Business Showcase brought to you by Screen NZ International l 2026
Halcyon Digital:
Engineering Confidence Behind Every Frame
Power of the Dog Image : Courtesy of Kirsty Griffin / Netflix
Every frame of a film or television production has to arrive where it needs to be, whether in front of a director on set, with a cinematographer reviewing an image, or in the hands of a post-production team, exactly as intended. Making that happen requires sophisticated digital imaging, video engineering and production workflows. For more than 15 years, Auckland-based Halcyon Digital has brought that technical expertise to some of New Zealand’s most ambitious screen productions.
Founded in 2009 by friends and technology enthusiasts Johnathan Guest and Nick Burridge, Halcyon Digital emerged at a pivotal moment in filmmaking. As the industry shifted from traditional film to digital cinema, productions needed specialists who could bridge the gap between creative vision and rapidly evolving technology. Halcyon Digital at its core supplies on-set monitoring, wireless, playback and data management. However, rather than simply supplying equipment, the pair positioned themselves as technical partners, helping productions navigate an increasingly digital world.
That philosophy remains central today. Halcyon describes itself as a custodian of the image, managing picture quality from camera through to post-production. Every project is approached with bespoke workflows and custom-engineered solutions tailored to its specific requirements, rather than relying on standardised systems.
This approach has earned the company a reputation for solving problems others avoid. Whether supporting productions in remote forests, on windswept beaches or aboard boats at sea, the team relishes technically demanding environments. Their Morningside headquarters reflects that mindset, housing not only industry-leading equipment but also an in-house fabrication workshop complete with CNC machinery, allowing the team to design and manufacture custom monitor rigs, specialised cases and purpose-built hardware when existing solutions simply don't exist.
Innovation has also been driven by necessity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when international productions faced unprecedented travel restrictions, Halcyon rapidly developed remote directing and monitoring systems that enabled filmmakers worldwide to collaborate with crews on New Zealand sets. From building low-latency communications networks to creating reliable remote monitoring workflows in isolated locations, the team engineered solutions without a roadmap because productions needed them. Many of these innovations continue to provide flexible production options today.
Continuous investment underpins every aspect of the business. As technology evolves, Halcyon reinvests to ensure clients have access to the latest, highest-quality tools. This includes greener solutions, from electric vehicles to custom-built battery systems that reduce generator use on set. For the team, it’s about ensuring productions choosing New Zealand experience the same technical excellence they would expect anywhere in the world.
Pike River Image: Courtesy of Matt Grace
Equally important is the calibre of the people behind the technology. Halcyon's specialists are deliberately cross-trained across video engineering, IT infrastructure, colour management, data workflows and wireless communications, creating a versatile team capable of adapting quickly to the diverse demands of modern production. That collaborative, multi-disciplinary culture reflects the ingenuity for which New Zealand's screen industry has become internationally recognised.
As international productions continue to choose New Zealand while local filmmaking reaches new creative heights, Halcyon Digital remains focused on what it has done since day one: combining technical excellence with practical problem-solving. In an industry where technology never stands still, its greatest strength is not simply keeping pace with innovation—it is engineering confidence behind every frame.
For more information visit www.halcyon.digital
All imaged are owned by and used with permission of Halcyon Digital
CONTACT HALCYON DIGITAL
6 Collins Street, Morningside, Auckland
+64 9 969 2253
Johnathan Guest - Director / Owner
Nick Burridge - Director / Owner