Allan is an Auckland based writer/director/filmmaker, who has previously been a 5 time Tropfest New Zealand finalist, won the Academy Award-Accredited LA Shorts Fest 'Best Screenplay' award and has been a finalist in some of the world's most prestigious screenwriting competitions, including: Screencraft, Hollywood Screenplay Contest, Canada International Film Festival, HollyShorts and more. Allan has also worked on television shows such as, 'The Crowd Goes Wild' (Director/On Air Producer/Editor), 'Shortland Street' (Writer) and 'Only in Aotearoa' (Director).

Director Statement

Kia Ora, 

This documentary has been an emotional journey for all involved - it took quite a turn for us when our key talent Sir Hector Busby passed away during filming, we were very lucky to get his last ever interview. Sir Hector is also our director Allan's uncle and they shared quite a close relationship. What we are trying to convey is an emotional piece that really sets the stakes of this man's legacy and (and the affect he had on Indigenous Peoples world wide) where he sees waka building and celestial navigation going in the future. Our main driving question is/was “what does the future of traditional pacific navigation look like”. An important question for today’s technological world. 

Sir Hec has become well known around the world. Recently with his ‘nearly doomed’ waka school receiving new funding, now it is time for us to look to the future to see who will be continuing his work in revitalising waka traditions in the years to come, right here, in Aotearoa.

We are very proud to say that this documentary is literally one of a kind and is going to be in 100% Te Reo Maori. We have been working closely with Moehau Hodges-Tai who is currently the Video Producer and Māori Issues Specialist for NZME (New Zealand Media and Entertainment). Moehau graduated from the University of Waikato with a First Class Honours in Digital Cinema. He also completed his Bachelor of Media and Creative Technology double majoring in Te Reo Māori and Screen Media. Moehau is passionate about increasing visibility of Te Ao Māori and normalising Māori content in the media which is an approach which we have taken in creating this documentry.