Finch & Google shoot Finding Pride

AUCKLAND, Today: Finch and Google – with AUNZ director AJ Greenwood and Colenso writer Beth O’Brien– have produced a series of films, Finding Pride, about the lives of six members of the LGBTQIA+ community in the Asia Pacific region.

The result is a moving insight into their lives, delivered in an understated manner. A common denominator is the profound sincerity of the subjects.

It all started at the beginning of 2020, when Greenwood, Finch and Google – with a small but nimble crew – embarked on a journey that would span six different countries across APAC.

In pre-production, Greenwood worked alongside each person to write a piece of prose about their individual identity journey. She then designed a visual portrait based on the everyday life of each individual to be used as a backdrop in which to set their story.

With the pre-production, all executed remotely from Sydney and Auckland, the team took off on a whirlwind shoot schedule through the Asia-Pacific. 

“I wish I had access to stories like these when I was coming out.”

As Covid-19 began to spread, they had to navigate the production process to round off the seven-part series. It was a one-and-a-half-year journey for Greenwood, one that she says she considered a privilege to have undertaken.

Greenwood said: “This series has been an inspiring, life-changing experience; it is a great privilege to be welcomed into these people’s lives and to be entrusted to assist them in telling their stories. I am in awe of all of their strength, courage, and humanity“

Sydney-based Google AUNZ creative head Tara McKenty said: “As a company, Google has long been a supporter of LGBTQIA+ rights and has worked hard to create products and platforms that allow people to express their views while fostering an open environment where people of different views, backgrounds, and experiences can come together and show up for one another.

“Hopefully Finding Pride can help members of our community to see themselves and stories like theirs so they don’t feel so alone, or so different.

“I wish I had access to stories like these when I was coming out.”

CREDITS

Client: Google – Tara McKenty, Erin Tsuchiya, Simone Takasaki, Joel Cruz
Creative Development Partner: Jonathan Hiley, David Arcus
Agency: Colenso BBDO
Scriptwriter: Beth O’Brien
Production Company: Finch
Director: AJ Greenwood
Managing Director: Corey Esse
Executive Producer: Loren Bradley
Producer: Bryce Lintern
Field Producer: Casey Ventura
DOP: Tammy Williams
Casting: Finch / Google
Post Production: Atticus
Post Producer: Amelia Bromley
Editor: Jordan Swioklo
Colourists: Alina Bermingham, Fergus Rotherdam
Sound Mix: Rumble Studios