ago, after receiving a scholarship to complete a Master in Fine Arts at Auckland University. Outside the studio, she is committed to actively participating in initiatives aimed at empowering communities and establishing platforms for dialogue and creativity.

Whakapapa and whānau background: Juliana was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, and her family’s background is predominantly rooted in the Cauca and Huila region. She embraces a mestizo heritage that captures the fusion of Spanish and Indigenous ancestry.

Principles in Play: Compassion / Creativity / Service / Kindness / Support\

As an art practitioner, Natasha specialises in online aesthetics and emotional language. With a rich background in arts advocacy, administration, marketing, and communications, Natasha has served in key roles, including Media and Communications Manager at Tautai Pacific Arts Trust and online arts journal The Pantograph Punch. Currently, she contributes as a part-time Project Manager and Administrator for Arts Makers Aotearoa, championing a healthier landscape for visual artists and the broader arts sector. Natasha's versatile skill set encompasses over six years of digital marketing and communications, a writing and arts background, and a keen interest in film, reflecting her commitment to advancing the arts with an empathetic and collaborative approach.

Whakapapa and whānau background: Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Kahungunu, Pākehā, Samoan.

Principles in Play: Creativity / Authenticity / Community-driven / Empathy

Lisa is an actor, writer, musician, and filmmaker (in that order), on a lifelong endeavour to explore connection and sonder—to understand the world and its peculiarities a little better every day.

She landed her debut screen role as Jiayue in Inked (2020), Aotearoa’s first funded Chinese-bilingual series. While balancing the shoot, she was also completing her conjoint BCom/BA in Marketing and Psychology at the University of Auckland.

Following her studies, Lisa trained at The Actors Program in 2022, graduating with a Diploma in Acting. She has since appeared in local screen productions including The Brokenwood Mysteries, Tangata Pai, Literally Dead, and Shortland Street. She completed her conjoint degree in 2024.

At the moment, Lisa is exploring what it’s like to work in a non-profit that champions filmmakers, helping them bring their dream projects into the world.

Whakapapa and whānau background: Born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau, Lisa embraces her identity as a second-generation JAFA and is fluent in Chinglish.

Principles in Play: Kindness / Authenticity / Creativity / Respect / Inner-child / Play

Proficient in funding, arts, screen, and writing, Benedict has accumulated over two decades of experience in the screen sector. He has served as a researcher, writer, producer, and, for the past 11 years, as a funder. While currently engaged full-time at Weta FX, Benedict also undertakes additional work through his screen consultancy company, primarily focusing on funding-related endeavours.

Bringing a wealth of corporate leadership experience to the board, Krishna offers a strong commercial foundation and an innate ability to develop and embed strategic partnerships. He contributes his commercial skills and management experience with a sense of curiosity, eagerness to learn, and a passion for collaborating, particularly driven by the project's mission to empower youth as sustainability storytellers.

Kathryn Graham has a long career of serving the screen industry of Aotearoa. She has worked in a wide range of roles across the film and television sectors, including most recently as a development executive, and content commissioner. She is known for her pragmatic, down-to-earth approach in helping filmmakers and content creators get results. She is a board member for several charitable trusts, and a member of the Jury for the International Emmys.

With a background that includes production management for various projects and directing short films, Leigh is also the co-founder of Overcast Productions. Her empathetic perspective, drawn from her own experiences in the film industry, provides valuable insights and support to emerging talents navigating the exhilarating yet challenging journey of storytelling and filmmaking.