Tom Hern

Title
Writer, Producer & Director
Company
Tavake
Country (Address)
New Zealand
Biography
Hern broke into the international indie film scene as the sole producer on chess drama, The Dark Horse, a critic’s darling, local box office smash, and international award-winner (over 20 prizes - including Audience Prizes at the Rotterdam, Seattle, and San Francisco International Film Festivals). Hern was the lead producer on Shadow in the Cloud, which won the TIFF Midnight Madness Award and has grossed over $10M in US VOD box office and coproduced Guns Akimbo (starring Daniel Radcliffe and Samara Weaving).

In 2020, after years of creative producing, Hern made the natural move into writing, directing, and showrunning his own projects. Alongside biz partner, Halaifonua Finau, Hern co-created and show-ran Tavake’s drama series, The Panthers (about the Polynesian Panthers political movement in the ‘70s), on which Hern also acted as a director. The Panthers premiered at TIFF, broke streaming records in its home territory, and won a slew of Awards.

Recently, Hern directed a docu-series in Joshua Tree California, Desert Hikoi, for TVNZ and acted as a lead Executive Producer on Tavake’s latest scripted series; Madam (starring Rachel Griffiths and Martin Henderson); set within the legalised sex work industry in New Zealand.

Hern is currently developing a diverse slate of local and international projects as writer, producer and director.

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SCRIPTED

We’re after partners who match our momentum—collaborators who bring creative spark, smart financing, and access to global audiences. Whether it’s co-developing bold projects, structuring sharp deals, or finding new ways to craft impactful stories, we want like-minded allies who understand the sweet spot between artistry and strategy.
Tom Hern
Tavake is an award-winning Polynesian-led company with global connections and a track record in international co-productions. As 360° producers, we bridge creative and business affairs, shaping bold, high-end drama series, feature films, and premium unscripted content. We’re looking for partners who share our energy—collaborators who bring creative synergy, financing opportunities, and pathways to global audiences. Whether it’s co-developing a project, structuring smart deals, or finding fresh ways to tell resonant stories, we’re looking for like-minded partners who get the balance between artistry and strategy.