Mark Westerby
How long have you been in screen work and how did you get started?
I’ve been working in screen for almost twenty years, but in the creative sector also ten years prior to that. I transitioned into screen after working as an events manager and performing arts producer - the skills were totally transferable and I’ve always had a passion for telling great stories, no matter the medium. I also used to be a projectionist, so I’ve had a long love affair with the silver screen.
Why did you choose film/TV as a career?
I don’t think you choose this career, it chooses you. I have always worked in creative fields and the thing I love about it the most is the people I work with and the shared experience we have completing a project. I also love the sense of independence (although that can be a double-edged sword), and the daily variety of the work.
What has experience taught you that study couldn’t?
That it’s ok to fail, and if you are going to fail, fail big! There are lessons in that, that cannot be taught - so do what makes you happy and don’t be afraid to stuff up. I can attribute every success I’ve had to the learnings of the past.
Do you also work outside of film?
When I am not in EPK or producer mode, I recently formed Create Wellington with a number of other screen businesses in order to give a voice to the greater Wellington screen sector. Outside of this, I have a penchant for shipping containers and turning them into pop-ups, cafes etc, so I’ve made a few of those. Also, it’s not work, but I moonlight as a radio host on the Caffeine & Aspirin arts show on Radio Active here in Wellington. It’s a great way to get a sense of the pulse of our creative industries and I love a good yarn accompanied by good music!
What have you learnt about your department/area as a whole?
I’ve been lucky to learn a lot about the filmmaking process - quite often Random is involved in these projects as an investor, so working as an EP, I get a great sense of the project scope. Then, working as a director/producer for EPK and behind the scenes, you are involved in the project from pre-production right up to release and sometimes beyond, so it’s incredibly rewarding. The way we market our screen projects changes and evolves constantly, so I have learnt that there is no silver bullet when it comes to a screen marketing strategy. I try to immerse myself as much as I can in the filmmaking process to really understand who the audience is and how we best reach them.
Why have you chosen to join the Guild? What do you want and expect of the Guild?
To be honest, we come from an industry that has a history of being a bit siloed and fractious. Guilds like this are important so that we are able to find strength in our togetherness, not just within our own sphere of screen technicians, but cross-sector. I am also a member of SPADA and a WIFT Friend for this reason. In times like these, communication and collaboration is the key to a healthy industry. I also think it is important to celebrate our successes and lift each other up.
What strengths do you think the NZ industry has? What could contribute to a more sustainable industry?
We are world-class in many ways. We have wonderful storytellers, talented crew, and a depth of experience from screenwriting to post-production and everything in between. We need to focus on more support for the development of new work - this is our screen pipeline, so we need to show care and attention here. Right now, we have the eyes of the world upon us. In order to capitalise on the opportunities this will bring, we also need to strengthen the training and ongoing support for crew, who are the lifeblood of our industry. A few new studios would also help too! And finally, we need to think of ourselves as a studio of 5 million and promote ourselves accordingly. Every time a new project is attracted to NZ, or we develop our own kickass IP, regardless of where in NZ this is headquartered, we all win.
