All3Media chief exec reflects on former South Pacific Pictures managing director, who died on Sunday aged 80

John Barnett was passionate about TV and film. He was hugely social and loved people, plus, of course, rugby and wine and art and New Zealand.

The world will be a less colourful and less exciting place without John and his energy and his enthusiasm for all things creative, his flair for innovation, his curiosity and his endless joie de vivre.

John Barnett

John Barnett

John knew everyone and a short walk to dinner along the Croisette in Cannes would take hours as he was ambushed for a chat by friends and colleagues. New Zealand may be a long way away but John’s network of friends was truly worldwide in its reach.

John was a visionary creative and a natural entrepreneur, setting up a graphic design business while still just a student, and backing New Zealand’s first financial publication, The National Business Review, soon after graduation.

He began his production career in 1973 with children’s series, The Games Affair, after which he became a talent manager before returning to TV and then film. John became John Clarke’s manager whose alter ego Fred Dagg was hugely popular. When John took his first foray into film making with Wild Man in 1977, he added a Fred Dagg film for an unmissable double bill.

“During his time at South Pacific Pictures, the company produced more than 3,500 hours of TV drama and four of New Zealand’s top ten highest grossing films”

John joined South Pacific Pictures as managing director in 1992, running the business for over two decades, launching international and domestic hits The Brokenwood Mysteries and Shortland Street, and countless others.

In total, during his time at SPP, the company produced more than 3,500 hours of TV drama, as well as seven feature films with four of New Zealand’s top ten highest grossing films – BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated Whale Rider, Footrot Flats, Sione’s Wedding and What Becomes of the Broken Hearted.

SPP became part of All3Media in 2003 and I had the privilege of working with John. He has many friends and colleagues at All3 and especially at All3Media International, many of whom kept in touch with John and continued to work with him after his retirement from SPP.

Everyone will miss his wit and charisma and sheer determination to get the best shows made, telling stories from New Zealand with global audience appeal.

Jane Turton pic new

Jane Turton

John’s impact on the cultural landscape was huge and, as John said: “Every day is a new world”. A beautiful and uplifting sentiment.

Everyone at All3Media sends their best wishes and love to John’s friends and family.

  • Jane Turton is chief exec at All3Media.