Business Showcase brought to you by Screen NZ International l 5 May 2026
The Legacy Behind the Lens
At 16 years old, MetroFilm founder Andy Roelants was hitchhiking around Australia. Needing work, he took a job with an ABC documentary camera crew filming Aboriginal ceremonial rights in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. On Day 1, he loaded an Arriflex 16BL Camera with a roll of film. By the end of the week he was handed the camera and told to get what he could before the light goes! That first look through the viewfinder ignited Andy’s lifelong passion for cinematography.
Back in New Zealand, Andy built his craft at TVNZ, working across news, documentaries and current affairs during pioneering years for the local film industry. He was part of the crew on New Zealand’s first feature film, Sleeping Dogs, and in 1983 was 1AC on Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, the first major international feature filmed in New Zealand and Rarotonga.
When the 1987 share market crash brought the industry to a sudden halt, Andy and his wife Marjorie made the bold decision to sell their home and almost everything they owned – keeping only Andy’s treasured Arriflex 35mm camera kit. Taking a leap of faith, they invested in equipment and established a camera rental company. In 1988, MetroFilm was born.
Throughout the 1990s, MetroFilm grew alongside New Zealand’s expanding production sector, establishing its first base in Ponsonby. Every dollar earned was reinvested into ARRI cameras and lenses, a philosophy that continues to define the company today. As the industry evolved, Metro Film adapted, transitioning from film to digital while building a reputation for quality and reliability. In 2015, the company relocated to larger premises in Mt Albert, expanding its studio, test bays and rental department and introducing specialist camera and lens servicing.
Along the way MetroFilm has helped train generations of camera professionals. Young filmmakers who arrived with ambition and left with technical expertise and on-set discipline that places them among New Zealand’s most capable cinematographers and crew.
The business has grown alongside the family, with the next generation now playing a central role. Ryan joined in 2012 and became Rentals Manager in 2022 ensuring continuity of leadership and values, while Archer stepped into the role of Rentals Coordinator in 2023, bringing eight years of on-set experience as a 2nd AC.
What sets MetroFilm apart is its unique history of service to the New Zealand screen industry, combined with a long-standing investment in camera and lens technology. For clients, this means access to equipment of uncompromising quality, supported by deep technical knowledge and an enduring commitment to the craft of cinematography.
That capability is strengthened by MetroFilm’s close partnership with ARRI worldwide, providing direct access to the latest camera technology, innovation and global support.
More than a rental house, MetroFilm is a family led business built on passion, resilience, and an unwavering belief in the power of great images, offering clients confidence and consistency they can rely on anywhere in the world.
For more information visit www.metrofilm.co.nz
All imaged are owned by and used with permission of MetroFilm
CONTACT DEPARTMENT OF POST
19 Newton Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland
+64 9 974 4065
producers@departmentofpost.com
James Brookes - Co Founder l Executive
Christie Stewart - Head of Operations
