Peter Jackson

Born 31 October 1961.
Began making movies at an early age with his parents' camera.
Left school at seventeen and worked as a photoengraving apprentice.
Began making a movie using a 16 mm camera, taking over three years and paid for out of his wages. It was 75 minutes long, and called Bad taste (1988).
The New Zealand Film Commission gave him some money to complete the movie that has become a cult classic.
Carried on to make other movies including Meet the Feebles (1990), Braindead (1992), and the TV hoax documentary Forgotten silver (1995).
Won international recognition including an Academy Award nomination for Heavenly creatures (1994), based on the Parker-Hulme murders in Christchurch.
Made The Frighteners (1996), starring Michael J. Fox, and using Lyttelton as the location.
Made a three-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings:
- Part One: The Fellowship of the Ring was released in December 2001, and was nominated for four Golden Globe awards, and 12 nominations for the BAFTA awards
- Part Two: The Two Towers was released in December 2002
- Part Three: The Return of the King was released in December 2003
Was made a Companion of The New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for his services to the film industry in the 2002 New Year's Honours. His partner, Fran Walsh, was made a Member of The New Zealand Order of Merit. (MNZM).
December 2005 - released remake of King Kong