The Colourist

Really? Every single photo coloured by hand?

Yes, such was the era of 'hand coloured photography' - a painting and photograph in one - the way you got a high-quality colour photo before colour photography became mainstream.

Some of New Zealand's best hand coloured photos - glorious scenic vistas - were produced by Whites Aviation, an Auckland-based firm established in 1945. These photos were quickly a sensation, adorning offices and lounges around the land.

Now, decades later, Whites photos are coveted collectibles and respected pieces of photographic art, even making the title-page of Te Papa's recent landmark publication New Zealand Photography Collected.

Our short film will profile the near-forgotten craft of hand colouring, and celebrate the enduring legacy of Whites Aviation photos.

You'll meet Grace Rawson, one of the earliest colourists at Whites. And, fortuitously, Grace has agreed to hand colour a landscape photo for the first time in more than 50 years ... using cotton wool.

Despite massive changes in photography, we'll witness that nothing can change the authenticity and wonderful aesthetic of a hand-made craft.

We're proud to be part of Loading Docs 2016, and to have the guidance and support of the Loading Docs team.

What we need now is $2000 - preferably more! - to secure the dollar-for-dollar $2000 from Loading Docs.

We'd love you to lend a hand. Our time is free given our love of the content, but we have a number of out-of-pocket expenses to cover and would like to invest in some sensitive graphic effects to boost the viewing sensation.

The Colourist will be a high-end documentary oozing art and culture. Thanks for considering being part of it.

Greg is an award-winning filmmaker. Peter is a spare-time author and creative. Joined by our love of Whites Aviation photos, we're the perfect team to make this film.