Medicine

Director’s bio:

Starting his career as a child actor, William appeared in TV shows, theatre productions and radio plays before going onto devise works himself. After completing an Arts degree at Otago University, he worked in London and the United States.
During several years at Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group, William occupied creative and commercial roles working on acclaimed productions Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Starlight Express, Jesus Christ Superstar, Whistle Down the Wind and The Beautiful Game) as well as filmed to DVD productions (Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 50th Birthday at the Royal Albert Hall).
Returning to New Zealand he jointly secured the rights to New Zealand’s iconic local toy brand Buzzy Bee and developed the IP into two animated TV series, Buzzy Bee & Friends (directed), a musical theatre production (producer), books and merchandise.
In 2014 he produced the critically acclaimed stage musical The Factory which toured to Australasia and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
In 2021 William directed his first short film Floundering, which has received awards and placings and played at numerous film festivals (some academy award qualifying). Medicine is his second short film, completed in October 2023.
The short films are a prelim to his forthcoming first feature film Herbert based on a true story and best-selling children’s book. It will be his feature film directing debut.
William, along with his long-time writing partner Amanda Beatson have several projects in development including the true story of Opo the Dolphin, The Story About Ping an animated film based on a best-selling USA children’s book. He is also researching a film concept based on Kate Sheppard, the women regarded as leading the fight to obtain the vote for women in New Zealand, the first country in the world to do so.