Short documentaries

Short-form documentary is the work I love most. These are films of two to ten minutes where real people tell true stories. Because I direct, shoot and edit, the crew stays small enough for people to relax on camera. There's a very special craft in the edit where I weave interviews with b roll footage and the right music to give the viewer an experience and emotional response to the message. A very effective way to present a brand or idea which shows real impact rather than scripted content.

What I make

• Brand and impact documentaries
• Recruitment and 'day in the life' series
• Community stories
• Customer case studies
• Sponsorship and charity films
• Story development and interview prep
• Original music and sound design
• Festival-quality grade

Trust first

Documentary only works if the people in it trust you. I keep the crew small, take time before the camera rolls, and let the interview wander a bit. The story usually turns up somewhere between the questions.

Sound and music

Sound carries half the feeling of a film, so I design it myself. For the NZDF series I also wrote all the original music.

New Zealand Post was seeking a short film to highlight one of its sponsorship activities, but something a different from what agencies would deliver – we didn’t want ‘just another ad’. Ro’s brief was to provide a production with subtlety, emotion and above all, a quality film in its own right. He delivered 100% on the brief, and brought his own unique style and talent in what was an easy, straightforward process. We’ve had tremendous feedback as a result of Ro’s film, and New Zealand Post would recommend him for other corporate work

Questions