
Best of,both worlds.
Directors & studios in Auckland & Queenstown
Pete in Auckland and Zyanya in Queenstown independently manage productions across Aotearoa, each bringing a unique vision, hands-on approach, and wide-ranging experience to every project. For larger productions, our directorial duo combines their skills into one powerful force, amplifying the creativity and craft. This offers the knowledge and economy of local crews and reduces your carbon footprint. So, whether you need a studio shoot in central Auckland or drone shots on top of a remote mountain in Fiordland, we’ve got you covered.
Pete Whittaker
Pete founded Howler after moving to Aotearoa, the birthplace of his teenage film crush (and namesake), Sir Peter Jackson. Initially established in Queenstown, Howler provides full-service production from studios in Auckland and Queenstown.
During his time in New Zealand, Pete has directed work for Bunnings Warehouse, BNZ, Purina, ACC, Dunedin Tourism, Bluebird, PGG Wrightson and many smaller emerging brands. An innovative, creative thinker, Pete brings an entrepreneurial spirit to his work, focussing on solutions that elevate the creative product. Outside of work, Pete’s obsession with creating is channelled into his personal film and documentary projects.
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Zyanya Jackson
UK born, Zyanya was pulled down into the rabbit hole of film making as a kid – not dreaming of being the star of the movies, but of the behind-the-scenes DVDs. After studying Film and Spanish in England and Mexico, Zyanya chased winters in the mountains, landing in Queenstown 10 years ago.
A storyteller at heart, Zyanya embraces both the rawness and authenticity of documentary filmmaking and the opportunity to explore fantastical ideas set in worlds she creates herself. Zyanya has directed work for Powerade, The North Face, Jucy, Sport NZ, and Edmond De Rothschild and is a mentor for the Ladies Behind The Lens initiative, which aims to get more women into adventure filmmaking.