James Brown

Documentary Director / Editor

Over the past 20 years I have edited for many of New Zealand's top documentary directors and producers—Leanne Pooley, Annie Goldson, Cass Avery, Oskar Kightly, Roger Donaldson, Pietra Brettkelly, Justin Pemberton, Matthew Metcalfe and many others.

I've received three national awards for documentary editing; 2013 Moa with director Annie Goldson, 2020 NZTVA with co-editor Prisca Bouchet, and 2025 NZSA with my long-time editing partner Tim Woodhouse.

As a director I have shot all over the world, primarily on my long form series "An American Rugby Odyssey" which has been filmed in New Zealand, USA, China, UK, Europe, Japan, Brazil, Fiji and Tanzania.

Filmgraphy

2025

I'm working on my long-running series following rugby scholars on various international tours, taking on a mentoring role, helping the students document their own experiences.

• ICARUS: CRITICAL MASS

  Director / Editor
  Short Film
  Rocketwerkz
  

• BLACK FERNS: BEHIND THE FERN

  Editor (3 episodes)
  Documentary Series (NZR+)
  Whisper Films
  

2024

• THE CHOIR GAMES

  Editor
  4 Part Documentary Series (Sky Open)
  Spacific

  BEST EDITING: DOCUMENTARY / FACTUAL (NZ Screen Awards)

• ALL BLACKS: IN THEIR OWN WORDS II

  Editor
  4 Part Documentary Series (NZR+)
  Whisper Films

  NOMINATED: BEST SPORTS SERIES (NZ Film & TV Awards)

2023

• AN AMERICAN RUGBY ODYSSEY—STUDENT CUT

  Director / Mentor / Camera / Editor / Online Editor
  Documentary Episode
  Inner City Education Foundation
  

• ALL BLACKS: IN THEIR OWN WORDS

  Editor
  4 Part Documentary Series (NZR+)
  Whisper Films
  

• HOME, LAND AND SEA

  Editor
  Documentary Episode (TVNZ)
  Jack Films
  

• BLACK COAST VANISHINGS

  Editor
  4 Part Documentary Series (Discovery)
  Augusto

  NOMINATED: BEST EDITING: DOCUMENTARY / FACTUAL (NZ Film & TV Awards)

• ICARUS: THE SEEKER

  Director / Editor
  Short Film
  Rocketwerkz
  

2022

• UNDISCLOSED PROJECT

  Editor
  Documentary Series
  Augusto
  

• LIVE TO LEAD

  Editor (3 Episodes) / Advisory Editor
  8 Part Documentary Series (Netflix)
  Blackwell & Ruth / Nelson Mandela Foundation
  

2021

• FIGHTBACK: JOSEPH PARKER

  Primary Editor
  Documentary (DAZN)
  Spacific

• AN AMERICAN RUGBY ODYSSEY

  Director / Camera / Editor / Online Editor
  8 Part Documentary Series (Fox Sports)
  Inner City Education Foundation

2020

• SECOND CHANCE CHARLIE

  Primary Editor
  16 Part Short Documentary Series (TV3)
  Mediaworks

• DAWN RAID

  Editor / Motion Graphics
  Feature Documentary (Theatrical)
  GFC

2019

• FUNNY AS: THE STORY OF NEW ZEALAND COMEDY

  Primary Editor
  5 Part Documentary Series (TVNZ)
  Augusto

  BEST EDITING: DOCUMENTARY / FACTUAL (NZ Film & TV Awards)

2018

• WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT AI

  Additonal-Editor
  Feature Documentary (Theatrical)
  GFC

• WAYNE

  Editor
  Feature Documentary
  GFC

2017

• CAPITAL IN THE 21ST CENTURY

  Additional-Editor
  Feature Documentary (Theatrical)
  GFC

• ANOTHER RED, WHITE, BLACK & BLUE ODYSSEY

  Director / Camera / Editor / Online Editor
  Feature Documentary (PAFF)
  Inner City Education Foundation
  

2016

• RED, WHITE, BLACK & BLUE ODYSSEY

  Director / Camera / Editor / Online Editor
  Feature Documentary (Netflix)
  Inner City Education Foundation
  

• MCLAREN

  Editor
  Feature Documentary (Theatrical)
  GFC
  

2015

• DOG'S BEST FRIEND

  Editor
  Feature Documentary (NZIFF)
  Dir. Eryn Wilson
  

2014

• DRUG COURT

  Editor
  Documentary (Maori TV)
  Notable Films
  

• RED, WHITE, BLACK & BLUE III

  Director / Editor
  Documentary (PAFF)
  Inner City Education Foundation
  

2013

• HE TOKI HUNA: NZ IN AFGHANISTAN

  Editor
  Documentary (NZIFF)
  Occasional Productions

  BEST DOCUMENTARY EDITING (NZ Film Awards / Moas)

• RED, WHITE, BLACK & BLUE II

  Director / Editor
  Documentary (PAFF)
  Inner City Education Foundation
  

• SOUL IN THE SEA

  Online Editor
  Documentary (NZIFF)
  Dir. Amy Taylor
  

2012

• RED, WHITE, BLACK & BLUE

  Director / Editor
  Feature Documentary (DocNZ, PAFF, ICF, AFF)
  Occassional Productions

  BEST DOCUMENTARY EDITING (Amsterdam Film Festival)
  BEST DOCUMENTARY (Idylwild Cinema Fest)
  BEST DOCUMENTARY (Raglan Arts Film Festival)
  RISING STAR AWARD (Canada Film Awards)

• I WANT TO WALK WITH MY MOKO

  Editor
  Documentary (Web: The Health Commission)
  FarmerClark
  

2011

• BROTHER NUMBER ONE

  Editor
  Feature Documentary (IDFA, HRFF, MIFF, NZIFF)
  Occassional Productions
  

2010

• THE CREATIVE ADVENTURES OF JAMES BROWN

  Editor
  20 Part Short Documentary Series (Web: The Big Idea)
  The Learning Connexion
  

• SOUTH AUCKLAND POETS' COLLECTIVE

  Editor
  Short Documentary
  Sunyard
  

2009

• FIGHTING FOR PAY EQUITY

  Editor
  Short Documentary
  Human Rights Commission
  

2008

• MSANII: ARTISTS OF BAGAMOYO

  Director / Camera / Editor
  Documentary
  The Learning Connexion
  

2007

• ART IN THE FREEZER

  Editor
  Documentary (TV3)
  The Learning Connexion
  

2004-6

During this period I worked full time directing and editing educational art documentaries for The Learning Connexion, as well as music videos, short films and corporate videos.

2003

• THE PECULIAR INVENTION OF DAVID ASPIRING

  Director / Camera / Editor
  16mm Featurette
  Self-funded