Hopefully you saw the documentary ‘Primeval New Zealand’ shown by TV1 in prime time last month. If you didn’t you missed a treat. Chances are that few local people knew that Celia Offwood lives with her husband Al Jaspers and a new born daughter in rural Martinborough was the Producer and Editor of the programme.
‘Primeval New Zealand’ was produced in it’s Dunedin studio by Natural History New Zealand . A company which has earned global recognition by making documentaries for the likes of National Geographic and Discovery Channels. Celia long distant commuted to Dunedin to be part of a team exploring New Zealand’s evolutionary history using the very latest science, which has only very recently been internationally released.
‘Primeval New Zealand’ was the first release in New Zealand of a documentary using this new science. As well as being filmed in high definition, the documentary used 3D modelling and computer graphics by Weta Productions to recreate extinct creatures such as moa and an aquatic bird which pre- dated penguins. The show shed light on lesser known creatures of our unique environment including the New Zealand Falcon, giant meat eating snails, pre-historic giant Weta and the rarely seen Takahe. Along with the surprising ancestry of the Kiwi.
Celia’s TV work started twenty years ago on the iconic children’s’ ‘What Now?’ show in Christchurch, where she had the opportunity to train at TVNZ as a Director and Editor. Subsequently working in many bases around New Zealand, TVNZ Christchurch, TVNZ Auckland, Avalon Studios in Wellington, Dunedin & Queenstown, doing everything from TV and film, to theatre. Along with 2 years spent in Sydney working for Foxtel and Channel 7 News.
These days Celia works as a Producer, Director and Editor, usually freelancing to production companies that contract shows to any of the New Zealand TV networks (TV 1, 2, 3, Prime). With a broadcast quality edit suite in the home office on the farm near Martinborough, such shows as “Cool Kids Cooking” for TV2 have been edited & written from there and delivered to TVNZ in Auckland. Much preferable to having to be away from home for months on end editing, as is often the case.
The hope is to attract future shows here, so that part of the production can be carried out from home with only heading away for the filming as required.
Celia is now also branching in to photography, which she really enjoys – and have been shooting since she was at school – expanding Scorpio Productions in to children’s and family portraits, wedding photography and producing corporate/promotional videos for local Wairarapa businesses.
Celia’s next series, “Shearing Gang” is due for release early this year on Prime TV. This observational documentary series of 10 episodes, follows the biggest shearing contractor in Central Otago, Peter Lyon, and his crew of over 150 shearers and rousies as they traverse the high country stations that surround Queenstown, Wanaka and Central Otago. Celia field produced and field directed this series while based in Queenstown, and filmed the gangs as they went about their work on various farms around the area.
If you missed “Primeval New Zealand”, it is able to be viewed online at www.tvnz.co.nz/onedemand.
