Heal the Hauraki

This year we had the pleasure of working with the Heal The Hauraki team on their 3 part documentary series and community campaign aimed at restoring the health of the Hauraki Gulf.

The series blends science, mātauranga Māori, lived stories and care for nature to show real, action-based solutions. It highlights how land, people and sea are connected and how everyday actions can help bring the Gulf back to life. The project invites all Kiwis to learn, act and join in the work that many communities and leaders are already doing to strengthen ecosystems and protect this special taonga.

Trailer:

Trailer edited and coloured by The Sugarworks Post

From ingest, to offline to online and finishing, we worked together with the HTH team to implement a workflow tailored to their needs and requirements, giving their team the option of doing as much as they could themselves.

Colouring and finishing by The Sugarworks Post

Across three episodes – focusing on whenua, tangata and moana – the series follows experts, leaders and local people who are taking steps on the ground and in their communities. Viewers see how knowledge and small actions, like planting days, clean-ups, education and shared care for te taiao, add up to bigger change. Beyond the films, Heal the Hauraki offers ways to connect, take part in events, and spread the word so that more people can help restore the Gulf.

Check out Heal The Hauraki here.

Paddy Gower Has Issues 2025

This year saw the return to the screen for Believer Media's Paddy Gower Has Issues.

PGHI is a bold New Zealand current affairs series that tackles topics many avoid. Each episode focuses on one issue shaping our lives. Paddy asks direct questions and pushes past spin. The show mixes hard facts, field reporting, and straight talk. It gives people space to speak honestly, even when views clash.

The Sugarworks Post provided 3 edit suites, an ingest station and central server onsite at the Stuff headquarters, and provided maintenance and tech support to the editors and producers. This way of working was a first for both the producers and The Sugarworks and resulted in the successful delivery of all episodes for broadcast.

DCPs

This year we had a number of DCP creation requests, and though it's a small part of the overall scope of our services, it's a great way to help promote short films and feature films by getting them to theatres around the globe.

Flagfall is a horror / thriller short film about a troubled cabbie haunted by voices and visions, fearing something terrible happened in his taxi.

The film was directed by Joe Lonie and produced by Caravan Carpark Films.

Motuhaketanga is a two-part documentary that delves into the transformative journeys of three wāhine Māori as they prepare to leave prison and begin the raw process of rebuilding their lives, their identities, and their futures. The series was produced by Black Iris.