Wayne Leonard began his career as a sound operator, but later moved to directing, where he made his name helming sports and live shows that require multiple cameras. Leonard has directed some of the biggest events on television from the Olympic Games and America’s Cup, to Christmas in the Park. He has also produced or directed primetime TV shows This is Your Life, My Kitchen Rules and Game of Two Halves. In 2013 he was part of the team nominated for multipe Emmy awards for coverage of the America’s Cup in San Francisco. 

In this ScreenTalk, Leonard talks about:

• Why a good memory helped him become a multi-camera studio director
• Differences in directing Olympic Games coverage for local or global audiences
• Hearing Paul Holmes swear during the high-rating Michael Jones episode of This is Your Life 
• The “mayhem” of fast paced show Game of Two Halves
• Winning over veteran producer Derek Wooster while directing Christmas in the Park for the first time
• Being disappointed by the time-slot for Style Pasifika
• Great teamwork during coverage of the 2013 America’s Cup
• Being thrilled to be nominated for seven Emmy awards

This video was first uploaded on 30 November 2015, and is available on YouTube to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence.

NZ On Screen: Camera and Editing – Andrew Whiteside