Following extensive television broadcasting and academic careers in South Africa, Kobus relocated to New Zealand in 2008.  Positions in news and current affairs at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) included news bulletin editor, features editor, executive producer of the breakfast show Good Morning South Africa (GMSA) and later programme manager of GMSA and the magazine programme 6-on-1.  A freelance career in corporate, promotional and educational video productions followed after leaving the SABC.

Extended freelancing in media production (print and electronic), marketing, advertising and corporate communications provided an appreciation of how effective media synergy can be in communication. 

Kobus holds a master’s degree in International Politics (University of Pretoria, South Africa).  Current research and personal development interests involve Media Industry (broadcasting/production trends and media ethics, media law and media landscape); Cinematography (history, CGI and production trends); Media Education and Skills Training; Photojournalism; and Creative Writing.

Academic teaching positions at tertiary institutions in South Africa and New Zealand have included Journalism (television, radio and print news production), Advertising, Public Relations and Political Science. 

Before moving to New Zealand Kobus was package organiser and lecturer of the BA Languages degree (Specialising in Journalism) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.  He joined South Seas in 2010, following two years as Coordinator, Journalism and Creative Writing at Waiariki Institute of Technology in Rotorua.


Jenny joined TVNZ Dunedin in 1981 as Producer’s Assistant on a variety of programmes such as ‘Spot On,’ and ‘World of Sport’ and then joined the The Natural History Unit as Production Manager on ‘Wild South’ documentaries such as Kakapo and Yellow Eyed Penguin.

In 1987 Jenny joined the Eyewitness News team in Auckland and also worked on ‘60 Minutes,’ ‘Assignment,’ ‘Marae’ and ‘Waka Huia,’ before working for TV1 on outside broadcasts, such as the Olympics and World Cup Rugby.

Dennis developed his love for theatre while earning his BA in English Literature at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts. During his four years of study he performed in more than 30 stage plays and then spent a year in New York acting and writing plays.

After moving to Los Angeles, California Dennis attended UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and TV, where he graduated with an MFA in Playwriting.

At UCLA he played one of the lead roles in director Luis Meza’s feature film, "Staccato Purr…"
 

In 2004 Dennis made his play "Goodnight Joseph Parker" into a feature film, starring Paul Sorvino, Debi Mazar and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. Dennis has also been a freelance screenwriting instructor, a film competition judge and has been a panellist at the Global Entertainment and Media Summit. In addition to "Goodnight Joseph Parker", Dennis has also written screenplays for "The Organ Donor", "The Sissy Show" (television pilot) and "House of Buggin" (comedy/variety show).

After graduating from South Seas in 1999, Ben worked in the industry for more than ten years before returning for his latest stint as tutor in the CLA department.

During Ben’s career he has worked professionally in all major areas of camera, lighting and audio.  He has worked on feature films, television series, commercials, music videos, corporate videos, short films, reality shows, news and sports. 

Keeping up to date with developments in technology is one of Ben’s major challenges as a tutor.  He aims to keep the students informed about all the recent advances, while also ensuring they are familiar with any older technology they may encounter in the course of their work.

Ben is continuing to work in the film and television industry while tutoring at South Seas – a combination that means he is always improving his own skills and knowledge so he can give the best training to his students.

 

After graduating from South Seas in 1997, Jon ‘s first job in the industry was as a staff editor at Prime TV when it was launched in NZ. "This proved to be a challenge as they were literally building the facility around us as we cut the sports show".

From there, he has enjoyed a successful freelance career in NZ and the UK, working on a variety of forms of television including a travel documentary presented by Jackie Chan, a golf series with Tim Brooke-Taylor to observational documentaries with the NZ police to name a few. He has worked with various productions companies including Greenstone Pictures , Cream TV and Endemol UK.

 Jon, a trained teacher, joins South Seas in 2011 bringing with him a wealth of industry experience, technical knowledge combining with his teaching experience to ensure this year’s graduates enter the work force fully prepared.

 Allie is a qualified Adult Tutor and Assessor with a certificate in Commercial Art.  She began her career in 1995 working in the art department on quick turn around television productions and commercials. She also worked on such productions as Shortland Street and Sale of the Century, comedy productions and mainstream commercials.

Allie runs her own design business and has designed product launches, national campaigns and live shows for corporate clients including New Zealand Lotteries Commission and L’Oreal New Zealand.

In conjunction with her television career she has taught to diploma level in subjects including design for special effects and conceptual design, holding the position of Head of Department for Special Effects Make Up and Production Make Up.

Allie joined SouthSeas in 2003 to establish and run the Art Department.
 

Santo originally trained in Multi-media in the mid-1980s in Canberra, Australia.  In 2007 he was ready to make some changes so he decided to upgrade his skills and retrain in Film and Television Production (FTV) at South Seas.

“Back when I started, televisions and computers were totally separate,” he says.  “Now there’s a huge overlap between the two.  Convergence of technology means they are virtually the same.”

He decided to study in New Zealand because he wanted to go somewhere more exotic than Canberra, but not too exotic.  He chose New Zealand because, although it was a different country, the culture is similar enough to Australia’s that he knew he would fit in.

When he had completed his FTV diploma majoring in Post Production, he was invited to stay on at South Seas as an Assistant Tutor.

Santo enjoys Post Production because he gets to use both technical and creative skills.  His job at South Seas includes both technical aspects and mentoring students to help them gain the skills they will need in the industry.  He says it is very satisfying when the students have learned enough technical skills that they can concentrate on their creativity.

He feels very optimistic about the prospects for South Seas students after they graduate as there is always a demand for talented people.



Coming out of teaching and into the radio broadcasting, television news and current affairs arena, Haare Williams pioneered Maori Radio as the General Manager of Aotearoa Radio.

He has worked closely with iwi claimant communities collecting and preparing oral testimonies for presentation before the Waitangi Tribunal and this in turn led to his work as a facilitator in oral histories working with iwi groups and for NZ Libraries.

Haare has published his poetry, was a judge for the Watties Book Awards, and has held five solo art exhibitions. He has worked with the former Race Relations Office to deal with issues of cultural sensitivity, was a two-term city councillor in Papakura and a member of the Board of Governors for Queen Victoria School.

He was an Executive Director of the New Zealand 1990 Commission especially responsible for waka construction and assembly at Waitangi in 1990, and is currently the Chairperson of ProMa, the Maori advisory committee to ProCare.

For five years, Haare held the position of Pae Arahi, "The first in the country," as he put it, at Auckland’s UNITEC. Now an independent consultant in Maori aspects of education, health, business, art and the media, he is the Course Leader of South Seas' Mahi a Rongo – Maori Film & Television Broadcasting course and South Seas Kaumatua.


Mike is one of New Zealand’s most experienced sound recordists and has worked on a multitude of Kiwi feature films, television documentaries, dramas and commercials.

His credits include Smash Palace, Angel Mine, Starlight Hotel, Soldier’s Tale, Quiet Earth plus more than 60 documentary credits for major TV networks including CBS, NBC, PBS, and the BBC.

He has worked on eight expeditions for The Cousteau Society filmed in New Guinea, Indonesia, Australia, Thailand, Laos, Burma and Cambodia. In recent years, Mike has serviced a large volume of episodic drama shot in New Zealand for North American productions totalling 193 episodes which include 80 episodes of Hercules - The Legendary Journeys.

Mike has been at the forefront of developing the New Zealand use of the latest overseas advances in audio recording technology especially in the field of digital recording techniques, and is the Technical Manager of Sound Techniques; New Zealand’s only dedicated supplier of equipment for the film and television industry.

He has taught both the theoretical and practical aspects of audio recording techniques for numerous courses including Unitec, The ITVA and The Moving Image Centre. Armed with videos of productions that he has serviced, plus an array of sound equipment, he has lectured at South Seas since 1995.


Sean Rundle is a lighting cameraman with a wide experience in both multi- and single-camera shooting. He has completed assignments both in New Zealand and overseas in documentaries, news gathering, comedy, drama and corporate programme making.

While based in the United Kingdom for two years, Sean completed a wide variety of assignments including jobs for Greenpeace, London Weekend Television, Carlton TV, TF1 and Virgin Vision.

His recent work includes; The Topp Twins TV Special, which was nominated for the 1994 TV awards, That Comedy Show, Clash of the Codes, Shortland Street, Plainclothes, Suzy’s World and Jackson’s Wharf as well as numerous television commercials and corporate videos.

Ken Mason has been working at South Seas for several years as an all-rounder being a very practical problem solver. Helping out with the South Seas new building Units and keeping the infrastructures up and running.

Ken also works in the Camera, Lighting & Audio department in the Film & Television course, assisting the CLA Tutor and the students with the equipment.