Who We Are - Act Normal

"Acting like we fit in, standing out with every production."

Craig

Craig Gainsborough is an award-winning international film producer and filmmaker from New Zealand, widely recognized for his innovative and ethical approach to film and television production. With a diverse portfolio of producing credits, Craig has earned critical acclaim for his work on the transgender feature film and TV series, Rūrangi, which won the 2022 International Emmy® for Best Short-Form Series, as well as numerous other awards at international film festivals.

Craig is a passionate advocate for empowering underrepresented voices and minorities in all stages of production. His commitment to social impact and sustainability led him to co-found Greenlit, New Zealand's industry-led screen sustainability organization, which creates sustainable practices and promotes ethical standards.

Prior to working as an independent film producer, Craig worked as Executive Producer for NZ Media & Entertainment, Senior Producer for WPP owned brand agency Designworks and producing TV commercials for 10 years.

His early film productions received international success, including a human rights award, Candles of Aotearoa, received a human rights award, and he has continued to achieve international festival success with his other shorts, including Ten Thousand Days (dir: Michael Duignan), Tide (dir: Adam King), Thicket (dir: Julian Vares), and Stay – which he also directed. In addition to his film work, Craig has produced several documentary series, including Road to Rhythm, which explores the turbulent story of the formation of the Rhythm and Vines music festival, and Luckie Strike, an underground production exploring the world of speleology in New Zealand.

Beyond his creative work, Craig is completing his latest degree, a Masters in Legal Studies with a focus in Commercial Law. He regularly shares his experiences and advice on production values, ethics, and inclusivity through panel discussions and interviews. His dedication to meaningful projects with social impact continues to inspire and influence the film industry.

Max

Co-showrunner and series director for the 2022 International Emmy-winning LGBTQ+ drama, Rūrangi, Max is a gay writer, director and producer who knows how to bring a story to life. His work spans writers' rooms, script writing, script editing - and directing television and feature films. In 2021 Max was awarded Best Director at the New Zealand Television Awards. He has dual UK/New Zealand citizenship.

Max cut his teeth writing drama in the writers' room of prime-time serial drama Shortland Street, where he worked for five years as a storyliner, whilst moonlighting as story editor and script writer. It was also during this time that Max stepped up to write on both seasons of the 1-hour comedy drama series Step Dave.

Max's debut as a feature director was 2014's festival darling Everything We Loved (Four Knights Film). Max also wrote the script; about a duo of travelling magicians who steal a child from terrible parents to raise as their own. In 2020, Max recut and shot additional footage to turn Rūrangi into a feature film - which won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at Frameline 2020, won best International Feature at Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2021, and showed in the UK at BFI Flare 2021.

Max is a passionate member of Auckland's gay-and-inclusive rugby team, The Falcons. He's a proud donor dad to two young children, who live with their Mums in Melbourne. Born and raised in New Zealand, Max is also a British citizen thanks to his Scottish father. Drag Race fans might recognise Max as one of the regular PitCrew members on both seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under.

Max is represented by Ian Benson & Gina Andrews at ‘The Agency’