New Zealand’s Kōawa Studios
🌏 Thrilled to join the global advisory board of New Zealand’s Kōawa Studios—an exciting new venture at the University of Canterbury, focused on immersive storytelling, education, and innovation.
This initiative brings together creators, technologists, entrepreneurs, and educators to shape a future where media serves purpose, place, and planet.
As the former CEO of Canada’s Centre for Digital Media and co-developer of Emily Carr University’s Master of Digital Media as Chief Industry & Research Officer, I value how education, industry, and community can come together to drive real change.
🎥 Kōawa Studios truly represents the future of media education and creative innovation, transforming how stories are told, taught, and experienced:
• A virtual production stage with a state-of-the-art LED volume—similar to the setup used on The Mandalorian—where real-time 3D environments replace traditional green screens
• Full sound capacity, motion capture, animation labs, and mill and set-building workshops
• All located within a vibrant creative-tech precinct
NZ’s most advanced virtual production studios are already powering commercial films like Holy Days and stop-motion animation like Kiri and Lou, and is deeply connected to hands-on student placements and global partnerships like Aardman Academy.
✨ I’m proud to bring this experience to Kōawa Studios, where the vision is bold:
· Empower the next generation of storytellers and technologists
· Build sustainable business models rooted in local knowledge
· Centre Indigenous and diverse voices in digital and immersive media