Ngā Kōrero o Paparahi—Quinn Dacre
Quinn Dacre believes that every creative project, no matter its scale, needs to be rooted in emotion, craft, and curiosity.
During his Bachelor of Design Innovation studies at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, Quinn’s passion for animation was bolstered by Wellington’s creative scene, and he made the most of the opportunities that came his way, like the chance to work on Avatar: Fire and Ash, and to direct his own short film, Deep Bloom.
“I was drawn to Wellington for its reputation as New Zealand’s filmmaking and creative capital,” he says. “Vic stood out for offering one of the few animation programs in the country. The course offered a wide range of opportunities across disciplines, which gave me the chance to develop a broad foundation in design and expand my world view of differing skillsets. It felt like the right place to grow both technically and artistically.
“I’ve enjoyed the collaborative creative scene in Wellington. There are always great coffee spots like Raglan Roast, where you could pull out a sketchpad and meet up with other artists to come up with new ideas.”
Quinn has worked with orcs, creatures, complex simulations, and teams across a wide range of disciplines, with each presenting their own unique challenges, and encourages other students to take every opportunity to learn and improve their craft.
He says mentorship played a key role in his journey. Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation lecturers like Simon Ray offered consistent encouragement, helping Quinn take bold creative leaps that shaped the artist he is today.
“In a place like FADI where you have access to numerous resources and opportunities for mentorship, if you set clear goals and plan, you can absolutely achieve what you’re aiming for. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek out opportunities that challenge you, even if they feel uncomfortable at first. Those are often the moments where you adapt and grow the most. It’s all about taking progressive steps to build yourself into the kind of filmmaker, artist or designer you want to become.”
After completing his BDI, Quinn was awarded a scholarship from Wētā FX to further his education with a Master of Design Technology. He says a career-defining moment for him since graduating was working as an animator alongside the animatronics team and Richard Taylor at Wētā Workshop.
“One of the characters I animated—‘Jeff’, the animatronic Orc—is now featured in the Wētā Workshop displays in Wellington and Auckland. It gave me a deep appreciation for practical effects, especially how craftsmanship and performance merge to bring characters to life.”
Throughout his career, Quinn has witnessed the rapid evolution of the field—particularly in virtual production, VR, and robotics. Wellington remains at the forefront of these advances, providing fertile ground for innovation and global storytelling. At the core of Quinn’s creative ethos lie the values he embraced during his university days: risk-taking, emotional storytelling, and collaborative excellence.
“The constant innovation keeps things exciting and creatively challenging. I see Wellington as a filmmaking powerhouse, with a community that's incredibly adaptable to these changes. There's so much to look forward to, with new avenues emerging for storytelling, design, and connecting with audiences globally.
“I believe design is one of New Zealand’s greatest strengths. We consistently compete on a global level, producing world-class work that resonates universally. Design is deeply tied to our national identity, it’s how we imbue emotion into everyday life, tell stories and make the world feel more vivid and connected.”