Nikki Si'ulepa
Nikki has found her dream work balance between directing, writing her slate of films and series', acting, voice over work, ScreenFit training, tutoring and PISA guild work. She loves palusami & taro, arthouse films, op-shops, vegan magnum ice cream, and film festivals.
- Locations
- Auckland
Bio
Nikki is an actor, writer, director, camera operator, screen tutor and founding Pacific Islands Screen Artists (PISA) Komiti member. She has worked in the New Zealand screen industry since her debut acting role in feature film, 'Whole of the Moon' in 1995.
Nikki has won awards in filmmaking and acting including three best actress awards. Her films have screened at international film festivals including Berlinale, Tribeca, Sydney, Melbourne, FIFO, Queerscreen, NZIFF, Hollyshorts, and ImagineNATIVE.
Nikki has a passion for the screen industry and thrives on upskilling and supporting emerging and established screen artists alike. She is the trainer and founder of 'ScreenFit' - crossfit-like classes for teams of writers, actors and directors to hone their screen muscles while working on a short script.
Experience
| Year | Production | Role | Company / Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWARDS: | |||
| WINNER: 2014 FIFO Oceana Pitch for the feature documentary Taku Ipukarea (My Homeland) | Writer, Director & Producer | ||
| WINNER: 2014 LA Skins Fest, Los Angeles, USA for Best Achievement in Film Making for Snow In Paradise | Writer & Co-Director | ||
| WINNER: 2013 Festival International du Film Environnement Paris, France (FIFE) for Best Short Film - Snow in Paradise | Writer & Co-Director | ||
| NOMINATED: 2013 Tribeca Film Festival, New York for Best Narrative in the Short Film - Snow in Paradise | Writer & Co-Director | ||
| 2023 | Screen | Tutor | The Actors Programme |
| 2022-ongoing | Gay, Brown & Famous Comedy Series | Creator/Writer/Director/Lead Actor | Niu Waves (PISA/NZonAir Initiative) Research & Development) |
| 2022-ongoing | Untitled Sc-Fi Series - Research & Development | Director | |
| 2022 | Actor's Studio | Screen Tutor | |
| 2021-ongoing | Dragonblood - Feature Film Development | Writer, Director | |
| 2021-ongoing | ScreenFit - Screen workout class for Writers, Actors & Directors) | Trainer & Facilitator | |
| 2021 | Disrupt - Shortfilm | Camera Assistant | Te Koru Media (NZ) dir: Jennifer Ward Lealand |
| 2021 | Talkback - Web Series | Assistant Production Coordinator | All Talk Productions (NZ) |
| 2021 | Fern - Feature Film Development | Writer, Director | |
| 2021 | Under the Vines - TV Series | Director's Attachment | Libertine Pictures (NZ) |
| 2020 | Lord of the Rings - TV Series | Assistant Director, Cast Driver | GSR Productions USA, Amazon Prime |
| 2020 | Founding Komiti member, PISA - Pacific Islands Screen Artists - (Inc. Pacific Screen Group/Guild Catering, Upskills, Supports and advocates for Pacific screen Artists in Aotearoa NZ and abroad) | Founding Member | |
| 2020 | This Is Your Half Hour Call - Shortfilm | Director | The Actors Program / Love Blood & Rhetric Productions (NZ) |
| 2020 | Mama's Music Box - Feature Film | Cast Driver/Location Assistant | M2S1 Productions/Cadness Street Productions (NZ), dir: Stallone Vaiaoga-Ioasa |
| 2020 | Acting Workshops/Rehearsals/Auditions/Shoot grad film | Tutor, Director | The Actors Programme |
| 2018-2020 | Same But Different: A True New Zealand Love Story - Feature Film - Screened in selected cinemas (NZ 13 Weeks), Selected for International Film Festivals | Writer, Director, Exec. Producer | RAW Productions (NZ) |
| 2005-2019 | Tagata Pacifika - Various Stories/reality Series, Interviews & documentaries | Reporter, Director, Location Camera & Sound | Sunpix NZ |
| 2019 | Actor's Drill Week / Director's Week Workshop | Tutor, Director | The Actors' Programme |
| 2017 | Counting Cars - Short Film | Writer, Director, DOP, Camera Operator | RAW Productions (NZ) |
| 2017 | Hibiscus & Ruthless - Feature Film, Screened in cinema's NZ & International | 1st Assistant Camera | M2S1 Films (NZ), dir: Stallone Vaiaga-Ioasa |
| 2017 | BBM No Excuses - TV Reality Series | Writer, Director, Location Camera + Sound | Sunpix (NZ) |
| 2015 | Aroha - a K'Rd Love Story - Short Film - Selected for International Film Festivals | Writer, Director, Producer | K'Rd Stories, NZOA |
| 2015 | Soldiers Without Guns - Feature Documentary - Selected for International Film Festivals | Location Camera & Sound | TMI Pictures NZ, dir: Will Watson |
| 2015 | Maria - Short Film - Selected for International Film Festivals | Assistant Camera | Multinesia Productions, dir: Jerry Tauamiti |
| 2014 | Three Wise Cousins - Feature Film - Screened in Cinemas NZ & International | 1st Assistant Camera | M2S1 Films, dir: Stallone Vaiaoga Ioasa |
| 2014 | #NotTheseTourists - Travel Web Series - You Tube | Writer, Director, Camera Operator, Presenter | A Hot Chick & Her Mate Productions NZ, dir: Nikki Si'ulepa & Casey Kaa |
| 2014 | Taku Ipukarea (My Homeland) - Feature Documentary (Enviornmental) - Initial Filming completed, Research & Development | Writer, Director, Producer | Thunder Productions NZ |
| 2013 | Rising Dust - Short Film- Selected for International Festivals | 1st Assistant Camera | Notable Films NZ, dir: Jack Woon |
| 2013 | Rapa Nui - Te Pito o te Henua - Feature Documentary - Selected for International Film Festivals | Location Camera & Sound | TVNZ Waka Huia, dir: Piata Gardiner-Hoskins |
| 2013 | Ma - Short Film - Selected for International Film Festivals | Writer, Director, Producer | Thunder Productions NZ |
| 2013 | Rupene Mare - Documentary - Screened on TVNZ | Location Camera & Sound | TVNZ Waka Huia, dir: Piata Gardiner-Hoskins |
| 2013 | Ngamaru Raerino - Documentary - Screened on TVNZ | Location Camera & Sound | TVNZ Waka Huia, dir: Piata Gardiner-Hoskins |
| 2013 | Joe Harawira - Documentary - Screened on TVNZ | Location Camera & Sound | TVNZ Waka Huia, dir: Piata Gardiner-Hoskins |
| 2011 | Salat se Rotuma - Passage to Rotuma - Feature Documentary - Screened on TVNZ & selected for International Film Festivals | Writer, Director, Location Camera & Sound | Sunpix NZ |
| 2011 | Snow in Paradise - Short Film - Selected for Berlinale NATIVe Program 2019, Selected for International Film Festivals & premiered at the 62nd Berlinale in 2012 | Writer & Co-Director | Tala Pacifika |
| 1996-2002 | Various Productions including: Waka Huia, Marae Investigates, 2Kaha, Tagata Pasifika, Kete Korero, On the Ladder, Pūkoro, Sky Sports 7s, | Camera Assistant, Production Runner, Lighting Assistant, Cast Driver | Various including; TVNZ, Māori Television, TV3, Sky Sports |
| TRAINING: | |||
| 2021 | Under the Vines | On Set : Director's Attachment | NZ Film Commission |
| 2017 | Berlinale Talents Campus | Berlin Film Festival (GER) | |
| 2016-2017 | Women Filmmakers Incubator | Director & Editors Guild NZ |