Case Studies

Mahi you can stand behind.

Click any card to open the brief, role, deliverables and outcome.

He Toi Whakairo - exhibition backdrop
Film & Cinematography

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

A 5:54 short documentary portrait of master carver Sam Hauwaho (Tūhoe, Te Aitanga a Hauiti) made for Te Papa's He Toi Whakairo exhibition - a cinematic study of whakairo, lineage, and the transmission of mātauranga through one of only two protégés of the late Tohunga Rangi Hetet.

Role

Film & CinematographyCultural StorytellingEditing & Post-ProductionStrategic Communication

Deliverables

  • 5:54 short documentary profile for Te Papa's He Toi Whakairo exhibition
  • Cinematic documentation of Sam Hauwaho's carving process and teaching legacy
  • Exhibition-ready edit tailored to museum visitor flow
  • Integration of archival and contemporary material for intergenerational storytelling
  • Public-facing digital story for exhibition audiences

Outcome

Delivered a cinematography-led portrait that functions as an interpretive layer within the He Toi Whakairo exhibition (2026–2027), recording an active teaching lineage at a moment of transition and strengthening Māui Studios' standing in culturally grounded artist documentaries for museum contexts.

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Māui Studios Showreel - rangatahi in Land Back jacket with Tino Rangatiratanga flags at dusk
Brand Storytelling & Film

Māui Original IP

A self-produced brand film that gathers years of collaborative work into a single piece dedicated to celebrating powerful moments of indigenous storytelling - a public articulation of the studio's kaupapa and a tribute to the talent and indigenous leaders at the heart of every project.

Role

Brand StorytellingFilm & MotionIP & Story DevelopmentVisual DesignCultural Transmission

Deliverables

  • Original short-form brand film (approx. 3 minutes)
  • Narrative script and voice-over treatment
  • Archival selection and re-grade of prior project footage
  • Bilingual title and caption design
  • Social and presentation-format exports
  • Coordinated release across the studio's owned channels

Outcome

Delivered a public-facing celebration of indigenous storytelling that now functions as a brand asset, a tribute to collaborators and indigenous leaders, and a proof asset for proposals and procurement - and a reference piece for the studio's storytelling thesis that holding fast to culture and tikanga is itself the path to success.

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Kauraka E Mataku, Kia Takatū - Hine and Pōua leaning over a map at the dining table, soft natural light from the window behind them
Alpine Fault Magnitude 8 film - landscape backdrop
Film & Cinematography

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu & AF8 Programme

A 2:55 bilingual short film weaving Ngāi Tahu creation narratives with earth science along the Alpine Fault - co-produced with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and the AF8 Programme to help South Island communities prepare for a future magnitude 8 event.

Role

Film & CinematographyCultural StorytellingMotion DesignStrategic Communication

Deliverables

  • Bilingual 2:55 short film (English and te reo Māori)
  • Narrative development weaving mātauranga Māori with earth science
  • On-location and green-screen cinematography (Sony FX6)
  • Edit, grade and delivery for emergency-communication audiences
  • Cultural guidance from pou tikanga and mana whenua

Outcome

Won the EMPA New Zealand Award for Excellence in Emergency Communication 2024 (Readiness and Resilience) - recognised as a benchmark for culturally grounded emergency communication that holds scientific credibility and cultural integrity together.

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Tuakiritaka - hand tracing Te Rauone on a satellite map of the Ōtākou harbour, layered with kowhaiwhai motifs
Film & Cinematography

University of Otago (via Designworks)

A 14:12 mana-enhancing hero identity film marking the University of Otago's adoption of the identity Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka - bringing together the voices of community, mana whenua, and the university to capture what genuine partnership looks like.

Role

Film & CinematographyMotion DesignOriginal CompositionCultural StorytellingEditing & Colour

Deliverables

  • 14:12 hero identity film (English and te reo Māori)
  • Creative direction, cinematography (Sony FX6) and POV drone work
  • Motion design, original composition, edit and colour
  • Coordination of mana whenua and community contributors
  • Bilingual long-form documentary delivery

Outcome

Delivered a cinematic multi-voice hero film that placed mana whenua and community at the centre of the identity story - produced as a creative partner within Designworks' wider identity programme, which was recognised with a Best Awards Gold for branding.

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Lost in the Q - moko-clad figure reclining on a crimson chaise in a violet-lit interior with carved pou and kowhaiwhai lanterns
Music Video & Virtual Production

Rob Ruha / Indigination

A 4:55 music video for Rob Ruha featuring Jhaymeān - a futuristic Māori visual world exploring moko revival, self-reclamation, and the impact of historical distortion on contemporary Māori identity, shot in the Māui Studios LED Volume and across Ōtautahi.

Role

Virtual ProductionFilm & CinematographyToi Māori DesignMotion Design & VFXCultural Storytelling

Deliverables

  • One completed music video (4:55) through a full cinematic pipeline
  • Direction, cinematography, edit and grade
  • VFX and virtual-production technical support
  • Toi Māori design, set build, lighting and makeup
  • Director-led futuristic Māori worldbuilding

Outcome

Fused waiata, speculative visual storytelling, and toi Māori design into a single screen experience where te ao Māori is felt, seen, and heard in every frame - helping establish a stronger visual language for Māori futurist screen work.

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