Aidee Walker joins Westside as DEGNZ director attachment
1 October 2015
The Directors & Editors Guild of NZ (DEGNZ), NZ On Air and South Pacific Pictures Limited (SPP) announce actor and director Aidee
Walker as the DEGNZ TV drama director attachment to SPP’s WESTSIDE 2 television series.
Walker will shadow well-known New Zealand actor and director Michael Hurst through a two episode block of the show,
which starts production in October.
“I was so stoked to hear that I have been given this opportunity on Westside,” Walker commented. “I can't wait to
observe the whole process from read through to directors cut and I'm excited about the collaborations with every
department.”
Walker is well known as an actor, having held numerous roles including in popular TV shows Step Dave, Outrageous Fortune, Shortland Street and Mercy Peak. As a director, she has written and directed four short films with the recent Friday Tigers winning Best Short Film at the New Zealand International Film Festival and selected to play at the Melbourne
International Film Festival.
“This is a great initiative from DEGNZ and NZ On Air and South Pacific Pictures are pleased to be able to support it,”
said SPP CEO Kelly Martin. “Aidee’s wealth of experience in front of the camera combined with her short film successes
make her ideally suited to this opportunity. We hope it will be the beginning of a beautiful new relationship!”
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for Aidee to observe firsthand the high-pressure world of fast-turnaround television from
the other side of the camera,” said DEGNZ Executive Director Tui Ruwhiu. “She will undoubtedly benefit immensely working
alongside the highly experienced Michael Hurst.”
“We are delighted to support Aidee’s further development as a director with this initiative,” said NZ On Air Chief
Executive Jane Wrightson.
Westside is the NZ On Air-funded prequel to hit SPP drama Outrageous Fortune. It is set in 1970s Auckland against a backdrop of real-life historical events. Westside tells the story of legendary safe cracker and career criminal Ted West, his wife Rita, their son Wolfgang and their
friends, associates and nemeses. The second series will be produced by Mark Beasley.
This attachment is the second in the DEGNZ TV Drama Director Attachment Scheme, with actor and director Matthew Saville
recently chosen to attach to director Roc Pellizarri on Screentime’s telefeature Bombshell: The Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior.
The scheme is an industry professional development initiative funded by NZ On Air and the production company involved
and managed by DEGNZ. It is intended to give emerging drama directors the opportunity to shadow an experienced director
through the pre-production, production and post-production process as a means to improve their craft skills. Three
emerging directors will attach to New Zealand drama productions in the 2015/2016 year. The intended outcome is for the
attachments to find work on domestic and international productions in New Zealand.
ENDS