Please give a warm EIT welcome to North Tec tutors Karen Sydney and Dennis Murphy from the Diploma in Video and Electronic Media Programme who will be visiting next Thursday and Friday.  The EIT programme (renamed here in 2012 as Screen Production) was rolled out at North Tec in 2012. It will be a return visit to Taradale for tutor Karen who started her film career here with a short course organised by Mana Cracknell with the much-mourned filmmaker and mentor Barry Barclay. Karen went on to work on Barry Barclay’s Ngati, Merata Mita’s Mauri and Niki Caro’s Whale Rider.  PC Claire McCormick confesses being a little star-struck having Karen on campus, “ Her work to promote Maori language and culture through quality film and television drama has been ground-breaking. Karen Sidney co-produced Aroha -the first series written, produced and acted in Te Reo and featuring a real who’s who of Maori actors.” Karen also wrote the script for the Mataora episode of Aroha, starring Rena Owen.  North Tec co-tutor Denis Murphy comes from the independent sector working self-employed producing everything from music videos to wedding and corporate videos.