DEGANZ Watch List: From Buck to Betrayal

From bold local storytelling and thought-provoking documentaries to standout commercials and binge-worthy television, this edition of the DEGANZ Watch List celebrates the latest work from our members across a range of formats.

Director Jamie Lawrence (DEGANZ) is behind Kiwibank’s newest and cutest mascot, Buck the sheep, while fellow member Liv McClymont directed the drama sequences for the NZ Herald’s six-part web series Under the Influence.

On the editing side, DEGANZ board member Martin Brinkler ACE edited Stories About My Body, a feature-length pro shot of Morgana O’Reilly’s hit comedy theatre show, blending live performance with newly filmed scenes. Meanwhile, assistant editor Megan Robinson (DEGANZ) worked on the latest season of the hit reality series The Traitors NZ.

Buck the System

Commercial

Director: Jamie Lawrence

Kiwibank’s newest campaign introduces a plucky sheep named Buck. While most sheep are happy following the flock, Buck chooses her own path and rejects the status quo.

Stories About My Body

Theatre Pro Shot / Feature Film

Editor: Martin Brinkler ACE

In a tiny theatre in Aotearoa, New Zealand, four teenage stagehands work tirelessly to help Morgana tell the stories that shaped her – from her own teenagehood in 1998, to working foot-fetish parties in New York City, to falling in love and later birthing her babies in a Melbourne living room. By turns vulnerable and riotously funny, she moves from lamenting her chins to marvelling at her cellular functions, using her body as the living template for every tale she tells. Created and performed by Morgana O’Reilly (The White Lotus) and co-directed with her husband and real-life birth partner, 2025 BAFTA nominee Peter Salmon (After The Party), Stories About My Body blends nudity, heart-swelling honesty and real birth footage into a stand-up comedy special like no other – intimate, fearless and unexpectedly profound.

Stories About My Body is celebrating its NZ theatrical premiere with select special screenings before releasing to wider cinemas from 30 July. Find a screening new you here.

The Traitors NZ (Season 3)

Reality Series

Assistant Editor: Megan Robinson

Hosted by Madeleine Sami, the hit psychological strategy game returns with more twists and betrayals. Follow the cast of 21 Kiwi players as they compete with their eyes on the rising prize money.

Available to stream on Three Now.

Under the Influence

Factual Web Series

Drama Director: Liv McClymont

A compelling new six-part web series investigating the harm social media is doing to young people in Aotearoa and what parents and teens can do to fight back.

Available to watch on NZ Herald and YouTube.

Last updated on 16 July 2026