'Who is Sanders?': New Zealand's Official Cameraman on the Western Front 1917-1919

Abstract

The New Zealand public of 1914 expected to see local events and personalities feature at the pictures. New Zealanders were a picture-going society, and the manager of the theatre knew that if 'the business wanted kicking along a bit, ... we'd introduce some local stuff'. It worked every time. The advertisements would feature, races, axemen's carnivals, church picnics, etc. and folk would flock to see themselves on film. Local films for local audiences was a characteristic feature of New Zealand film-making. They were usually taken by the town's photographer or theatre projectionist. This was how Charles Newham started in Wanganui to become Hayward's and perhaps New Zealand's principal cameraman. There were many others: Brandon Haughton in New Plymouth, Charles Barton in Wellington, and Henry Gore in Dunedin are some that were prominent.