About
David is a filmmaker / videographer / editor and video livestreamer with a focus on the production of unique and engaging documentary audio-visual media.
David has a breadth experience in the production of commercial and artistic works producing over 30 hours of content for BBC Earth, Amazon Prime, Travel Channel, Outside TV, SMG and other global distributers. Winning awards for editing and for the series he’s been integral in creating.
His artistic and documentary works have travelled and screened internationally at festivals in N. America, Europe, South Asia, East Asia and Australasia.
Hailing from Wellington, New Zealand David worked in China from 2005 variously as producer, director, camera operator, post-production supervisor and editor. In 2017 David returned to New Zealand and currently is based on the Kapiti Coast.
David is bilingual (English and Mandarin), an avid Taiji practitioner and musician.
Recent news :
2023 March - Livestream, Te Whenua Stage - Newtown Festival - again working with the well oiled team at Moments Productions.
2022 - Again worked with Isaac Te Reina and his incredible team for the filming of “The Swing”. A theatrical production written by Helen Pearse-Otene and directed by Jim Moriarty.
2022 - Videography and edit for “I’ll Tell You This for Nothing” - written and performed by Kate JasonSmith at Circa Theatre in Wellington this April / May. Creative NZ.
2022 has seen me collaborate with Moments Production for many shoots including NZ Police and Ministry for the Environment and joining the team there as Live Streaming specialist.
Livestreamed the Matariki 2022 celebrations from Wharewaka on the Wellington on June 24th and from The Lower Hutt Events Centre on 26th June.
The Performance Arcade 2022 - Festival livestream.
The Chapel on Cambridge - Concert Livestream
Te Kahu o Te Raukura - Pipitea Marae livestream - March 2022
HUMANGOOD - Book launch Feb 2022
Worked with Isaac Te Reina to capture the Taiohi
Recently I wrote a little article on a presentation I did a while back at The Pyramid Club in Wellington. It was a great joy to share some work from over the years with the audience there. You can check out the short article here.
2006 P.K.14 Music Video TAMEN (他们) has been selected as part of The World of Music Video exhibition celebrating nearly 50 years of music video history from throughout the world. The exhibition will be held at The VöLkLINGER HüTTE WORLD CULTURAL HERITAGE (UNESCO) Site IN GERMANY I’m honoured that this fun video was requested for inclusion.
Feel free to check out the links below where you'll also find a few photographic glimpses of the exhibition space:
à Web: https://voelklinger-huette.org/en/exhibitions/the-world-of-music-video/
à Instagram: @voelklinger-huette
à Facebook: @WeltkulturerbeVoelklingerHuetteEXTREME TREKS (S4) is taking shape and due to be released on BBC Earth in Nov. 2021
October 2020: Extreme Treks (S3) won 5 awards at the Asian Academy Creative Awards 2020 (National) - including Best Cinematography - Chad Ingram, Best Presenter - Ryan Pyle, Best Editing - David Harris, Best Direction & Best non-scripted entertainment.
August 2020. Extreme Tks (S4) Production restarts. Producing a global travel series in the most challenging times for international travel in recent memory.
Completed Post-Production on 《怀旧》Nostalgia, short-documentary film. Co-directed and co produced.
Recently returned from China and Myanmar. Shooting 踢出大山, a documentary in Daliangshan Mountains, Gansu. And collaborating with filmmaker Edward Burger on short film projects in Yangon, Myanmar. Also editing Edward Burgers documentary film “The Mountain Path” (working title) focussing on Edwards journeys, encounters and learnings with the Buddhist hermits living in the Zhongnan Mountains, Shaanxi Province, China.
Videography for I’ll tell you this for nothing - Play. Written & Performed by Kate JasonSmith. Directed by Jan Bolwell.
Extreme Treks (S3) - Post production supervisor / writer / producer. Distribution phase. Aired on BBC EARTH Sept. - Nov. 2019.
16th April 2018 - Extreme Treks (S2) 8 x 1hr doco series. Premieres on BBC EARTH - Post-supervisor / co -producer / writer
2017 work:
In August David travelled to Dehong, Yunnan to run the first Rural Youth Film Initiative program, in co-orperation with Prop Roots arts centre.
In October Small Path Music (dir./prod.) featured as part of Shanghai's Mini Documentary Festival. | Press
In October Sever (斩断) will feature as part of OzAsia festival in Adelaide, Australia.
And third season of Extreme Treks in production with a host of daring locations from around the world to feature in this upcoming season.
2016 saw a host of exciting projects meet their audience.
Multimedia performance artwork Sever (斩断) - which David Directed and Coproduced with artist Zhuma, toured New York (Asia Society), London (Southbank Centre), Hungary (Cafe Budapest), India (New Dehli International Festival of the Arts), Hong Kong (New Vision Arts Festival) and Shanghai, China.
Feature documentary Small Path Music (dir./prod.) also featured in the Immagini e Suoni del Mondo film festival in Florence, Italy.
The Edward A. Burger documentary ONE MIND which David was an editorial consultant for was released.
2016 - 2017 coproduced and Post-Supervised the 8 x 1hr documentary travel series Extreme Treks, now in distribution (BBC Earth)