Koorero with HeroShot
Ko wai koe?
Ko Gilly Lawrence taku ingoa, No Waimārama ahau.
I grew up in Waimārama surrounded by a wider whānau of musicians, artists and film makers. Then as a teenager joining the “family business”, I moved to Wellington and started a career in Film making, primarily in film lighting, this work would take me all over Aotearoa and into the Pacific. We moved home back to Te Matau-a-Māui, Hawke's Bay in early 2005 to be back with whānau and the lifestyle but continued to travel out of the region for mahi.
What is your business, and what motivated you to start your business?
HeroShot Productions is a boutique Film Production company. After more than 15 years of travelling for mahi, I was ready to settle and establish a business where I could work from home. Still telling stories and creating beautiful images, HeroShot was born. I wanted to make cinematic content and story telling more accessible and affordable to our local and wider community. Being a boutique production house allows us the flexibility to scale our production services up and down according to the vision, budget, scope and requirement of each story. The reason for the name “Heroshot” is that in every movie, story or pakihi there is a Hero at the centre and whether thats a person or a product they will require their own “Hero Shot” to highlight their value.
How has Tipu Ake Tonu supported your business journey?
Tipu Ake Tonu has provided invaluable support to my business journey. Through TAT's guidance, resources, and networks, I have unlocked the power of my creativity and learnt how to apply this to my business mindset, widening my business skillset. I have connected with like-minded individuals and adjusted my target markets after the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle.
Did you receive any business support before TAT? If yes how was TAT different?
Before Tipu Ake Tonu, I hadn’t received any business support however TAT's approach is unique. The cultural connection, tailored guidance, and focus on sustainable growth set TAT apart.
What have been your business highlights and/or key achievements so far?
Some of the key highlights and achievements of my business include starting production on short films and documentaries, securing the first contract and gaining more experience with business development
What are your future aspirations for your pākihi (business)
My future aspirations for my business involve expanding into a full scale production house producing material from local business content to short films to music videos to brand documentaries.
Long term goals would be to expand my reach nationally, internationally collaborating on a diverse range of projects
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I'm grateful for the opportunity to share my journey and experiences. I look forward to helping others get their stories told.
You can find Gilly and HeroShot here:
https://www.heroshot.nz/about