Ian Taylor – Maori Business Leader of the Year Joins Trust

7 May 2013

Ian Taylor – NZ Maori Business Leader of the Year Joins NZ Children’s Screen Trust

The NZ Children’s Screen Trust is pleased to announce that Ian Taylor (CNZM) is joining the Board of Trustees.

“Ian brings considerable experience in children’s television and in new digital technology. His entrepreneurship and ability to lead is vital as we look at new possibilities for Kiwi children and how they see their stories on screen,” says Trust Chair, Janette Howe.

Ian Taylor (Ngati Kuhungunu) started his career in television on iconic shows Playschool and then Spot On. He formed his own production company Taylormade Media in 1989. Taylormade produced children’s shows such as Tiki Tiki Forest Gang, Squirt, Saturday Disney and Studio 2, which had its own interactive website Hub-TV. His company Animation Research Ltd became a leading company for its innovative graphics that tracked America Cup boats in 1992 and continues to innovate and lead the world.

The NZ Children’s Screen Trust is committed to quality local drama for NZ children of all age groups. Fittingly Ian Taylor’s company supplied award-winning graphics to the last significant drama series made for NZ children, Kaitangata Twitch in 2009.

Ian believes in the power of drama to excite children’s imaginations: “We come from a tradition of storytelling and we have such wonderful stories to tell. Our children today have access to the best content in the world. It’s just that there is very little that is truly theirs.”

Ian Taylor’s addition to the Board also reflects the Screen Trust’s aim to lead when it comes to content across all screens and to ask the questions ‘where are kids watching content?’ and ‘how can we get more diverse local content to those platforms?’

“This isn’t just about television anymore. A series like Girl vs Boy that is produced for on-line delivery as well as traditional broadcast shows what can be done. We need our funding organisations to understand that they don’t need to ask permission from broadcasters to make stuff. The world has changed and our kids are leading that change. Give them great content on the screens they are watching and they will let us join them.”

Taylor also points to the amazing talent that we have in this country, young directors and producers who are already using technology to create cutting edge content.

“I have seen some remarkable content that has been created by talented young film makers. They understand the new platforms far better than we do and they are already moving beyond the traditional platforms that currently occupy this space. They changed the music industry; they will change this one as well. Our programme funders just have to catch up with them. An example of the kind of kids we should be supporting is a group of school kids from Hamilton who made a magnificent short sci-fi film called Havoc for a competition we ran a couple of years ago. If we invest in talent like this, find them ways to make New Zealand stories, not just for kiwi audiences but for an international audience, then we will have achieved something special.”

ENDS

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