About Me

Kia ora, I’m Zane, I’m a Technical Manager in the Faculty of Engineering and Design at the University of Auckland, where I lead technical services across Architecture, Planning and Design. I work with a great team supporting teaching, research, and creative practice through facilities such as the Digital Research Hub (DRH), Design Lab, wood and metal workshops, and CNC fabrication facilities. My work sits at the intersection of technology, design, research, and making, and over the years I’ve worked across digital fabrication, GIS, reality capture, CAD/BIM, XR, digital visualisation, software development, video production, and a fair few other technologies that caught my attention along the way.

My career path has been anything but straight. I’ve been a lecturer, filmmaker, programmer, photographer, researcher, camera operator, 3D artist, radio announcer, business owner, and technical leader. Before joining the University of Auckland I lectured in the Landscape Architecture programme at Unitec for many years and co-owned a film production studio in West Auckland. More recently I completed a Master of Design (First Class Honours), exploring how design, technology, GIS, and mātauranga Māori can be woven together to improve natural hazard resilience for communities (PDF available here). That project combined many of the things I’ve always enjoyed, research, mapping, technology, storytelling, and problem-solving. 

This blog is where all those interests collide. You’ll find posts on digital fabrication, drones, mapping, XR, photography, software projects, AI experiments, visualisation, and the occasional technical rabbit hole. Sometimes it’s a research project, sometimes it’s a tutorial, and sometimes it’s just me documenting something interesting I’ve built or discovered.

When I’m not working, I’m usually chasing surf around New Zealand (and occasionally planning trips around good waves), enjoying live music, especially when one of my kids is on stage, working in the garden, playing games, tinkering with technology, or spending time with family on the coast.

Thanks for stopping by.

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Filmography

2004 – Welcome to the Major League (Short Film) Editor, Music

2005 – Unmates (Short Film) – Producer, Camera, Editor

2006 – Nonsense (Play) – Audio effects/mixing

2006 – All’s Fair in Love and War is Hell (Short Film) – Producer, VFX, Grading, Editor

2006 – Stadium New Zealand (Visualisation) – Compositing, Grading, Editing, Music

2007 – How Jesus Got His Groove Back (Short Film) – Graphics

2007 – 1st Round, DHR (Music Video) – VFX, Colour Grading

2008 – Unsolved Mysteries of The Unexplained (Short Film) – Producer, Audio, Music

2009 – Morphing Wellington Terrain (Animation for Exhibition) – 3D modelling and Animation

2009 – Crowd goes wild (Promo) – DoP

2009 – Trash to Fashion Awards (Live Event) – Camera operator

2009 – Sleepwalkers, 8 Foot Sativa (Music Video) – Colour Grading, Additional Photography, VFX

2010 – Murray Field pilot (Comedy) – Additional Photography

2011 – Last Flight (Short Film) VFX Supervisor, Colour Grading, DoP/Camera Operator (additional photography & studio).

2011 – Rugby World Cup Opening Concept art, 3D terrain modelling

2012 – It’s Party Time with Richard O’Brien (Live Event) Camera Operator

2012 – Canterbury University ‘What If’ (Commercial) 3D terrain modelling & Pre-visualisation

2013 – Hip to be scared (Short Film) – Colour Grading

2013 – Promise of Faith (Music Video) – DoP, Grading

2014 – Jump Jam 16 (Children’s aerobic series) – All Production & Post production. Incl. DoP, VFX, 3D Modelling/rendering, Compositing, Editing, and colour grade.

2015 – Phoenix Audio (Promotional video) – All production & post production incl. Lighting, Camera, Directing, editing, graphics and colour grade.

Research Outputs

Egginton, Z. (2009), Digital Visualisations of the Auckland Isthmus, Cumulus Aotearoa Conference, Auckland, New Zealand.

Bogunovich, D., Popov, N., Williamson, P., and Egginton, Z. (2009). The Eco-Design Showcase. Queens Wharf Competition Entry.

Egginton, Z., Popov, N., and Orams, B. (2010), Digitising the Complex Form, ANZASCA 44th Conference of the Australia and NZ Architectural Science Association, Auckland, New Zealand

Egginton, Z., and Hynson, Y. (2011), Screencasts in Unitec departments, Moodle Moot Conference, Auckland New Zealand.

Egginton, Z., and Hynson, Y., (2011), Screencasting for you. International Conference on eLearning Futures, Auckland, New Zealand

Egginton, Z., Bardebes, W. (2012), Shifiting Perspectives, Art Exhibition, Snow White Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand.

Egginton, Z., (2012), Hollywood Landscapes, Digital Landscape Architecture Conference, Bernburg & Dessau, Germany.

Egginton, Z., et al. (2013), 3D Lenticular Images, Art Exhibition, Snow White Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand

Egginton, Z. (2025). Weaving Tikanga and Technology: Pathways to Natural Hazard Resilience. Master of Design research portfolio, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Awards

2006 – ‘Product of coexistance’, Finalist Coexistence Art Competition, Hart of the City, Auckland New Zealand

2006 – All’s Fair in Love and War is Hell, Auckland Finalist, 48 hour Film Comp.

2010 – Untitled Beach. Cornucopia3d ‘Beach and Seaside’ 3D rendering competition, Winner (1st Place), http://bit.ly/OmRLGr

2010 – Untitled Beach, Picture of the day @ eon-softwares website, http://bit.ly/MRaUVp

2011 – Proposed Landfill (two images), Cornucopia3d ‘Cream of the crop’ collection

2011 – Under the Ice, Cornucopia3D ‘Deep Blue Seas’ Picture Contest, Winner (1st Place).

2011 – Faculty staff award: Innovation in Teaching and Learning. Unitec, NZ.

Other

2007 – Visualisation of the Wynyard Quarter, Auckland City Council.

2010 – Invited guest speaker at Creative tech conference, Auckland.

2011 – New Zealand Cinematography Society, Associate Member.

2011 – 3D Scanner field trial for ESR’s Auckland Forensic Service Centre.

2012 – 3D Modelling and visualisation, Skyline Garages

2013 – 3D Modelling and visualisation, Northland Mussle Farm.

2013 – 3D Modelling and visualisation, Paihia Waterfront.

If your looking for a freelancer please contact me on +64 21 535875 or email zane (at) sunsetstudios . co . nz

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