NZTECHO Issue 53 Highlights

Welcome to issue 53 of NZTECHO!

We take a look at a staple in New Zealand’s television diet – Shortland Street. While the week-night sitcom celebrates 20 years on New Zealand screens, it is a good time to reflect on the fact that the show has provided two-decades of continuous employment, training, and development to many in the film and television industry. Lots of the freelancers who started out on Shortland Street have gone on to forge successful careers.

In our second feature, **Dara McNaught considers the issues around access to information for Deaf and hearing impaired people, giving weight to the lack of captioning on television. We also meet Deaf director and actor Brent Macpherson **who runs a successful video production company, Stretch Productions. His current project Next to Nothing aims to raise awareness for the Deaf community in the Solomon Islands.

Freelancers and members also put their thoughts to pen and paper on the disappearing craft of the crew rep. Not much thanks is given to crew reps, but it hasn’t stopped soundie Mike Westgate (among others) putting his hand up time after time.

On a not so serious note, our lawyer **Tim Riley **takes a satirical (and very funny) poke at the direction film and television workers' rights could be heading.

Cameraman** Peter Janes** shares memories (and some great photos) from the 1960s and 70s. Back when Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, and The Beatles would be blaring from the flat he shared with Techos’ Guild president Alun Bollinger off Tinakori Road. When the sky was the limit! A young guy, straight from school could film politicians, war protestors, and visiting superstars.

On the subject of members, we also hear from executive committee’s **Sioux Macdonald **and Wellington branch’s Ken Saville. Both are out batting for us – on The Blue Book and membership issues respectively. Thanks, guys. We appreciate it.

Most pleased to get another issue out.

Carolyn Brooke, Acting editor