What brought you to the windy corner of Wellington? (Side note: She's originally from Toronto!)
Curiosity. After graduating university, I was curious to see what life was like on the edge of the world. I love the mountains and hiking, so I moved from a mountain town in British Columbia, Canada to Queenstown. I only planned on venturing to Queenstown for a 4 month season. After living in the magical South Island for a year, I decided to move to Wellington to pursue more opportunities in film and television. Two years in New Zealand later - I can happily call Wellington my second home.
Photo courtesy of Carlie Viemann
Coming here from Toronto, what was most impactful to you about New Zealand?
Hailing from the big white smoke of Toronto, I love the small, close-knit community of New Zealand. I always enjoy telling people that there’s about 6 million people living in Toronto, which surpasses the entire population of this little country. It’s a super welcoming corner of the world!
What excites you about working at Fox & Co?
The pack at Fox & Co! They’re a wonderful and quirky group of critters. It’s never a dull moment at our den 🙂
Tell us about your past experiences working in the creative field.
I’m a painter and illustrator myself. I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from university in Canada. Since arriving in the North Island, I’ve been navigating the Wellington woodlands as a Production and Art Assistant in film and theatre. When I first moved to Wellington, I worked in the Art Department on Taika Waititi & Jemaine Clement’s television series Wellington Paranormal, which was based off of the movie What We Do In The Shadows. It came out last week and it’s definitely worth checking out 🙂
What woodland critter would you describe yourself as and why?
Here at Fox & Co, I define myself as the Beaver (Castor canadensis) of the pack.
bea · ver
\ bē-vər \
noun
- Castor canadensis of North America.
- Amphibious creature passionate about motion design, details, and logistics.
- Monogamous animal committed to its mate and Fox & Co. family.
verb
- Work hard.
“Alanna beavered away to keep the projects at Fox & Co. running smoothly.”
Would you consider yourself a hunter or a gatherer?
I’m a Beaver who dabbles as both a hunter and gatherer. I’m always on the lookout to hunt and make opportunities for the pack, whether it’s a new company or freelancer we’d like to work with.
I’d also consider myself a gatherer. Beavers gather materials to build dams and create wetlands upon which many species depend. They’re a keystone species, which means their presence in nature greatly affects other wildlife. As the Junior Producer, the creative critters of Fox & Co. depend on me to cultivate an environment for them to create their best work.
You're a new addition to the crayon box, what colour would you be and why?
The colour would be blood orange. It’s a bundle of creativity and joy with a touch of zest. Oh it’s also my favourite fruit!
If you could be any animated character, who would you be?
A veggie tale! I’d be an animated character in the zine I’ve been creating called “Veggie Tales in Welly.” You’ll have to wait and see how the fruit and legume inspired characters develop For now - here's a picture of the original cartoon series. 😀
